Unceasing… New Year, New God. Unceasing… Worshipers… Worshipers…

Unceasing…Unceasing…

New Year, New New Year, New GodGod


• Worshipers…Worshipers…


• Worshipers…who live as though Worshipers…who live as though God does not exist…God does not exist…


• Coffee Cup VersesCoffee Cup Verses


• We are all worshipers, We are all worshipers, continually worshiping continually worshiping somethingsomething

– By designBy design


• RestaurantRestaurant

• At work: "The wife…"At work: "The wife…"

• At home…SeinfeldAt home…Seinfeld


We are all unWe are all unceasingceasing worshipers, worshipers, yet utterly affected by Tyet utterly affected by Thehe F Fallall


To worship is to proclaim the worth To worship is to proclaim the worth or value ofor value of

• Worship= Proskuneo- to "kiss Worship= Proskuneo- to "kiss towards" in homage and reverence. towards" in homage and reverence. Literally, to proclaim that the Literally, to proclaim that the object of worship is of great value object of worship is of great value and importanceand importance


To worship is to proclaim the To worship is to proclaim the worth or value of…worth or value of…

• What I worship is a function of What I worship is a function of where I find my valuewhere I find my value


To worship is to proclaim the To worship is to proclaim the worth or value of…worth or value of…

• What I worship is a function of What I worship is a function of where I find my valuewhere I find my value

– Mountain Bike? Running? Mountain Bike? Running? Scrapbooking? Success in business? Scrapbooking? Success in business? Relationship? Parenthood? Relationship? Parenthood?


Is it wrong to enjoy any of these Is it wrong to enjoy any of these things?things?

- Mountain Bike? Running? - Mountain Bike? Running? Scrapbooking? Scrapbooking? Success in business? Success in business? Relationship? Relationship? Parenthood?Parenthood?

Is it wrong to enjoy any of these Is it wrong to enjoy any of these things?things?

• Nothing was given for the purpose of Nothing was given for the purpose of tterminatingerminating upon itself or becoming upon itself or becoming vvaluablealuable outside the Giver outside the Giver

• God's design is that we would enjoy God's design is that we would enjoy the gifts and praise the Giverthe gifts and praise the Giver

• God's design is that we would God's design is that we would enjoy the gifts and praise the Giverenjoy the gifts and praise the Giver

Even things that are not specifically Even things that are not specifically Christian?Christian?

Unceasing…Unceasing…God's truth is woven throughout God's truth is woven throughout

the fabric of our worldthe fabric of our world

• MusicMusic• CultureCulture• ArtArt• MoviesMovies

Unceasing…Unceasing…God's truth is woven throughout God's truth is woven throughout

the fabric of our worldthe fabric of our world

• Paul quotes pagan literature: Paul quotes pagan literature: ‘For in him we live and move and ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring’- Acts 17:28offspring’- Acts 17:28


EveryEvery good and perfect gift is good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like who does not change like shifting shadows- Jas. 1:17shifting shadows- Jas. 1:17

Unceasing…Unceasing…I can praise God because of and I can praise God because of and

through many different formsthrough many different forms

• The issue is one of recognizing The issue is one of recognizing Who it comes from and returning Who it comes from and returning praise to Himpraise to Him

Unceasing…Unceasing…I can praise God because of and I can praise God because of and

through many different formsthrough many different forms

• The question: Does it stoke my The question: Does it stoke my desire for God? Or diminish it?desire for God? Or diminish it?


Worship: to proclaim the value ofWorship: to proclaim the value of


If an activity or a person If an activity or a person gives value gives value to meto me, then there must be intrinsic , then there must be intrinsic value in that object or value in that object or person/relationshipperson/relationship


When I find When I find my valuemy value in an object in an object or person, I am proclaiming or person, I am proclaiming worth (worshiping)worth (worshiping)


If I pursue it as ultimate- or if it If I pursue it as ultimate- or if it becomes my ultimate sense of becomes my ultimate sense of identity and worth- it is my godidentity and worth- it is my god


What's the problem with that?What's the problem with that?


False gods are always harsh False gods are always harsh taskmasterstaskmasters

• RelationshipRelationship• WorkWork• HobbyHobby• Body ImageBody Image


To worship is to ascribe value toTo worship is to ascribe value to

Isaiah 40…Isaiah 40…


Comfort, comfort my Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard proclaim to her that her hard service has been service has been completed, that her sin has completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.hand double for all her sins.


A voice of one calling: “In the desert A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.for our God. Every valley shall be Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a become level, the rugged places a plain. plain. And the glory of the LORD will be And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”LORD has spoken.”


A voice says, “Cry out.” A voice says, “Cry out.”

And I said, “What shall I cry?” And I said, “What shall I cry?”

““All men are like grass, and all All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of their glory is like the flowers of the field. The grass withers and the field. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”God stands forever.”


You who bring good tidings to Zion, You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” God!”

See, the Sovereign LORD comes See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense him, and his recompense accompanies him. accompanies him.


He tends his flock like a shepherd: He He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. gently leads those that have young.

Who has measured the waters in the Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a on the scales and the hills in a balance? balance?


Who has understood the mind of Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor? his counselor?

Whom did the LORD consult to Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? him the right way?

Who was it that taught him Who was it that taught him knowledge knowledge or showed him the path of or showed him the path of understanding?understanding?


Surely the nations are like a drop in Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust. as though they were fine dust.

Lebanon is not sufficient for altar Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, fires, nor its animals enough for burnt nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. offerings.

Before him all the nations are as Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless as worthless and less than nothing. and less than nothing.


To whom, then, will you compare To whom, then, will you compare God? God? What image will you compare him What image will you compare him to? to?

As for an idol, a craftsman casts As for an idol, a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for gold and fashions silver chains for it. it.

A man too poor to present such an A man too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not offering selects wood that will not rot. rot. He looks for a skilled craftsman to He looks for a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple.set up an idol that will not topple.


Do you not know? Have you not Do you not know? Have you not heard? heard? Has it not been told you from the Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was understood since the earth was founded? founded?

He sits enthroned above the circle He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. like grasshoppers.

He stretches out the heavens like a He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in. a tent to live in.


He brings princes to He brings princes to naught and reduces the naught and reduces the rulers of this world to rulers of this world to nothing. No sooner are they nothing. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he root in the ground, than he blows on them and they blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.sweeps them away like chaff.


To whom will you compare me? To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Holy One.

Lift your eyes and look to the Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and starry host one by one, and calls them each by calls them each by name. Because of his great name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.not one of them is missing.

PRACTICAL TRUTH

Transition


Why do you say, O Jacob, and Why do you say, O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, “My way complain, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my cause is disregarded by my God”? God”?


Do you not know? Have you Do you not know? Have you not heard? not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting The LORD is the everlasting God, theGod, theCreator of the ends of the Creator of the ends of the earth. earth.

He will not grow tired or He will not grow tired or weary, andweary, andhis understanding no one can his understanding no one can fathom. fathom.


He gives strength to the He gives strength to the weary andweary andincreases the power of the increases the power of the weak. weak.


Even youths grow tired and Even youths grow tired and weary, weary, and young men weary, weary, and young men stumble and fall; stumble and fall;

but those who but those who hopehope in the LORD in the LORD will renew their strength. will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like They will soar on wings like eagles; eagles; they will run and not grow they will run and not grow weary, weary, they will walk and not be faint.they will walk and not be faint.


Hope= Hope= qavah- to bind together qavah- to bind together (by twisting), to look to and (by twisting), to look to and wait upon (for help and wait upon (for help and strength)strength)

Implies…Implies…value and worth!value and worth!


Unceasing worshipers…Unceasing worshipers…

The choiceThe choice::

•Hope in the things/people of Hope in the things/people of this world or the things made this world or the things made with human handswith human hands

– Weariness, restlessness, Weariness, restlessness, purposelessness, harsh purposelessness, harsh servitudeservitude


The choiceThe choice::

•Hope in God, who is above Hope in God, who is above and beyond every other and beyond every other thing. And gives gifts for our thing. And gives gifts for our pleasure and his glorypleasure and his glory

–Renewed strength, Renewed strength, supernatural peace, supernatural peace, purpose, freedompurpose, freedom


Command those who are rich Command those who are rich in this present world not to in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their be arrogant nor to put their hopehope in wealth, which is so in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their uncertain, but to put their hope in Godhope in God, who richly , who richly provides us with everything provides us with everything for our enjoyment- 1 Timothy for our enjoyment- 1 Timothy 6:176:17


"If we consider the unblushing "If we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the promises of reward and the staggering nature of the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the rewards promised in the gospels, it would seem that gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires not our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak…"too strong, but too weak…"


"We are half-hearted creatures, "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by an imagine what is meant by an offer of a holiday at sea. We offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased"- are far too easily pleased"- C.S. LewisC.S. Lewis


This year I will…This year I will…

• Continue as I have?Continue as I have?

• Worship You, seek You, find in Worship You, seek You, find in You my ultimate You my ultimate identityidentity and and valuevalue??


The event of contemporary The event of contemporary worship vs. worship as a way worship vs. worship as a way of lifeof life

If I can come in and worship, If I can come in and worship, then leave and live like God then leave and live like God does not exist, it wasn't God does not exist, it wasn't God I was worshipingI was worshiping


God set us free:God set us free:- From false gods who rob our From false gods who rob our

soulssouls

God set us free:God set us free:- To be who we were created to To be who we were created to

be be

God set us free:God set us free:- To truly worship YouTo truly worship You


Do you not know? Have you Do you not know? Have you not heard?not heard?

Unceasing… New Year, New God. Unceasing… Worshipers… Worshipers…

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