Sunday, November 14, 2010

November 14, 2010


“GETTING INTO SHIP SHAPE”

Week One – “Stewardship Is Worship” Luke 9:23-26

Life is shaped by the significant people and events in you have experienced AND how you managed those things.
For example, my parents getting divorced and all the resulting problems that result from that shaped my childhood. I had to learn how to manage that in a positive healthy way.
Barbara's illness shaped her adolescence and early adulthood. Some of the ways she developed to manage that illness have continued to shape her life.

AGREE?


Since that is true then what would be the most significant event that should shape your life? How many of you would like to know that answer?


GOOD! Because beginning today, we will spend the rest of this month gaining and understanding for how our lives should be shaped and what it means to be in “ship shape”.

First, let me identify this event. It is found in Luke 9:23-26:

“Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

THIS MARKED A SIGNIFICANT TRANSITION IN THE MINISTRY OF JESUS AND HOW IT WOULD SHAPE THEIR LIVES – WHAT HAPPENS ONCE YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND AND CONFESS WHO JESUS IT? HOW DOES THAT SHAPE YOU?


How many of you have heard the expression, “Shape Up Or Ship Out!”


This command was first used in the U.S. military during World War II. When a soldier was told to "shape up or ship out," it meant that he needed to do a better job or he'd be shipped overseas to a combat zone. The expression started being used after the war with any kind of poor performance or bad attitude. It means get it together — or get out!

Have you ever noticed how many "ship" words there are in our faith? Worship, discipleship, stewardship, or fellowship.


Stewardship is the “ship” you should be in and “worship” is one of the things that should shape you. Usually, when we hear “stewardship” we think about money but it is much more than that! Stewardship = “godly life management”


A steward is someone who manages valuable things entrusted to him by another with the goal of protecting and increasing it.


So, what does worship have to do with stewardship?



The short answer – A WHOLE LOT!



The longer answer is what I want to talk about this morning and I believe that by the time we are through you will have an entirely new understanding of worship and the role it plays in your life.


Here is how Jesus followed up on Peter’s confession:

Let me paraphrase what I believe Jesus is saying here, “SHIP UP AND SHAPE OUT!”

THE FIRST “SHIP” THAT SHOULD SHAPE YOUR LIFE IS “WORSHIP”

I. Worship Is Seeking God – “If anyone would come after me…..”

WORSHIP BEGINS WITH DESIRE!


Let’s face it, what you desire most is what most shapes your life! Right?



Otherwise, Advertisers are wasting hundreds of billions of dollars every year!




So, the deal is this – SINCE YOUR DESIRES WILL SHAPE YOU, YOU BETTER MAKE SURE YOU DESIRE THE RIGHT THINGS!



“The turning point in our lives is when we stop seeking the God we want and start seeking the God who is.” — Patrick Morley - DID YOU COME TO SEEK GOD TODAY?


"Character will be developed in our lives when we stop seeking the PRESENTS (What we can get from Him) of God and start seeking the PRESENCE of God" - Steve Gulbronson



DID YOU COME TODAY FOR WHAT YOU COULD GIVE TO GO OR WHAT YOU COULD GET FROM HIM?



Okay, Brad, you tell me! What should my desire be when I come to worship?

1) Celebrate Him – “You are the Christ…..!”

2) See Him

3) Be Shaped By Him – “deny yourself, take up your cross”

4) Serve Him



I believe that Jesus is saying to the disciples – “Now that you know who I am shape your desires around me!”



You are the steward of your desires! It is up to you where you aim your heart and your will! You decide what you become!



YOUR WOR”SHIP” will determine the SHAPE of your life.



Stewardship is managing your desires around the worship of God! Stewardship that God desires is worship that desires God.



Later in Peter’s life we find him writing these words, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”


Peter’s life shaped up because he set his desires on pursuing the holiness of God! That is WORSHIP – “being in a state of pursuing God – desiring God”.



LET TRUE WORSHIP SHAPE YOUR LIFE!

ARE YOU HAPPY WITH YOUR WORSHIP? IS GOD?

ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE SHAPE YOUR LIFE IS IN? IS GOD?

WHAT DESIRES DO YOU NEED TO MANAGE?



II. Worship Is Surrendering to God – “he must deny himself and….”



WORSHIP INVOLVES DYING



For worship to REALLY work on Sundays, worship needs to happen every day! When you desire God, you will find yourself desiring the same things He desires! When you don’t, those desires will have to die!


10% of church members cannot be found - 20% of church members never attend church - 25% admit that they never pray - 35% admit that they do not read their Bibles - 40% admit that they never contribute to the church, tithe or offering - 60% never give to missions - 70% never assume responsibility within the church - 85% never invite anyone to church - 95 % have never won anyone to Christ BUT! - 100% expect to go to heaven (The Choice, by Thomas Trask, Zondervan Pub. House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1999)


Am I the only one who finds it stunning that such a high percentage of Christians believe they don’t have to be disciples and still expect to get to Heaven?



I hope you don’t believe that!


WORSHIP THAT SHAPES YOUR LIFE IS WORSHIP THAT BRINGS REAL LIFE CHANGE!

WORSHIP THAT REFLECTS TRUE DESIRE SHOWS A WILLINGNESS TO DENY WRONG DESIRES CAN CRUCIFY WRONG HABITS…..


HOW CAN THEY THINK THEY WILL BE COMFORTABLE IN HEAVEN WHEN THEY HAVEN’T OBEYED GOD ON EARTH?



BELIEVERS WHO WILL NOT DENY THEMSELVES WILL DENY GOD IN HOW THEY LIVE!



Stewardship is managing your desires – dying to those feelings, emotions, cravings, attitudes, or thoughts that are contrary to God’s will so you can worship God with how you live.



Denying yourself not only helps you worship God by aligning your will with His – BUT it allows you to receive the good things He desires to give to you!


WORSHIP IS GIVING UP WHAT YOU WANT TO RECEIVE WHAT HE WANTS FOR YOU!

WORSHIP IS GIVING UP ON TRYING TO MOLD GOD AROUND YOUR DESIRES AND GIVE IN TO HIS.



III. Worship Is Speaking for God” – “if anyone is ashamed of me….”



WORSHIP IS DECLARING!


James Packer: “Discipleship involves being a steward of your Faith’s six-fold activity: praising God for all that he is and all his achievements; thanking him for his gifts and his goodness to us; asking him to meet our own and others’ needs; offering him our gifts, our service, and ourselves; learning of him from his word, read and preached, and obeying his voice; telling others of his worth, both by public confession and testimony to what he has done for us.”



1) Declare With Your Lips


“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— “ Psalm 107:1-2


Worship is declaring the goodness and the glory of God! IS THAT WHY YOU CAME?



Worship is declaring His worth? WHAT IS GOD WORTH TO YOU THIS MORNING?



God brings you through the tests of life to give you a testimony. Tell it! Tell Him!



WORSHIPPING WITH YOUR LIPS PUTS A GOOD SHAPE ON YOUR LIFE!



2) With Your Life


(ROMANS 12)



You can’t worship well on Sunday if you haven’t been worshipping on Monday – and Tuesday and Wednesday and – well, you get the picture……



When you offer yourself as the sacrifice of worship it shapes your home into a sanctuary, your workplace into a mission field, your routine into a purpose and your problems into places to meet God.



WHEN YOU SPEAK FOR GOD WITH YOUR LIPS AND WITH YOUR LIFE IT SHAPES YOU – INTO HIS IMAGE!



STEWARDSHIP IS “Godly life management” and the first thing you must manage is your WORSHIP – “the state of being a worshipper”.


A worshipper will:



SHAPE HIS DESIRES AROUND GOD



DESIRES WILL SHAPE DECISIONS


DECISIONS WILL SHAPE DECLARATION