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Why do Christians sing songs before their message? Join us as we hear from Pastor Matt speak on the power of our worship!
At Sandals Church, our vision is to be real with ourselves, God and others. This channel features sermons and teaching from Pastor Matt Brown and other members of the Sandals Church preaching team. You can find sermon notes, videos and more content at http://sandalschurch.com/watch
Hey. Thanks so much for listening to Sandals Church. Our vision as a church is to be real with ourselves, God, and others. We hope you enjoy this message.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Hey guys, welcome to the Power of Us. Man, what an incredible series. I've been watching from home. Man, Pastor Fredo has been killing it. Let's give him a hand, man.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Just incredible. Incredible, incredible. We are just so blessed at Sandals Church to have so many incredible communicators, and that's one of the beauties of being a multi site church. We don't think about this, but a lot of churches, pastors have to do it all. What's amazing about Sandals is people get to specialize and be everything that God's called them to be.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And that's one of the reasons why I think we're not just a church, but we're a movement. And so, I think it's something we need to celebrate. And so today I wanna talk about one of the unique powers that we have at Sandals Church. The power of our worship. I was at a conference last week and, somebody was saying, hey, I just heard you recruited so and so to be on your worship team.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And I said, yeah, it's great. And they literally said this, how on earth did you get them to be on your team? Well, it has nothing to do with anything on earth. It has to do with the one who's in heaven. But here's what's amazing, that person applied.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Because they wanna be a part of what God is doing at Sandals Church because God is changing the power of our worship. And some of you guys, I mean, I mean, we all fall into 1 of 2 categories. We feel very free in worship, and some of us feel very uncomfortable in worship. Right? Some of us are just like, baaah.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:In other words, they're like, that person is making weird noises. Right? And so here's the thing is, here's what I wanna challenge you to do today. No matter where you are, whether you're the freak that needs to tone it down a little bit or you're the person that needs to, like, let a noise come out, I just want you to know that God is listening to our worship, and that our worship is a powerful thing. It's a powerful, powerful thing.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And in the Bible, the worship leaders always led the battle. And our worship is our war, and we are either winning that war or we are losing that war based upon our worship. And so I want you to think about that. We're gonna start off today with, the Book of Psalms, which is an entire book in the Bible, the longest book in terms of chapters dedicated to worship. That's how important it is to God.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's one of the most often quoted books of the Bible by Jesus. So that should tell us something. This book matters. And so if you're a person that struggles with worship, I want you to know this. It mattered to Jesus.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Psalms 29:2 says this, Ascribe to the Lord the glory that is due his name. This is something that's due. This is something that's owed to him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness. Man, we struggle giving God the worship that is due.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I got to go to a couple of graduation parties this last week and got to hang with with some teenagers, which is always exciting. We only have 1 teenager in our home, and he's almost not a teenager. So, you know, I felt super young and at the same time, really old. You know what I'm saying? It's like, wow.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But some of these teenagers teenagers are different, you know, than they were when I was a kid. When I was a kid, when you were 16, you got your license that day. K. Nowadays, teenagers turn 16, and they start panicking about getting their license that day. Like, they're, oh, I don't know.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I don't know. And here's the thing is they're all afraid of the speed. I'm afraid of the speed. I'm afraid of things that are happening. Well, I just wanna blow your mind a little bit about how God just handles speed.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Okay? Last week, I got the opportunity to drive a race car around a racetrack. It's the first time in my life. It's always been a lifelong dream to drive a Porsche. I've never been more frightened in my life.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And here's the thing you need to know. I drive every day. Every day. And I was terrified because of the speed of this Porsche. Okay?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I don't own a Porsche. You know what you give. Pray about it. Amen? Like, right?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I'd never driven one before. But let me just give you some numbers that will blow your mind. The earth is rotating right now as we speak at a 1000 miles an hour. We're spinning and you don't even know it. At a 1000 miles an hour right now, it takes the earth 23 hours and like 59 minutes, not 24 hours, like 59 minutes to completely rotate this big old rock we're on called earth.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But here's the thing is, the earth, man, we're we're rotating around the sun at 67,000 miles an hour right now. Right now. That's why the wind's blowing. But here's the thing. Our sun and our and our our our system, all of our planets, we're rotating around the center of our galaxy at 448,000 miles an hour.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And here's the thing. And we're traveling forward 1,000 of miles an hour somewhere. We're going somewhere right now. We came from somewhere and we're going somewhere. And I want you to think about that.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Like my wife is freaked out about automatic driving cars. You know what I'm freaked about? People driving cars. That's what scares me. Because your computer doesn't drop a French fry.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Amen. Oh my gosh. Your French fry is not distracted. Oh, look at that. But here's the thing I want you to think.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:The earth has been on autopilot for 1000000000 of years because God programmed it, set it, and sent it. So listen to me, teenagers. You're afraid to drive. God's been driving for 1,000,000,000 of years, and he is worthy of your worship. He is able to handle things at speeds that are beyond our comprehension.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:We don't even know, I mean, how fast is 448,000 miles? An hour. I mean, we don't we don't even know how to comprehend those numbers. But we struggle with worship because we don't think about how big God is. Here's Webster's dictionary's definition of worship.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Here's the first definition, and this is appropriate for us as Christians. Worship is to honor or show reverence for something as a divine being or supernatural power. Here's what it means. There's something bigger and beyond me that I must worship. They used to call pastors reverends.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Because we used to understand that a part of life is worshiping and connecting with something that's bigger than life. Number 2, this is more appropriate for our culture. To regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion to a celebrity. You see, 1,000 of years ago, we used to worship idols. Now we call superstars idols, American Idol.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Here's the thing about your worship, and some of you guys say, well, I'm not a worshiper. Oh, you are? You just don't worship God. All you men that are quiet, if I watched you watch sports, I'd watch your worship service. I've never made my children cry during worship at church, but I have made them cry worshiping the 49ers, worshiping the Rams.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:When my girls were little, they would just look at their mom. What's wrong with dad? He's angry. Well, daddy's worshiping a false god. He'll teach us about the real God on Sundays.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Right? You see, when I worship the wrong thing, listen to me, it will make my life a living hell. Look at our world. Look what's wrong with our young people. We've told them they're God and they're miserable.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:They're miserable. They feel awful inside. You see, psychology tells us that for human beings to be happy, we are pre programmed to have our attention and focus fixated on something bigger and beyond us. That's where we get goals from. We have to have an aim.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:We have to have something worth shooting for to make life worth living. And so when I worship the wrong thing, life, life is a living hell. But listen to this. When I worship the one true God, he doesn't make my life like heaven. He makes my life worth living because it gives me a focus.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It gives me a perspective. And we're gonna look today at when the church was birthed. When the church was birthed, in Acts chapter 2, the first thing they did was worship. It's the first thing they did. It changed their lives.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It changed their trajectory. And listen to me, it changed the world. We have so many young people today that want to change the world, but it has nothing to do with worship. Worship of God is the only thing that can change our lives on Earth. And so in Acts chapter 2, we're gonna look at just 5 verses.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:These are some of the most famous verses in the Bible, where it reveals to us the power of our worship, what our worship can do. In Acts chapter 2, verse 42 through 47, it says all the believers, every single one of them, all the believers devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, and to fellowship, and to the sharing of meals, including the Lord's Supper, and to prayer. And listen to this, what's the result of this? A deep sense of awe came over all of them. And the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And the believers met together in one place, and they shared everything they had, and they sold their property and their possessions to move to Tennessee. Oh, no. Sorry. That's our world. They sold their property to flee to Texas.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:No. No. No. I'm sorry. They sold their property and they shared their money with those in need.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And they worshiped together at the temple each day. And they met in homes for the Lord's supper. And they shared their meals with great joy and generosity. All the while, praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day, the Lord added to their fellowship those that were being saved.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Man, that's the birth of the church. It's the birth of the church, and it was birthed in worship. In worship. And some of you guys are like, well, just get to the sermon. You're not ready for the sermon.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You need worship. You need worship. It cracks me up every single every single week. I watch you guys come in like, you know what time the sermon starts. It's not like we show videos of movies that are coming out 6 months from now.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:We're worshiping for what's happening in your life today. Today, right now. You need this worship. Well, I don't understand. I don't like the music.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's not about the music, it's about your soul. Worship, the power of our worship prepares my ears to hear the Word of God. You're not ready. You're not ready to hear. Acts 2:42, what's the first thing they did?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching. Well, pastor, I have the Holy Spirit inside of me. So did they. And they devoted themselves. You know why?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Everyone needs a teacher. Everyone needs a teacher. Half the things I say, maybe more that you go, wow, I heard I was taught. I didn't discover that on my own. I wasn't just casually reading the Bible.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I had a professor, a teacher that said, hey, dummy, look at that. And I was like, oh, I'm gonna tuck that away and share it later as my own thought. So when I'm preaching, when you listen to the sermon, some of you don't even know what that is. I always love. I love sandals church.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:People say great talk. That's sandals. That's sandals, man. All of our friends, they go to churches where they hear a sermon. Sandals, you hear a talk.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Great talk. I got a friend of mine this week. He told me, he says, my son doesn't even think you preach. He thinks you're a stand up comedian. I was like, that is the sweetest compliment I've ever received.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:So when I listen to the sermon, when you listen to the sermon, listen, you're not listening to me. And the only way you're gonna listen to me is if you listen to worship. You know what you're listening to when I'm preaching? You're listening to your own thoughts. Do you know how hard it is for me to get in your head?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's a crowded place, your head. And some of you right now are, no, it's not. Yes, it is. Wow. Yes, we are.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:How do you know? I don't know what's going on. Think about everything that you have. You have Manhattan, New York City in your brain. You got all these voices, all these words, all these things running around.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You know what worship does? It clears your head. It clears your mind. The Holy Spirit says, out of the way, out of the way, it's time to hear the word of God. But some of you, it's not just a bunch of random thoughts.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's your worst fears. Most of the emails I get that criticize my sermons are nothing that I actually said. It's what they're afraid I said. And by the way, if you're married, this is free. Most of your fights aren't about what was said at all.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's what you are afraid was said. It's what you're afraid might be said. Years ago, we had a disgruntled church member, God bless her soul. The Lord has moved them on to greener pastures. But she would write down every single sermon I preached word for word.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And she said, you told the church to hate Jesus. So let me see your notes. I mean, who knows? You know, I'm not always in charge of what comes out of my mouth. If you don't believe me, ask my wife.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And so I read her notes, and here's what I said. I said, don't you just hate Jesus? You know what I was talking about? When he convicts us. I didn't mean to hate Jesus at all.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I meant, man, isn't it amazing how Jesus convicts us? It's called a hyperbole. Jesus used it all the time. Like, if you've cut off your right hand, you misunderstood what he was saying. Some of you are like, my bad.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Oh. Right? That's not what he's saying. He's using a hyperbole. He's exaggerating to communicate to your thick head.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And the truth is we do hate conviction. But thank God Jesus convicts us. Thank God. So sometimes we worry. Oh my gosh, Pastor Matt's gotten liberal.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Despite, you know, 30 years to the contrary, I think that sentence proves it. Oh my gosh. And we all do this, right, in all relationships. In all relationships. I mean, my wife and I had a discussion, not a fight, a discussion, where I said at what point does our 26 years of marriage and who I am and have been as a husband count.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I'm just I'm just curious. Right? I'm just curious. Pretty good track record. Pretty good.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's not an a, but a b plus at least. Think about that. But one thing happens. Oh, this is where it all falls apart. Or you heard what you're afraid, I said.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And don't get me wrong. Sometimes I say stupid things. You're like, we know, pastor. You try talking for a living. You have everything you've ever said recorded.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's part of the reason why I think we have such terrible politicians in our country because all the smart people are like, nah. No. Next, you know what we're doing when I'm preaching? We're replaying old conversations and interactions. So I say something that triggers your thoughts that leads you to something that happened somewhere else.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And listen to me. I love you, but you're no longer present. You're no longer present. Like, I love you, you have no idea how bad a listener you are. Tammy and I are in counseling.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:More for her. It's not true. It's not true. We're both sinners, turns out. But do you know all the counselor does?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Is he referees what was actually said. I can't tell you how bad a listener I am. I mean, I it it's it's mind boggling. He and I I know because he takes notes while we talk. And he's like, well, you said I'm like, Next, this is even worse.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:The Holy Spirit's not the only one speaking right now. Some of you are listening to the whispers of the devil. That's no good. You're no good. You'll never change.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Worship won't change you. Worship won't help you. What you need to do is go cover yourself and hide in the garden even though God is calling. What the Holy Spirit is saying right now is where are you? And and the devil is saying run, hide.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But God is saying come, let's talk. And then some of you like me, who has ADD, yeah, oh man. Oh, it's brutal. We just pay attention to all the distractions around us. Like when my wife and I go out on a date, I gotta I gotta she's gotta be at the against the wall and I stare at the wall.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Or we won't talk at all. I'll just look at all the weird people. You know, my wife always says, babe, you're staring. You're staring. I'm like, I can't stop.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But here's the thing, worship let me just say this. Some of you need to go home, watch this message again, and actually listen to the worship before you might hear 2 completely different messages. Worship prepares my ears to hear what God wants to say. Jesus said this, he who has an ear to hear, let him hear. What's it mean?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Just because you have ears doesn't mean you can hear. Learn to listen. Learn to listen. It's why the most important Jewish command, the Shema, the word Shema means to hear. Hear, oh Israel, the lord your god is 1.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You see, obedience begins with listening. So worship helps me here. And every one of us needs a spiritual hearing aid. My grandpa, God bless his soul, he's in heaven now, but he hated wearing his hearing aids. I don't need hearing aids.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I hear just fine. And then an ambulance went by and he answered his phone. Hello. Ed Brown. I didn't even tell him.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I was just like, who was it? Some of you need a hearing aid when you come to church. It's called worship. And it will help you, it will prepare you. Number 2, the power of our worship.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Here's why you need worship. It opens my heart to love the people of God. The very thing that destroys the people of God is the people of God. We are our worst enemy. It's not Disneyland.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's not. It's not the mouse. It's us. We have seen the enemy and it is us. Oh my gosh.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Have you met people? Have you met people? I've made people. Have you met people? Right?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You know what I'm talking about? People are hard, even the ones you love. Oh my gosh. My wife and I, when we go on vacation with couples, we call it day 4. Day 4 is the day you know.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Day 4 is the day you know we will never do this again. We liked you before, but day 4 has revealed we will never spend time with you again. Because right, for 3 days, right, you know, you can kinda fake it. Day 4, you're just real. But worship gives us a heart to love God's people.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:God's people are not easy to love. This is why churches are so small and so fractured. This is why many of you are divorced. Remember that person that you said you're in love forever? What happened?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Sin happened. Yours, theirs, it happens. Acts 2 42, and all the believers devoted themselves, listeners, to the apostles' teaching, just preach the word, pastor. Okay, here you go, and to fellowship. Why do I have to beg you week in, week out to get in a community group?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Why do I have to do that? I have to beg you, plead with you to do what the God you say that you worship says to do. And I love all these Christians. Well, just tell us. Just lead us, pastor.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I'm trying. Why don't why don't you try? Why don't you join me in trying? I'm in a small group. I serve.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I'm a part. I give. We, amen? Do we have room for more givers, servers? Yes, there's room for that.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:We're full on the criticizers. We don't need any more of those. We're good. And they devoted themselves to fellowship and to the sharing of meals. You see, that's relationship, including the Lord's supper and a prayer.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:When's the last time you prayed with somebody? You see, acts 2 people, when you read acts 2, they spoke different languages. Do you know how hard it is to love each other when when you don't understand how each other's speaking? A friend of mine took me to an authentic, Mexican restaurant, and I didn't know how to order a shredded beef taco in Spanish. My friend is Asian.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:He's no help at all. I'm like, why did you take me here? You know, like, you're Asian. I'm white. This is an authentic Mexican place.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:We we can order nothing. And so then I'm trying not to be racist, but I'm trying to find someone who looks Hispanic. Do you know how hard that is? Because it's like, man, it's if you're if you're if you're brown, it's like you could be a lot of things. You know?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:So I'm I'm just like, and so I just finally, because I want shredded beef tacos, man, because that's what the Lord Jesus would eat. And so so finally, they told me what it was, so I went up and I ordered what I thought they said, and the person behind the counter who primarily speaks Spanish is confused at what I'm saying. And so then he says back to me what I said. I say it back, and every time I said it back, he goes And so you know what I had to do? I just had to go point it.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:That right there. That right there. That's what I want. And he goes, oh, and he said back what he said. I was like, that's what I said.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:He's like, that's not what you said. So listen to me, especially if you grew up in a charismatic church. I love you. The gift of tongues was not the gift of language, but of hearing in Acts chapter 2. We could how is it that you are speaking and we can hear you in our own language?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Next, different genders. Men and women were present. This was unheard of 2000 years ago. Men and women gathering together for the purpose of worship. This had never happened before in the history of the world.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Christianity is unique in this. The Holy Spirit fell upon men and women and brought them together. Then they had different levels of affluence. How do we know this? They gave to those who were in need.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Not everyone was in need. Some people were so rich, they could sell property. Different levels of affluence. You know what worship does? It gives you a heart to care for those who have less than you.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You know what selfishness does? It focuses you on what you don't have. I have a neighbor. His name is Sean. Sean battles mental illness and drug addiction.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Sean would be homeless if it wasn't for his elderly mother who still has a home. I see Sean every day. Every single day he makes a trek to to the liquor store to get a 12 pack. Sometimes 2, 3 times a day I watch him walk. And the Holy Spirit one day said, you need to minister to Sean.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Sean has been violent. The police have been called to his house. He scared his own mother. Like I said, he battles drug addiction and mental illness. And I was like, Lord that guy?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And the Lord's like, that guy. So I've struck up a friendship. That's why I know his name is Sean the first time we met. I said, I work at Sandals Church. He says, oh man, I know the guy who started Sandals Church.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I said, great. I'll tell him hi. But we've struck up a friendship. But this last week, I was driving and Sean is on his daily, multiple daily trek to the liquor store and I saw him. He's wearing pink sweats, cowboy boots, no shirt.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:He's got a 12 pack in a bag, and he's got a cigarette, like hanging out of his mouth. Young people, that's like what what vaping used to be. You know, I don't know what you know what that was, but it's hanging out the side of his mouth. And I pull over, I say, hey Sean, you wanna ride? He's like, you work at Sandals.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I was like, I do. Come on in. He got my car. I don't know what happened to Sean. He said he lost his shirt.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:He's bleeding all over. I don't know if he fell in the bushes, wrestled with someone in the bushes. I don't know how he's bleeding all over the place. I was telling my wife this story, and she said, well, what seat was he sitting in? It's like, it's like that seat.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And she's like, did you wipe the seats? And I was like, probably should have. Probably should have. My my wife is like but here's what I told Sean. I said, Sean, you need God.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I said, can I pray for you? He's like, sure. He says, well, I live. I said, I know where you live. I watch you walk every day.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And I just prayed over Sean in the name of Jesus that he would be freed from whatever afflicts him and that he would know that he's loved and he has a purpose. And he said thanks. He got out of the car. That's what the Holy Spirit does. You see, you care about the people you care about, The Holy Spirit helps you care about the people the Holy Spirit cares about.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Next, man, the early church, they're different ages. Listen, if you're an old person, how do you know if you're old? If you go, is that me? That's you. Jesus, listen to me, your lord Jesus, your lord Jesus was about 30 when he started his ministry, and some of his disciples were teenagers.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Listen to me, church, we gotta get younger or we're gonna die. That means our our worship has to get louder. We gotta get younger. Jesus knew that, that's why he didn't pick old people. They couldn't make the walk, amen?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You know, I'll get there. I'll get there. But I was hanging out with some of our young people, and listen to me. It's hard to be an intergenerational movement. Like I was hanging out with some of our young people this week and I was listening, like they're saying words in English and I don't know what they mean.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Like somebody was talking about Pastor Fredo's sermon and he spit a bar. And I was like, in his sermon? Why would he do that? Why did he have a bar in his mouth and why did he spit? I gotta watch the video now.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:The other thing we're hanging out with young people. So when I went back in the day when I was a kid, we said cool once. Cool. Young people now say it twice. Cuckoo.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Cuckoo. Like I feel like in the eighties, we would just would have said chill. Amen? Like there's that would have communicated cool twice. Just chill.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But here's the thing, man. We gotta love them. We gotta stay connected to them because the gospel is the same, but the way we say it will always change. Number 3, the power of our worship reminds me of how awesome God is. A deep sense of awe came over all of them.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:When's the last time you had a deep sense of awe? You know what's wrong with our young people today? They're bored. They lack a sense of awe. There's no wonder anymore.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:There's no amazement. They've lost it. Let's put it back in the church. Awesome is our word. Awesome is the word that's used to describe God.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:A deep, listen, a deep sense of awe came over them all. You know what worship allows us to do? To interact and sing with heaven. It transports us before the throne of an awesome God. And the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You see, what's missing from so many of our lives is the miraculous. It's the miraculous. It's why we went through this series healer to remind you of what God can do. Look, they're miracles, and what that means is it doesn't always happen, but what we need to be reminded is we worship a God who can make it happen. Are you missing your sense of awe?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And here's the thing that's so tragic. I think as believers, we criticize the church. The church is simply a reflection of you. Everybody loves to pick on the church. Disparage the church, Put the church down.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:The church is an easy target. You know why? The church can't fight back. Quit blaming the church for your inability to join in worship, to participate in worship, to actually act like you came today to listen to God. Our whole society has lost reverence, completely lost reverence.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I was talking to a young person this week. I said, why don't you consider teaching? He said, I won't consider teaching until we teach our kids how to respect teachers. Okay. Let's start in the church.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Let's let's show young people what reverence looks like. Let's start here. What if parents just started bringing their kids to church so they could learn how to behave? Because they're not gonna get it at school. All they get from schools is excuses.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:What if our place in our society is just simply reminding people what reverence looks like? They're not gonna get it from our politicians. I mean, I saw some of the interchanges this week between senators, and I was like, God help us. You see, what's changed is not it's not God, it's us. We've forgotten God's wonder and power.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But we have to choose, we have to choose to participate in what God's doing in worship. What is God doing today? How do I participate today? And some of us, especially those of us who are old, will slander the work of the Holy Spirit. Oh, the music's too loud.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:It's too loud. It's always been loud. Read your Bibles. When Moses goes to Mount Sinai, the people of God thought they were gonna die. Man, I'd love to see that boom box that was up there.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Can you imagine the bass that was coming off? It said it shook the rocks off the mountains. God wasn't playing a harp, a violin lightly. Come forth, Moses. That's not what it was.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And some of you, well, when I was old, they had organs. And those suckers most shake your soul. I mean, I don't know. Is Jesus coming or is this the Phantom of the Opera? I don't know what it is, but it's scary.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I was at a church last week, First Presbyterian Church of Bel Air. Church is so rich, I would never give money there. When the blue bucket comes by, I'd take some out. Amen? We're gonna share we're gonna share to those in need.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I'm not kidding you. The parking lot in this church, the parking lot, the parking lot. I bet just the land is worth more than all 14 of our locations. The parking lot. And if you don't know where our bell area is, that's where Will Smith was Fresh Prince.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Right? But it had the largest pipe organ I've ever seen. And one of the people that works there told me when that thing plays, it unsettles the windows. So if you were in the fifties, now I know the truth about your worship. That's why old people got no teeth, and the pipe organ shook it out.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But some of you listening, you're like, well, pastor, I just feel like our worship's going too far. In acts chapter 2, the church was accused of being drunk. We haven't hit that level, amen. One of the funniest verses in the Bible is Acts 2:15 when Peter gets up to preach. This is how he begins his sermon.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:These people, the church, are not drunk as some of you are assuming. When have you ever heard me say that at Sandals? We're not drunk. We're not stoned. We're just worshiping.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:This is the funniest verse in the entire Bible. It's only 9 o'clock in the morning. It's far too early for that. Then Pastor Freyda was preaching a couple of weeks ago and I was in worship at Hunter Park and this lady was losing her mind. And I went up to confront her and I told her, I said, you got 2 choices.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You can be quiet or you can go out. She's like, who are you? And I'm like, I'm the pastor of this church. She's like, oh. And right when she said, oh, I smelled the alcohol.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I was like, man, this gal's drunk. But to be fair, it was the 11 o'clock service. Amen. You know, so like Peter was like, I understand. 11 am, 9 am service, too early.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Psalms 956, come let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker. When's the last time you've ever done that? Now, if you can't physically kneel, I understand. But if you can, when's the last time you've done it?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Man, this past week at staff meeting, look, the volume was a little loud. The bass was just rattling my chest cage. My heart was like, we're not gonna make it. But we had all of our young leaders on stage, and the worship was so powerful, so powerful. But here's the thing, here's why you need worship.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Worship, the power of our worship inspires me to a higher level of living. You know what's wrong with our world today? They're living too low. And all the believers met together in one place. Listen to this, and they shared everything they had.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:They shared everything they had, and they sold their property and their possessions, and they shared the money with those in need. They worship together at the temple each day and they met in homes for the Lord's supper. And they shared their meals with great joy and generosity. Here's the words I want you to hear daily. I got news for you.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You wanna know why you're not successful? You will never become what you do occasionally. You will become, and you are becoming what you do daily. Some of you have a gym membership, but you do not work out. I was at a graduation party.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:He said, I didn't know you were a soccer player. I said, I used to play soccer. I haven't played soccer in years. I am no longer a soccer player. Do you know why?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I don't play. Stop calling yourself a Christian when you don't play. You don't play. People say all the time, oh, I go to Sandler's Church. When's the last time you came?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:How come I've never seen your face? People tell me all the time, I was there in the early years. Yeah, I remember everybody from the early years. I don't remember you. Think about that.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Why did they worship every day? Because that's the only way to change. Jesus said to the crowd, if any of you, any of you, you wanna be a real Christian? I'm not talking about a tattoo. I'm not talking about a t shirt.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I'm not, you wanna be a real Christian? Then you gotta give up your own way and take up your cross daily and follow me. Every single day, I make a choice to follow Jesus. Every single day. And here's why I need worship.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Worship reminds me of what needs to change today. And here's the good news. You go to a rocks concert, you're gonna get inspired. You come to a worship service, you can be changed. It's different.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Because here's the difference between a rock star and Jesus. With Jesus, I actually have the power to change. I've been fascinated by this rising rock star. His name is Post Malone. Some of you have never heard of him.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:He his face changes every time I see him. New tattoos constantly, buzzed hair, long hair, beard, no beard. But but here's the thing, he's immensely talented. And I was listening this week to his song Rockstar, and it broke my heart for Post Malone. And I'm gonna edit his lyrics because this is church.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:So don't be like, Pastor Matt doesn't even know what he's saying. I know what he's saying. I edited what he's saying. Here's here's his line, Rockstar. And here's what I want you to understand is this whole song is I think Post Malone is saying, I'm living a life I think I'm supposed to be living.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Listen to this line. He says, I've been sleeping with hoes and poppin' pillies. Man, I feel just like a rock star. All my brothers got that gas and they always be smoking like a Rasta. I'm a edit the next verse, because it's it's inappropriate for what's happened in our country this week.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But then he says listen to this. He talks about there's cocaine on the table. There's liquor pouring. Listen to this line. Man, I don't give a damn.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Here's the thing, Post Malone, Jesus wants you to give a damn. Your fans, they don't care about you. They care about your music. Jesus cares about you. And he gives a damn.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:So much so, he was willing to be damned to hell so you don't have to be. Let me just ask you, young people, so many of you, why is it that your life is so bad you have to be buzzed just to get through the day? Maybe it's that you're living the wrong life. See Post Malone's gifted, but so are you. And Post Malone is living the life he thinks he's supposed to live.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Jesus died so you could live the life he knows you're supposed to live. Listen to what Jesus says, the thief and always crafty. His purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy. What are the chances Post Malone lives a long happy life? You see, what the Johnny Depp trials have showed us is these people that we think are celebrities live like garbage.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Live like garbage. Johnny Depp is immensely talented and deeply broken, and that trial is nothing more than maybe the 2 worst people in America fighting over who's better, but they're both bad, really bad. Do you know why? Their life has been stolen from them and that's what the thief does. You see here's the thing that breaks my heart about Johnny Depp.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:I was a big fan of an actor named River Phoenix. I'm the same age as River Phoenix if River Phoenix was still alive, and he died of a drug overdose just on the steps of Johnny's Club in LA. And we were robbed of an immense talent, an immense gift, and Johnny should have woken up and realized drugs only steal, kill, and destroy, but he's still listening to the whispers. And it makes me sad because he should have changed. But here's the thing, Money is not enough to help you change.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You need Jesus. Fame is not enough to make you change. You need Jesus. Jesus says my purpose is to give you a rich and satisfying life. Johnny Depp is rich.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:He is not satisfied. Psalms 30 7:4 says this, take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him and he will do this. Stop living your fake life. Stop, start living the real life that Jesus died so you could live.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And our worship, our worship is this bridge from where we are to where we're called. I don't know about you but every single week when I walk in and I hear that worship, I know, I know in my heart that there's something more. I know in my heart I can be better. And I know in my heart I'm ready to hear God's word. So stop showing up late.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:The only person you're hurting is yourself. Last point, the power of our worship. It motivates me to celebrate the growth of the church. Sandals, I love you. Never be embarrassed about the size of our church.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:You know what people say to me all the time? Oh, sandals is too big. You know you're talking about the Lord Jesus' wife. So she's a she's a big girl. Amen?
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:That's how Jesus likes her. Right? But people come on. Bring it back, church. Bring it back.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:But people just people just disparage the church. Isn't this what we're supposed to do? No one in the early church said we're growing too fast. We're planning too many campuses. Nobody said stop.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Everyone said this is amazing. This is amazing. We should never apologize for the growth of our church because the movement of the Holy Spirit adds every day to those who are being saved, to those who are being saved. Never apologize. Never apologize.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:God, for whatever reason, in his own sovereignty has blessed us to be on this beautiful ride. Let's enjoy it. Man, do you know how many churches will baptize 0, Zero people in 2022. We baptized over 300 on one weekend just a couple weeks ago. 300 people.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:And some churches will be 0 for a decade. All the while, the church was praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day, the Lord, who adds? The Lord adds. The Lord adds.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Who is he adding? The people who say, good talk. Good talk today. Good talk. Because when people say great sermon, we just took them from another church.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:That's not addition. Addition is, good talk pastor. Good talk. Didn't even know how to say pastor. Usually I get Master Pat.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Feels feels a little cultish, but I hear that all the time. Master Pat, I'm like, oh. Listen, I love you. The Lord loves you. We need our worship.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Could we just prepare our hearts? I know some of you are looking at your watch, you're watching from home, you're ready to throw the screen down. Could you just stop for a second? And especially if you're watching from home, why can't you get on your knees in your own home? Jesus went on the cross for you, why can't you get on your knees for him and just worship.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Some of you need today, especially Christians, you need to say, God, I I've not worshiped, I've not worshiped and I need to do that today. Cause Sandals church will only make the difference if we're worshiping God in the way that he's called us. So let's just pray and let's just offer a prayer of repentance and say, God we're sorry, that we have not given you the worship you deserve. Let's pray together. Heavenly father, I'm sorry.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Lord, I'm to be the lead worshiper in this church. I'm to be the example. And God, even me as the senior pastor of this church, sometimes I get too caught up in how I look rather than the one I'm supposed to be looking at, which is you. God, worship is not about me, it's about you. It is about giving you and ascribing to you the praise you deserve.
Pastor Matthew Stephen Brown:Lord Jesus help us as a church to be a church that worships with power, power that changes lives, power that causes us to love each other and power that causes us to live a life that our neighbors and friends so desperately want and need. Lord Jesus, bless this worship. Send your spirit up spirit upon us. I pray in Jesus name. Amen.