CALL TO WORSHIP. Pastor Jeff can be a relentless person ~~ not in a bad way but a good way!

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1 CALL TO WORSHIP Lev 19:30 INTRO Good morning ~ Happy Sabbath and Happy Mother s Day Pastor Jeff can be a relentless person ~~ not in a bad way but a good way! o He won t give up if he thinks you have a message the church needs to hear He ~ and others ~ have asked and encouraged me to share a message dear to my heart In fact I think this message is dear to all of us as we want to be God s Children o There are many vital concepts in His word that maybe we haven t studied yet, like Reverence. But when preparing to teach (like SS or give a sermon) one really learns the material Preparing for this sermon has helped me in my own walk with God o It has helped to think about how I conduct myself when I m in His House o Recently when visiting Kathy s brother in Florida we attended his church Had never been there before ~ wasn t sure what to expect o I was amazed at the atmosphere in the sanctuary No soft music playing in the back-ground No saints talking as they waited for the worship service to begin 1

2 o All showed this same veneration during the service and when it was finished I recalled what Lev 19:30 says: You shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary ~ I am the Lord. It was refreshing to sit in a quiet church where you could actually hear a pin drop on their marble floors ~~ it provided for spiritual meditation What I came away from that service was a greater appreciation for having reverence as a worshipper of our Heavenly Father BODY Turn with me to Exodus 3:1 ~ 6 o Now this isn t a tumble weed that we see in Western Movies starring John Wayne SOP: The burning bush, in which Christ appeared to Moses, revealed God. The symbol chosen for the representation of the Deity was a lowly shrub, that seemingly had no attraction. This enshrined the Infinite. The all-merciful God shrouded His glory in a most humble type, that Moses could look upon it and live. DA/23 Those who are suffering reverses are (also) represented by the bush that Moses saw in the desert ~ which though burning ~ was not consumed. The Angel of the Lord was in the midst of the bush. So in deprivation and affliction, the brightness of the presence of the Unseen is with us to comfort and sustain. Often prayer is solicited from those who are suffering from illness or 2

3 adversity; but, our prayers are needed by the men entrusted with prosperity and influence. MH/212 Another Bible story that comes to mind when I read about the burning bush o the 3 Hebrews who were thrown into the furnace ~ heated 7 times hotter The same elements are present in this story the fire and heat were real But back in Exodus Chpt 3 what made Moses take off his sandals at the bush o the same thing that prevented the 3 Hebrews from perishing in the furnace It was the presence of our Almighty and Holy God The Bible will help us understand what God desires ~ we'll look at only 4 passages: Encourage them to jot these verses down. o Psm 89:6,7 Prov 28 :14 o Habakkuk 2:20 Hebrews 12:28, 29 Bible teaches us that God is particular in how we are to worship Him o isn t that why we re all here on God s Holy Sabbath Day There s a helpful story about a camp counselor with 8 girls o Counselor was responsible for these young ladies all week ~ including worship They were good girls but Keeping them quiet during church service was a never-ending battle o Counselor wondered why they couldn t keep still She realized ~ no one had taught reverence 3

4 o So she tried she explained the church was God s house she explained we get dressed up to come to God s House and we re to sit quietly in God s House We do these things because the church is where God lives ~ we want to honor Him The girls weren t convinced counselor was frustrated until o One little camper asked: I don t understand why we only let God live here in church on Saturday mornings ~~ doesn t He need a home the rest of the week? o What the young camper said made sense to the counselor All week long no one had been treating the building as a church maybe the girl was right How could the camper s think that they were in God s House on Sabbath, when all during the week they d been doing all sorts of other activities All children do a lot of learning by observing others and copying their example o They look up to adults and other children it s almost like monkey see monkey do. Everyone, by example sets the tone, that God s House is a special place we should respect SOP speaks firmly on this topic: 4

5 o Nothing that is sacred ~ nothing that pertains to the worship of God ~ should be treated with carelessness and indifference. Child Guidance/545 o The place dedicated to God should not be a room where worldly business is transacted. If the children assemble to worship God in a room that is used during the week for a school or a storeroom, they will be more than human, if mingled with their devotional thoughts; they do not also have thoughts of their studies or of things that have happened during the week. The education and training of the young should be of a character that would exalt sacred things and encourage pure devotion for God in His house. Test Vol 5/496 All during the week we should be preparing our hearts for the special Sabbath day which we can spend with our Heavenly Father in the Holy Sanctuary o Our building here at Auburn is made out of granite and stucco God isn t concerned with the type of building materials used for His House He s concerned with our hearts ~ for we make up His Church It s for our eternal good that He asks our reverence in His dwelling place There should be a solemn awe upon worshippers as they enter the sanctuary o We should leave behind all common ~ worldly ~ thoughts for this is the place where God reveals His presence to us This is an audience chamber of the great and eternal God 5

6 o All pride, passion, dissension, self-esteem, selfishness, and covetousness are inappropriate in a place like this God has pronounced all of these things as idolatry From the sacredness attached to the earthly sanctuary we can learn how we should regard the place where God meets His children o Seems like there s been a great change in the habits and customs associated with worship and this change has NOT been for the better The precious ~ sacred ~ things which connect us with God are fast losing their hold upon our hearts and minds We are bringing them down to the level of common things o The reverence people of the Bible had for the sanctuary where they met God has largely passed away This is sad when we remember that God Himself gave the order of His service and exalted it high above everything of a temporal nature When Children of God enter the place of worship ~ we should do so with decorum o Passing quietly to their seats All common talking and laughter should be absent in the House of God before ~ during ~ and after the service o When we come into the House of God with a genuine reverence for the Lord and realize that we are in His Presence Then ~ there will be a sweet eloquence of silence 6

7 Our hearts and minds would be prepared to have communion with God and hear His Word o When the benediction is shared ~ all would remain quiet as if we re fearful of losing the peace of Jesus Christ which surpasses all understanding We would dismiss without jostling or loud talking realizing we are in the very presence of God Himself o that His eye is resting upon us When we realize this is God House and He s in His House o all parts of the church should be invested with a sacred reverence It s not a place where we just meet old friends to visit and gossip ~ It s not a place where the common thoughts of the world are shared It s not a place where worldly business to transacted nor discussed o God and His angels are dishonored by our carelessness and thoughtlessness I want to lovingly encourage you to prayerfully review this topic in God s Word and SOP o A good starting point is the Chapter entitled: Behavior in the House of God Testimonies, Vol 5 ~ pgs And you can review the following text that we looked at earlier: Psm 89:6,7 Prov 28:14 Habakkuk 2:20 Hebrews 12:28, 29 7

8 o Has God changed, has He altered what He expects from His obedient children? Scripture clearly says that God changes not ~~ have we lost sight of God's Holiness and upon the ground we tread? God s lofty purpose for His House should be frequently re-stated: His desire is to dwell with men, that they may worship Him in spirit and in truth. The following texts reveal this lofty purpose: o Exodus 25:8 Main purpose of the sanctuary is to have a visible dwelling place for God God s House is a place of meeting for God and His children o Psm 89:6,7 (Looking at this passage in its context shows that the psalmist has a deeper, and a broader understanding of who God is. A perspective that impacts his relational approach to God.) o Psm 96:8,9 o Rev 14:7 In God s Church service more than any other place God is to be held in reverence o In Hebrews we re told: Serve God acceptably with reverence Maybe Paul was echoing Ecc 5:1 CONCLUSION A young pastor had occasion to visit one of his churches on a week-day o There an aged elder was bowed among the pews in earnest prayer 8

9 When the dear saint finished ~ the young pastor shared with him how moved he was to find one of the elders in fervent prayer on a weekday The saintly elder shared: o I found Jesus ~ my Savior in this church o I saw the conversion of my family in this church o I shared that pew for many years with my wife we heard God s voice speaking to our souls on many occasions o It was from this church that my beloved wife was carried to her last resting place o And when I ve finished running my race I wish to be brought here before joining my wife resting till Jesus comes Young man ~~ this is indeed a hallowed place I love to come here and commune with God ***** I pray this is true for all of us to love to come to God s House & have sweet communion with Him Whether it s alone on a week-day ~ or collectively on a Sabbath (this is the bottom line, without a love for God, it's just lip service, or as some might say going through the motions like a check list) I Want to close this morning by sharing a poem o Read Poem 9

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