A Reflection of Worship

This morning marks two beginnings: the OFFICIAL beginning of Church Camp Month (I will be back and forth for three weeks after coming off of a week with the preacher boys!), and the kick off of our sermon series entitled “Eternity is at Stake.” This morning, in prayer and preparation, all I could think about is how selfish and self-centered I can be some times. When I am home, how much of my day is spent in retreating so I can have some me time? I spend so much time on others, but am I neglecting my wife and kids? Why? Because the world says I need a break. Eternity is at stake, even in my own home! My whole life ought to be a reflection of worship to my creator!

At the same time, in reflecting on this idea of self-centeredness, how often do we include such worldly ideas (you do you!) in the Church? Why don’t we fall back in line with God’s word? Part of it is that we fear the consequences of following God (mostly we fear social repercussions), but the other part is that we do not regard God as Holy. We treat Jesus and the Cross as some divine insurance policy, and desire to live our lives as we please. But our whole lives, not just what we do in congregational meetings, ought to reflect worship of our Creator! In the beginning, God made us in His image, and sin marred that image. Christ died to restore that image, so why do we go back to the very things that separate us from Him, hoping that our divine insurance will kick in when we need it?

God is Holy. The whole purpose of man is to Fear God and obey His command (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). If that is our whole purpose, loved ones, then shouldn’t we conform everything we do into that purpose? Jesus didn’t die so we could have it all. In fact, He said

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? (Luke 9:23-25)

We have to live in the world while we’re still in this body of flesh, but that doesn’t mean we have to do things the way the world says. Regard God as Holy. Keep your eyes fixed on Him. Trust Him in all your ways and in all circumstances, live a life of worship, and watch how He shows Himself in power and love and grace in your life.

John 15

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.