The Grace Driven Life

5.  Rejoicing in God's grace - through worship.

Warren's approach to worship: Worship isn't for our benefit.  We worship for God's benefit.  When we worship, our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves.  We don't worship to please ourselves.  Our motive is to bring glory and pleasure to our Creator.
The best style of worship is the one that most authentically represents your love for God, based on the background and personality God gave you....Christians have used many different paths for 2,000 years to enjoy intimacy with God: being outdoors, studying, singing, reading, dancing, creating art, serving others, having solitude, enjoying fellowship, and participating in dozens of other activities.
More people are won to Christ by feeling God's presence than by all our apologetic arguments combined.  It is in the sense of God's presence that melts hearts and explodes mental barriers. (pg. 242 P.D.C.) Barna explains how this "experience is met - "Studies show that in order to get the worshipers to feel as if they are in the presence of God, you have to begin the service with about twenty minutes of music."
Throughout Scriptures we're commanded to celebrate God's presence by magnifying the Lord and exalting his name.  (Pg. 103) This is biblical worship.  (He invokes Psalm 34:3, "O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together."  (In line with this he speaks disparagingly about songs that sing about God or about the Christian experience.)

Main Point: The Bible wants us to sing to the Lord, not about him.  Worship is primarily a man's expression of praise to God.

What again is the focus on the evangelical's approach to worship? 

What is their purpose or objective in worship?  

What is the wanted result of getting the presences of God across?  

What are some problems with this approach?  

First of all.  God's word does not limit worship to mere praise -
Open up to Psalm 34.  Let's read it together.

How does this show us that worship is not simply singing to the Lord?  

Luther: "We praise God best when we proclaim his Word, not when we say 'he is an awesome God.'  When the redemptive note is at the core, we praise him best.  We praise him for his redeeming acts by telling others and ourselves about his redeeming acts."

Second of all, worship is not limited to man to God -
Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

How does this expand the concept of worship?  

Since our lives are driven by Grace, it would only go to figure that our worship would also then look for ways to grow in grace as well -
1 Corinthians 1:4-7 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.  For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge--because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.  Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

Where is God's grace found?  

So what will be our main objective in worship?  

The whole liturgical calendar is laid out around the life of Christ -
Advent  Christmas  Epiphany
Lent  Easter  Ascension  Pentecost

How does this differ from the non-liturgical approach?  

What ends up being the difference?  

Again, to briefly reiterate - the grace of God as found in Christ is given to us through specific means -

Ephesians 3:2-6 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly.  In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets.  This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

How did Paul give people God's grace?  

With the word, we want to bring people Christ, so they have the Gospel.  The theme of Lutheran worship is to let the Gospel dominate.  How might our objective be different from other Christian churches?  

Acts 2:38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 26:26-28 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take ad eat; this is my body."  Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

How does the Holy Spirit enable us to receive His forgiveness and grace?  

How is God's grace appreciated?  

The theme of these Bible classes has been based on 2 Peter 3:18 Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To him be glory both now and forever!  Amen.

How will this different faith ultimately change the way we approach worship?  

This is our main objective then in worship -

    1.) _ _ in God's grace through the __ _ of grace.

Romans 10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.

How doe we GROW in God's grace in worship?  

How does this differ from what Warren mentioned as a key to touching people in worship?  

    2.) __ _ God's grace.

How do our worship services begin by experiencing God's grace?  

How else does this experience come about in the worship service?  

Some churches prefer to call their sermons "Bible studies"  The sermon consists in using a variety of Bible passages to talk about relationships, commitment, etc.  You could say they are Biblical, maybe even more "Biblical" than ours. 

How is our focus different than merely being, "Biblical"?  

    3.)__ _ in God's grace.

Ephesians 5:18-19 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery.  Instead, be filled with the Spirit.  Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.

Rejoicing in God's grace can involve any variety of ways -
Psalm 8           Psalm 38         Psalm 66         Psalm 149

How do we rejoice in God's grace?  

One card shows a girl leaping in the air with the caption, "Life was never meant to be boring."  Inside are the words, "Neither was church."  Hard pews, droning music, monotone sermons, forget it!  God is the author of life - REAL life!  At (church name), we celebrate life and you'll see it in our services.  You'll find upbeat music, positives messages, and friendly people.  There's something for everyone.  Come change your ideas about church; tell boredom to take a flying leap.

On the other side - the song "Opener" by Lutheran group Lost and Found.  These words reflect a craving for substance and transcendence:  I am looking for something stronger - Than my own life these days.  Yet the church of my childhood - Seems like the YMCA.  Well, every Sunday - Is just like the last.  As if church has no history - And the people have no past.  We just sing what we like to sing - And we preach about the news.  And think of some new thing - just to fill up the pews.  I want palms on Palm Sunday - And Pentecost to be red.  I want to drink the Wine - And eat of the Bread.  And they search for attendance - While I starve for transcendence.  But I count among this Body - Of the living and the dead.

What if people are bored with our worship?  How do we respond?  

Dr. Dale Meyer begins a recent Lutheran Hour sermon with these words.  There was a time when stories were a no-no with some ministers.  Give people the Word of God, the logic went, not human stories.  There was a time, when that was common thought.  There also was a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth.  There was a time when there were no TVs or computers.  The fact is that in this day and age stories work.  They work because we're looking for authentic experiences.  We've become cynical about pitches, whether there pitches in a TV commercial or pitches from the minister.  Real stories from real people communicate to us, living our real lives.

I don't particularly agree with this statement either.  Why? 

What is the key?