Sermon notes - Things Churches Need... Christ Centered Worship - Littleby Baptist Church - April 14, 2024

1.        Normally when we think of “Worship” our minds go to the time we spend singing songs.

a.        Is singing part of worship? Absolutely, yes!

b.       Is singing all there is in worship, no.

2.        Worship can include just about anything.

a.        Singing a couple of songs is worship.

b.       Spending time reading God’s Word is worship.

c.        To be honest, worship is truly a way of life.

3.        Deuteronomy 6:4-9

a.        Since the days of Moses worship was a way of life.

b.       It was about honoring God.

c.        Loving God with all of our heart, soul, and strength.

d.       Worship is to be a part of our lives, sharing them with our children, sitting at home, and out on the road.

4.        A common definition for worship is to show reverence for our God.

a.        That is what God instructed the Israelites to do.

b.       To live in a way that shows reverence to God who freed them from captivity.

5.        If we look at our situation today and apply that same principle to us.

a.        We are to live in a way that shows reverence to the one who set us free.

6.        Today’s things churches need… Christ Centered Worship.

a.        Not a Sunday morning sing a few songs type of thing.

b.       It can start there.

c.        But that is not where it stops.

d.       We are to be living a life as individuals and as a church that is honoring our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

7.        1 Corinthians 14:26

a.        This verse and those that follow it are about orderly worship, but it can help us walk through this a bit.

b.       Hymn = worship.

c.        Teaching, Sunday School, or sermon = worship.

d.       A revelation from God = worship.

e.        Speaking in tongues with interpretation = worship.

f.          I will add prayer into the mix = worship.

g.        Each part of what we do here each morning is worship.

h.        This verse also talks about “each one”.

i.          We all have a part to play in our corporate Christ Centered Worship.

8.        Everything we do here on any given Sunday morning can be worship.

a.        Yes, I did say can be.

b.       They should be, but that is on each of us.

c.        Which begins outside of our time in this building.

9.        As individuals, how do we prepare for our Things Churches Need… Christ Centered Worship?

a.        Do we spend time outside of this building in worship of our Lord?

b.       Singing praises to His name?

c.        Praying to Him?

d.       Devoting time to the Word of the Lord?

e.        How about how we live our lives?

f.          When we are teaching our children, sitting at home, and out and about?

10.   Colossians 3:17

a.        How about doing yard work, dishes, making dinner, working, and….

b.       If we are to do everything in the name of our Lord Jesus, it is to be worship.

c.        Is Christ Centered Worship a way of life for us in preparation for our time together as a church?

11.   Things churches need… Christ Centered Worship begins before we walk in these doors each week.

a.        Our focus needs to be on Jesus and what He did for us.

12.   Revelation 14:6-7

a.        Worship the one who made the heaven, earth, ocean, and springs of water.

13.   Colossians 1:15-16

a.        Jesus created all things.

b.       If we were to keep reading in Colossians, we would see…

c.        He is before all things.

d.       He is the Head of the Church.

e.        Our worship is to be focused on, centered on Christ Jesus.

14.   Forgetting about our worship, if our focus is not on Jesus, it impacts us as individuals and as a church.

a.        If we come to church with the mind set that once a week we are going to give an hour or two hour to God.

b.       In hope that it fills us up, gives us balance, so we can live the other 166 hours each week for ourselves…

c.        It won’t work.

d.       Our time here, what we may be thinking of us our worship, will not be Christ centered.

e.        Reality is, if our worship is limited to 1% of our time (2/168) our focus even during that 1% is not going to be where it needs to be.

15.   If we look back to those verses in Deuteronomy and see that the people were to honor God with all that they are in all aspects of their lives.

a.        And we know that we are to worship the Creator of the heaven, earth, ocean, and springs of water all the time.

b.       This is not a switch that can be turned on and off easily.

c.        It is not an instant on type of thing when we walk through the doors.

16.   When Chris was a baby, we lived in an apartment that had one of those heater lights in the bathroom.

a.        At first, I thought this would be great.

b.       Turn it on, hop in the shower, and have the warmth when you get out.

c.        It did not work that way.

d.       We had to turn it on a half an hour before taking a shower to get any benefit from it.

e.        We had to plan in advance.

f.          We had to take steps to be ready.

17.   It is the same for the Things Churches Need… Christ Centered Worship.

a.        We cannot flip a switch and worship our Savior with all that we are.

b.       We need to be looking to Him all week long.

c.        We need to be loving Him with all our Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength.

d.       We need to be living our lives honoring Him.

18.   When Jesus was talking to the Samaritan woman at the well, He dropped this nugget of truth.

19.   John 4:21-24

a.        We are to worship in Spirit and Truth.

b.       As individuals we are to worship Jesus by being in His Word and by letting the Holy Spirit guide us.

c.        As a church our focus is to be the same.

d.       When we gather to worship our Lord Jesus, it starts with each of us being in the right place with our God.

e.        Not meaning we are perfect, or sinless, or that we are better than we were last week.

f.          Meaning that regardless of our week, regardless of how bad we sinned, we have come back to the cross.

g.        That we are loving God with all that we are.

h.        That we recognize that Jesus is God.

i.          Being in the right place starts with us repenting of our sins and giving our concerns to our King.

20.   You may have heard it said that going to church on Sunday is a Saturday night decision.

21.   I would say that being ready for Christ Centered Worship is a daily choice.

a.        We are not supposed to be perfect.

b.       But we need to be seeking our God.

c.        We need to be asking the Holy Spirit to work in us.

d.       We are to be praying constantly.

22.   As Christ followers who make up the church, we need Christ Centered Worship.

a.        We are to focus on Him.

b.       Live for Him.

c.        At home.

d.       When we are out and about.

e.        When we are with our families.

f.          When we are gathering as a body of Christ followers.

g.        When we are alone in prayer.

23.   Things Churches Need… Christ Centered Worship starts with the Word of God.

a.        It is what can point people to the fact that they need a Savior.

b.       Our time together is to be Christ centered.

c.        The songs we sing, the time in our classes, and the sermon ultimately need to be Christ Centered.

d.       We have to be careful to not let holidays and traditions cut into this time.

24.   Our challenge as church members is to spend our time focused on Christ.

a.        Not on our struggles.

b.       Not on our wants or preferences.

c.        Not on what we don’t like.

d.       We need to be looking to Jesus.

25.   Each day we need to walk in Spirit and Truth.

a.        Making Christ Centered Worship a way of life.

b.       Choosing each day to follow Jesus.

c.        To make Him our focus point.

d.       So that when we gather, we are not just getting warmed up but are ready to go.

26.   As we focus on Christ, it touches each of our lives, and ultimately will touch lives of those who do not know Jesus.

a.        Our focus on our Savior will lead to people coming to know Him.

b.       If you don’t know Him, I would love to talk with you.