God House is to be a Place where Jesus is Exalted

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “Then the people of Israel – the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles – celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. . .. And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.” (Ezra 6:16-18)
      Passage: Psalm 100:1-5

        In our consumer driven mentality, it’s common for us to bring that into our Sunday worship experience. After the service is over, there is an evaluation of the sermon, the music, the temperature in the room and just about everything else. That is upside down in God’s design. Worship is not about us. It is about God. The first business for the church is to exalt Jesus and express our love for God with “all our heart, soul, mind and strength.”
      The consumer mentality views the music leader, instrumentalists, choir and preacher as performers and the congregation as the audience. The proper image is that the ones giving leadership are the prompters and directors, the congregation is the performers and God is the audience. Worship doesn’t occur when you are pleased with it. Worship occurs when God is pleased with it. God’s house is to be a place, first and foremost where people come into the presence of God through worship as they offer praise and thanksgiving to Him and then are ready to receive His Word.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)