Undignified Worship and Empowering Women in Leadership
Summary
In this sermon, I explored the topics of undignified worship and women in leadership. I emphasized that we, as followers of Jesus, were made to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. I questioned why many of us are willing to be wild and passionate for sporting events, but remain calm and restrained in church services. I encouraged listeners to be undignified in their worship, to let go of their inhibitions and fully express their love and adoration for God. I also discussed the importance of waiting on the Lord and giving Him our full attention, even if it means sitting in silence and drowning out all distractions.
In the second part of the sermon, I addressed the controversial topic of women in leadership. I expressed my frustration with the Southern Baptist Convention's stance against women in leadership and affirmed that God can use anyone, regardless of gender. I reminded listeners that there is no longer male or female in Christ Jesus, and that God has used many women throughout biblical history to do amazing things. I concluded by encouraging listeners to wrestle with these topics and make their own decisions, but ultimately, to keep their focus on God.
Key Takeaways:
- We should be willing to be undignified in our worship, expressing our love and adoration for God without restraint or inhibition. #!!06:05!!#
- Waiting on the Lord and giving Him our full attention is one of the greatest displays of honor we can give Him. #!!07:21!!#
- God can use anyone, regardless of gender, and has used many women throughout biblical history to do amazing things. #!!45:03!!#
- We should not put God in a box or try to control Him. Instead, we should see Him as the God of the Bible who created, sustains, and loves us. #!!10:44!!#
- Our worship and service to God should come from a place of genuine love for Him, not from a desire to please others or fulfill our own agenda. #!!12:50!!#
Study Guide
Takeaways from the Sermon:
1. Worship is not a performance, but a deeply personal expression of our love and devotion to God. It is not about the outward show, but the posture of our hearts towards our Father. It is a decision that feeds our spirit and can be expressed in various ways - singing, dancing, painting, reading the Bible, or even in silence. The key is that our hearts are in the right place. [20:36] [21:15]
2. The role of women in leadership within the church is not a matter of gender, but of willingness and obedience to God. God can use anyone who is willing, whether male or female. By not allowing women to lead, we might be missing an aspect of God's heart that needs to be brought into the body of Christ. [48:29] [49:12]
Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 11:3-16
2. 1 Corinthians 14:34-35
3. Romans 8
4. Galatians 6
Observation Questions:
1. What does 1 Corinthians 11:3-16 say about women and their role in worship?
2. How does 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 instruct women to behave during church meetings?
3. What does Romans 8 and Galatians 6 teach us about feeding our spirit versus feeding our flesh?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How do these passages relate to the concept of worship being a deeply personal expression of our love and devotion to God?
2. How do these passages inform our understanding of women's role in leadership within the church?
Application Questions:
1. How can you make your worship more personal and less of a performance?
2. How can you feed your spirit more in your daily decisions?
3. If you are a woman, how do you feel about the idea of women in leadership within the church? If you are a man, how can you support women in leadership roles within the church?
4. How can you contribute to creating a church environment where everyone, regardless of gender, feels empowered to lead and serve?
Devotional
Day 1: Worship is a Daily Decision
Every decision we make can either feed our flesh or our spirit. This includes the seemingly mundane choices like eating or exercising, as well as the more overtly spiritual ones like reading the Bible or praying. These decisions are deeply rooted in either our flesh or our spirit, and they all contribute to our overall posture of worship. [20:36]
Romans 8:5 - "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit."
Reflection: Reflect on your decisions today. How many were made to feed your spirit and how many were made to feed your flesh?
Day 2: Worship is Not a Performance
In many religious settings, worship has become a performance. We watch others worship and are entertained, but this is not what Jesus died for. True worship is not about the spectacle, but about the heart. It's about coming together as the body of Christ and glorifying Him in our own unique ways. [22:00]
John 4:24 - "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth."
Reflection: How can you make your worship more about your relationship with God and less about the performance?
Day 3: The Importance of Undignified Worship
Being willing to be undignified in our worship can lead to breakthroughs in our spiritual lives. This means letting go of our fears and concerns about what others think and focusing solely on God. This kind of worship is developed in the secret place, where we can be free to express our love for God without fear of judgment. [24:08]
2 Samuel 6:22 - "I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes."
Reflection: What fears or concerns are holding you back from expressing your love for God in an undignified way?
Day 4: The Spirit is Not in a Box
Jesus didn't die to be put back in a box. His death, burial, and resurrection allowed His Spirit to leave the box and enter into us. He has come to explode whatever box we've created for Him, freeing us to worship Him in new and unique ways. [24:50]
1 Corinthians 3:16 - "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
Reflection: In what ways have you put God in a box? How can you allow His Spirit to explode that box?
Day 5: Women in Leadership
The Bible has much to say about women in leadership, and it's not all negative. Women have played crucial roles in the story of God's people, and they continue to do so today. It's important to recognize and affirm the gifts and callings of women in our churches and communities. [27:43]
Judges 4:4 - "Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time."
Reflection: How can you support and affirm the women leaders in your church and community?
Quotes
1. "You would be willing to be undignified before the Lord privately before you ever are publicly. Allow him to woo you, to draw you into creating you a clean heart, a clean conscience. Just a sobriety to look in the mirror and to see what he sees. Whether you're a male or female, he loves you, he's chosen you, he's adopted you." - 50:30
2. "You and I as followers of Jesus were made to worship the king of kings and Lord of lords. He is our everything. He is the one we look to, he is the one we gather around, he is the one that we live for. Many times in religious settings, it's hard for us to worship because we look around and everybody just seems dead, they seem indifferent. But that shouldn't stop you and I from being undignified." - 04:53
3. "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slaver free, male or female for you are all one in Christ Jesus. God can do whatever he wants to do. We as humans we put Logic on it and we try to make it say what we want to say because it's easier to explain, it's justifiable." - 42:39
4. "Every decision that you make can be worshiped. Romans 8, Galatians 6 talks about that we can either feed our flesh or feed our spirit. Every decision that you make, whether it's eating, whether it's exercising, whatever decision it is, it's deeply rooted to either your flesh or your spirit." - 20:20
5. "Church today has become a performance. We watch others worship and we are entertained. This is not what Jesus died for. This is everything against what scripture says. So for the religious spirit, this is an uncomfortable conversation because it means that you have to look inward, you have to evaluate your life." - 20:20
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