Developing a Lifestyle of Worship

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=50 BGCOLOR="#333366" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Developing a Lifestyle of Worship</B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=165 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="132" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="VOID" RULES="NONE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 35 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id200.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Ending the Worship Wars"><U><B><IMG SRC="007151d0.gif" border=0 width="21" height="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="21"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP WIDTH="20"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="35" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="20" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="13"></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="29" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" WIDTH="27"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <div> Previous/Next Sermon</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="www.stanbaker.org"><U><B>Home</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id2.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biblical and Theological Studies"><U><B>Biblical and Theological Studies</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id3.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Church Ministry"><U><B>Church Ministry</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sermon Notes"><U>Sermon Notes</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U><B>Links</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Personal"><U><B>Personal</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:stan@stanbaker.org"><U>stan@stanbaker.org</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=430 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Berean Bible Church, April 29, 2001am</B></div> <bR> <div>      How would you describe your Christian life? Do you have a living, vibrant experience of Christ, or is it habitual and meaningless? That happens when we disconnect God and worship and church from our daily lives. And that is why we have a hard time experiencing God in worship on Sundays.</div> <bR> <div> <B>I. Develop a Lifestyle of Worship</B>. (Romans 12:1-2)</div> <div> A. Offering your life to God is the ultimate act of worship, vs. 1.</div> <div>      “In view of mercies”: “The gospel unleashes God’s power so that people, by embracing it, can be rescued from the disastrous effects of sin, being pronounced ‘righteous’ in God’s sight and having a secure hope for salvation from wrath in the last day” (Douglas Moo, <I>Romans</I>, NICNT, 744).</div> <div> B. Offering your life to God results in total transformation, vs. 2.</div> <bR> <div>      Only when you have been worshiping God throughout the week are you really ready to worship on Sunday. “We don’t come to church to worship, we come to church, already worshiping” (Ed Young, Fellowship Church, Dallas). “If worship is just one thing we do, everything becomes mundane. If worship is the one thing we do, everything takes on eternal significance” (Timothy J. Christenson, Quotes and Idea Starters, Rowell, p. 183).</div> <bR> <div> <B>II. Ways to Offer your Life in Worship to God</B>.</div> <div> A. Worship God every day.</div> <div> Psalm 145:1-2: “I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." Take time every day. Be in the Word and in prayer. Get good music to play throughout the week.</div> <div> B. Do everything “in the name of the Lord." </div> <div> Colossians 3:15-17:  “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him”); “in the name of Jesus” suggests being identified with him, using his power / authority; be known as one who is associated with, related to Jesus Christ. Context of worship carrying on in all of life.</div> <div> C. Have the habit of thanksgiving.</div> <div> Colossians 3:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."</div> <div> D. Trust God, even in trials.</div> <div>  Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas singing in jail. Philippians 4:6-7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”</div> <div> E. Be pure as a result of fearing God.</div> <div> 2 Corinthians 7:1: “Since we have these promises (we belong to God), dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”</div> <div> F. Be a positive influence on unbelievers.</div> <div> 1 Peter 2:12: “Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” Realize that others are evaluating how your worship works in your life. St. Francis of Assisi said, “In all ways preach the gospel. If necessary, use words.”</div> <bR> <div> <I>     </I>Cultivate a lifestyle of worship: To do this, Worship God every day. Do everything in the name of the Lord. Have the habit of thanking him every day. Trust him even in trials. Be pure as a result of fearing God. And seek to be a positive influence on unbelievers.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> copyright, 2001, Stanley Baker</div> <div> www.stanbaker.org</div> </td> </tr></table></body>