Elmwood United
Reformed Church
27th September 2020
Talk
Welcome- Claude
Call to Worship-Claude
Song 1 Praise My Soul the King of Heaven
Prayers- Hazel
The Lord’s Prayer- Hazel
Song 2 – Shout to the Lord
https://youtu.be./5_alauL2xKA
Good News
Song 3 – As the deer pants for water
Bible Reading- Revelation 5:7-14
Gospel reading - John 4:19-26
Song 4 – Crown Him with many crowns
Message: Worship by Mr Nigel Malka
We know the foundation of being a Christian is first to love The Lord Our God
With all our heart, mind, soul and strength
Second is to love one another as God loves us
Jesus told us to take that love to those who don’t know God’s Love
These all come together in a worship time
For it is in Worship that enables us to demonstrate our love of God, to God
We heard they do it in heaven and we are to do it here in our world
Worship enables God to touch us, in song, prayer reading and in the teaching
In the experience it enables us to understand God’s Word better and so able to share it
Worship is about being at one with God, to give our love and receive his love
When we join as a church community we become part of The Body of Jesus
Using God’s Spirit to know and be encouraged to carry out God’s will.
There is a very good reason why church services have developed as they have
They reflect what happened in that last night of Jesus’ life
1, Just being together of one mind sharing in God’s love - community
2, Teaching’ listening to Jesus teach God’s Ways - the talk
3, Acknowledging God after the meal by singing psalms– Hymns
4, Jesus talking to His father in the garden – our prayers and intersessions
However we should not make it to traditional which can restrict our thinking, that is
Doing and saying the same thing without giving due consideration to what’s said
An example can be the Lord’s prayer in not considering the meaning of the words
Worship needs to provide the ability to challenge ourselves to grow in God’s love.
In what Elmwood and others churches are currently doing Via WhatsApp and the
internet has made many realise how important worship actually is.
Worship is essential to each of us and if anyone feels they need a different style
Then discuss it with one of the leaders for we all have quite different needs
What is vital is working towards something that serves all the congregation
For it’s everyone’s collective input that makes a loving, growing Christian community
Jesus taught us how to worship, first creating an environment to be with God
He showed that by washing the disciples’ feet, leadership is about serving
Christian leaders need to be the servant to their group, helping others on The Way
Too often past leadership has been dictatorial making the community their servants
Jesus is The Way, and worship needs to move his followers along That Way
Everyone should have some part to play in helping in that journey.
Jesus always gave his followers opportunities to ask questions
To challenge, to express themselves and to show their love and commitment
Worship of God is recognising who God is, it’s why we hold him in awe
But in this modern society we seem to have lost most of the awe for our creator
But also his disciples were full of joy when worshiping so let’s be joyful
Jesus taught when we pray we should address our prayers to Our Heavenly Father
Then to give extra weight to the prayer we add Jesus’ name
Once accepting Jesus; as the Way, the Truth and the Life
We are given several presents, one of which is The Holy Spirit
And it is God’s Spirit that gives us direct access to God’s Word and worship
Which is why The Holy Spirit is so important to us
And why we should make time to know him and develop a relationship with him.
Worship is at the centre of knowing God and growing in his ways
We show this in our heart by loving unconditionally. In our mind by our desires
In our soul by faith, and in actions by our strength, so becoming at one with God
And by being at one with God, we also come to realise who worship is for
It is not for God, rather it is for us, it is because we want to come into his present
We worship to grow in our relationship with God and so we acknowledge we’re his
And in doing that we grow together as the body of Jesus.
Consider the variety of activities needed in worship, being together as family
Those taking part the welcome, music, doing the reading, the prayer, the talk
The cleaning of the place, the flowers, the drink and little chats afterwards
The pastoral care so people can get here, and these are only some of the tasks.
Worshiping God makes for a loving and vibrant church community
We need to build on it, so grow in our relationships with God and with each other
Worship maybe carried out at any time, in any place, in a group or on our own
So why Church? The answer is in the true nature of what worship is all about
Together being close to God, growing the relationship as part of his family
For Jesus said, where two or more are gathered in my name, there will I be.
What a promise, and it is one we can hold Jesus to
Jesus, along with God’s Holy Spirit are here now, joined with us in our worship. So we always remember to worship God in body mind and soul and in strength.
Amen.
Song 5 – You raise me up https://youtu.be/aJxrX42WcjQ
Prayers of Healing/Intercession- Roy
Song 6 O Worship the King, All Glorious Above
Blessing -Nigel