You and I are called to Worship. Your life as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ only makes sense in worship. Our two texts today are Hebrews 10: 19 – 25: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed in pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

In this building, we worship God. God has spoken in this place. The community of faith worships the living God here. It’s not just bricks and mortar.

There’s a joke about two monks at the monastery. One of them is smoking and the other isn’t. The one says, “You can smoke? They said I couldn’t smoke.” The other said, “Well, what did you ask them.” The first responded, “I asked if I could smoke when I pray and they said no.” The other responded, “Well I asked them if I could pray when I smoke and they said yes.” If you are asking, “Can I pray when I’m driving to and from somewhere, then the answer is yes.” But, if you are saying, “I’m only going to pray when I’m out doing my errands. That’s not going to work.” So yes and no. Do both. Call out to God anytime, but make sure that you make time to enter into the quiet place. We make the time to enter this most holy place every week, because we believe that we are called to worship Jesus in this place.

We come in by the blood of Jesus. It’s all about Jesus. May we never forget the name of Jesus. May we never concoct a Christianity that isn’t Jesus first. Jesus has opened up a way for us to the Father’s House. Since we have a great priest over the house of God, we don’t worry about who our pastor is. You have a great priest over the house of God, Jesus Christ. Other people will serve in different ways. Other people may leave, by different means.. But, if you have Jesus, let Him be your shepherd. If you have Jesus, praise God.

Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart. This is talking about what we do on Sunday mornings, too. Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts cleansed from guilt and having our bodies washed with pure water. We are called to have a sincere heart, to have the full assurance of faith. Are there things you are feeling bad about in your life? Probably. We all need to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ, with the Holy Spirit, washed with the Word. We make a confession of sin, for are we people of faith or are we sinners? Yes and yes. So we confess and come with full assurance of faith that we are cleansed of a guilty conscience and cleansed with pure water. It’s water that moves. It’s meant to run through us and take away all of our sins and cleanse us.

Let us hear the Word of God and be a people who gather for worship. We live in a culture where you can shop 24/7 and go on the computer 24/7 and work 24/7. It’s easy to fall out of the habit of worship, but we are called to worship. Also, it has struck me that when you and I are in a worship service, the question we should be asking is not, what did I get out of worship service today. The question should be, What did the Lord get out of my worship today? What did the Lord get out of me coming to worship here?

Our next text is Romans 12:1 Therefore I urge you brothers and sisters in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies in living sacrifices.

This is how you and I worship. We present ourselves to God. Not just once a week, but if necessary, several times a day. I have found that if I present my body, the rest of me will come along sooner or later. Sometimes my mind wanders. It is possible to do things in a perfunctory way when you are not really into it, but the scriptures say, “Bring your body to God and the rest will take care of itself.” Present yourself to God. This is how we worship Him. We present ourselves to God. This is not specifically about Sunday, or a once a week gathering. This is about how you and I live day to day. This is your spiritual act of worship. You and I are not to be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then we will be able to test and approve what God’s will is. His good and perfect and pleasing will.

You and I are called, not to be conformed to this world. There is so much going on in this culture in which we live. You don’t have to do anything to be conformed to that culture. It’s like a canoe in the current, we will go downstream, unless we experience some kind of transforming power of Jesus Christ in our life. We are called to be transformed. This is our worship. This is how we worship.

By the grace given me, I say to you, do not think of yourself more highly than you are. What is this? This too is worship. Part of how we worship God is to not be too sweet on ourselves. We don’t think that everything revolves around us. But think of yourself with sober judgement in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

The 9th verse in Romans 12. “Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil and cling to what is good.” What is this? This too is worship. When we hate what is evil, when we cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Love as brothers and sisters. The reason it says it that way, so that we understand that there is nothing sexual about this kind of love. So much of our love is romantic. But brotherly, filial love, sisterly love is pure. We are to regard each woman as our sister or mother or as a daughter and each man as our brother, father or son. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. What is this? This too is worship.

When someone is aggravating you, when somebody frustrates you, when somebody doesn’t pick up after himself, whether it’s at home or at church or at work. We offer this up to God as worship. We get a lot of heavy boxes here and sometimes they go to school upstairs. I lift those boxes and the Lord has encouraged me lately, that I should thank God that I can carry those boxes upstairs. It can be an act of worship. Amen. Instead of complaining, I should be thankful, because not all of us are able to do that are we? Some of you are willing and not able, so pray that if you are able you will be willing. We give it to God as worship. This too is worship.

What does it mean to be devoted to one another in brotherly love? It means that we watch each other’s back. We protect each other. We don’t gossip about each other. We defend one another. We are devoted. If I don’t want to hear something unkind about my wife or my child, then I shouldn’t want to hear anything about any sister or brother in the church. Or in all of God’s church, which is bigger than Messiah Church. Amen. Do you have faults? Yes. Do I have faults? Yes. But you and I are called to be devoted to one another. What is this? This too is worship.

Honor one another above yourselves. What is this? This too is worship. I don’t like jokes where people make fun of their spouse. I don’t think they are funny. Oh, they get a laugh every now and then, but they are really not worth it. Lots of time there is mean spiritedness underneath that humor. But, we are called to honor one another. You’ll never go wrong to show honor to somebody else. You’ll never go wrong to show honor and respect to unbelievers. We visit the jails. I think the key to doing that ministry is to show respect to people who are incarcerated. It is so foreign to them, that someone shows them honor. But they are created in God’s image. We give them honor, without negating the fact that they are in prison.

I have a story that illustrates what I am stating. I used to be a painter. One time I went to a party store to get a soda pop in a well-to do suburb. There was a young girl in a Mercedes honking her horn like crazy. I finally realized it was because there were workmen there and she expected the workmen to move their vehicles so that she could park. She got out of her car and looked at the landscaper and said, “I don’t know what you are looking at. You ain’t nothing but a lawnboy.” What did our scripture say about people coming into church—some in their work clothes and some in their good clothes. It says, “Honor one another above yourselves.” What is this? This, too is worship.

Romans 12: Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor serving the Lord. It is my responsibility to keep my zeal up. If I don’t have zeal for God, that’s a good sign to me that I’m being conformed to this world. It is our responsibility to keep our fervor up in the Lord. We are accountable. I know I will get my energy back if I leave these worldly things and get into the things of the Lord.

Sometimes honoring one another means allowing others to have a bad day. Sometimes the most gracious thing to say about someone else is is, “They’re not their best today.” Don’t dwell on it—just let it go. That may be the most gracious way to think.

Be joyful in hope. What is this? This too is worship. Be patient in affliction. What is this? This, too is worship. Faithful in prayer. What is this? This too is worship. Share with God’s people who are in need. What is this? This too is worship. Practice Hospitality. What is this? This too is worship. Bless those who persecute you. Bless them and do not curse them. What is this? This too is worship. Rejoice with those who rejoice. What is this? This too is worship. Mourn with those who mourn. What is this? This too is worship. Live in harmony with one another. What is this? This too is worship.

Harmony is an interesting thing. Harmony is a state where all the notes come together and make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. So we are not all singing the same part. We are not all altos. Somehow together, it sounds good. It sounds right. We are not meant to be the same, brothers and sisters. We meant to live in harmony with each other. We are not the same. Rejoice that we are not the same. I’m starting to get so tired of myself, that you are such a salvation to me because you are different than me. We need something different than ourselves. If we love one another because we are different, that is worship. Sometimes if someone is a little off, we should try to make harmony with that person to make both of us better. Sound better—look better.

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with everyday, ordinary people. Do not be conceited. What is this? This, too is worship. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, live in peace with everyone. What is this? This too is worship. Sometimes we get on our high horse and think somebody else is wrong and that we can’t live in peace with them anymore because they are wrong. It’s not what the Word of God teaches. I have a hard time saying that in the presence of the Lord. I can take someone’s head off if the Lord is not there, but if the Lord is here, I can’t do it. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, “it is my revenge, I will repay. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink and doing this will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” What is this? This too is worship.

This is the Word that the Lord has given me.