Transformative Worship: Embracing Gratitude and Connection

 

Summary

The sermon series, based on Romans 8:28, explores the call that Christians have to live differently from the culture, embodying the teachings of Jesus. This particular sermon focuses on the call to worship, specifically the significance of singing in church. The pastor delves into the context of the letter to the Ephesians, written by Paul while he was in prison, emphasizing the importance of worship and gratitude to God. The pastor then explores the transformative power of worship, recounting the story of Paul and Silas who, despite being imprisoned and beaten, chose to pray and sing, resulting in a powerful manifestation of God's presence.

The pastor emphasizes the importance of worship as a posture of thankfulness, even in times of suffering. Worship serves as a reminder to be thankful, especially for God's sacrifice on the cross. The pastor shares personal experiences of being overwhelmed with gratitude during worship, describing it as a transformative act that allows individuals to see the bigger picture of God's goodness and faithfulness. Worship is not solely about the individual, but also has a horizontal impact on those around us and a vertical focus on God.

The pastor also discusses the act of raising one's hands in worship as a symbol of surrender and sacrifice to God. This act of worship connects believers to God and reminds them of their identity and belonging in Him. The pastor encourages the congregation to be thankful in worship, regardless of the circumstances, referencing scriptures that instruct believers to give thanks to God for everything and to sing praises even in times of suffering or cheerfulness.

The pastor acknowledges that singing songs in church may seem strange or unusual to newcomers or those unfamiliar with church. However, they emphasize that singing in church is much more significant than that. The pastor shares a personal experience of initially not wanting to sing, but being encouraged by the congregation's worship and eventually being moved to lift hands and cry out to God. The pastor highlights the horizontal aspect of worship, explaining that our worship is not just about ourselves, but also about filling others with the spirit of God.

The pastor concludes the sermon by discussing the progression from sobriety to drunkenness and how it relates to being filled with the Holy Spirit. The pastor explains that being filled with the Holy Spirit follows the same steps as getting drunk: choice, control, and change. By making the choice to follow Jesus and submitting to His ways and leading, believers are changed from the inside out to be more like Jesus. The pastor poses the question of how believers can constantly be filled with the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance of continuously refilling our souls after making the choice to follow Jesus.

Key Takeaways:

- Worship is a transformative act that allows individuals to see the bigger picture of God's goodness and faithfulness. It serves as a reminder to be thankful, especially for God's sacrifice on the cross. Worship is not solely about the individual, but also has a horizontal impact on those around us and a vertical focus on God. [49:33]

- The act of raising one's hands in worship is a symbol of surrender and sacrifice to God. This act of worship connects believers to God and reminds them of their identity and belonging in Him. [52:45]

- Singing songs in church may seem strange or unusual to newcomers or those unfamiliar with church. However, singing in church is much more significant than that. It is a way of filling others with the spirit of God and strengthening our souls. [55:12]

- Being filled with the Holy Spirit follows the same steps as getting drunk: choice, control, and change. By making the choice to follow Jesus and submitting to His ways and leading, believers are changed from the inside out to be more like Jesus. [58:30]

- It is important to continuously refill our souls after making the choice to follow Jesus. This can be achieved through acts of worship such as singing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. Shared experiences, such as singing in church, enhance feelings of belonging, connectedness, and meaning, while also boosting self-esteem and reducing feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation. [1:01:15]

Study Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."
2. Ephesians 5:18-20: "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
3. 1 Corinthians 14:26: "What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up."

Observation Questions:
1. What does Romans 8:28 suggest about the relationship between loving God and experiencing good in life?
2. In Ephesians 5:18-20, what are the believers encouraged to do instead of getting drunk with wine?
3. What does 1 Corinthians 14:26 suggest about the role of each believer when they come together?

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Romans 8:28 relate to the concept of worship as a transformative act that allows individuals to see the bigger picture of God's goodness and faithfulness?
2. How does Ephesians 5:18-20 connect with the idea of being filled with the Holy Spirit and expressing it through singing and giving thanks?
3. How does 1 Corinthians 14:26 reflect the horizontal aspect of worship, that it is not just about ourselves, but also about filling others with the spirit of God?

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent situation where you experienced hardship. How can you apply Romans 8:28 to see the goodness of God in that situation?
2. What is one hymn or spiritual song that you can sing this week to express your gratitude to God, as suggested in Ephesians 5:18-20?
3. Can you think of a person in your life who might benefit from hearing a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation from you, as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:26?
4. What is one way you can demonstrate surrender and sacrifice to God in your daily life, similar to the act of raising one's hands in worship?
5. How can you make a conscious choice this week to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and what changes do you expect to see in your life as a result?

Devotional

Day 1: The Transformative Power of Worship
Worship is not a mere act of singing or praying, but a transformative experience that allows us to see the bigger picture of God's goodness and faithfulness. It serves as a reminder to be thankful, especially for God's sacrifice on the cross. Worship is not solely about the individual, but also has a horizontal impact on those around us and a vertical focus on God. [49:33]

Colossians 3:16 - "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts."
Reflection: Reflect on your last worship experience. How did it transform your perspective on God's goodness and faithfulness?

Day 2: Surrender and Sacrifice in Worship
Raising one's hands in worship is a symbol of surrender and sacrifice to God. This act of worship connects believers to God and reminds them of their identity and belonging in Him. It is a physical manifestation of our spiritual surrender to God's will. [52:45]

Psalm 63:4 - "So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands."
Reflection: How does the act of raising your hands in worship symbolize your surrender and sacrifice to God?

Day 3: The Significance of Singing in Church
Singing in church may seem strange or unusual to newcomers or those unfamiliar with church. However, it is much more than that. It is a way of filling others with the spirit of God and strengthening our souls. It is a communal act that brings us closer to God and each other. [55:12]

Ephesians 5:19 - "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord."
Reflection: How has singing in church impacted your spiritual journey and your connection with others in the congregation?

Day 4: The Process of Being Filled with the Holy Spirit
Being filled with the Holy Spirit follows the same steps as getting drunk: choice, control, and change. By making the choice to follow Jesus and submitting to His ways and leading, believers are changed from the inside out to be more like Jesus. [58:30]

Ephesians 5:18 - "Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit."
Reflection: Reflect on your journey with the Holy Spirit. How have you experienced the steps of choice, control, and change in your life?

Day 5: Continuously Refilling Our Souls
It is important to continuously refill our souls after making the choice to follow Jesus. This can be achieved through acts of worship such as singing songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. Shared experiences, such as singing in church, enhance feelings of belonging, connectedness, and meaning, while also boosting self-esteem and reducing feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation. [1:01:15]

Psalm 42:7 - "Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me."
Reflection: What are some ways you can continuously refill your soul in your daily life? How can you incorporate acts of worship into your routine?

Quotes

1. "There's power in shared experiences. Do a simple search online about the psychological benefits of shared experiences and you'll find countless articles that explain the power of this. Positive shared experiences enhance our feelings of belonging, connectedness, our sense of meaning. It boosts our self-esteem and decreases feelings of depression, anxiety, and isolation." [14:15]

2. "When we worship God, it also starts to remind our soul who we are, who we belong to...sometimes we need to remind our souls who we are, that we are Sons and Daughters of God, that we are his holy priests." [25:56]

3. "Our worship is thankful...give thanks for everything to God...even when we are suffering or cheerful, we should sing praises." [27:18]

4. "When we start to praise God, it's like we zoom out and we can now see the big picture... it helps us be thankful because it teaches us something very important... worship may involve you but it is not all about you... our worship goes horizontal, it changes those around us, our worship is vertical, it focuses us in on God, and our worship is thankful, it teaches us to live thankful in every season of our lives." [29:00]

5. "That is why it's so important to worship God through song even when we don't feel like it... your singing is going to fill the person up next to you with the spirit in the presence of God." [16:34]

6. "Worship is not about anything we get from God, it's us giving God everything. I love in the Book of Psalms the psalmist says to accept my prayer in my upraised hands as an offering to you that our upraised hands would be an offering to God...we are doing this act of saying God I'm surrendering everything to you, my lifting my hands is a sacrifice of praise to you and I'm going to lift my hands to you." [24:02]

7. "Instead of that progression, be filled with the Holy Spirit. Instead of the progression that you follow with getting drunk, you should take that progression and put it with being filled with the Holy Spirit because just like with alcohol, we have a choice, control, and change. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the same steps, the same progression. We make a choice to follow Jesus, we submit to and give control of our lives to His ways and His leading, and as we do that, we are changed from the inside out to be more like Jesus. That is the progression." [09:07]

8. "How do we continuously refill our souls?... We cannot keep plowing through our world and culture without refilling our soul." [10:59]

9. "Worship is a transformative act that allows us to see the bigger picture of God's goodness and faithfulness. It serves as a reminder to be thankful, especially for God's sacrifice on the cross. Worship is not solely about the individual, but also has a horizontal impact on those around us and a vertical focus on God." ([49:33])

10. "The act of raising one's hands in worship is a symbol of surrender and sacrifice to God. This act of worship connects us to God and reminds us of our identity and belonging in Him." ([52:45])

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?