In this sermon, Pastor Mark teaches how we can worship at home using the example of the first Jewish and Gentile Christians and that generations can be affected, impacted, and changed when we worship at home and church.
How Do We Worship at Home?
-Couple visited & learned they could study Bible, pray, worship at home/in the car
What is Worship?
Hebrews 13:15–16: “[Adoration] Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. [Action] Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
- Adoration/Declaring God (up) =internal (God sees) – worship
- Action/Doing Good (out) = external (others see) – witness
WHERE?
1. Heaven – unseen realm (throne room scenes of Divine Council worship)
2. Earliest record OT – God worshipped wherever people went often w/altar =burning sacrifice
3. Exodus – worship centered on wherever the tabernacle was housing God’s presence
4. Temple – worship moved to the Temple w/God’s presence & you traveled to that place
5. Jesus – worship moved to Jesus as the center point between Heaven & earth
6. Jesus death – the veil was torn in Temple
7. Holy Spirit- came down after Jesus went up and worship moved to A. churches & B. Homes
The First Jewish Christians Worshipped at Home
Acts 2:1-3, 42-47 When the day of Pentecost arrived…there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house…And divided tongues as of fire appeared…And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit… they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done…And they were selling their possessions…and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes…praising God…And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Holy Spirit – Worshipper & Worship Leader
-HS comes down Throne Room = 1. Peter preaches 2. 3000 saved 3. Worship follows
=Life in the Spirit – Leadership, Learning, Love; Worship, Witness, Wealth
- Church – gathered worship (“temple”)
- Home – scattered worship (“homes”)
= God could have decided to come down to anyone, anywhere. Chose Jews in a home
= Worship – 1. God =Father 2. worshippers =family (sons of God) 3. Heaven =Home
The First Gentile Christians Worshipped at Home
Acts 10:1-5, 25-29, 44-46 there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion…2 a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously…and prayed continually to God…he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him…“Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa and bring…Peter…. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. 28 And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean…the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles…
· Household – extended family under the leadership of a head
· Nearly all believers Jewish, Gentile coverts became Jewish (diet, circ, holidays)
· Jews & Gentiles did not associate (clean & unclean)
· Cornelius – Roman Centurion (high ranking military) 8X named in Acts
#1 Vision Peter 3x, taken Heaven, shown Gentiles saved by Spirit w/o Law
#2 Vision Cornelius he & household saved
= HS chose this home to expand the church to the Gentiles. This is our family history!
God Saves Households to Worship at Home
Acts 16:13-15 on the Sabbath day we [Paul, Timothy, Silas, Luke] went….where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together…Lydia…a seller of purple goods…was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she prevailed upon us.
Female Head of Household
=18% US homes a family w married couple w/kids v 40% 1970
- Lydia is a successful businesswoman who generously supports Paul’s ministry
- Lydia is the first convert in Europe
- Lydia housed the church at Philippi in her home
Acts 16:25-34 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake…all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself…Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in…and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house…and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.
- Male Head of Household
- Paul & Silas in prison for a young girls divination deliverance
Less People Are Worshipping at Home or Church
In 2007 78% of Americans identified as Christians (Pew Research)
Today 63% of Americans identified as Christians (Pew Research)
In-person church attendance is 30%-50% lower than pre-pandemic (Barna Research)
https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/americans-left-religion-during-covid-pandemic
Generations Change When We Worship At Home and Church
W. Bradford Wilcox – esteemed Sociologist UV, massive research Soft Patriarchs, New Men
A. Worship @ Church B. Worship @ Home (Bible reading & prayer)
1. Best fathers – active, involved, encouraging, helpful
2. Best husbands – highest wives marital satisfaction, date nights, lowest domestic violence
3. Best families – lowest divorce, highest satisfaction
1. Who/What needs to exit your home because it hinders your worship of God?
2. Who/What needs to enter your home to improve your worship of God?
Resources – Bibles, books, worship music Routines – prayer, dinner, bedtime, Life Group