Preparing for Worship: April 25, 2010

Another Sunday is around the corner and it's another opportunity to bring our offering of worship to the Lord with the community at Crossroads. As we do so, it's also an opportunity to reap wonderful benefits: being refreshed by the fellowship of believers, being reminded of Christ and the gospel through the songs we sing and the scriptures we study, encountering the Holy Spirit in a unique way as he works in both the heart of the individual and the heart of the congregation as a whole.

We shared a spectacular time together last weekend as we hosted The Children of the World. My wife and I chose a child to sponsor after their concert last Sunday night, and each time I walk by the fridge and see her picture I am reminded of the command of Jesus to look after widows and orphans, and how so much of the world lives in extreme poverty. I appreciate the message of World Help (the sponsoring agency of the Children of the World): Just start with one. The problem of poverty and not enough clean water is a daunting mountain, but it can only be climbed one step at a time.

I hope that events like that and our times together each weekend are causing growth in each of our lives. We must beware of complacency that would relegate the corporate gathering of the body of Christ to "just another activity." I'm praying hard today that the Spirit would stretch us and grow us because we are faithful to meet for prayer, praise, and preaching (also: pancakes next month on the 23rd...). Let's strive together to make each time we're together a profitable one through prayer and preparation...

so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
-Ephesians 4:14-16

This week we're going to start with "Enough" and "For You Are The Lord" (sorry I don't have a link for that song!) that are great tunes to help us shake off the distractions and the sleepiness and put the Lord in focus. I've mentioned before that this opening portion of the service is usually referred to as the "Call to Worship" but I like to think of it more as a "Refocus" of our worship which tends to slip away from Christ and onto ourselves or other things in life. We are always worshiping something, so the ever-present task is to keep that worship directed towards the one who is worthy of all praise!

We'll take a few moments to corporately ask God's blessing on our time as we offer it for his glory. I know that sometimes this part can feel programmatic and "liturgical" (same thing, same way, same time, every time), but I really think it's the most appropriate time to do it since we've taken some time to really settle our minds in to worship. We need God's Spirit to be active within each of us during this time otherwise we're just putting on a show. It's the Spirit that does the real work through the various aspects we participate in together. This part of the service is a fundamental exercise in submitting to God's authority and the Spirit's power, so pray hard!

Then we'll get to greet each other and welcome visitors (DON'T skimp on that second part!!), but again, in the Spirit we're greeting with purpose: affirming each others' faithfulness in being there, encouraging participation and unity, and offering a loving smile or hug.

Next we'll jump into a few more songs: "In Christ Alone" and "God of This City" that will help prepare us for a time of individual and corporate prayer for the folks we wrote down on our "Strive for Five" cards. If you've still got that card somewhere at home, try and bring it with you for this time. If you don't know what "Strive for Five" is, it's a church wide exercise in prayer and witness to unbelieving family and friends. You can pick up a card where you fill in the names of five people in your life that you will commit to pray for and share Christ's love with. We'll take a minute for silent personal prayer, and then a couple more minutes to pray together as a few of our folks lead us from the front. We'll lead right into the tune "Let Your Kingdom Come" as an appropriate closer to this time.

Then Pastor Todd will come and preach God's Word through the apostle Paul's letter to the Ephesians, and specifically to the "children" of the household in Ephesians 6:1-4. CLICK HERE to read this passage as you prepare for worship. Todd's sermon is the third part of a mini-series called "The Haustafel" which is the German word for "House Table" as the apostle Paul takes a proverbial look around the table at each household member and instructs them in their God honoring roles. CLICK HERE to listen to part 1, and CLICK HERE to listen to part 2.

We'll respond in song with the tune "You Alone" as we remember that we walk in roles not simply for effective household management, but as an offering of worship to God who ALONE is father, and good, and Savior!

SO that's what's happening on Sunday morning; looking forward to a super morning together, and allowing the Spirit to grow us so we're not just a social club, but a living, growing body that grows more and more into the fullness of Christ!

Happy prepping!