THERE’S HOPE FOR THE CHURCH: Exalting the Savior

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.  ‎But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.  ‎And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.  ‎Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:12-17 NKJV)

Last Sunday was Groundhog Day!  Remember the movie? The character Bill Murray played kept reliving the same day, over and over and over.  At first it was a novel experience, but soon he became utterly bored with it.

Do you ever feel that way about a church service? 

That ought not to be!  What we do is too important and our time is too precious. 

Before I point any fingers anywhere else, I must ask, “Is it the preacher’s fault?”  Sometimes it is.  If I’m not prayed up and fired up—can I really expect anybody else to be?  So, I’m willing to look into the mirror and do the hard evaluation—what about you?  The fact is sometimes it’s your fault.

There will be people who leave the next worship service and say, “Well, I didn’t get anything out of that!” 

Maybe there’s the problem—we think worship is about us—how we feel and what we experience.  It’s not about you!  Worship is about Him! 

Many churches succumb to this pressure and try to put on a show—man-centered entertainment.  Our focus instead is to be God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-empowered, Gospel oriented.  That is the kind of worship described by Paul in Colossians 3:12-17.   A byproduct of our blessing God is His blessing of us.  That is a church that will be filled with hope—a church that exalts the Savior!