We’ve had a wonderful weekend of music - haven’t we?
I hope you were able to be at the city wide Praise in the Park, yesterday
-that turned out to be Praise in the School Auditorium due to the weather
-nonetheless, it was a wonderful time of praising God
-with a whole range of different styles of music
God is worthy of our praise - wouldn’t you agree?!!!
What we do here will affect somehow what we do in heaven
-look at a glimpse of what will go on in heaven:
Revelation 5:11-12
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise !"
Psalm 145:3
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
But as we try to fathom God’s greatness - & we praise Him for His greatness
-don’t you just grow to love Him?
As we sing songs & contemplate God’s goodness & greatness
-His love for us
-His mercy & grace - His gift to us of His Son
-you just want to love Him
And Paul wrote the Philippians - as we praise God & grow in our love for Him
-that love for God changes our lives
-it makes us want to love God - & therefore, love each other
Philippians 2:1-4
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
We are encouraged by our union with Christ - He’s always with us
-He goes with & before us
-when we feel alone - even abandoned - Jesus is with us - now & forever
-we are encouraged by being united with Christ
-we are comforted by His love
e.g. I see children in the ER - & they’re usually terrified
-as I come close to them, they’ll often crawl into their parent’s lap
-but even more comforting than a parent’s love of a child
-when you think of it, God’s love is always so comforting to us
-who wouldn’t be comforted by God’s love?
-we have fellowship with the Spirit - God dwells right inside our soul
-through the Spirit
-making us alive when we would otherwise be dead!
-God is tender & compassionate to us
-when really, because of our on-going pride, disinterest,
-preoccupation with the world - you name it
-because of our sin - God could & should be angry & harsh on us
-but, we experience His ongoing tenderness & compassion
Praise the Lord!
God is worthy of our praise!
Ps 145:3
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
As we praise the Lord - & it really helps to express that in music
-as we have this weekend
Our lives are changed
-our praise of God - develops within us - a growing love for God
-& the product of love for God - is our love for each other
Does God love you?
Do you love God?
Do you love God’s people?
-that all goes together
As Paul points out in this paragraph - God is good to us - God loves us
-when you think of how blessed you are by God - you’ll want to love God
-& therefore love His people
-& loving God’s people - means you’ll connect with God’s people
-you’ll join together with God’s people
Philippians 2:2-4
then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
In a nutshell - we’re to unselfishly connect with each other
-in the Body of Christ
-as well as outside of the Body of Christ
-bringing people into the family of God
And this of course, has implications for a church like the RCBC
-or any local church where you are attached & connected
-if you’re a guest here
Paul’s essentially telling us - be a church!
-as a church - we’re to be:
Like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.
I’d say that’s a good description of what God wants of the RCBC
We’ve been contemplating these recent weeks, here on Sunday a.m.
-church growth
What will it take for us to be the growing church that God intends us to be?
-a description like this is fitting
-we consider & express, how we’re blessed by the Lord - the greatness of God
-we love God
-& if we love God - we love His people
-& we come together as God’s people joined by the Spirit
-in one spirit & for one purpose - to love & live for God
-that’s what the church is & if that’s what the church is
-it will be a growing church
Look at the early church
Acts 2:42-47
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
I’ve usually looked at this description of the early church
& just focused on the activities
-& it’s good to see the activities of an active growing church
-& we too, need to have a balance of these things going on in our church
1. Teaching
2. Fellowship
3. Prayer
4. Community Worship
Those activities need to be ongoing in a church
-for the church to be health & growing
-there needs to be a balance of those activities
Notice also - the Power of God at work
-in those days, God worked out some mighty miracles & signs
-in our day - God can still do that - but He doesn’t have to - He already did
-but He’s still active & powerful
-& we should notice God at work in our lives
We should also notice - & the world should notice our love for each other
-in this church - our willingness to sacrifice & give & minister to each other
-should be on-going & evident to all
And all along - there should be active, joyous praise of the Lord expressed
-with music being a significant factor in the workings of the church
-it doesn’t mention music specifically here
-but, I suspect it was a part of what they were doing as they praised God
-music is a natural way to express praise
-there are other ways
-testimony, art, architecture, dance, maybe other ways
-& these people were filled with joy
-some Christians, it seems, act like,
“Somber seriousness, is next to godliness”
-I don’t think that’s how God intends to grow His church!
-there was great joy in all this church growth!
Look at the results:
46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Wouldn’t you like to see something like that happening here at the RCBC?
1. We’re going to have to have a balance of the activities of a growing church:
a. Bible Study
b. Fellowship
c. Prayer
d. Community Worship
2. We’ll experience & recognize the power of God at work changing lives
3. We’ll need to be very dedicated about our intent & devotion to each other
-in love
4. We’ll need to joyously express our praise
5. And, we’ll need to be willing to see new people come through our doors
-& into our lives!
That’s what Church growth will look like
-growth that’s according to God’s plan
Let’s joyously praise God - He’s so great & good
He’s blessed us in ways we can’t even begin to fathom
-but to any extent that we can understand His greatness
-we just want to praise Him & live for Him
Remember, the Lord is building His church
-& He’s counting on us to serve Him, so the church grows
-let’s get on board with being a church were we love each other
-& we serve the Lord in one spirit & purpose
-& we’ll see God at work in our lives & in this church & in this community
PRAISE THE LORD!
Psalm 145:1-12
I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another;
they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works,
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All you have made will praise you, O Lord;
your saints will extol you.
11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. |