Transformative Worship: Uniting Hearts and Motives
Devotional
Sermon Summary
Bible Study Guide
Sermon Clips
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "We come to church for connection, to meet social and emotional needs. We come to church for the way it makes us feel. We come to church out of habit and obligation. We come because we have some specific role we agreed to. We come to assuage guilt, to get inspired, to learn, to get out of the house, to make our spouse happy. For the music, to find someone to date. Yes, that happens. To be or be seen as a respectable parent or member of society out of curiosity. To get some sleep. To network for personal healing. To escape the stress of life. And yes, hopefully to have some kind of encounter with God." [47:36] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Friends, something happens when we worship together. In song and music. I'm not sure anything other than music is capable of so much influence over our souls. Especially in worship. Something happens when we worship. We lift our gaze up and focus on something other than ourselves for a bit. And I hope most Sundays you leave here with a higher perspective than you came in with. We come to God for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps some are better than others. But if we come with some degree of intention, God can do something with all of us here together." [51:11] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "If you come for the potlucks, welcome. If you come to get some sleep or to please your spouse, welcome. These are things God can work with. We will play instruments, sing, read, preach, listen, hug, welcome, even dance across the generations. And we'll be better for it. That's what God does. God uses our worshipful offerings and participation to build us into the people God needs for God's kingdom. Even when the party is thrown to celebrate God, God turns the tables on us and builds us up. And it is pleasing to the Lord." [52:09] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "In our scripture today, on the face of things, it might seem like this procession of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem was a worship of pure joy, celebration, delight. There's dancing and music playing, sacrifices and rituals. It seems like pure worship with full hearts. Surely this congregation of people would not have had a 9% potluck bump. But when you dig into the history behind it, the truth is, it's a little more complicated than what the narrative portrays. In fact, I think it tells us a truth about the way we all come to God and how our encounters with God can leave us better off on the far side of a worship experience than in the more compromised way in which we often come to God." [37:57] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The scene in our scripture is an important one in the history of Israel. It's the climax of a sequence. Starting with Moses' promise for a rest from enemies in a chosen place for Yahweh's name. And it marks the ascendancy of the city of Jerusalem, making it both the religious and the political capital of Israel. The geopolitical ramifications of David's celebratory move of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem reverberate even today. But there's more to the story than David joyfully celebrating a permanent resting place for the name of Yahweh. As much as this celebration might be seen as good for Israel, good for the Lord, it all certainly seemed to be good for David as well." [39:14] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Worship both now and in this encounter is ostensibly not even for us. Worship is done, was done, and is done for an audience of one, as they say. For the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim, as our scripture puts it. We worship because God is worthy, not for some personal need. At least, that's what we're supposed to think and say. But the truth is, I think, we're not always that holy, nor is God that needy. We come to church for all kinds of mixed motives. For at least 9% of you on potluck Sundays, it's for the food." [46:38] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Regardless of how we get here. I believe something often happens when we do. When we come together with other people who have their own mixed motives. We set our sights on something higher. We hear words of liturgy, of scripture and sermon. We practice communion, passing peace, prayers and more. We see people of all ages and places in life. And we hear music. Good music. That stirs something within. Often it's music we can participate in. And that does something to us as well. And as always, God does something with our imperfections. With our mixed motives as they are. Perhaps it's music that is most effective of all." [48:28] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We come to God for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps some are better than others. But if we come with some degree of intention, God can do something with all of us here together. And fill us with strength, with perspective, grace, and love. This is how the magic happens. We come as we are. And that's okay. That's what this place is for." [51:11] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
Ask a question about this sermon
1. "We come to church for connection, to meet social and emotional needs. We come to church for the way it makes us feel. We come to church out of habit and obligation. We come because we have some specific role we agreed to. We come to assuage guilt, to get inspired, to learn, to get out of the house, to make our spouse happy. For the music, to find someone to date. Yes, that happens. To be or be seen as a respectable parent or member of society out of curiosity. To get some sleep. To network for personal healing. To escape the stress of life. And yes, hopefully to have some kind of encounter with God." [47:36] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Friends, something happens when we worship together. In song and music. I'm not sure anything other than music is capable of so much influence over our souls. Especially in worship. Something happens when we worship. We lift our gaze up and focus on something other than ourselves for a bit. And I hope most Sundays you leave here with a higher perspective than you came in with. We come to God for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps some are better than others. But if we come with some degree of intention, God can do something with all of us here together." [51:11] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "If you come for the potlucks, welcome. If you come to get some sleep or to please your spouse, welcome. These are things God can work with. We will play instruments, sing, read, preach, listen, hug, welcome, even dance across the generations. And we'll be better for it. That's what God does. God uses our worshipful offerings and participation to build us into the people God needs for God's kingdom. Even when the party is thrown to celebrate God, God turns the tables on us and builds us up. And it is pleasing to the Lord." [52:09] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "In our scripture today, on the face of things, it might seem like this procession of the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem was a worship of pure joy, celebration, delight. There's dancing and music playing, sacrifices and rituals. It seems like pure worship with full hearts. Surely this congregation of people would not have had a 9% potluck bump. But when you dig into the history behind it, the truth is, it's a little more complicated than what the narrative portrays. In fact, I think it tells us a truth about the way we all come to God and how our encounters with God can leave us better off on the far side of a worship experience than in the more compromised way in which we often come to God." [37:57] (53 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "The scene in our scripture is an important one in the history of Israel. It's the climax of a sequence. Starting with Moses' promise for a rest from enemies in a chosen place for Yahweh's name. And it marks the ascendancy of the city of Jerusalem, making it both the religious and the political capital of Israel. The geopolitical ramifications of David's celebratory move of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem reverberate even today. But there's more to the story than David joyfully celebrating a permanent resting place for the name of Yahweh. As much as this celebration might be seen as good for Israel, good for the Lord, it all certainly seemed to be good for David as well." [39:14] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Worship both now and in this encounter is ostensibly not even for us. Worship is done, was done, and is done for an audience of one, as they say. For the Lord of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim, as our scripture puts it. We worship because God is worthy, not for some personal need. At least, that's what we're supposed to think and say. But the truth is, I think, we're not always that holy, nor is God that needy. We come to church for all kinds of mixed motives. For at least 9% of you on potluck Sundays, it's for the food." [46:38] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Regardless of how we get here. I believe something often happens when we do. When we come together with other people who have their own mixed motives. We set our sights on something higher. We hear words of liturgy, of scripture and sermon. We practice communion, passing peace, prayers and more. We see people of all ages and places in life. And we hear music. Good music. That stirs something within. Often it's music we can participate in. And that does something to us as well. And as always, God does something with our imperfections. With our mixed motives as they are. Perhaps it's music that is most effective of all." [48:28] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We come to God for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps some are better than others. But if we come with some degree of intention, God can do something with all of us here together. And fill us with strength, with perspective, grace, and love. This is how the magic happens. We come as we are. And that's okay. That's what this place is for." [51:11] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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