Following our Easter Service and 7-week Series on the Sunday Gathering (check out Tim’s recent blog post regarding the Gathering series), today we have returned to the book of Judges. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  Judges: Christ in the Chaos
TEXT: Judges 12:8-13:1-25
TITLE:  The Faithfulness of God on Display
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The Gospel opens our eyes to behold the faithfulness of God.

POINTS:
1. God’s faithfulness on display
2. Our sin that blinds

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”The people did what was right in their own eyes as we witness the cycle of them returning to grievous sin. This is the way of the world. YET, through this book of Judges, we can marvel at the shocking Grace of God as we witness His mercy that meets His people’s sinfulness, immorality, rebellion, idolatry, and loss of innocence.”

“In the face of all of the CHAOS, the LORD mercifully raises up judge after judge… deliverer after deliverer… savior after savior… each chosen and sent by God. We witness the repeat cycle: the people turn away from their God and run after idols and sin. Yet, all of this has been pointing to their (our) need for THE Deliverer… THE Savior… the book of Judges has been revealing CHRIST in the Chaos!”

“Chapter 12:8-15 reveals three Judges that ruled over a combined 25-year period - Ibzan of Bethlehem, Elon the Zebulunite, and Abdon of Pirathon. This stretch of 25 years can be summarized as one of peace. Following the death of Abdon in Verse 15, we find in Chapter 13:1 that the people of Israel return to their sin. The peace that they were enjoying had come to end. They were at it again! This time they are lower than ever before. They were suffering dearly for their sin and this time the oppression lasted longer than ever before (40 years)… under the hand of the Philistines (13:1). Forty years and no one cried out to the LORD!”

“Manoah’s wife was barren (vs 2). This would have been of double concern for them, being both Hebrew and intertwined with the Canaanite culture and gods. For the Israelites, to be barren was to be in a sense bearing under God’s curse. She and Manoah would have believed themselves to be suffering under God’s reproach. Others would have believed the same. AND to make matters worse, they had become one with their pagan Canaanite worldview. Being barren would carry with it the stigma and self-judgment that somehow you had offended one of the gods that ruled over reproduction and were now bearing under their punishment. In both worldviews, their hope of their family continuing on would die with them. This was judgment on judgment!”

“How the husband and wife must have felt regarding this personal matter is not recorded here. But we can imagine how difficult this must have been. They likely ached privately and likely over time their hearts could have given up. BUT what we do know from the text is that like the people of Israel who were so lost, they had not cried out to the LORD for help.”

“Their child was to “be a Nazirite to God from the womb until the day of his death”: A Nazirite vow (literally - “oneself in dedication/consecration”) was voluntarily made by the individual to God for a season of time. During this time, the individual would “separate” themself apart to God (consecrate themselves to God). During this brief period of time, they were to abstain from three things: no wine/alcoholic beverages, no cutting of the hair, and no contact with a corpse. (Numbers 6:1-21) If you failed at this… if you became defiled during this vow (read Numbers - if some guy “dies very suddenly beside” you) - your vow time clock starts all over again - your previous time is voided!”

“The point of the Nazirite vow was to call God’s people to wholehearted dedication to God!”

“There is a beautiful truth in God’s calling of Samson’s whole life to this “wholehearted dedication to God!” Yes, Samson was to exemplify this for the people as God called them back to himself (Samson will fail miserably at this), But God's faithfulness to his people, even in the face of their terrible sin, is on display because of God’s own “wholehearted covenantal dedication” to his people!”

“Enter the woman’s husband…We find in the unfolding verses Manoah clamoring for center stage, seeking to manipulate the messenger of God - struggling for control.”

“Manoah requests to have the ‘man of God’ return. He is blinded by unbelief that this man is divine (certainly refusing to acknowledge it). This is the first step in trying to gain control of the situation - I want to hear this for myself and understand what is happening. (vs 8) This is way outside his wheelhouse of understanding so he is now going to get to the bottom of this and get on top of what is happening. Hold this man to account…”

“The husband declares what is truth for us all - In the presence of the holiness of God, we see clearly that we deserve the fires of hell! …YET… God who is faithful to His promise gives them GRACE and MERCY.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 12:1
Ephesians 4:1
2 Peter 1:3-11

QUOTES:
”Christ Our Wisdom” by Sovereign Grace Music -
Christ our wisdom, we will follow
Though the way ahead is veiled
As we journey through the shadows
Grant us faith where sight has failed
Help us cling to Your commandments
Strengthened by Your faithful Word
We will never be abandoned
You are God and we are Yours

APPLICATION:
- Marvel at the grace of God. God comes to us when we have not come to him, for He is Faithful!! While our eyes were on ourselves, His looked upon us, because He is faithful! Christian - are you at a new low? God will meet you there! He has not and will abandon you! He is faithful to you. 

- Marvel at the Cross of Christ 
The LORD has wholeheartedly dedicated Himself to His people - to the point that His son, Jesus, would die in our place to save us!

- God’s faithfulness toward us now calls for our faithfulness to Him
In a sense, we have been called by God into a “Nazirite Vow.” He has called us out / “separated” us from death into life and calls us to respond by “separating” / consecrating ourselves unto Him… to wholehearted dedication to Him!

For seven weeks our church has been teaching on The Gathering of the Church. Not gathering to enjoy a Church fellowship in our parking lot, not gathering to witness a friend getting married and not even gathering as a Community Group. No, we’ve been teaching about the dearest place on earth – the Church – gathering once a week. Hence the series title “The Gathering: Why Sundays Matter”.

We live in a culture where non-believers look at Christians attending Church on Sundays and see it as a waste of time. As believers, we are walking out our faith in a time where so many believers see Church commitment as an optional thing and get defensive when someone is challenged to prioritize the Sunday gathering.

Yet we have seen God’s Word speak into our lives over these past seven weeks. Beginning in Exodus 20 and understanding the Sabbath to last week feeling the weight of partnering with the preacher, God’s Word is clear – Sundays matter!

Although all seven sermons and sermon notes are available online, here’s a list of the messages:

1. Sunday: Holy Day? Or Holiday? - Exodus 20:8-11

2. The Glory of Serving on Sundays - 1 Peter 4:10-11

3. Gospel Generosity - 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

4. Communion: A Holy Celebration - 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

5. Worshiping God, God’s Way - John 4:21-24

6. The Priority of Preaching - 2 Timothy 4:1-5

7. Partnering with the Preacher - James 1:21-25

It’s clear from God’s Word that His plan all along was to create for Himself a people that would gather. One of the chief identifiers that we are the people of God is that we gather for the express purpose of glorifying Him. As New Testament believers that means Sunday Matters.

Now that we’ve benefitted from the preached Word, how will we steward the truths that were put before us over the past seven weeks? Here are a few suggestions.

FIRST, start with the specific message that weighed on you most. Maybe it was one part of a message. As believers, we typically grow when God puts His finger on a specific spot. What was that for you? Review the sermons and your notes and see where the Holy Spirit convicted or challenged you.

SECOND, ask yourself some tough, probing questions. In general, what is my conviction about prioritizing the gathering of my local Church? In what ways has my conviction about Sundays softened or gone cold on me? Are there some things in my life I can change to position myself from drifting from the importance of gathering with my local Church? One year from now, will my spouse, kids, friends testify that in my life “Sunday Matters!” Do I need to dig deeper into God’s Word on this area of my life? Do I need some accountability?

THIRD, get others involved. Wherever God is bringing conviction, make an effort to share with your family and/or your Community Group. Share as specifically as you can. Our growth is the glory God receives!

We both play an active part because preaching is a partnership. The Bible has more to say about the hearers' part of the partnership than about the preachers'. Hearing and heeding the preached Word is essential for our relationship with God. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: James 1:21-25
TITLE:  Partnering with the Preacher
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet

POINTS:
1. Prepare Your Heart
2. Listen with Humility
3. Apply with Confidence

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”What is James doing here? He wants us to prepare our hearts to receive God’s Word. Preparation isn’t a foreign concept to us. Think about how many things you prepare for every day. James knows preparation is paramount when receiving God’s Word, privately or publicly. He understands this because he understands the heart.”

“James knows that in our pride, we can be slow to hear, figuratively speaking, living with our Bibles closed—because we know what we know what we know—instead of living with our Bibles open, eager to hear and apply God’s Word.”

“James knows we can be quick to speak the truth of God’s Word to others, criticize the preacher, or preach excuses and justifications to ourselves when the preaching hits home.”

“James knows how quickly idolatry can choke out our appetite for the truth of God’s word. He understands how self-righteousness and doctrinal pride cloud our understanding of God’s word. James is aware of how unchecked sin stunts us spiritually.”

“So, James's words are a gift from God! Repentance and faith in Christ’s forgiveness and the Spirit’s power to prepare our hearts to receive the preached Word on Sunday morning.”

“James says believers are to put away pride and receive the word with meekness. The word for receive means to welcome or accept. That’s what authentic listening is—Accepting God’s word, not only in my head but in my heart.”

“James says the key to listening is putting off our sin and putting on meekness, which is humility. Meekness is expressed in a submissive spirit. It’s the opposite of a defensive posture, a self-righteousness attitude, or an apathetic spirit, all of which slam the door of our hearts shut to the preached word.“

 “That’s the opposite of receiving the word with humility. Christians should be E.A.T., eager and teachable, so we EAT up the Word of God. Why? Because there’s so much for us to learn about our Lord and Savior!”

“What hinders humble listening on Sunday? Give it to the Lord. He is merciful. He is full of grace. He is mighty to change your heart. He loves and delights in you. He wants you to gain and grow all you can from the preaching of His Word.”

“Listening continues long after the message concludes, not with your ears, with your feet. James has just instructed the believers to receive the word with humility. Now, he puts the proverbial bow on the package with a powerful and unforgettable picture—read verses 22-25.”

“Now, the phrase looks intently means to observe carefully and contemplate what you see. This is not a glance. This man is studying his face in the mirror, and the more he looks into the mirror, the more the mirror reveals, blackheads and all. But then, in verse 24, he goes away, forgetting what he saw. Forgetting is not forgetfulness (growing old). Forgetting is disregarding. This man sees his face but ignores what he sees. He fails to make the needed adjustments before he gets on with his day. It’s an absurd metaphor. But that’s the point.” 

“We come every Sunday and get a good look at ourselves. James says if we sit here for 45-50 minutes but do nothing with what the mirror of God’s Word has shown us, we are a HEARER of the Word but not a DOER of the Word—spiritually, we are this guy. We can enthusiastically nod in agreement and shout out a hearty amen to the preacher, but we are this guy if we fail to make the required adjustments in our lives. I can preach my heart out, but if I’m not practicing what I preach—I’m this guy. If you are here every Sunday, listening intently to the sermon, but leave everything you hear in these four walls—You’re this person.”

“Assuming the mirror imagery, the second man looks intently at the Word and perseveres in it. The word for perseveres means it stays with him.”

“Persevering is the opposite of forgetting, and instead of being under deception, this person experiences God’s blessing. Not because he earned it but because the fruit of hearing and doing God’s Word is experiencing the freedom to be who God created you to be.”

“James's view of God’s Word went far beyond the law of Moses and the prophets. It was the whole of God’s redeeming revelation interpreted and fulfilled by Jesus—for us, that’s the Bible. James believed it could do what the law couldn’t and was never intended to do—liberate us.”

“As a mirror, Scripture liberates us by revealing our Great Liberator Jesus Christ. That’s what preaching is about: the gospel of Jesus and the glory of God connected to and weighing in on every aspect for our lives according to the Bible.”

“This is the blessing James speaks of at the end of verse 25, a life that began with the implanted word bringing new life, that new life being expressed through freeing obedience to God that will be consummated at His return! Sunday morning preaching is a God-ordained means of grace to this end.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Mark 4
Psalm 1
2 Timothy 3

QUOTES:
Charles Spurgeon - “We are told men ought not to preach without preparation. Granted. But we add, men ought not to hear without preparation. Which, do you think, needs the most preparation, the sower or the ground? I would have the sower come with clean hands, but I would have the ground well plowed and harrowed, well turned over, and the clods broken before the seed comes in. It seems to me that there is more preparation needed by the ground than by the sower, more by the hearer than by the preacher.”

Jay Adams - “Christian, do you listen to preaching with a heart wide open to truth, a heart unprotected from thrusts of the Spirit’s sword? Or is your heart hard, resistant to certain teaching? Have you so rationalized your sin that your conscience rarely, if ever, accuses you of certain sins anymore?...It is time to crack open those compartments of the heart that you have so successfully barred. Instead, bare them to the preaching of the Word. Listen with a willingness to hear, apply, and obey. Until you do, preaching will be virtually valueless.”

J.I. Packer - “Congregations never honor God more than by reverently listening to His Word with full purpose of praising and obeying Him once they see what He has done…and what they are called to do.”

Charles Spurgeon - “Oh, with what ears ought men to listen to a word which can save their souls! With what open mouths ought they to drink in this living water! How wisely might we wish to be like sponges, to suck it all up....How we ought to wish to be like the ploughed ground which is broken up and pulverized, so that every drop that falls may soak into it! This is how to behave at sermon.”

APPLICATION:
- Join me, praying for your own heart as the preacher steps into this pulpit every Sunday.

- For the unbeliever, believe the gospel word by faith TODAY. For the believer, true freedom is the ability to give expression to who we truly are—not according to our fickle and fleeting feelings—but as people created in the image of God, rescued by and redeemed to Christ so that we can experience the highest call of our humanity—glorify and enjoy God in this life and forever. We walk in our blood-bought liberty when we live by God’s purposes, which are revealed in Scripture.

• Spend time in the Word during the week—The more you are in it the more you hunger for it

• Book Reccommendation:

Expository Listening: A Practical Handbook for Hearing and Doing God's Word

By Ramey, Ken

Buy on Amazon

• Don’t miss the obvious: Pre-service prayer, the Call to Worship, Singing, the Pastoral Prayer, each one is a unique expression of worship that, if we allow them, is used by God to soften and prepare our hearts to receive the preached Word. Get to your seat just a little early to prepare your heart for the preaching with a prayer.

This is the pastor’s charge at SGC. Sound, Christ-centered preaching is the centerpiece of our gathering. If we do anything on Sunday, we preach. God has the mic at SGC. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: 2 Timothy 4:1-5
TITLE: The Priority of Preaching
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA:

POINTS:
1. The Awesome Charge to Preach
2. The Urgent Need for Preaching

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”The charge could not be more serious—(1) I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus. This was not a private talk between friends. This was not a casual conversation between pastors. This is a divine charge given, received, and to be carried out in the very presence of God and Christ. Paul says, Timothy, I charge you to preach the Word and remember—God is watching!”

“The solemnity of the charge is rooted in three Christological realities Paul abbreviates.”

“Jesus will appear again. He is coming back, and when he does, he will judge the living and the dead as he fully establishes his kingdom. These eschatological certainties motivate Timothy to wake up every morning and say—I must preach, I must proclaim God’s Word, I must herald the gospel because Jesus…”

“Whatever the season, whatever the situation, whether it is convenient or not, whether it is safe or not, keep preaching the Word. Stand by it. Stick to it. Whether you feel like it or not, as a pastor called to preach, preach your heart out, and don’t stop preaching.”

“When you preach:

• reprove—Preaching is meant to correct people where they are wrong

• rebuke—Preaching is meant to warn people who don’t heed correction

• and exhort—Preaching is meant to urge and encourage you in Christ. Pointing and pushing you upward and inward to Jesus with complete patience and teaching—Don’t be consumed with fruit. Preacher, be patient because you know God alone can change hearts. So trust Him and keep preaching because His Word will not return void.”

“This divine charge has two profound implications: First, when your pastors step behind this pulpit, we are not entirely free men. We have been given a divine and holy charge to preach the Word. Second, Timothy’s charge has profound implications for the Sunday gathering.”

“As a preacher, I am not free to invent a message. I’m not at liberty to pedal my lifestyle tips. I don’t have a license to give you psychological pep talks. My calling is not to entertain you. It’s not to affirm you. God has determined my message and I am called to commit myself to passionately proclaiming and confidently commending His message to all He gathers to hear it. Your pastors are called to preached God’s Word—the easy and the hard parts…”

“We do a lot on Sunday. We sing, serve, give, pray, and operate in the gifts. All of it is built on and a demonstration of God’s Word, making it glorious. But none of it is more essential and central to our corporate worship than the preaching. This isn’t our idea—it’s God’s.”

“You can read and study your Bible alone and with others. You can read and listen to sermons online. But when God’s people gather together in the name of Jesus, in humble obedience and with faith-filled expectation, believing the Spirit is powerfully with us and eager to work in us, there is a unique outpouring of God’s grace through faithful, Christ-centered preaching. That’s a promise!”

“Paul says, Timothy, your congregation naturally drifts AWAY from the truth. They get bored. They get itchy ears, i.e., they get curious and restless. They don’t want something true; they want something new. They want a message that complements their preferences and affirms their perspectives. They idolize and are captive to their personal preferences so much that they become intolerant of the message of truth. They find a messenger with a message telling them what they want to hear.”

“When we turn from the sure foundation of God’s Word and the gospel, we become dangerously vulnerable to intellectual novelty, harmful speculation, and worthless sensationalism. When we turn away from God’s Word, we always turn to something inadequate and inferior in every way.”

“HB Charles said to preachers—How you preach is what you think about the Scriptures. I take that to heart. And I want you to take this to heart—Your presence, or lack thereof, reveals what you think about God’s preached Word.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
1 Peter 4:11
Hebrews 4:11-13
Ephesians 4:14
Jeremiah 5:31

QUOTES:
John Stott- “They do not first listen and decide whether or not what they heard is true; they first decide what they want to hear and then select teachers who will oblige by towing their line.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones - “The evangelical always gives primacy to preaching. When people cease to be interested in preaching, they cease to be evangelical. If you put discussions before preaching you are beginning to deny your evangelicalism. The church starts with preaching. Revivals, reformations, have always been great restorations of preaching. To the evangelical, nothing compares with preaching. Even reading is very secondary to preaching – “truth medicated through personality,” the impact of a man filled with the Spirit proclaiming the message of God!”

A Pastor’s Prayer:
”My Master God,
I am expected to preach today,
but go weak and needy to my task;
Yet I long that people will be edified with divine truth,
that an honest testimony will be given for you;
Give me assistance in preaching and prayer,
with heart uplifted for grace and passion.
Present to my view things pertainate to my subject,
with fullness of matter and clarity of thought,
proper expressions, fluency, fervency,
a deep emotion to accompany the words I speak,
and grace to apply them to people’s consciences.
Keep me conscious all the while of my defects,
and let me not gloat in pride over my performance.
Help me to offer a testimony for yourself,
and to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting your mercy.
Give me freedom to open the sorrows of your people,
and to set before them comforting consolations.
Give Your power to the truth preached,
and awaken the attention of my slothful audience.
May Your people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted,
and help me to use the strongest arguments
drawn from Christ’s incarnation and sufferings,
that people might be made holy.
I myself need Your support, comfort, strength, holiness,
that I might be a pure channel of Your grace,
and be able to do something for You;
Give me then refreshment among Your people,
and help me not to treat excellent matter in a defective way,
or bear a broken testimony to so worthy a redeemer,
or be harsh in treating Christ’s death, its design and end,
from lack of warmth and fervency.
And keep me in tune with You as I do this work.”

APPLICATION:
This is a pastor's charge. It belongs to Tom, Tim, and me. But its implications are enormous for you as well. So BE HERE next week when we talk about sitting under the preached Word. Today, here’s our two-fold application:
1. Receive your Pastor's gratitude—You love the preached Word!
2. Heed your Pastor’s plea—Pray for us!

This past Sunday we were reminded of the importance of worshipping God in spirit and truth. This is worship, God’s way. 

We know that all of life is worship (Romans 12), but as God’s church, we have the unique privilege to gather together for corporate worship every Sunday. What a joy!  

As we consider Sunday mornings, one implication of worshipping God “in truth” is that the content of the songs we sing matters. As the leader of our Worship Ministry, I have the privilege of seeing our pastors’ commitment to singing theologically rich songs.

Consider the following excerpt from Sunday’s sermon. “It’s not that we can only sing God’s Word (Regulative Principle), but God’s Word must be the basis of our singing. Our theology informs, permeates, and fuels our Sunday morning worship. This is why the songs we sing are so important.”

The songs we sing matter. We don’t want to sing songs that lack clarity and we certainly don’t want to sing heresy. Rather, we want to sing Christ-centered, God-exalting, and Gospel-focused songs. In short, we want our songs to be biblically rich. After all, our worship is a response to who God is and what He has done… and He has chosen to reveal Himself to us in His word and through His Son.  

This is one of the reasons why I am so grateful for Sovereign Grace Music. If you’ve never heard of them, let me introduce you. If you have, let me re-introduce you. Led by Bob Kauflin, Sovereign Grace Music has spent the last 4 decades writing biblically rich, congregational songs. Many of the songs that we sing on Sunday mornings have been written and produced by SGM and are sung all across the world. 

According to their website, here is the mission of Sovereign Grace Music.

“Sovereign Grace Music exists to produce Christ-exalting songs and training for the Church from our local churches. We call it Sound+Doctrine.”

The church today needs Christ-exalting congregational songs so that we can worship God together in spirit and truth. As believers, we should immerse ourselves in these songs and know them well. 

Let me encourage you to explore and follow Sovereign Grace Music with the resources listed below. You’ll be able to stay up-to-date with new songs and projects. But most importantly, you’ll hear biblically rich, Christ-exalting songs that will help you grow in your love for your Savior.   

So, let me encourage you to add these songs to your weekly playlists. Listen to them on your way to work, at home with your children, or on Sunday mornings to prepare for our time of corporate singing. 

As we do, I pray it will build our excitement for our time of corporate worship together on Sunday mornings! 

Links:
Sovereign Grace Music Spotify Channel
Sovereign Grace Music YouTube Page
Sovereign Grace Music Bandcamp
Sovereign Grace Music Website

We are spending time defining and celebrating the different aspects of our Sunday gathering so that we will grow in seeing how glorious and important Sunday is to God. Lord willing, the fruit being a deeper joy in God and a greater commitment to our gathering. Today, we look at Worship. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: John 4:21-24
TITLE: Worshiping God, God’s Way
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: True Worship is Worshiping God, God’s Way

POINTS:
1. The Biblical Fundamentals of Our Worship
2. The Biblical Expressions of Our Worship

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Romans 12:1 exhorts us to offer our body and soul as a living sacrifice to God as worship. For the Christian, all of life is worship. Today, we look at a narrow expression of Romans 12 worship—the 20-25 of our gathering when we sing together.”

“The woman at the well was a Samaritan. The Samaritans were Israelites who intermarried with non-Israelites. By the time Jesus came on the scene, the Samaritans had their own theological system, including Mt. Gerizim, not Jerusalem, as the place where God was to be worshipped.”

“When Jesus says You worship what you do not know— he is calling the woman and her religion out. She does not worship God in truth because she does not worship Him according to His self-revelation but according to their man-made revelation. It’s not that she was worshipping a false God; she was worshipping the true God falsely.”

“Jesus points the woman to his sacrifice that will transform where and how God’s people will worship Him. Since Jesus is the way, the life, the TRUTH (Hebrews 1:3), his words in verse 24—those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth—become the new order and formula he will create for all Christian worship under the new covenant.”

“To worship God in truth is to worship Him according to who He is and how He has prescribed we worship Him in Scripture. To worship God in truth is to worship Him according to and for His eternal character, sacrificial love, and gospel promises. It’s not that we can only sing God’s Word (Regulative Principle), but God’s Word must be the basis of our singing. Our theology informs, permeates, and fuels our Sunday morning worship. This is why the songs we sing are so important.”

“Simply put, to worship God in Spirit is to worship Him from a heart of faith in Christ. We are God’s people, not because of ethnicity, geography, or outward work. We belong to God because, by His grace, we have an inward faith in Jesus.”

“When we worship in faith, not concerned with pleasing or impressing others, but believing from hearts of gratitude that God is good and the pinnacle of His goodness is providing Jesus as our Savior, no matter where you are, who you are with, or how off tune you sing, God is magnified because you are worshipping him in spirit, from a heart of gratitude and in truth, according to who He is.”

“This isn’t optional. You can’t have one without the other. They go together. To worship only in truth can be hard and cold. To worship God only in Spirit can lead to fleeting and shallow emotionalism. But to worship God with the head and the heart, that is true worship.”

“Is true worship about the heart? Absolutely! From beginning to the end of Scripture it’s clear—above all things, God is concerned with the heart. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that means what I do with my body when I worship is unimportant and irrelevant. It is very important and relevant.”

“The Bible says much about physical expression when we worship God. What do we mean by physical expression? Expressive worship is using appropriate physical motions that manifest the attitude and reflect the proper response to what we are singing about God.”

“Ultimately, the exhortation in 1 Corinthians 14:40, when we gather things should be done decently and in order, is our guiding principle. Our priority in corporate worship is not our individual expressiveness; it’s encouraging and serving one another in Christ. This is why pastors should teach, encourage, and model God-honoring expressive worship.”

“This shouting isn’t a rock concert—Hey SGC! We’re in the house. Are you ready for this? Connect the content to the shouting. These are shouts of praise fueled by the theology of God that is on fire in the hearts of His people in a way that cannot be contained.”

“Clapping in Scripture is a God-ordained response of appreciation, honor, and exaltation to the Lord for who He is and what He has done for us.”

“The point of Psalm 47 is that God is the King who reigns over all. He has defeated the enemy and delivered His people. So His people clap—Thank you God! How much more on this side of the cross do we have to clap as a worshipful response to the God of our salvation? He is worthy, isn’t He?”

“In the Bible, raised hands are associated with blessing. To bless the Lord is to exalt and celebrate Him. David expresses his hunger and need for the Lord, who is powerful and glorious and whose unfailing love is better than life itself. So he doesn’t just sing; David also raises his hands to express gratitude for who God is and how He loves him.”

“As a desperate child runs to their father with outstretched arms—Help me!—David raises his hands as an expression of need and surrender to God.”

“Again, connect the content with the expression. This is not— Raise your hands in the air like you just don’t care. This is theology that grips the heart so much that it overcomes our personalities and fears and pours forth through physical expression because it is too marvelous to be contained.”

“Bowing down is a posture of humility and submission. It reflects an inward attitude of reverence and respect before the Lord. As the people consider and praise God as the Rock of their salvation, their Holy Creator and sovereign Lord over all things, they bow down in awe and wonder. Isn’t He worthy of our bended knee?”

“Important distinction: No physical expression is worship itself. No expression makes our worship more genuine. No expression makes the individual holier than the next. Someone can raise their hands in exuberance on Sunday and be committing adultery or stealing from the boss on Monday. But when these physical expressions are fueled by theology and flow from a heart of gratitude, adoration, wonder, and awe, they are God-honoring responses to true worship taking place in our hearts.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Romans 12:1
1 Corinthians 14:40

There are numerous physical expressions in Scripture that God has commanded and commended to us:
Voices
- Sing: Psalm 96:1-2, Psalm 47:6:7
- Shout: Psalm 33:1-3, Psalm 100:1
Hands
- Clapping: Psalm 47:1-2
- Raising Hands: Psalm 63:1-4, Psalm 134:1-3, Psalm 143:6
Legs
- Bow Down: Psalm 95:1-7

QUOTES:
Martin Luther - “A person who gives this [singing] some thought and yet does not regard it as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of [donkeys] and the grunting of hogs.”

D.A. Carson - “Christian worship is new covenant worship; it is gospel-inspired worship; it is Christ-centered worship; it is cross-focused worship.”

Bob Kauflin - “God wants our worship to be intelligent and informed. He wants to stretch our minds to the limits as we consider the greatness of his being and the wonder of his works….Obviously, intellect can become an end in itself. We can become more impressed with our doctrinal formulations than we are with Jesus. We can end up leading a theologically orthodox but emotionally dead church. God receives no glory from that combination….God intends for us to remember that neither biblical truth nor deep emotion is out of place when we worship God; they’re meant to go together.”

Matt Boswell - “The Scriptures resound with singing. There are over fifty direct commands for us to sing, and singing is mentioned over 400 times in the Bible. Singing doesn’t merely play a one-dimensional function in the life of the church; it plays a multi-faceted, invaluable role as we worship God. We sing as an act of worship. We sing to disciple one another. We sing as a declaration to the world.”

APPLICATION:
Q) Are there any physical expressions of worship God has given in Scripture that I refuse or have never displayed?

• Not my personality to raise my hands

• Not respectable to shout (shouting in my heart)

• What will others think if I bow down? (fear of man)

• Expressions are cultural (their not)

• Didn’t grow up clapping 

What hinders you on Sundays? Fear of man? Personality? Warped sense of being reverent or respectable? Tradition?

The Bible doesn’t command we do every expression every time we worship. But if God has commanded and commended certain physical expressions, and I refuse some because I want to worship God my way, at my comfort level, well, I need to revisit my theology of worship. Because worship is not about me; it’s about Him.

In heaven, one thing we will do is sing. We will see our Savior, and with the angels, we will sing. We will sing loud, free of pride, fear, and ignorance. We will sing with clear minds and genuine hearts that can take in the glory of God unhindered by sin. We will sing with the strength to keep singing forever. It will be glorious! Until then, Be here on Sunday so we can sing together. How God made you will be reflected in your worship. But he gave us all a voice, hands, and legs to worship Him.

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and Paul’s apostolic authority over this [Corinthian] Church, what arises from this highly corrective letter, helps us understand what matters to God about His local Churches. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34
TITLE: Communion: A Holy Celebration
PREACHER: Tim Lambros
BIG IDEA: The Sunday Gathering Matters to God because gospel proclamation matters to God.

POINTS:
1. The Sunday Gathering Matters
2. The Communion Celebration Matters
3. The Communion Posture Matters

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Paul is bringing a rebuke, a correction concerning when they gather on Sundays. He doesn’t waste time and is very clear. Your  Sunday gatherings are not for the better but for the worse. …[These are] God’s people gathering as Christians, saved by grace, saved by the power of the gospel – yet their Sunday gathering is not commendable. …It’s not even neutral. It’s for the worse. When you gather it’s not good, it’s not healthy, it’s not productive. In fact, Corinth, it’s for the worse.”

“God is using the Apostle Paul to speak into a messy situation in the Corinthian Church on numerous fronts – earlier in this letter Paul dealt with sexual sin, later he will deal with the pride of exalting of a spiritual gift like tongues – here God is concerned with the Sunday gathering. Are you getting the idea that the Sunday gathering  matters to God?”  

“Paul will move on to instruction concerning the Lord’s Supper next but clearly the Corinthian Church and all local Churches would know from this rebuke that the Sunday Gathering Matters to God.”

“The early Church met in rich people’s homes. The unity the gospel brought was still  being worked out in the Churches – Jew/Greek, rich/poor, master/slave, male/female.  The tradition and institution of the Lord’s Supper was getting lost as the rich people  were more concerned about their meal while drinking their wine while others were not  eating anything. Societal discrimination was being cultivated when they met and the  sacred observance of the Lord’s Supper was getting lost.”

“Paul directs their attention to the communion celebration. One of two sacraments. A  sign. A particularly important celebration commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ to be  done regularly because it’s one of the richest pictures and reminders of the gospel of  Jesus Christ.”

“Paul draws their attention to the tradition of this institution. This is too rich and too meaningful a tradition to confuse it with mealtime or to come hoping to get your stomach satisfied or to drink wine. The Church is to come together for a communion  celebration that reminds them of the significance of what Christ had done.”

“During the Lord’s Supper, we preach the death of Christ that paid the cost for discriminating one another, paid the price for selfishness and self-centeredness in the Church. Can you see why Paul brings correction and in fact is  saying “this is important to get right, the communion celebration matters!” this rich  and meaningful and important celebration means something – look at v. 26 – you are  proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes.”

“Bottom line, if you participate in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner you will be guilty concerning the body and blood of Christ. In other words, if you are self-centered when the Church gathers for this sacrament and sin against your brothers and sisters  you disrespect Jesus Himself.”

APPLICATION:
- Does the Sunday gathering of this local Church matter to you?
- In what ways can you fight our heart getting cold about the Sunday Gathering?

Our section of text today can easily be described as one of the most clear and instructional portions of scripture that frames the Christian heart of giving and we will see that at the bottom of it all is the Gospel. This text is a GIFT to the church for clarity on giving. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
TITLE: Gospel Generosity
PREACHER: Tom Wilkins
BIG IDEA: The Gospel Forges Generous Givers

POINTS:
1.   Gospel Freedom
a. Purposeful Giving
b. Cheerful Giving
c. Faith-filled Giving
2.   Gospel Mission
a. God Funds the Gospel Mission
b. God Secures the Gospel Mission success
c. God is Generous toward us so we will be generous in the Gospel Mission
3.   Gospel Glory

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Giving, for the believer in Jesus, must not be disconnected from the Center of our faith – The Gospel of Christ.”

“God’s people give. A simple survey of our Bible reveals this is the case. Verse 7 may be misunderstood as allowing giving as an option as one “has decided” BUT don’t miss the clear imperative to “give.” The text is not instructing us on whether or not we can or should give but, rather, giving is assumed and it begins to instruct us on HOW and WHY we are to give.”

“These words in the original carry the meaning that can be described as the Purpose of the Heart. Not simply moved by the whims of the heart or the mind and certainly not from whatever we feel like in the moment.

“This ‘decision in his heart’ carries with it intentionality that is motivated by a deep sense of conviction – the fountainhead and morality of the mind/the will.’”

“Purposeful, intentional giving is what the Spirit of God in verse 7 teaches us. Packed in the meaning of this is thoughtful planning, and consideration. NOTE: giving did not begin with the budget, the ledger, the spreadsheet, the pen and napkin. The Purpose of giving begins in the heart.”

“In addition to the purpose, there is the disposition of the heart… one of cheer and joy! Without joy, we find that our giving can be pragmatic and mechanical. How strange it would be for the believer in Christ to be filled with joy in his salvation and yet not his giving!”

“In verse 6, the Cheerful Giver is illustrated in the sower who sows bountifully. Imagine the hopeful, happy farmer with a sunbaked smile sowing happily into the field.”

“‘God is able!’ - these are trust-anchoring words. They move our faint hearts from our circumstances and uncertainty places us upon the very promises of God, His power. He promises to provide, and He will provide EVERYTHING that we need at ALL TIMES, enabling us to do what we originally thought was impossible.”

“This grace of giving comes from the fountainhead of the heart that is purposeful and joyful BECAUSE its faith is grounded on God himself.”

“Our sinful nature wrestles deeply with the “desire of having.” If we have much, we desire to hold on to it selfishly. If we have little, we desire to hold on to it selfishly… And in both cases, with much and with little, we selfishly do not want to let it go.”

“Loosed from the shackles of selfish reluctance, dread, and mechanical compulsion the GOSPEL CHANGES THE SOWER: FREEDOM flows from our hearts with purpose, joy, and faith.”

“This sower sows bountifully, burying his hand into the supply he casts GENEROUSLY with an open hand. Yes, with wisdom and intentionality but nothing is holding him back. The sense of the text likely imagines the unwilling white-knuckled grip on the gift being now WILLINGLY and FREELY opened and the gift being hurled into the field.”

“One act of God’s grace for the giver in Gospel mission is that God Himself is the one who funds the Mission! ‘He supplies the seed to the sower.’”

“HE IS NOT RELUCTANT! He freely gives to us GENEROUSLY! But, he does so so that we would turn and be ‘generous in every way.’"

“In Mattew 6, Jesus instructs us not to give in such a way that we draw attention to ourselves (and easy temptation). Without contradicting Jesus, the Apostle in the original language of Vs 12, along with what he writes in 8:1-7, reveals that this act of giving was corporate. Humble Gospel giving at the Gathering is an act of corporate worship. It is witnessed BY the church because it was done AT church.”

“Generosity is not about dollar amounts nor about percentages. It’s about the Grace of God at work in their hearts that empowered them even in the face of severe affliction in such a way that Gospel joy met their extreme poverty and the result was an overflowing ‘wealth of generosity’ that measured beyond their normal means! Their generosity was measured by sacrifice, not dollars!”

“God has given dearly to us! Romans 8:32 ‘He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?’ There was nothing more valuable to the Father than His only begotten Son, Jesus, and HE GAVE HIM for us.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Matthew 12:34
2 Corinthians 8:7

QUOTES:
John Calvin- “...for nothing is more famished and starved than the distrustful, who are tormented with an anxious desire of having.”

Randy Alcorn - “Another benefit of giving is freedom. It’s a matter of basic physics. The greater the mass, the greater the hold that mass exerts. The more things we own – the greater their total mass – the more they grip us, setting us in orbit around them. Finally, like a black hole, they suck us in… We think we own our possessions, but too often they own us…”

APPLICATION:
- Survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died
- Study the Gospel and probe the depths of our Generous God and Savior.

Let the Gospel in your right hand preach to your tightly closed left hand until it loosens its grip and let that seed fly!

A man made happy and grateful by the Gospel will give generously and freely.

Sundays Matter because Sundays are for serving. But pastor, I thought Sundays were for worship? Exactly. Below is an outline summary of the sermon for your further study and deeper reflection.

SERIES:  The Gathering: Why Sunday Matters
TEXT: 1 Peter 4:10-11
TITLE: The Glory of Serving on Sundays
PREACHER: Derek Overstreet
BIG IDEA: When we serve on Sunday, God’s power and grace are displayed, and His glory is revealed.

POINTS:
1. Your Gifts Are From God
2. Your Gifts Are For God’s People
3. Your Gifts Are Used To God’s Glory

SERMON EXCERPTS:
All quotes are taken from the pastor’s notes.
”Today is not about discovering your gift. There will be no job fair or personality testing will be in the lobby following the service. Today is about The Glory of Serving on Sundays. WHY serving on Sunday matters? Here it is: In a word—Worship! When we serve on Sunday, it is an outward display of an inward reality meant to draw attention to upward glory.”

“Peter begins with an assumption in 10—As each has received a gift. Every Christian has a spiritual gift or gifts. You may not know what your gifts are. You may not currently be using your gifts. You may not know how to use your gifts. …’ungifted Christian’ is an oxymoron. There’s no such thing—If you’ve been saved, you’ve been gifted.”

“Peter makes a stunning statement about your gift. No matter how public or private or how dazzling or dull your gift is, your gift is a MANIFESTATION of God’s GRACE.”

“When the gospel came into your heart, Christ took your sin away. He imputed His righteousness to you. He gave you hope in life and death. AND—He gave you gifts.”

“Your spiritual gifts are not simply about what you can do FOR Christ; they are an expression of the GREATEST gift you’ve ever received—Christ IN you.”

“And our Master’s desire for the gifts He’s entrusted to us (10)—to serve one another. Your gifts are for your church, not EXCLUSIVELY, but PRIMARILY. Is it ok to serve outside your local church—ABSOLUTELY! But just as Paul wrote in 1 Cor. 12:7—the gifts are for the common good of the local church, and that’s what Peter has in mind here—serving begins IN your church because your gifts are primarily FOR your church.”

“Paul uses the imagery of a human body and all its parts to make this point: In the local church—Everyone is needed, and everyone matters.”

“Your gifts are outwardly focused, but they have an upward purpose—the glory of God. We are not kings building personal kingdoms. We are stewards in the kingdom of God.”

“God desires and requires us to serve humbly, aware of our dependence on Him to get anything done, bear any fruit, or do any good.”

“Our Sunday gathering is meant to display God’s extraordinary power through ordinary people serving one another for one ultimate purpose—make much of our Savior to the praise of God’s glory.”

“This is why Sunday Matters: This makes a gathering of ordinary people extraordinary. The gathering is a unique and powerful act of worship that celebrates and displays God’s grace and glory to one another.”

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE:
Ephesians 2:10
1 Corinthians 10:31
1 Corinthians 12:7
1 Corinthians 12:14-26
Isaiah 48:9-11

QUOTES:
Paul Tripp - “God has designed corporate worship not just to expose my need of help, but to remind me over and over again, that I have been called to be one of God’s helpers. We need to be reminded that we are not just the recipients of God’s amazing grace, but have been drafted by him to be instruments of that grace in the lives of others.”

Donald Whitney - “At the moment of salvation when the Holy Spirit comes to live within you, He brings a gift with Him.”

Jerry Bridges - “We all know people, even unbelievers, who seem to be natural servants. They are always serving others one way or another. But God does not get the glory; they do. It is their reputation that is enhanced. But when we, natural servants or not, serve in dependence upon the grace of God with the strength He supplies, God is glorified.”

John Piper - “The most passionate heart for the glorification of God is God’s heart.”

BOOK RECOMMENDATION:

Sunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart for Church

By Tripp, Paul David

Buy on Amazon

APPLICATION:
- Study 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 this week!

- Now, Peter’s exhortation demands some self-evaluation:

1. Are you aware of your gifts?  

2. Are you connected to your church with your gifts? 

3. Are you encouraging others in their gifts?

Here’s our application: Be here on Sundays. Be here serving your Savior by serving one another with the gifts God has graciously given you to use for His glory!

Have you ever come to the Gathering on Sunday morning and not really felt like singing? If you are like me, then your answer is yes. I’ve been leading worship for over 14 years (meaning I probably enjoy and think about singing more often than most), and yet I can often come on Sundays and be far less excited about singing than I should be. 

The reality is that we should be far more anticipatory about singing together when we gather. But too often, we aren’t. We approach those precious 25 minutes more informed by our feelings than the God who created us, redeemed us, and offers this incredible means of grace called singing. 

Have you ever thought (or said) something like this on a Sunday morning?
It’s been a tough week, I’m not really in the mood to sing.
My morning has been chaotic with the kids... I need a break. 
I’m weary from sin or trial in my life… I don’t feel like singing… I don’t feel worthy to sing.
Singing isn’t really my thing… I worship God in other ways.
I have a horrible voice… I don’t want people to hear me sing.
These songs aren’t really my preference…. so I’m not going to sing.
The band doesn’t sound very good today… so I’m not singing. 

Because sin still exists in the world, it is not uncommon for us to experience these struggles on any given Sunday morning. None of us are immune. But the question is, what do we do when we don’t feel like singing? 

I want to encourage us to do something radical: Sing! 

Not because you feel like it.
Not because you like the song selection.
Not even simply because God commands it in His word.

Sing because it reminds you (and others) of the Gospel truths we so easily forget (Colossians 3:16) 
Sing because He is sustaining you in that very moment (Psalm 55:22)
Sing because He offers you an unending well of grace in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16)
Sing because He has triumphed over sin and redeemed you (Psalm 71:23)
Sing because He will come back again and bring you safely home (John 14:1-3)
Sing because it’s what we are going to get to do for an eternity together (Revelation 15:3-4)

You’ll be amazed at what the Lord will do when we trust Him, obey Him, and sing. 

As you head to the Gathering this Sunday, consider the following from Bob Kauflin (Leader of Sovereign Grace Music). 

“Confess your weakness, confess your inability, ask God to reveal his glory to you in Jesus Christ, and start singing the truths of God’s word. Most likely, it won’t be too long before your perspective changes, and you’re not thinking about whether you feel like singing anymore. You’ll be thinking about how worthy Jesus is to receive the praises of his people.”

So, brothers and sisters, sing because our Savior is worthy to receive the praises of His blood-bought church.  

We have the joy of singing a new song this Sunday called (you guessed it) Sing! It reminds us of this truth: Sinners, redeemed by a faithful God have every reason to sing. In fact, we must sing. Listen below!

I can’t wait to see you at the Gathering this Sunday and SING.