“Worship is Not About Me”
10/30/16 AM
Call to Worship: Philippians 2:5-11
Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:23-24
Introduction: The theme song for many in this life could be “I did it MY way.”
You know that song, right? It’s celebrated in our American culture. Who sang it? Well, a lot of people actually.
Probably the most famous version is the one by Frank Sinatra. “I did it my way.”—The lyrics to this song were written by Paul Anka in one night in 1968. He wrote it with Frank Sinatra in mind: “If Frank were writing this, what would he say?” was the thought as Paul Anka wrote this song after hearing Sinatra say that he was ready to give up the music business.
Of course, Elvis Presley had a great live version of the song released as a single just weeks after his death in 1977. The song has been covered by other artists, but the Sinatra and Elvis versions have been the biggest hits.
And then there’s our consumer-driven society’s call, best known in this marketing scheme from Burger King: “Have it Your Way.”
Are those good theme songs for the Christian? Of course not.
In describing the attitude and actions of faithful church members, Thom Rainer in his book I Am a Church Member says this:
- I will be a functioning member.
- I will be a unifying church member.
- I will not let the church be about my preferences and desires.
Well, we say that anyway. “I will not let the church be about my preferences and desires.” Until we start singing songs I don’t know and don’t like. Until the preacher starts preaching too long or too short. Until my favorite ministry doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves. Until the elders don’t visit me, or make decisions I don’t agree with. Or any one of hundreds of other issues that we will circle the wagons around and demand our preference, our way.
Whether it’s our worship assemblies or our lives of worship, I will not let the church be about my preferences and desires. The church at Corinth and elsewhere in the first century faced this same temptation. And they had to be reminded of a couple of great truths.
A. Worship is not about me. It’s about praising CHRIST.
1 Cor. 8:1-9
1 Cor. 9:19-23
1 Cor. 10:23-24
Rom. 14-15; 1 Cor. 12-14
“Here I am to worship”—Christ! And only Christ! “Here I am to bow down, here I am to say that You [Christ are] my God! You’re altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me!”
B. Worship is not about me. It’s about encouraging OTHERS.
1 Cor. 11:17-34
1 Cor. 14 [Note vs. 4, 5, 12, 17, 26.]
Heb. 10:19-25; 3:12-14
Phil. 2:1-11 [Note vs. 3-4.]; Eph. 4:1-6; Matt. 20:20-28
I want to be a part of a church where the teens and young adults go to the elders and worship leaders and say, “You know, those old hymns, I don’t really get them. All the thees and thous and thithers. But when we sang “The Old Rugged Cross,” I looked over and saw one of our widows, and tears were just streaming down her cheeks. Could we sing more songs like that?”
I want to be a part of a church where the older members go to the elders and worship leaders and say, “You know, those new songs we’re learning, I don’t really like them. When we sing songs like “How Great is Our God” and “Here I Am to Worship,” I get a little lost and frustrated. But then I look over at our teens and I see them singing, and I see the joy in their faces. Could we sing more songs like that?”
Conclusion: The theme song for the church member is not “Let’s do it my way.” Instead, it is these:
- “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a SLAVE to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Cor. 9:19)
- “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to SERVE, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28)
- “Whoever wants to be my disciple must DENY themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
- “Not my will but YOURS be done.” (Luke 22:42)
Prayer: “Lord, make me a servant. Lord, make me like You. For You are a servant. Make me one, too. Lord, make me a servant. Do whatever you must do to make me a servant, Lord. Make me like You.”
“Worship is Not About Me”
Introduction: The theme song for many in this life could be “I did it ______way.”
In describing the attitude and actions of faithful church members, Thom Rainer in his book I Am a Church Member says, “I will not let the church be about my preferences and desires.”
A. Worship is not about me. It’s about praising ______.
1 Cor. 8-10 [Note 8:1-9; 9:19-23; 10:23-24.]
Rom. 14-15; 1 Cor. 12-14
B. Worship is not about me. It’s about encouraging ______.
1 Cor. 11:17-34; 14 [Note vs. 4, 5, 12, 17, 26.]
Heb. 10:19-25; 3:12-14; Phil. 2:1-11 [Note vs. 3-4.]; Eph. 4:1-6; Matt. 20:20-28
Conclusion: The theme song for the church member is not “Let’s do it my way.” Instead, it is these:
- “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a ______to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Cor. 9:19)
- “The Son of Man did not come to be served but to ______, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matt. 20:28)
- “Whoever wants to be my disciple must ______themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
- “Not my will but ______be done.” (Luke 22:42)