Sixth Marker: Consistent – Prioritizing Weekly Worship.

This is such an important topic because God wants to meet with you. For a lot of us, that’s hard to believe because we aren’t even sure what that means but let me assure you – He created you to have a relationship with you and talk to you. And one of the primary ways he does that is through a weekly worship service.

Because God designed us to grow together.

Hebrews 10:24-25 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Meeting: Meeting together for a common purpose

This meeting is different than any other meeting in your week. It’s different than any event you’d go to. Because this meeting is a group of people coming together for the common purpose of worshipping God and hearing what he has to say to us.

I participate in weekly worship and prayer.

Because I believe God wants to meet with me. And he has something for me.

Acts 3:1-3 Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. (daily prayer and worship) 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in.  Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. (He knew the Jews were generous) 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money.

Ailment: Punishment for his sin; he was still there every day

Every day, he showed up at the temple to ask for money. He’d probably done this for years. And he didn’t want to miss a day. In fact, he didn’t know where else to go so he went to the temple. His instinct when he needed help was to go to God’s people.

He showed up at the temple every day with an expectant heart, ready to receive. That’s the kind of posture we should have every week when we enter the worship service here. Come in with an expectant heart ready to hear from God.

I prepare my heart to hear from God.

When you come in, prepare yourself to hear from God. Not physically, but spiritually. If you’re looking for it, something is going to stand out in this worship service that you needed to hear. Something is going to highlight in your mind that is going to nudge you.

God has something to say. You just have to listen for it. Yes, you can miss being here. But God may have wanted to say something through this service. And you missed it.

“I Needed To Hear That”: That’s what happens when we miss

Communication Card: Write down what stands out to you
Life Groups: Talk about what stood out to you, where you felt like God spoke to you

Acts 3:4-7 4 Peter and John looked at him intently, and Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 The lame man looked at them eagerly, expecting some money. 6 But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!”

He went looking for money, not for healing. But because he was where he was where he was supposed to be, he got something so much more. If you come in expecting more, you will receive more. The problem is not that God isn’t speaking. It’s that we aren’t ready to hear from him. We aren’t listening. So because he was ready to receive, the disciples give him more than he even asked for.

Some of you came in expecting one thing and God is going to give you something else.

7 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened.
First thought here? I can’t walk! You’re asking me to do something I cannot do.

God is going to tell you things that you don’t think you can do. You need to decide if you are going to get up and do it or not. Do I trust God enough to do it? It’s only when he stood up and started doing something he never thought he could do that God did something in his life he’d never done.

“Helped Him Up”: When God calls us to do something impossible, he helps us

If God is calling you to take a bold step right now and you know it, he’s going to extend his hand to help you. If God is calling to be more obedient to him, more committed, more devoted, he’s going to help you.

Acts 3:8-11 8 He jumped up, stood on his feet, and began to walk! Then, walking, leaping, and praising God, he went into the Temple with them. 9 All the people saw him walking and heard him praising God.  10 When they realized he was the lame beggar they had seen so often at the Beautiful Gate, they were absolutely astounded! (He was probably a local legend – Pistol Pete, Steve Prisco)  11 They all rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John.

I willingly respond to the message.

The man heard what God wanted to do in his life and he responded.  If you walk out of here and don’t do anything with what God says, nothing changes in your life. Nothing. You have to do something. It’s not just about hearing from God, it’s about acting on it.

James 1:22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

That beggar had this miraculous encounter with God because he kept showing up. Day after day. He had no idea what God might do on one of those days.

Application

I want to be like that guy. I want to be at the temple when I’m supposed to be at the temple because I know God has something to say to me. I know what I’ll hear if I’m not here. Nothing. Could God still speak to me outside of being here? Sure. But God may have something specifically for you here in this moment and you don’t want to miss it.

That’s why it’s so important that you are here. If you don’t show up, you’ll miss his voice.

If you’re growing in your relationship with God, you’re going to start prioritizing going to the house of God to meet with family of God to hear from the Word of God every week. Because God is ready to meet with you and speak to you.