Listening is Worship

 

This blog post is in response to both a blog and a sermon. Recently, Trent Hunter wrote and shared a blog about listening to a sermon. You can find it here http://www.desertspringschurch.org/blog/?p=3220. It resonated with me, as years ago my pastor at the time, Ronnie Rogers made a comment from the pulpit about our worship on a Sunday not just happening during the music part of the service. In our listening to the sermon we should continue to interact with God. It has changed my worship on any given Sunday, how I sing, how I listen, how I participate in the service.

I think that we feel that when we are singing we are worshipping or that we can worship when we pray if we are giving praise or thanks but that we don't feel like we are worshipping when we are listening to a sermon. It is though we have to talk to be worshipping. It is rather arrogant of us, really. Actually, we ought to be listening through out the service, through out the week, daily, moment by moment to what our Saviour has to say. He promises to walk with us. His Spirit resides in us. When we listen to anyone, especially God, we are in essence saying that what that person has to say is important, that they are important and maybe even more important that we ourselves. Listening can be a greater form of worship than speaking/singing. We are commanded to do both: “come into His presence with singing”; “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”; “Be still and know that I Am God” are just a few of the phrases that we know so well. My prayer is that I am the kind of worshipper that the Lord is seeking, one who worships in spirit and in truth. So how do we do that during the sermon.

I felt led to share with you my “notes” from the Good Friday service this past week.  As I said before my Sunday service participation changed. One of the ways was how I listen to sermons and how I take notes. (I am not at all saying that I do this perfectly. I get sleepy and distracted all the time. So it is a battle to listen sometimes.) Instead of shutting down the “spirit” aspect of my worship and get out my student mentality to take truth notes, the whole service, as I should be daily, I try to listen to what God has to say to me. My note taking becomes more diary-like; not Dear Diary but Dear Father, what do You have to say to me, speak Lord, your servant heareth.

I must confess that Friday evening I was struggling with distraction and sleepiness but God did catch my attention and I responded. I usually take notes in my journal. I put the date, the speaker, the location, sermon title and scripture reference. So Good Friday, 6 April, 2012; Ryan Kelly-DSC; Three Criminals; Luke 23:39-43.   You can find this sermon on audio here http://www.desertspringschurch.org/messages/ And here is my journal entry:

“The 2^nd criminal asked for a better rescue” - not a physical one, but an eternal one. “Jesus, remember me when you come into Your Kingdom.”

Father, forgive me for trying to steal Your glory for myself. Lord thank You that You paid the price for my self righteousness. You forgave and continue to forgive me. I so long to have acknowledgement and praise from men, when I need only to live and work for You. You are my great reward – to be with You is paradise, - to walk with You day by day. You are my Lamb, that was slain – for my sins and You are my King! Thank You!