SERMON // The House that Jesus Builds – Worship Wars? // Matthew 17 & Psalm 95

Our theme today is worship. 

In Matthew chapter 16 Jesus gives us the foundation of the house He is building. He tells us what makes a church a church: its confession and its commitment to follow Him.

And in chapter 17 Jesus gives us His house rhythms: He establishes for us the basic weekly routine so we can experience His power in our life and community.  This chapter is all about experiencing His presence and living out His power. The most basic rhythm He establishes is our weekly rhythm of worship.
So this Sunday we will look at our worship services, and why we do them the way we do. 

Our desire for each worship service is for you to enter into the presence of the living God through Christ by His Spirit.

Our services follow an intentional, progressive structure culminating in the Word preached and communion. One of the most basic signs of a spiritually healthy church is vibrant worship.

Here are three words to help you orient to how we think about worship:

• Liturgical: The liturgy provides the steps, rhythms, and habits to enter into his presence.
• Personal: the goal is to have an encounter with the living Lord where you hear his voice. Through His word and sacrament, you are personally fed.
• Exegetical: We hear his voice through His word. This is why our usual habit is to walk through books of the Bible, verse by verse, instead of topically.

Psalm 95: This is one of the best places in all the Bible to learn about what worship is. 

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Here is the sermon outline for those following along at home:

What: It engages the _______________ person.
It ascribes _________________.

How: It is ______________________
It is ____________________     
It is _______________________

3-fold pattern from Leviticus:

1. 

2. 

3.