15 Dec ‘Come let us adore him’ | part two – horizontal worship

Key Verse: matthew 2

ANNOUNCEMENTS

WOONSOCKET: Construction is underway!

ADDING ANOTHER SERVICE IN NORTH ATTLEBORO:: 8:00 AM on Sunday mornings starting mid-January! Quieter service. If you attend Thursdays, please remain attending that service.

Waters Church Facebook Page now has groups set up for each campus and a group set up for Life Groups.

To join the groups, just go to the Waters Church FB page and go to groups and join the ones you want. Make sure you join the Life Group (group) so we can get people interested in joining a Life group. The Heach Coaches and I will be moderating the group and adding topics for discussion.

CLASSES; Baptism class is every 4th Sunday of the Month. at 11:30 / Growth Track runs the first 3 Sundays every month at 11:30 – this is a one and done registrants only need to attend one session / Starting Point runs every 1st and 3rd Sunday at 11:30 – details and descriptions can be found on the registrations which are located under Events on the HUB.

Horizontal Worship

Matthew 2

Last week we talked about the ‘why’ of worship.  Worship shapes our hearts, informs our minds, and helps us to receive God’s word.  Worship to God is a vertical experience.  We express to God that we know how good He is.  This week, we will talk about horizontal worship, which is letting others know how good He is. The cross itself represents a vertical and a horizontal axis.  God came down, heaven came to earth (vertical) and He came down to proclaim the Gospel (horizontal).

Philippians 2:5–8 (ESV)

The cross is a symbol of what our faith is about. We have got to bring our worship to other people.

Worship is more than what goes UP.   Worship must also go OUT.

Christmas is a golden opportunity to get the word out.  When we invite, we are giving that invite in worship to God.  There are people who are lonely and depressed, the holiday season makes it worse for them.

Q. What are some experiences you have had inviting others to church?

It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with. To experience how cool Waters Church is and not have anyone to tell about it.” – C.S. Lewis, Reflections of the Psalms

Q. What is something wonderful you have received or seen but was not able to share it with anyone?  How was that frustrating for you?

Psalm 34:8 (ESV)

We want to share the good news with others.  Witnessing to others is not arguing, or looking down on non-Christians. When He changes us, we want to tell others. When we receive Christ, we should get baptized and tell others.

(Leader: this is a good opportunity to talk about baptism with those who have not been baptized – for more on how to talk about reasons people don’t want to, see your coach.)

Horizontal Worship happens when we:

1. Are willing to RELATE to OUTSIDERS.

The Christian faith is for people far from God.  The Church is not for good people, it is for outsiders. The requirement is to admit we don’t deserve to be a part of this group.

Matthew 1:18-19(ESV)

Joseph was a quiet hero, he protected a child that was not even his biological son. Mary being pregnant before she was married was the worst thing you could do in those days. It was scandalous. Joseph could have chosen to have her publicly stoned or to divorce her quietly, but an angel appeared to him in a dream.

Matthew 1:20 ESV

Q. What are some ways you have built relationships with outsiders in order to draw them to Christ (co-workers, neighbors, relatives, kids etc.)?

Q. What are some reasons why you may not have tried to build a certain relationship with an outsider (maybe you thought their sin was too great, maybe they just wanted to argue with you etc.)?

John 8:41 (ESV)

This label followed Jesus through his adult life. Mary was thought of as a sinner her whole life.  But God wanted to use Joseph as an instrument to draw people to himself.  Joseph loved Mary and so he married her.

Horizontal worship happens when we:

2. SACRIFICE our COMFORT for the sake of OUTSIDERS.

Matthew 2:13–15 (ESV)

This is a huge ask for Joseph.  He left his home town and relocated 600 miles away to Egypt.

Q. What ways have you stepped out of your comfort zone for the sake of others?

Horizontal worship happens when we:

3. Adopt a LIFESTYLE of SERVING to bring the Gospel to the OUTSIDER.

Matthew 2:19–23 (ESV)

Serving the Lord was not a season for Joseph, it was a lifestyle. He had to say goodbye to his comfort zone because God was going to use him to change the world!

Matthew 1:18 ESV

Matthew is making it clear that God waited for Jospeh to get betrothed first.  God chose him.

Q. What are your favorite ways to serve?  What,  about serving, is the most rewarding to you and to those you serve?

(Leaders: Here is another opportunity to discuss serving at Waters with members who are reluctant to serve.  We have an opportunity to be a ‘Joseph’!  How amazing is that? – All leaders should be serving as well.)

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV)

Q. Does knowing that you are chosen, royal, and holy affect the way you serve and how?

Sermon in a sentence:

Horizontal Worship happens when we do whatever it takes to help others EXPERIENCE Jesus.

GET OVER CONSUMER CHRISTIANITY AND BE THE CHURCH.  HOW WILL YOU GET INVOLVED?