Rediscovering Worship – Part 4

Story Time

I Samuel 15:22

Christian practices are meaningless without to God.

The point of last week’s sermon was to encourage legalism, but to address our motives.

Why do we do the Christian things we do?

We must always respond to God like we know He’s the king.

Just like the wisemen who greeted Jesus at his birth, we must come before the king bearing gifts.

Every time we come before God, we are responsible for two things: and .

We gather to minister to God and minister to people; we benefit in the process.

We must actively resist the temptation to worship like Saul.

Worship patterned after Saul “self-serving selective obedience. . .pursu[ing] gain under the guise of serving God” (Robert Bergen).

Consumerism vs. Christianity

Gain can become an that competes with God for worship.

When our consumer interests become the focus of our devotion, we the worship experience.

Matthew 6:24

Consumerism is an Old Problem

This impulse was present in the ancient world (Mark 11:15-17)

Acts 8:9-24

“Simon had not responded to the gospel; he had responded to greed” (John B. Polhill).

Simon wanted the power of God without being to God.

If we are not daily dying to the flesh, we will turn God’s dwelling place into a .

God’s glory is not for .

When your mindset is, “What’s in it for me?”. . .

• you consume and critique. . .
• and you call church a “”.

When your mindset is “What’s in it for God and others?”. . .

• you serve and solve. . .
• and you call church a “”.

The Power of Gathering

Acts 2:41-47

The real purpose for church gathering: We gather to minister to God and minister to people. In the process, we benefit.

© Joshua D. Smith, Ph.D., 2021