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Monday 27 August 2012

Why Go to Church on Sunday??

Sunday Sermon Review, August 26, 2012
A sermon review from my home church that I attend regulary
Psalm 149:1 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
This was the final service in the series on "Worship"
The service began with singing of several songs, which included "Lead Me to the Cross", "Nothing but the Blood of Jesus", and "In Christ Alone".
This was followed by a children's story where the children were asked the question - "Why do you always go to church?" Some of the answers were -  to worship the Lord, to sing with other people, and to learn new things from the preacher's message.
Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Pastor Ben came up to preach and he continued with the same question - Here is some of what he said.
Why Come to Church on Sunday?
 Do we need to worship with others? and if so Why?
Worship is - our response to God for who He is and what He has done for us
While worhipping God alone is a very important part of the Christian life, worshipping together with others is a different experience. Pastor Ben compared worshipping corporately  to being at a sports event or concert and how the atmosphere in such a place is an experience much different than  watching a sports event on TV or listening to the same music on your ipod.
Worship changes our lives.
Jeremiah 2:5 Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
What we worship is what we become, It shapes the core of our being
Worshipping together as a congregation allows us to worship together as united in Christ
- someone who has cancer and knows the time is short here
- we can kneel before the Holy God together
- we can take part in communion
Worship is not just about "me and Jesus"
Our world is individualistic
Our world view shapes our thinking
Deuteronomy 16:11 says  And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are among you, in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen to place his name there.
Jews and Gentiles must worship God together - not separate
In the book of Revelation, we see community in worship before God
Our relationship with God and others is tied together
Worship is about pledging allegiance to God publicly - make God first in our life,
We pledge allegiance to God as King
Pastor Ben drew similarities to the ceremony of becoming a Canadian citizen - it is done publicly and it is a time of rejoicing.
So also worship is public
Pastor Ben quoted the words from the song Lead Me to the Cross as a recommitment to Christ and a pledging of allegiance to the Lord.
The closing song was "I am Free"
Here are the words to the song Lead me to the Cross:

Lead Me to the Cross 
(by Hillsong United)

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemptions hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
You are
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

To your heart
To your heart
Lead me to your heart
Lead me to your heart

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