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Gathering to Worship God

Gathering to Worship God. Songs of Ascent: Practices of the Lifelong Journey Series [3] Psalm 122. Psalm 122 [ESV] 1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!" 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3 Jerusalem— built as a city

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Gathering to Worship God

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  1. Gathering to Worship God Songs of Ascent: Practices of the Lifelong Journey Series [3] Psalm 122

  2. Psalm 122 [ESV] 1I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!" 2Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! 3Jerusalem— built as a city that is bound firmly together, 4to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.

  3. Psalm 122 [ESV] 6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they be secure who love you! 7Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!" 8For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, "Peace be within you!" 9For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

  4. PSALM 122: THE THIRD OF THE FIRST TRIAD • For the Hebrews, Jerusalem was the destination of their seasonal pilgrimage. Psalm 122 is about arriving in Jerusalem—their place of worship. • Psalm 120 Repentance: “Starting with a U-turn” from the worldly ways [trouble] • Psalm 121 Trust: “Looking to God for Help” in potential dangers of the hills [trust] • Psalm 122 Worship: “Gathering to Worship God” in the city of God, Jerusalem [triumph]

  5. PSALM 122: THE THIRD OF THE FIRST TRIAD • For the Hebrews, Jerusalem was the destination of their seasonal pilgrimage. Psalm 122 is about arriving in Jerusalem—their place of worship. • For Christians, our life itself is a pilgrimage to God. 22But you have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, 23to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the judge of all men, to the spirits of righteous men made perfect. Hebrews 12:21-23

  6. PSALM 122: THE THIRD OF THE FIRST TRIAD • For the Hebrews, Jerusalem was the destination of their seasonal pilgrimage. Psalm 122 is about arriving in Jerusalem—their place of worship. • For Christians, our life itself is a pilgrimage to God. • Worship is central in our lifelong journey as the people of God in Christ. • What is worship? Worship is to acknowledge the “worth-ship” of God. • The primary reason for distorted views on worship is man-centeredness (i.e., worship is a means to an end). • Hence, the essence of true worship is God-centeredness (i.e., worship is our end in life now and forever).

  7. Bringing God-Centeredness Back to Worship Worship is not the performance of a routine of hymns and prayers and preaching and anthems. When the angel said to John, who had fallen at his feet, "Don't do that to me. Worship God (Rev. 19:10),” he did not mean, recite a creed, or open your hymnal, or listen to a sermon. He meant connect with GOD! Focus on God, not the messenger. Concentrate on God, not the hymn tune. Pursue God, not just knowledge about God. And in all your focusing and concentrating and pursuing after God, seek to stir up your feelings to love him and honor him and admire him and fear him and enjoy him and savor him. Corporate worship is the blatant, public savoring of God in the midst of a very seductive Babylonian culture. Worship is the flagrant, open enjoyment of God as the fountain of life. And therefore it is a public declaration that God is more to be desired than all the pleasures of Babylon. - John Piper

  8. WHAT WORSHIP BRINGS US • Worship brings us JOY in the presence of God. 1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!" 2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem! (vs.1-2) • The joy is from the “homecoming”experience (as opposed to being away from God in “Meshech and Kedar”). • The joy is also from the company of brothers/sisters (as opposed to the company of liars and foes). • The joy is a byproduct of coming to worship through repentance and obedience—not the other way around. • The joy is also from the pleasures of God who delights in our worship.

  9. 10His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, 11but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Psalm 147:10-11

  10. WHAT WORSHIP BRINGS US 2) Worship brings us UNITY in all diverse people of God. 3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together, 4to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD. 5There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David. (VS.3-5)

  11. WHAT WORSHIP BRINGS US 2) Worship brings us UNITY in all diverse people of God. • The architectural and societal unity of Jerusalem is a reflection of God’s sovereign plan for the unity of all who are in Christ.

  12. 9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" 11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." - Revelation 7:9-12

  13. WHAT WORSHIP BRINGS US 2) Worship brings us UNITY in all diverse people of God. • The architectural and societal unity of Jerusalem is a reflection of God’s sovereign plan for the unity of all who are in Christ. • What brings unity is not diplomacy or tolerance but the focus on worshipping God—the decree to give thanks to the name of one true God (revealed in Scripture). • This unity in true worship results in true fellowship. 24And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25Let 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. Hebrews 10:24-25

  14. WHAT WORSHIP BRINGS US • Worship brings us a DEEPER AWARENESS of our need for God and his continuous work. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they be secure who love you! 7Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!" 8For my brothers and companions’ sake I will say, "Peace be within you!" 9For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good. (vs.6-9)

  15. WHAT WORSHIP BRINGS US • Worship brings us a DEEPER AWARENESS of our need for God and his continuous work. • For the Israelites, this prayer was literal because their Jerusalem was in this world. but for us, it is a prayer for God’s continuous work for the Church. • Peace [shalom] and security[shalvah] is a result of God’s sovereign rule and care. • Tasting God’s goodness in worship opens our eyes to our deeper need for God.

  16. Whetting Our Appetite for God Worship does not satisfy our hunger for God—it whets our appetite. Our need for God is not taken care of by engaging in worship—it deepens. It overflows the hour and permeates the week. The need is expressed in a desire for peace and security. Our everyday needs are changed by the act of worship. We are no longer living from hand to mouth, greedily scrambling through the human rat race to make the best we can out of a mean existence. Our basic needs suddenly become worthy of the dignity of creatures made in the image of God: peace and security. . . Worship initiates an extended, daily participation in peace and prosperity so that we share in our daily rounds what God initiates and continues in Jesus Christ. - Eugene Peterson

  17. Praying the Songs of Ascent #3 -- Psalm 122 [MSG] 1-2 When they said, "Let's go to the house of God," my heart leaped for joy. And now we're here, O Jerusalem, inside Jerusalem's walls! 3-5 Jerusalem, well-built city, built as a place for worship! The city to which the tribes ascend, all God's tribes go up to worship, To give thanks to the name of God— this is what it means to be Israel. Thrones for righteous judgment are set there, famous David-thrones.

  18. Praying the Songs of Ascent #3 -- Psalm 122 [MSG] 6-9 Pray for Jerusalem's peace! Prosperity to all you Jerusalem-lovers! Friendly insiders, get along! Hostile outsiders, keep your distance! For the sake of my family and friends, I say it again: live in peace! For the sake of the house of our God, I'll do my very best for you.

  19. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE • Be deliberate to practice TRUE WORSHIP. • Change your attitude toward corporate worship. • Change your priority concerning the regular rhythm of worship. • Change your focus to “God-centeredness” in worship. • Pray for A DEEPER HUNGER FOR GOD within CrossWay! • Pray for yourself first. • Pray for and encourage others to worship with you. • Pray for God’s mercy and grace on CrossWay!

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