Worship and Connect with Jesus (Romans 12:1-8)
Gary McManus, 09/27/2015Part of the God's Love; Beyond Belief series, preached at a Sunday Morning service
The Season of the Holy Spirit After Pentecost
Romans 12:1-8 (p.1123/ p.1137)
God loves us TOO MUCH to leave
us where we are. God loves us where
we are but not the way we are.
Continuing on worship here at DCC.
The examples come from Tom & Joani Schultz:
Why Nobody Wants to Go to Church Anymore.
We know there is a disconnect between what
believers say and what they do.
So why aren’t people in worship?
Types or “settings” for worship
--theater
But if you’re distracted from your relationship
with God, then the worship is failing to
CONNECT you to God. Worship is about
connection with the Lord.
Other settings:
--funeral home
--police station
--museum
--political action committee
These worship services are missing something or
they are focused on something, and almost
NO focus on a relationship with Jesus.
So what are WE at DCC doing about it?
Not an easy question to answer.
Worship is an inheritance. . .
We also inherited the Bible.
Since the Bible is the basis of everything
we WANT to do at DCC--we use the Bible.
--we recite the Psalms
--we use the Bible to say what it is we believe.
Some categories are still up for grabs. .
Science has found:
“different kinds of prayers were associated with
positive outcomes for the one praying—sense of
well-being, support, optimism, meaning in life, life
satisfaction and self esteem. . .prayers of thanksigivng,
prayers of adoration and prayers of openeness/reception
or humility. . . (DCC practices all of those.)
Science doesn’t care what kind of worship service you pray in.
What the science tells us that if WE will connect with
our Lord in worship. . .we will benefit.
Worshp HAS to be about connection. . .Jesus did it—
Jesus was in worship. Jesus was IN the synagogue.
The disciples were in the synagogue and Temple.
(Matthew 4:23, Matthew 9:35, Mark 1:21, Mark 1:39,
Acts 9:20, Acts 13:5, Mark 13:1, Luke 2:41, Acts 3:1-10,
John 4:21-24)
All the disciples went to Temple at festival time.
Jesus said, we WILL worship in truth. . .(John 4:21-24)
Today’s scripture says it.. .
Let us fulfill the Psalm today.
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