Worship
Course: The Higher Calling to Worship
Lesson 10
Lesson Title: Turned around to seek after Christ.
Lesson Goal: …that the student will worship with joy by seeking the goal of pleasing Christ.
Lesson
Text: 'Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this
one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth
unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of
the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.' (Philippians 3:13-14)
Lesson
Theme: In
order to move up to the place of worship in the anointing we must come to a
point where we are turned around.
Introduction: What is ministry? - The word ministry in scripture means service, and everybody in the body of Christ is called to serve one another.
· Motivation for ministry - If we are motivated by the desire to fulfil a ministry we will not be worshippers, and self-glory will still be at the centre of our actions. The ministry of serving one another must always be born out of love for Christ.
· Purpose of ministry - The true worshipper seeks the glory of God in every action.
· Goal of ministry - Ministry is an act of worship when it is directed towards the goal of 'winning Christ'.
Introductory Story: Ministry can be compared to running a race
·
Running towards the goal of a
successful ministry - ‘forgetting those things that are behind’ means serving
the Lord and not giving the heart to the things of the world.
· The restraining power of the word of God. 'Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.' Philippians 2:3.
· The love for the scriptures does not automatically produce love in the heart. Standing for God's word does not change lives. The word of God must change us. A negative unity with those who agree with each other's criticisms is not the unity of the Spirit.
· The trial of our faith makes the ministry difficult. 'That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:' (1 Peter 1:7). God is producing character. The greatest worship comes out of the greatest trial, '…My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.' (2 Corinthians 12:9).
· The joy of pleasing Him. 'Forget those things which are behind' now means forgetting ‘self glory’ by seeking 'the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus'.
Exposition:
1.
A worshipper must run towards
the right goal.
· The word converted in Greek is epistrepho, this word literally means ‘to turn towards’. 'And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, strengthen thy brethren.' (Luke 22:31-32). Why did Simon Peter need to be turned around? Up until this time he was running towards the goal of a successful ministry. All the disciples saw their relationship with Jesus as an opportunity to achieve greatness. 'And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.' (Luke 22:24) The Lord allowed Peter to be sifted in order to remove the chaff of self glory from the wheat of love for Christ. Peter sought to become great through a successful ministry. Peter was competitive and ambitious. Part of a ministry team, but it was not the love of Christ that motivated him. Peter's self confidence had to be broken before he could fulfil the ministry the Lord had called him to do. Peter regarded himself as better than all the other disciples when he said, 'Although all shall be offended, yet not I’ (Mark 14:29). Peter had to be turned around before He could minister in the anointing
· All the disciples had their sights on success but only Judas could not be turned towards the right goal. They had very big ambitions for their ministries, and they sought to use their relationship with Jesus to gain a position where they would be highly esteemed. Satan was able to destroy Judas because Judas did not love Christ. The disciples all ran towards success, but only Judas followed Christ for gain. The other disciples were not like Judas. It was therefore impossible for Satan to destroy them; he could only sift them. Satan cannot do anything without God's permission.
2. A worshipper must be a disciple, learning to be like Jesus.
· The Greek word 'mathetes' which is translated disciple means 'a learner'. Disciples of Christ learn to rest in the Father's will. The disciples were learning Christ. They still had to learn the real nature of ministry. All of Peter's ambitions concerning a successful ministry died when Jesus was crucified. He thought everything was lost, but he was learning to be like Jesus who came not to fulfil His own ambitions, but to obey the Father's will.
· Jesus showed them by example at the Last Supper that those who would be great in God's Kingdom must take the place of a servant.
3. A worshipper must always be motivated by the love of Christ.
· If we are motivated by love for Christ then we will look upon others as better than ourselves. If we are motivated by personal ambitions then we will seek to use others to elevate ourselves. The road to a successful ministry is dependent upon having good connections.
· The minister who has been turned around seeks not a successful ministry, but to please the Lord. Look at Peter in prison sleeping, without concern. Herod had already executed James the brother of John, and it was certain that he would put Peter to death the same way. 'Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison.' (Acts 12:5-6). The Lord had told Peter he would be in this position when he was old. He was not yet old, and Peter rested in the will of God. This was not a man seeking to build up his own ministry. He had no fear of death, and he had no ambitions of his own.
Conclusion:
Ministry must be
1. …to win Christ. The worshipper must run towards the right goal.
2. …to be like Christ. The worshipper must be a disciple, learning to be like Jesus.
3. …driven by love for Christ. A worshipper must always be motivated by the love of Christ.
What
should the student do?
1) Check that we are not seeking our own glory in ministry.
2) Be a disciple learning to be more like Jesus.
3) Let the love of Christ be our motivation in all things.
Textbook
- The Higher Calling to Worship