WEBVTT 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:05.606 Alrighty. So this morning, 00:00:05.758 --> 00:00:06.850 last week, 00:00:07.230 --> 00:00:08.550 Kyle preached on love. 00:00:08.598 --> 00:00:11.182 And coming basically from deuteronomy, 00:00:11.286 --> 00:00:12.014 chapter six, 00:00:12.062 --> 00:00:14.662 and what God said to his people when he said, 00:00:14.662 --> 00:00:17.558 love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and mind. 00:00:17.558 --> 00:00:20.518 And then one of the gospel accounts adds strength to it, 00:00:20.518 --> 00:00:23.750 because once you get everything pointed in the same direction, 00:00:23.750 --> 00:00:25.730 then it's all going to follow. 00:00:26.020 --> 00:00:26.680 And yet, 00:00:26.684 --> 00:00:31.052 I have always identified our first priority as a gathering is loving God. 00:00:31.156 --> 00:00:33.156 And loving God is an act of worship. 00:00:33.156 --> 00:00:34.388 Worship is loving God, 00:00:34.388 --> 00:00:36.068 and loving God is worship. 00:00:36.124 --> 00:00:36.784 And so, 00:00:36.900 --> 00:00:42.348 as Kyle broke down the different concepts and ideas of love last week, 00:00:42.444 --> 00:00:44.988 I was grateful that he mentioned the things that, 00:00:44.988 --> 00:00:45.648 you know, 00:00:45.788 --> 00:00:50.836 if you examine your life in such a way and understand time, 00:00:50.988 --> 00:00:52.766 energy, talented, 00:00:52.868 --> 00:00:55.674 the things that you give yourself to, 00:00:55.802 --> 00:00:59.030 right. Those are things that you love. 00:00:59.730 --> 00:01:02.346 You're going to give yourself to the things you love. 00:01:02.154 --> 00:01:05.786 And so I listened as I was driving last week. 00:01:05.818 --> 00:01:11.474 It was fun to listen and hear the worship and hear Kyle preach. 00:01:11.562 --> 00:01:12.266 And quite honestly, 00:01:12.266 --> 00:01:13.138 it's a five hour drive, 00:01:13.138 --> 00:01:15.778 so I got to hear him a lot, 00:01:15.810 --> 00:01:17.130 just so you know. 00:01:17.186 --> 00:01:18.858 So here's a question this morning, 00:01:18.858 --> 00:01:22.514 and I'm going to ask it specifically so everybody get your answer ready. 00:01:22.514 --> 00:01:24.270 What does worship look like? 00:01:24.930 --> 00:01:28.258 But I'm going to pick on Greg because I warned him ahead of time. 00:01:28.258 --> 00:01:30.550 Greg, what does worship look like? 00:01:32.610 --> 00:01:33.950 Right? I did not. 00:01:35.970 --> 00:01:36.630 All right, 00:01:36.682 --> 00:01:38.058 Greg, I love your answer. 00:01:38.058 --> 00:01:38.946 I didn't give him the answer. 00:01:38.946 --> 00:01:40.554 I didn't ask him what he would say. 00:01:40.554 --> 00:01:42.110 But in his sentence, 00:01:42.810 --> 00:01:48.430 there's a word that I think is pivotal with regard to worship. 00:01:48.940 --> 00:01:50.260 He said a word. 00:01:50.052 --> 00:01:52.080 It's the verb in the sentence. 00:01:53.100 --> 00:01:53.980 What did you say, 00:01:53.980 --> 00:01:55.252 Greg? We. 00:01:55.316 --> 00:01:57.840 What? Give. 00:01:58.580 --> 00:01:59.640 We give. 00:02:00.820 --> 00:02:03.160 See, worship is something we give. 00:02:04.460 --> 00:02:06.668 And worship can be measured by. 00:02:06.804 --> 00:02:07.840 Get ready. 00:02:08.180 --> 00:02:09.360 What we give. 00:02:09.740 --> 00:02:11.964 I'm not talking about offering plates because we don't even know where 00:02:11.964 --> 00:02:13.040 they are anymore. 00:02:13.630 --> 00:02:20.310 What I'm talking about is what we give of who we are and what we are to 00:02:20.350 --> 00:02:22.090 God. Because of what? 00:02:22.710 --> 00:02:24.690 Why? That's where we're going today. 00:02:24.614 --> 00:02:25.078 You ready? 00:02:25.078 --> 00:02:29.230 So here's the two verses I want you to hear as the point of the message 00:02:29.230 --> 00:02:30.766 today. Psalm 95, 00:02:30.838 --> 00:02:31.782 six and seven says, 00:02:31.782 --> 00:02:35.190 come, let's worship and bow down. 00:02:35.270 --> 00:02:39.790 Let's kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God and we are the 00:02:39.790 --> 00:02:41.030 people of his pasture, 00:02:41.030 --> 00:02:43.018 the sheep under his care. 00:02:43.074 --> 00:02:43.734 Let's pray. 00:02:43.602 --> 00:02:47.538 God, thank you for today and the opportunity that you've given us to 00:02:47.538 --> 00:02:49.498 gather and to celebrate, 00:02:49.554 --> 00:02:50.234 to sing. 00:02:50.322 --> 00:02:54.442 God, I thank you for all that goes into the preparation for this time. 00:02:54.442 --> 00:02:54.818 And, God, 00:02:54.818 --> 00:02:55.418 yes, indeed, 00:02:55.418 --> 00:02:56.738 we call it worship. 00:02:56.890 --> 00:02:59.042 We call ourselves a worship community. 00:02:59.226 --> 00:03:01.410 We come together to sing your praises, 00:03:01.410 --> 00:03:01.962 to pray, 00:03:01.962 --> 00:03:03.070 to fellowship, 00:03:03.410 --> 00:03:04.978 to study about you, 00:03:04.994 --> 00:03:07.202 and to study from you and to hear from you. 00:03:07.114 --> 00:03:07.346 And so, 00:03:07.346 --> 00:03:08.006 God, today, 00:03:08.122 --> 00:03:10.840 as we gather for the purpose of worship, 00:03:11.740 --> 00:03:14.516 God, let us worship God, 00:03:14.548 --> 00:03:16.516 help us to come with an open heart, 00:03:16.516 --> 00:03:20.140 to give to you all that we are, 00:03:20.260 --> 00:03:22.124 and we pray it in Jesus name. 00:03:22.124 --> 00:03:23.196 Amen. Now, 00:03:23.228 --> 00:03:27.396 Greg didn't know what word I was going to pick on in his answer. 00:03:27.396 --> 00:03:28.324 As a matter of fact, 00:03:28.324 --> 00:03:30.348 when I said what one word and looked at him, 00:03:30.348 --> 00:03:32.428 he didn't even know what word I was looking for, 00:03:32.428 --> 00:03:34.276 right. But the idea is, 00:03:34.308 --> 00:03:36.680 is that God has blessed us. 00:03:37.100 --> 00:03:39.564 What will we do in response? 00:03:39.612 --> 00:03:41.212 So when I ask the question, 00:03:41.212 --> 00:03:43.276 what does worship look like? 00:03:43.388 --> 00:03:47.092 You can all come up with kind of a generic answer to that question. 00:03:47.092 --> 00:03:49.036 Well, this is what worship looks like, 00:03:49.036 --> 00:03:51.812 right? Or what if I ask this question, 00:03:51.876 --> 00:03:54.320 what does your worship look like? 00:03:55.900 --> 00:03:58.200 What does your worship look like? 00:03:58.740 --> 00:04:03.324 If you were challenged in the fact of responding to that question, 00:04:03.412 --> 00:04:04.732 how would you answer? 00:04:04.780 --> 00:04:05.388 Would you say, 00:04:05.388 --> 00:04:09.440 well, I do it every Sunday morning at 810. 00:04:10.140 --> 00:04:17.932 I sit in my seat because they're assigned. 00:04:18.116 --> 00:04:19.120 Not really. 00:04:20.340 --> 00:04:24.160 I sing the songs I am told to sing. 00:04:25.020 --> 00:04:30.080 Right. I wear the clothes that I'm expected to wear. 00:04:30.840 --> 00:04:31.824 Right. See, 00:04:31.992 --> 00:04:35.064 we've given the world this impression, 00:04:35.152 --> 00:04:35.832 right. 00:04:36.016 --> 00:04:39.096 That because we gather like this, 00:04:39.128 --> 00:04:40.608 and because we sit like this, 00:04:40.608 --> 00:04:41.968 and because we dress like this, 00:04:41.968 --> 00:04:46.008 and because we say the right words and we stand at the right time and sit 00:04:46.008 --> 00:04:47.112 down at the right time, 00:04:47.112 --> 00:04:49.336 and because this is worship. 00:04:49.408 --> 00:04:50.968 Well, is that worship? 00:04:51.144 --> 00:04:52.480 Well, I can say this. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:53.740 It can be. 00:04:54.200 --> 00:04:56.820 It absolutely can be worship, 00:04:57.290 --> 00:04:58.146 quite honestly. 00:04:58.178 --> 00:04:59.090 Because if it wasn't, 00:04:59.090 --> 00:05:00.740 I wouldn't be doing it. 00:05:00.850 --> 00:05:04.150 Okay. I wouldn't encourage you to do it. 00:05:04.610 --> 00:05:08.026 But what does your worship look like when you walk out of this room? 00:05:08.026 --> 00:05:11.714 What does your worship look like when you're driving down the highway? 00:05:11.570 --> 00:05:14.106 What does your worship look like when you're sitting alone at your 00:05:14.106 --> 00:05:14.866 kitchen table? 00:05:14.978 --> 00:05:16.338 What does your worship look like? 00:05:16.338 --> 00:05:19.442 See, that's the question that I think we need to answer for ourselves, 00:05:19.442 --> 00:05:20.538 because psalm 95, 00:05:20.634 --> 00:05:22.018 which is attributed to David, 00:05:22.018 --> 00:05:22.458 it doesn't. 00:05:22.458 --> 00:05:25.044 The psalm itself doesn't give us an authorization, 00:05:25.044 --> 00:05:28.626 but I think it's in Hebrews that it identifies David as the author of 00:05:28.626 --> 00:05:29.970 this particular psalm. 00:05:30.130 --> 00:05:33.298 But psalm 95 is one of the worship psalms. 00:05:33.354 --> 00:05:37.834 It's one of the songs that God's people would sing as they would approach 00:05:37.834 --> 00:05:40.530 the temple and as they would come together in worship, 00:05:40.530 --> 00:05:43.154 and they would encourage one another by singing this song. 00:05:43.154 --> 00:05:44.946 Come, let's worship. 00:05:45.138 --> 00:05:46.178 Let's bow down. 00:05:46.234 --> 00:05:49.710 Let's kneel before the Lord our maker. 00:05:50.330 --> 00:05:52.368 Let's engage in this together. 00:05:52.554 --> 00:05:57.840 So when we look at worship as being a product of our love for God, 00:05:58.340 --> 00:06:01.364 because if God has commanded us to love him, 00:06:01.492 --> 00:06:04.516 God's expectation is for us to love him. 00:06:04.668 --> 00:06:08.204 Then I will follow the question of what does worship look like and what 00:06:08.204 --> 00:06:10.380 does your worship look like with this question? 00:06:10.380 --> 00:06:12.030 What does love look like? 00:06:13.140 --> 00:06:15.080 What's your love look like? 00:06:15.820 --> 00:06:17.600 Do the people around you, 00:06:17.940 --> 00:06:19.956 the people that you love most, 00:06:20.028 --> 00:06:22.338 do they know that you love them? 00:06:22.620 --> 00:06:24.080 And how do they. 00:06:25.420 --> 00:06:28.240 How is your love expressed to them? 00:06:28.980 --> 00:06:30.960 Right. So that they know, 00:06:31.580 --> 00:06:32.240 oh, man, 00:06:32.260 --> 00:06:33.520 I am loved. 00:06:34.180 --> 00:06:34.828 Right? 00:06:34.964 --> 00:06:38.124 Or do we go through our lives in such a way that we just kind of. 00:06:38.124 --> 00:06:38.468 I mean, 00:06:38.468 --> 00:06:39.788 we live in a country that says, 00:06:39.788 --> 00:06:42.372 just operate in your own little world and don't worry about the people 00:06:42.372 --> 00:06:43.200 around you. 00:06:44.060 --> 00:06:44.932 You know, 00:06:45.076 --> 00:06:45.948 this idea of, 00:06:45.948 --> 00:06:47.598 I. I don't need anything. 00:06:47.612 --> 00:06:48.932 I don't need anybody. 00:06:49.092 --> 00:06:52.062 I certainly don't want to give anything to anybody. 00:06:52.500 --> 00:06:55.920 Right? I'm collecting for myself. 00:06:56.380 --> 00:06:58.080 I'm collecting for my own. 00:06:58.780 --> 00:07:00.820 Whatever portfolio. 00:07:00.900 --> 00:07:01.960 I don't know. 00:07:02.820 --> 00:07:04.364 So what does your love look like? 00:07:04.364 --> 00:07:05.036 Well, here you go. 00:07:05.036 --> 00:07:08.880 God certainly deserves our love. 00:07:10.060 --> 00:07:13.160 God certainly deserves our worship. 00:07:13.940 --> 00:07:15.588 So I want us to understand this, 00:07:15.588 --> 00:07:16.196 and here's a. 00:07:16.196 --> 00:07:19.164 This is going to be probably the strongest statement I'll make to you 00:07:19.164 --> 00:07:19.920 this morning. 00:07:20.600 --> 00:07:25.220 You will absolutely worship that which you love. 00:07:28.200 --> 00:07:31.944 If you love what? 00:07:32.032 --> 00:07:32.912 I don't know. 00:07:32.912 --> 00:07:33.768 Pick anything, 00:07:33.864 --> 00:07:35.844 right? If you love your car, 00:07:36.440 --> 00:07:37.460 you know what? 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:39.120 Maybe you've got a. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:40.680 One of those project cars. 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:42.832 I know guys like to have project cars, 00:07:42.832 --> 00:07:46.336 right? And they get out there and they work on them and they clean on 00:07:46.336 --> 00:07:48.490 them and they shine on them and they. 00:07:48.490 --> 00:07:51.738 And they do things to them and they add to them and all that kind of 00:07:51.738 --> 00:07:53.718 stuff. And what are they doing? 00:07:53.554 --> 00:07:54.554 They're investing. 00:07:54.602 --> 00:07:55.710 What their time. 00:07:56.690 --> 00:07:59.150 They're investing their talent. 00:07:59.650 --> 00:08:07.402 Maybe they're investing their resources in this item that, 00:08:07.426 --> 00:08:08.850 if left out in the rain, 00:08:08.850 --> 00:08:10.350 will rust and die, 00:08:11.170 --> 00:08:12.602 quite honestly. 00:08:12.786 --> 00:08:14.436 You know what I mean? 00:08:14.010 --> 00:08:15.372 So what. 00:08:15.546 --> 00:08:17.560 What we love, 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.260 we will indeed worship. 00:08:20.160 --> 00:08:22.328 Now, a car is not a big deal, 00:08:22.328 --> 00:08:23.318 right? I mean, 00:08:23.416 --> 00:08:23.912 you know, 00:08:23.912 --> 00:08:25.456 it gets you from point a to point b, 00:08:25.456 --> 00:08:26.448 but maybe you love yours. 00:08:26.448 --> 00:08:27.438 I don't know. 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:32.744 You think we're susceptible to loving our, 00:08:32.832 --> 00:08:33.776 what, job, 00:08:33.848 --> 00:08:37.020 career? I know people who are. 00:08:37.560 --> 00:08:40.940 I know people who love just what they do, 00:08:41.390 --> 00:08:47.654 and certainly they invest themselves in it even beyond its return or its 00:08:47.702 --> 00:08:52.210 reward. Maybe it provides for their lives and that sort of thing, 00:08:52.510 --> 00:08:56.446 but I know people at points in their lives will say, 00:08:56.478 --> 00:09:03.570 you know what I neglected other parts of my life for my job. 00:09:05.350 --> 00:09:06.654 And that's the one I hate. 00:09:06.518 --> 00:09:10.310 I hate to hear dads and fathers and husbands say, 00:09:10.650 --> 00:09:15.350 I neglected my family for my job. 00:09:17.410 --> 00:09:18.070 Now, really, 00:09:18.114 --> 00:09:18.594 you know, 00:09:18.594 --> 00:09:20.904 I don't know many people that just. 00:09:21.090 --> 00:09:24.720 Most people just love themselves enough that they love their job. 00:09:24.930 --> 00:09:29.658 You can tell what you love and what you worship by the way you invest 00:09:29.658 --> 00:09:30.870 yourself in it. 00:09:32.210 --> 00:09:34.420 You will worship what you love. 00:09:34.500 --> 00:09:35.160 All right, 00:09:35.188 --> 00:09:37.168 so let's look at the verse. 00:09:36.484 --> 00:09:38.140 Come. Obviously, 00:09:38.180 --> 00:09:43.588 God's people in congregation are encouraging one another to come together 00:09:43.684 --> 00:09:44.674 for a purpose, 00:09:44.748 --> 00:09:45.764 for a reason. 00:09:45.932 --> 00:09:46.748 Come together. 00:09:46.844 --> 00:09:47.504 So what? 00:09:47.516 --> 00:09:49.356 So that we can worship. 00:09:49.428 --> 00:09:50.676 Let's worship. 00:09:50.748 --> 00:09:51.788 Let us worship. 00:09:51.844 --> 00:09:53.060 Come together and worship. 00:09:53.060 --> 00:09:53.916 And so I started thinking, 00:09:53.916 --> 00:09:54.156 all right, 00:09:54.156 --> 00:09:54.964 so worship. 00:09:55.052 --> 00:09:57.964 And then it's also the continuation of the sins. 00:09:57.300 --> 00:09:58.730 Come, let's worship. 00:09:58.780 --> 00:10:00.182 Worship and bow down. 00:10:00.246 --> 00:10:00.526 I thought, 00:10:00.526 --> 00:10:00.766 all right, 00:10:00.766 --> 00:10:02.494 so we've got worship and bow down. 00:10:02.494 --> 00:10:04.918 What. What do we mean by that? 00:10:05.014 --> 00:10:07.238 What is it that we're supposed to do in that? 00:10:07.238 --> 00:10:08.294 And then it continues. 00:10:08.294 --> 00:10:11.486 Let's kneel before the Lord our maker. 00:10:11.598 --> 00:10:15.358 So I started digging into the hebrew words that represent worship. 00:10:15.494 --> 00:10:17.022 Bow down and kneel. 00:10:17.166 --> 00:10:20.590 So here's the way we can translate it into our English. 00:10:20.590 --> 00:10:21.250 You ready? 00:10:21.294 --> 00:10:22.662 This could actually say, 00:10:22.766 --> 00:10:24.310 come, worship, 00:10:24.350 --> 00:10:25.290 worship, worship. 00:10:26.810 --> 00:10:28.738 Or it could say, 00:10:28.794 --> 00:10:30.082 come, bow, 00:10:30.106 --> 00:10:30.990 bow, bow. 00:10:31.970 --> 00:10:32.882 Or it could say, 00:10:32.882 --> 00:10:34.026 come, kneel, 00:10:34.058 --> 00:10:34.990 kneel, kneel. 00:10:35.570 --> 00:10:42.310 Because all three of those words represent what is essentially a posture 00:10:42.890 --> 00:10:45.426 of submission and surrender, 00:10:45.578 --> 00:10:50.394 of giving up ourselves and giving ourselves back to God. 00:10:50.442 --> 00:10:50.914 So it's. 00:10:50.914 --> 00:10:52.498 Yes, give praise, 00:10:52.674 --> 00:10:53.706 give worship, 00:10:53.778 --> 00:10:55.758 give honor and glory to God. 00:10:55.794 --> 00:10:59.754 What? It's the key word in all of those statements is give. 00:11:01.050 --> 00:11:04.514 Give of who we are to God. 00:11:04.682 --> 00:11:06.690 Right? So bow, 00:11:06.770 --> 00:11:08.538 kneel, worship. 00:11:08.634 --> 00:11:14.218 All of those things in the Hebrew actually get back to a root of bending 00:11:14.274 --> 00:11:15.150 the knee. 00:11:15.490 --> 00:11:15.906 All right, 00:11:15.906 --> 00:11:16.566 you ready? 00:11:16.266 --> 00:11:17.594 So as I was looking at this, 00:11:17.594 --> 00:11:17.898 I thought, 00:11:17.898 --> 00:11:18.558 all right, 00:11:18.650 --> 00:11:19.822 so if the psalmist, 00:11:19.822 --> 00:11:22.014 David and God by inspiration, 00:11:22.062 --> 00:11:23.052 is telling us, 00:11:23.094 --> 00:11:24.084 come and worship. 00:11:24.134 --> 00:11:24.670 All right, 00:11:24.670 --> 00:11:28.230 so what's the first step of worship? 00:11:28.270 --> 00:11:28.930 You ready? 00:11:28.934 --> 00:11:30.110 If it meets the bow, 00:11:30.110 --> 00:11:31.294 kneel, bend the knee. 00:11:31.294 --> 00:11:31.566 All right, 00:11:31.566 --> 00:11:32.334 so we go down, 00:11:32.334 --> 00:11:32.930 right? 00:11:33.470 --> 00:11:34.238 Okay, come, 00:11:34.294 --> 00:11:34.954 let's worship. 00:11:34.982 --> 00:11:35.246 All right, 00:11:35.246 --> 00:11:37.226 so here we're ready to worship. 00:11:37.350 --> 00:11:38.718 Let's bow down. 00:11:38.774 --> 00:11:39.764 Wait a minute. 00:11:39.806 --> 00:11:40.622 I'm on my knees, 00:11:40.622 --> 00:11:40.952 God. 00:11:40.950 --> 00:11:42.318 What more do you want? 00:11:42.318 --> 00:11:44.628 Okay, now we're going to bow down. 00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:47.020 You see, 00:11:47.400 --> 00:11:49.128 this is not very dignified, 00:11:49.224 --> 00:11:50.020 is it? 00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:52.944 What if I preached every message just like this? 00:11:52.944 --> 00:11:57.560 What if I go ahead and take the third step and just fall in my face? 00:11:57.560 --> 00:12:01.190 See, nobody wants to see their pastor laying in the floor. 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:03.208 But my point is, 00:12:03.208 --> 00:12:05.518 is that when we give of ourselves, 00:12:05.880 --> 00:12:11.066 what we're doing is we're emptying who we are to the glory and honor of 00:12:11.098 --> 00:12:11.562 God. 00:12:11.666 --> 00:12:15.930 We're to give all of what we are and who we are in submission, 00:12:15.930 --> 00:12:19.430 surrender, sacrifice and offering to God. 00:12:20.410 --> 00:12:24.242 But we don't live in a country that teaches, 00:12:24.306 --> 00:12:25.210 encourages that, 00:12:25.250 --> 00:12:25.990 do we? 00:12:27.050 --> 00:12:28.458 We live in a country that says, 00:12:28.458 --> 00:12:29.778 well, what about me? 00:12:30.210 --> 00:12:30.870 Y'all know, 00:12:30.914 --> 00:12:31.330 years ago, 00:12:31.330 --> 00:12:32.610 and I don't know if it got blown away, 00:12:32.610 --> 00:12:33.770 it should have gotten blown away, 00:12:33.770 --> 00:12:38.076 but there was a store that down in Myrtle beach that was entitled it's 00:12:38.076 --> 00:12:39.120 all about me. 00:12:39.980 --> 00:12:40.580 Matter of fact, 00:12:40.580 --> 00:12:41.956 I had some friends of mine, 00:12:41.956 --> 00:12:44.684 Angie, that they just, 00:12:44.732 --> 00:12:47.860 she and a friend of hers decided to take pictures under the sign for that 00:12:47.860 --> 00:12:48.220 store. 00:12:48.260 --> 00:12:49.580 It's all about me. 00:12:49.860 --> 00:12:51.468 That's the culture we live in, 00:12:51.468 --> 00:12:53.452 folks. It's all about me. 00:12:53.476 --> 00:12:54.466 What about me? 00:12:54.548 --> 00:12:55.876 How about how I feel? 00:12:55.692 --> 00:12:57.342 How about what I think? 00:12:58.100 --> 00:13:00.410 Why aren't you doing something for me? 00:13:01.430 --> 00:13:03.090 That's what the world teaches, 00:13:04.030 --> 00:13:09.398 right? And yet we have a reason to bow, 00:13:09.494 --> 00:13:10.254 to, kneel, 00:13:10.342 --> 00:13:12.710 to worship God because it's right here. 00:13:12.750 --> 00:13:16.090 Because he is our God. 00:13:17.310 --> 00:13:18.250 And, folks, 00:13:18.910 --> 00:13:19.942 here's the thing. 00:13:20.046 --> 00:13:20.814 You know, 00:13:20.982 --> 00:13:23.894 fights, arguments, 00:13:23.982 --> 00:13:29.830 debates have started over trying to define goddess. 00:13:30.760 --> 00:13:32.080 And quite honestly, 00:13:32.160 --> 00:13:33.072 I just keep going, 00:13:33.072 --> 00:13:33.496 you know what? 00:13:33.496 --> 00:13:34.688 If you can define God, 00:13:34.688 --> 00:13:36.100 then that's not God, 00:13:37.520 --> 00:13:40.128 because you can't understand the enormity, 00:13:40.184 --> 00:13:41.016 the magnitude, 00:13:41.048 --> 00:13:42.376 the majesty, 00:13:42.568 --> 00:13:45.740 the immenseness of God. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:48.660 And when God, 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:50.730 in all that he is, 00:13:50.768 --> 00:13:52.520 reaches out to us and says, 00:13:52.520 --> 00:13:54.940 I love you, 00:13:57.210 --> 00:13:58.710 how should we respond? 00:14:00.290 --> 00:14:01.270 With love, 00:14:02.690 --> 00:14:03.680 with our worship, 00:14:03.682 --> 00:14:04.818 with our sacrifice, 00:14:04.874 --> 00:14:05.554 our surrender, 00:14:05.602 --> 00:14:08.902 with the giving of who we are back to him, 00:14:09.210 --> 00:14:17.610 right? And yet we have this tendency of sort of pigeonholing things that 00:14:17.650 --> 00:14:20.852 we value and nothing, 00:14:20.906 --> 00:14:22.500 offering them to God. 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:25.656 So when I looked at this, 00:14:25.656 --> 00:14:26.472 I was reading, 00:14:26.472 --> 00:14:26.776 you know, 00:14:26.776 --> 00:14:28.320 and I'm going through my, 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:30.648 come, let us worship and bow down. 00:14:30.704 --> 00:14:34.136 Let us kneel before the Lord our maker. 00:14:34.328 --> 00:14:34.848 Why? 00:14:34.944 --> 00:14:38.408 Because he is God. 00:14:38.544 --> 00:14:40.194 But more importantly than that, 00:14:40.272 --> 00:14:42.168 he is our God. 00:14:42.224 --> 00:14:43.544 What does that mean? 00:14:43.568 --> 00:14:47.364 That is an exercise of our worship, 00:14:47.512 --> 00:14:49.172 because you can have other gods, 00:14:49.172 --> 00:14:51.492 y'all. You know, 00:14:51.516 --> 00:14:52.476 in the Old Testament, 00:14:52.476 --> 00:14:53.932 when David was writing these things, 00:14:53.932 --> 00:14:58.356 God's people were dancing around Asher poles and worshiping baals and 00:14:58.468 --> 00:14:59.332 offering sacrifices, 00:14:59.396 --> 00:15:01.840 offering their children as sacrifices. 00:15:02.900 --> 00:15:03.636 You see? 00:15:03.748 --> 00:15:04.620 So they were, 00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:09.356 they were recognizing and actually submitting and surrendering and 00:15:09.428 --> 00:15:11.684 sacrificing to other gods. 00:15:11.732 --> 00:15:15.588 It's why the greatest condemnation of God's people in the Old Testament 00:15:15.588 --> 00:15:17.026 is idolatry. 00:15:17.188 --> 00:15:19.454 And yet I look around our world today and I go, 00:15:19.454 --> 00:15:21.410 there's idolatry everywhere we turn. 00:15:22.470 --> 00:15:27.050 People are worshiping everything in this creation, 00:15:27.470 --> 00:15:31.246 and yet what we don't realize is that it goes on to tell us why we 00:15:31.246 --> 00:15:31.576 worship. 00:15:31.590 --> 00:15:32.758 He is our maker. 00:15:32.758 --> 00:15:33.982 He is our creator. 00:15:33.982 --> 00:15:35.046 He's our provider. 00:15:35.118 --> 00:15:36.108 He's our ruler, 00:15:36.118 --> 00:15:37.310 he's our sustainer, 00:15:37.390 --> 00:15:38.530 he's our everything, 00:15:42.600 --> 00:15:45.460 four. He is our God. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:46.880 And we. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:48.664 And here's the simple statement of it. 00:15:48.664 --> 00:15:50.820 We belong to him. 00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:54.768 We belong to him. 00:15:54.904 --> 00:15:55.328 All right, 00:15:55.328 --> 00:15:58.300 so I'm gonna venture back just a moment, 00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.992 to my childhood, 00:16:00.056 --> 00:16:01.376 which takes a while, 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:05.510 but I remember times as a kid, 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:09.640 I didn't want my parents to be my parents. 00:16:09.640 --> 00:16:11.290 I thought they were unfair. 00:16:12.680 --> 00:16:14.420 I thought they didn't understand. 00:16:16.880 --> 00:16:20.860 I remember the situation in which you'd say something like, 00:16:21.400 --> 00:16:23.380 I wish you weren't my mama. 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:24.928 You know? 00:16:24.928 --> 00:16:31.816 Now, the fortunate thing is moms are wise and understand that that's not 00:16:32.008 --> 00:16:37.108 true. But in the moment right now, 00:16:37.204 --> 00:16:38.068 quite honestly, 00:16:38.124 --> 00:16:42.796 I've known some situations where it was true and it was actually 00:16:42.948 --> 00:16:44.760 exercised that way, 00:16:45.060 --> 00:16:48.516 where families just bust up over what is, 00:16:48.548 --> 00:16:49.284 quite honestly, 00:16:49.332 --> 00:16:54.600 selfishness. I want what I want when I want it, 00:16:56.140 --> 00:16:57.040 you see? 00:16:57.540 --> 00:17:01.800 And then you find out where your love really is. 00:17:03.030 --> 00:17:05.974 Okay? So when I look at this and I start saying, 00:17:05.974 --> 00:17:06.862 and we are. 00:17:06.862 --> 00:17:07.846 So, here you go. 00:17:07.846 --> 00:17:09.290 Come, let's worship. 00:17:09.870 --> 00:17:10.646 Bow down, 00:17:10.718 --> 00:17:13.028 let's kneel before the Lord our maker, 00:17:13.126 --> 00:17:15.342 for he is everything. 00:17:15.486 --> 00:17:17.090 He is our God, 00:17:18.510 --> 00:17:19.770 and we are. 00:17:20.270 --> 00:17:21.650 We are his people. 00:17:22.470 --> 00:17:24.454 We're the people of his pasture. 00:17:24.502 --> 00:17:26.812 Now, is that an insult to you? 00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:30.831 Ready? Cause if it is an insult to you, 00:17:30.855 --> 00:17:33.495 then you probably think too highly of yourself. 00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:35.759 That's mean for me to say, 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.495 isn't it? 00:17:36.647 --> 00:17:37.343 Right? I mean, 00:17:37.343 --> 00:17:38.993 we think we're pretty smart. 00:17:40.639 --> 00:17:44.039 Most people I've ever met think pretty highly of themselves. 00:17:44.199 --> 00:17:45.023 They do think, 00:17:45.023 --> 00:17:45.839 okay, yeah. 00:17:45.959 --> 00:17:47.511 And I've shared with you that. 00:17:47.511 --> 00:17:48.815 I've known some christians that think, 00:17:48.815 --> 00:17:51.599 yeah, God was pretty smart to get me on his team. 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:52.999 It's like playground picking. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:54.247 Yes. I want you on my team. 00:17:54.247 --> 00:17:54.495 And go, 00:17:54.495 --> 00:17:55.039 okay, God, 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:55.859 good job. 00:17:56.850 --> 00:17:58.830 I can help you with this. 00:17:59.210 --> 00:18:01.906 Right now, 00:18:01.938 --> 00:18:03.226 we belong to him. 00:18:02.890 --> 00:18:07.950 Why? Because our very breath is dependent on him. 00:18:09.610 --> 00:18:12.430 Everything that we are is dependent on God. 00:18:13.290 --> 00:18:19.270 And the more that we surrender ourselves to him, 00:18:20.650 --> 00:18:21.470 guess what? 00:18:21.570 --> 00:18:24.110 And this is the coolest part of all this. 00:18:23.758 --> 00:18:27.046 The more that we surrender ourselves to him in sacrifice, 00:18:27.046 --> 00:18:28.210 in worship, 00:18:28.670 --> 00:18:29.970 love to him, 00:18:30.510 --> 00:18:32.850 the more he pours back. 00:18:33.670 --> 00:18:36.398 And I don't mean that as a transactional kind of thing. 00:18:36.398 --> 00:18:38.950 Like, I'm gonna love God the most so that he'll give me more. 00:18:38.950 --> 00:18:44.530 No, there are some theologies and practices out there that do that. 00:18:45.510 --> 00:18:47.142 You know what okay, 00:18:47.286 --> 00:18:48.290 I'm gonna. 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:50.856 I'm not even going to go there. 00:18:50.856 --> 00:18:52.506 Y'all know who they are. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:55.240 They come on tv a lot of times. 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:56.880 Sorry, I shouldn't have said that either, 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:57.870 but I did. 00:19:00.760 --> 00:19:02.096 Here's a question for you, 00:19:02.096 --> 00:19:09.020 because this last phrase makes me think we are the sheep under his care. 00:19:10.760 --> 00:19:12.064 So here's a question. 00:19:12.064 --> 00:19:12.824 Years ago, 00:19:12.912 --> 00:19:17.240 I preached through a book called a shepherd looks at the 23rd psalm. 00:19:17.280 --> 00:19:18.664 How many of you have read that book? 00:19:18.664 --> 00:19:19.304 If you've read it, 00:19:19.304 --> 00:19:21.900 you're probably a little older. 00:19:22.760 --> 00:19:23.888 It's an older book. 00:19:23.888 --> 00:19:25.696 It was written in the early seventies, 00:19:25.696 --> 00:19:26.460 I think. 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:28.072 And the guy was. 00:19:28.072 --> 00:19:29.672 He actually was a shepherd. 00:19:29.672 --> 00:19:31.322 He was a sheep owner. 00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:35.500 And he described the behavior of sheep. 00:19:35.960 --> 00:19:42.176 And each chapter of the book went through the way sheep behave and how 00:19:42.208 --> 00:19:48.170 the shepherd is absolutely necessary for the survival, 00:19:49.390 --> 00:19:52.010 the flourishing of those sheep. 00:19:52.310 --> 00:19:54.326 And as I preached my way through that, 00:19:54.326 --> 00:19:54.878 I thought, 00:19:54.878 --> 00:19:55.574 you know what? 00:19:55.574 --> 00:19:56.606 And I'm going to say this, 00:19:56.606 --> 00:19:58.902 and I know there's some kids and younger folks in the room, 00:19:58.902 --> 00:20:03.490 but I'm an idiot. 00:20:04.670 --> 00:20:07.230 Now, I know y'all don't like for me to say things like that, 00:20:07.230 --> 00:20:08.758 but I look at my life and I go, 00:20:08.758 --> 00:20:18.880 goddess, how did I come to think that I am so smart and so necessary and 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:19.860 so important? 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:22.940 I'm a sheep, 00:20:24.280 --> 00:20:30.500 and without the shepherd guiding my every moment, 00:20:31.320 --> 00:20:33.220 I wander off a cliff. 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:36.820 You see, 00:20:37.610 --> 00:20:39.122 folks, I just want you to understand. 00:20:39.122 --> 00:20:42.738 Now, I know God's given me a mind, 00:20:42.834 --> 00:20:44.354 an intellect and intelligence. 00:20:44.402 --> 00:20:47.594 So I can't actually say that I am an idiot. 00:20:47.594 --> 00:20:53.030 I'm just so dependent on who God is. 00:20:54.730 --> 00:20:56.510 So what's our response? 00:20:58.370 --> 00:21:00.680 What are you going to do next? 00:21:00.730 --> 00:21:02.710 What does your worship look like? 00:21:03.340 --> 00:21:05.980 What does your love for God look like? 00:21:06.940 --> 00:21:11.880 You're going to leave here in probably about seven minutes. 00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:14.690 Go ahead and time it for you. 00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:16.996 You're going to head out there. 00:21:16.996 --> 00:21:18.800 Will you continue to worship? 00:21:20.220 --> 00:21:22.452 Is your worship defined by a room, 00:21:22.452 --> 00:21:23.324 by a chair, 00:21:23.324 --> 00:21:24.314 by a song, 00:21:24.332 --> 00:21:25.200 by a. 00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:27.880 By a physical trapping, 00:21:28.670 --> 00:21:33.730 or is your worship giving of who you are? 00:21:34.990 --> 00:21:41.010 Is worship giving yourself back to the one who gave. 00:21:41.830 --> 00:21:42.820 Who gave you? 00:21:42.822 --> 00:21:44.990 You see? 00:21:45.070 --> 00:21:46.206 That's worship, 00:21:46.398 --> 00:21:47.250 all right, 00:21:48.430 --> 00:21:49.702 I tell you what. 00:21:49.702 --> 00:21:52.646 As we continue to walk our way through purpose, 00:21:52.646 --> 00:21:54.730 priority and plantain, 00:21:55.220 --> 00:21:58.560 I've titled these messages just the gathering. 00:21:58.940 --> 00:21:59.804 The gathering. 00:21:59.852 --> 00:22:08.760 Worship. Nobody tells us how to do worship except God. 00:22:09.780 --> 00:22:10.268 You know, 00:22:10.268 --> 00:22:10.844 there are those. 00:22:10.844 --> 00:22:13.814 Scott, did I ever tell you what to sing? 00:22:14.580 --> 00:22:17.550 Did I ever tell you how to sing it? 00:22:17.860 --> 00:22:20.788 Did I ever tell you what to say in between the songs? 00:22:20.788 --> 00:22:22.438 Who tells you that stuff? 00:22:22.800 --> 00:22:23.768 God does. 00:22:23.904 --> 00:22:24.860 God does. 00:22:25.560 --> 00:22:28.096 Folks, let God guide your worship. 00:22:28.168 --> 00:22:29.888 Let God guide your surrender. 00:22:29.944 --> 00:22:32.000 Let God guide your sacrifice. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:38.380 What will you give him because he's given you so much? 00:22:38.680 --> 00:22:41.380 Okay, starts with Jesus. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:44.344 That's what God gave us so much of. 00:22:44.096 --> 00:22:49.326 That's how God proved his love to us by dying so that we might have 00:22:49.358 --> 00:22:52.478 salvation, so that we might have redemption, 00:22:52.614 --> 00:22:56.502 so that we might have this intimate relationship with him. 00:22:56.686 --> 00:22:57.950 And if you don't have it, 00:22:57.950 --> 00:22:59.610 we want it for you. 00:23:00.230 --> 00:23:02.710 We'd love to introduce you to Jesus. 00:23:02.830 --> 00:23:12.816 Okay, this is one of my favorite messages to share because I want folks 00:23:12.848 --> 00:23:16.496 to give themselves to God because the more we give back, 00:23:16.688 --> 00:23:18.300 the more God gives. 00:23:19.080 --> 00:23:22.176 Alrighty, let's pray. 00:23:22.328 --> 00:23:23.648 Father, I thank you for today. 00:23:23.648 --> 00:23:24.296 And I thank you, 00:23:24.296 --> 00:23:26.264 God, that you have loved us. 00:23:26.264 --> 00:23:27.848 God, you've loved us first. 00:23:27.848 --> 00:23:28.976 You've loved us most. 00:23:28.976 --> 00:23:30.224 You loved us best. 00:23:30.048 --> 00:23:30.408 And so, 00:23:30.408 --> 00:23:32.700 God, I know that, 00:23:33.600 --> 00:23:36.540 God, you hold my hand. 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:39.560 You walk me through every moment of the day. 00:23:39.560 --> 00:23:43.520 God, I don't even know how things happen the way they happen. 00:23:43.580 --> 00:23:45.160 I can't explain it. 00:23:46.180 --> 00:23:47.396 I know that I can say, 00:23:47.396 --> 00:23:48.386 well, it's God. 00:23:48.452 --> 00:23:49.996 I know that I can say God did it. 00:23:49.996 --> 00:23:53.900 I know that I can say that you've caused it to happen. 00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:54.560 And, God, 00:23:54.572 --> 00:24:00.080 that people take that so simplistically like, 00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:03.350 God, I just trust you. 00:24:03.476 --> 00:24:04.988 I want us to trust you. 00:24:04.988 --> 00:24:06.748 I want us as a congregation, 00:24:06.748 --> 00:24:08.120 as a worship community, 00:24:08.650 --> 00:24:09.874 to truly worship, 00:24:09.922 --> 00:24:12.892 not just when we're sitting in nice red chairs, 00:24:13.370 --> 00:24:15.762 but to worship you every day, 00:24:15.906 --> 00:24:17.070 all day long. 00:24:17.690 --> 00:24:18.258 So, God, 00:24:18.258 --> 00:24:19.248 as we gather, 00:24:21.410 --> 00:24:26.170 first I just admit and confess my sin, 00:24:26.250 --> 00:24:27.630 my selfishness. 00:24:28.810 --> 00:24:30.230 God, you know me. 00:24:31.370 --> 00:24:32.790 You love me anyway. 00:24:33.650 --> 00:24:34.258 So, God, 00:24:34.258 --> 00:24:36.630 help us to surrender ourselves to you. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:38.768 Help us to love you back. 00:24:38.488 --> 00:24:41.064 Help us to act like it all the time. 00:24:41.064 --> 00:24:42.576 We pray it in Jesus name. 00:24:42.576 --> 00:24:42.800 Amen.