September 30, 2012
Morning Service

Our study of the letter to the Romans is complete.  I can say personally that it has brought me into a closer relationship with my Savior.  My prayer all along has been that God’s people would be encouraged by God’s Word.  To try to summarize this book in a single sermon is nearly impossible.  Every chapter revealed great truths to us and also challenged us to live a life of “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.”

We covered faith, righteousness, hope, God’s love, brotherly love, baptism, being tools in God’s hands, God’s gift, no condemnation, glory to come, no separation, God’s sovereignty, the Jews, salvation for whosoever will, not conforming, transforming, politics, money, time, judging, and pleasing our weaker brother.

Rom 8:32  Truly He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

·         When I needed a Savior, a Redeemer, God sent His most priceless treasure for me.  He is all in for me.

·         This has moved me to a point of action.  I want to be all in for Him!  I want my life to fulfill the purpose He has for me!  I want to serve Him!

·         It also has created something else deep inside my heart; a great desire to praise and worship Him.

Rom 15:11 And again, "Praise the Lord, all the nations, and praise Him, all the peoples."

·         What does that mean and how can we do that?

 

 

Worship is expressing our reverent love and devotion to God; to show adoration.  It is done by the act of doing; reading, praying, serving, or singing.  Living a life of “living sacrifice” is an act of worship.  We lift Him up for who He is.

 

Praise is expressing our admiration to God; to magnify, applaud and glorify Him.  It is the act of celebrating who God is and what He has done for us.  Telling others and Him what He means to us through song, poems, or testimony.  We communicate what He has done for us.

 

These are to be the heartbeat of our relationship with our Creator. Praise and worship should come from the heart, not just our lips.  It is an expression of our love for Him that comes from deep within us.

 

John 4:23-24  But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.  (24)  God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.

·         Our worship should be genuine being free of any pretense.  It must be true and from the heart.  It is entered into by faith.

·         Notice God is seeking such to worship Him.  He desires our worship.

 

 

 Psalms 22:3 But You are holy, who inhabit the praises of Israel.

·         God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise.  Praise is a vehicle of faith that brings us into the presence and power of God.  Paul and Silas example in Acts 16:25.

 

 

Psalms 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

·         As we assemble ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25) these are the attitudes we should be coming with; thanksgiving, praise and blessing to the Lord.

 

Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.

·         As we gather together in His name, He promises to be there with us.  As we sing our hymns and choruses, we should sing them as if He is here, because He is.

·         Church should be a place that we come to have a personal encounter with our Creator and Savior.  We should not just come to receive, but also give.

 

Heb 13:15 By Him, then, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, confessing His name.

·         Just as in the OT a worshiper would bring gifts of animal sacrifices, we bring the sacrifice of our praise to Him.

·         That OT sacrifice was always to be the best of the flock, without blemish.  We are to bring our best to Him as well.

·         Notice, however, that this sacrifice is not offered once or twice a week but continually.

 

Psalms 34:1-3 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise always shall be in my mouth.  (2)  My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear and be glad.  (3)  O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

 

 

Psalms 150:1-6 Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in the expanse of His power.  (2)  Praise Him for His mighty acts; praise Him according to His excellent greatness.  (3)  Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; praise Him with the harp and lyre.  (4)  Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with stringed instruments and pipes.  (5)  Praise Him on the sounding cymbals; praise Him with the resounding cymbals.  (6)  Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

 

 

Col 3:16  Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

 

John 4:14  but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

·         The water He speaks of here is His Spirit; which will satisfy our thirsting of our souls completely.  Notice what that produces; well of water springing up into everlasting life.

·         We are not to be a stagnant pool but an everlasting fountain, springing forth with praise and worship continually.  It will become easier and easier as we continue to surrender ourselves to the Spirit’s control.

 

Are you thirsty this morning?  Drink of the water Jesus offers you.  Open up the flood gates of your soul and let the praise and worship flow freely.