Worshiping TOGETHER as the Body!

Preparing Your Heart for Worship - February 25, 2018

We return to our study through Romans this week. This is really the “big turn” in Romans. After 11 chapters expounding the gospel of God’s grace, Paul turns to explain in great detail how we are to live out the rich theological truths of the gospel. This is where it gets practical!

Call to Worship

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, one of the things that guides our worship planning is the “hourglass.” When we gather for worship, at the beginning, our thoughts are often still on the many things going on in our daily lives. The “Call to Worship” is when we intentionally begin to turn our thoughts away from that and toward Christ. 

Doxology (Amen)

(Warning: the history nerd in me is about to come out) When it was first published as “The Doxology” in 1709, the words we sing had apparently been in use for over 25 years. There are 14 verses in the original song, and this Sunday, we’ll be singing a verse we don’t typically sing. I always enjoy discovering a new version of a classic hym that does it justice - this one definitely does!

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

(I've loved the old Crowder band version of this song from the first time I heard it)

“tune my heart to sing Thy praise!” What a great song to sing together as one Body as we begin our time together. Considering God’s mercy should drive us to intense, focused exaltation! Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise

You might have guessed along the way somewhere that I love hymns and while I don’t have a list of “favorites” written down anywhere - if I did, this song would be on it for sure. 

Prayer of Praise

This prayer reflects our desire to tighten our focus (moving further in to the center of the “hourglass”) on praising the Lord for who He is and what He has done for US.

Bringing Tithes and Offerings

Giving of our resources is an act of worship. This time in our service, accompanied by our choir singing about God’s awesome love for US, is an opportunity to worship Him by giving back a portion of what He has blessed each of us with financially. 

Glorious Christ

As we continue to focus on who Christ is and what He has done, this song (that was introduced a few months back during the offering one Sunday) These two songs express the change that the gospel has brought in our lives. 

In the first song, we’ll sing For Thee all the follies of sin I resign. This is a great encapsulation of how the gospel changes the details of how we live our lives. The second song should be the cry of our heart - Knowing You, Jesus knowing you - there is no greater thing. These two songs express both the heart attitude and the outward response of a life changed by the love of Christ. 

Community

Be sure and listen to the tune and read the lyrics a few times - We’ve heard this before (it’s the song that played during the slide show of members we showed a few weeks back), but it’s still a relatively new song for us. What a joy it will be to sing these words together! (check out the lyrics in the comments section)

Sermon: Worshiping TOGETHER, Romans 12:3-13

Read through Romans 12:3-13 several times between now and Sunday morning and think through the following questions so that we can all make the most of our time together:

  • Who specifically is Paul speaking to in these verses? (v. 3)

  • How are we to think about ourselves? 

  • Does this come naturally?

  • Why does Paul use the term “body” to describe the church?

  • How should the phrase “individually members one of another” 

    in verse 5 influence how you think about your fellow church members? 

  • Why does Paul list seven gifts? Why do you think he doesn’t include all the same

    gifts he mentions elsewhere?

  • What should genuine love look like in our church?

  • Is there any evil that you need to grow in your hatred for?

  • Who have you shown genuine love and brotherly affection for this week?

  • Are you experiencing tribulation in any form? What is your attitude toward it?

  • How are you contributing to the needs of others?

  • How are you showing hospitality?

We Are the Body of Christ

As we sat down earlier this week to plan our worship gathering, this was the first song that came to mind after reading this week’s sermon passage. We sang this song several times during the “It’s About US” series at the beginning of the year and what a great way to respond to this passage: singing about who WE are as HIS Body!

Be Praying for:

• Nathan White as he prepares to lead us musically this Sunday. (Rex is on his annual birthday vacation hike this weekend and Nathan is filling in for him).  

• Pray that we all come together on Sunday with hearts prepared to engage in intense, focused exaltation of God. 

• Pray that we are obedient to God’s commands and strive for the unity He has called us to. 

• Pray for me as I prepare to preach God’s inspired, inerrant, sufficient, authoritative Word. 

Rob