Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Building Blocks Part 4

Community

Welcome to our teaching series “Building Blocks”.

Building Blocks is focusing on the essential features, the basics, of the Christian life. And it’s not intended just for new believers in our midst, but as an important refresher for even those of you who are veterans of the faith.

Today we continue looking at the foundational practice of community.

The currents of the world have always been pulling us apart, but now with the advent of social media and on the heels of the pandemic, those forces are amplified.

Isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety are all on the rise at historic rates because of the powerful pull into isolation.

Here is the truth for us today: We were created for community.

Introvert, extrovert, doesn’t really matter. You were created for life together.

When we find ourselves swept away into isolation and individualism, we find ourselves far from the heart of God.

Our Lord had no vision for believers in isolation.

He called for us to be IN COMMUNITY with each other while at the same time impacting the COMMUNITY in which we find ourselves.

So, we are community impacting the community.

John 17:20-21

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Who is Jesus praying for? YOU and for me, and for generations before us. He is praying for the people who will believe through the message of the first disciples.

What’s Jesus prayer for you and for me?

That we would be one.

He asks the father to move mightily, exert his power and influence in our lives that we would be united together- reflecting Jesus connection with the father.

We cannot go through the scriptures and find that community or togetherness is optional. It’s the very heart of the Lord for his people.

Independence and  isolation, just won’t ever fit.

As the church, we don’t have community because we are all from the same place, or we all like the same things.

Our connectedness, our unity is a spiritual reality that comes through Christ.

So, if you are in Christ, you are in community.

John 17:21-23

that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Just a few verses before this, Jesus prayed that his disciples would not be taken out of the world, but that they would be sent into the world- He sent them on mission

Here, Jesus prays that our community, our unity, would be a witness to the world of his great love.

Think about that, the way that we come together, in unity, living out this mission is how the world will see that Jesus Christ is real and alive and powerful!

We are a community together in Christ, and we have a mission to bring hope to our world.

We are a community impacting our community.

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

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Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Building Blocks – Part 3

Worship- Make worship your lifestyle and you will have life

We’ve discussed the significance of prayer and the sanctity of the Sabbath, and today we embark on a new journey, adding another crucial block to our spiritual foundation-worship. Imagine these building blocks as the very foundation of our spiritual house.

John 4:21

Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

John 4:22

You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.

John 4:23

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.

John 4:24

For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

The woman is concerned about the “where”

But Jesus was much more concerned about the “how!”

What is critical is the the “how”

Worship in Spirit emphasizes a heart connection with God!

– God wants to meet with you

Jesus emphasizes the importance of deep, sincere, and authentic connection with God that goes beyond outward appearances and religious rituals. It’s about engaging the heart and spirit win a genuine encounter with the divine.

The core of your worship isn’t what occurs on stage, but what occurs in your heart.

“Worship will never get more powerful the more things you add to it, because its power has never flowed from its form. Its power has always flowed from His presence.” – Jeremy Riddle, The Reset (Returning to the Heart of Worship and a life o undivided devotion.)

Jesus also informs the woman that we are to worship in Truth.

Truth is inseparable from God

-Without knowing God, we can’t understand how or why we worship.

– The knowledge of who God is distinguishes true worship.

God’s truth sets apart believers for Him.

Colossians 3:16

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.

Luke 7:36-50

One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Expectations of a Host in Jesus’s Middle Eastern World:

1. A kiss of welcome

2. Washing the guests’ feet with water

3. Olive oil for the guests hands (soap)

4. Esteemed guests would be anointed with special oil (an extra dose of hospitality)

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Table: Head toward the wall, leaning on the left, grabbing food with your right, feet toward the wall, Outcasts and sinners sitting against the wall to be fed after the meal was served.

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1.Worship is Intentional

– The woman came prepared to honor and worship Jesus.

2. Worship is worthy of our best, not our leftovers.

– The woman gave Jesus her best.

-The perfume in the alabaster jar is understood to be equivalent to a year’s worth of income.

– A woman’s hair was her glory… yet she used it to wipe Jesus’s feet.

3. Worship occurs in His presence:

– Worship is not just emotional Although, the Holy Spirit does stir our emotions during worship.

-When we are in the presence of God, we can’t Not worship. The woman knew, if Jesus is going to be there, He will be worshipped!

– Worship is what we were created to do!

Psalms 29:2

Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

4. Worship is expressive and participatory

– If you love Jesus and you know it, TELL YOUR FACE!”

-Worship is driven by love and sometimes breaks societal norms:

– David dancing in the streets

– Daniel got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and

gave thanks before God, even though He was forbidden to do so.

– The Israelites marched around the wall of Jericho blaring their

trumpets and screaming waiting for the walls to come tumbling

down.

– The woman with the perfume understood who Jesus was and gave her all in worship.

5. Worship is a lifestlye

– It’s a series of decisions and a shift in our perspective of who God is

and how we respond to Him.

6. Worship Requires Obedience

– Obedience is a tangible expression of love and trust.

– It’s a powerful way to say, “I love and trust You, God.”

Practical ways you can worship

– Using your gifts to serve

– Participating in intercessory prayer

-Giving tithes and offerings

-Helping someone in need

– Many more

Revelation 7:11-23

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. “That is why they stand in front of God’s throne and serve him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will give them shelter. They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun. For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

Spoiler Alert: We are going to be worshipping for the rest of eternity, so we may as well spend time perfecting it now! He deserves our praise

If you make worship your lifestyle, you will have life!

Toddler Worshipping When Holding His New Baby Brother

@spiritlifewham

wait for it! 3 year old boy sings worship song to his newborn brother when he first sees him #baby #waymaker #inspiring

♬ original sound – SpiritLifeWham

Premature Baby Worshipping as Mom Sings

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/prince-of-preachers–792985446884313123/

Premature Baby Worshipping as Dad Sings

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Verses for further study/reflection:

Romans 11:33

Romans 12:1

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving

Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Building Blocks Part 3

Worship

Welcome to our teaching series “Building Blocks”.

Building Blocks is focusing on the essential features, the basics, of the Christian life. And it’s not intended just for new believers in our midst, but as an important refresher for even those of you who are veterans of the faith.

Today we continue looking at the foundational practice of Worship.

Worship, running parallel with prayer, is a key element of our ongoing relationship with God.

When many of us hear worship, I think all too often our minds zero in to something that only happens between 9:00 and 9:30 for first service (or 10:30 to 11:00 for second) on Sunday morning.

And to be sure, that can be part of worship in our lives.

But to think of it only in those terms isn’t necessarily biblical. If we only think about worship as something that happens on Sundays at church, we are missing a foundational building block in our Christian life.

John 4:19-26

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Jesus says “True worshippers- those who are getting it right- will worship in spirit and in truth”

For the woman at the well, this mean that worship wasn’t limited to location anymore. It wasn’t the subject of debate and fighting- all that was over- something new was right before her.

For us today- it means that worship is not only something we do in this building on Sundays- Worship is an expression of hour heart to God for who he is and what he has done. Anywhere, anytime.

So true worship is in spirit and truth- that’s what it is, what does it look like?

The word worship in our teaching text here means to kiss the hand as a token of reverence; to fall on one’s face before another in reverence and submission.

That’s the essence of worship, to express, communicate, show reverence, respect, or submission to another. In this case and in our case it is worship of the Lord.

Pastor and Author Louie Giglio gives a good working definition of worship. He says: Worship is our response, both personal and corporate, to God for who He is, and what He has done; expressed in and by the things we say and the way we live.

Worship- the God oriented expression of our hearts of who God is.

Friends, that opens the doors really wide when we start to think about what worship can look like. You can express your love, your gratitude, your praise from your heart anywhere, anytime.

There is something about worship that you just have to dive into- You just have to try it on.

Here are a few take away’s as you begin the journey in worship.

First, The bible is absolutely full of examples of worship.

That’s part of worship in truth right? God’s word. Start there.

Abraham, Moses, King David, Mary.

In a few weeks our nativity scenes in the yard will tell about 3 men who came to worship Jesus.

Dive into God’s word to grow your perspective on worship.

Second take away about worship: we can do it wrong.

Did you notice Jesus called out the Samaritans for this? He said “You all worship what you do not know”

The Samaritans could get it wrong, and we can too.

I think one way we can get worship wrong is by thinking that we have done it by simply being in the room when others were worshipping.

We must engage our own hearts.

Another way we can get worship wrong, is by worshping the wrong things. Things like money, material possessions, sports, careers. We can even worship ourselves.

God’s first command is that we have no other God’s but him- we don’t want to get worship wrong by worshipping the wrong things.

We can get it wrong but the good news is, we can do better!

I hope you hear that good news today- you can learn to worship. You can improve in worshipping.

We can practice worship, we can grow and get better at it. The beautiful thing is- God is pleased by our practice!

Finally, worship can be a lifestyle

We have learned how worship is an expression of the heart to God for who he is and what he has done.

What if we allowed our every day lives to be part of that expression?

Going to work, wrangling the kids, working the garden- what if our lives were one ongoing expression of the spirit life within us? That’s worship as a lifestyle

Romans 12:1

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Remember Jesus’ words- God is seeking worshipers- Will he find one in you?

Start now! Let your heart express praise and honor to the Lord this morning.

Don’t miss this foundation in your spiritual life!

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving

Church of the Nazarene – Harrisonburg

Building Blocks – Part 2

Sabbath

Today we begin a new teaching series called “Building Blocks”.

Building Blocks is a series focusing on the essential features, the basics, of the Christian life. It’s not intended only for new believers, but also for those who have been walking with Jesus for many years.

Our series began focusing on prayer- our communication with the Lord.

Today we focus on Sabbath – a command from God that is an incredible gift, and one that is too often ignored.

Genesis 2:2-3

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

-God rested. The one with unlimited energy and eternal potential took a break.

-It mattered to God that after all the work there was this sacred time, this holy time, a time of rest.

-At the beginning of creation, God was demonstrating the powerful gift given to us through Sabbath.

Exodus 20:8-11

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Why Sabbath?

-Yes, it’s true God commanded it so we should trust Him and obey. But there is a very clear purpose for this command.

-The Lord knew something about us, about humanity, about our nature. The Lord knew we need rest. True rest.

-Why Sabbath? Because the Lord valued rest enough that He demonstrated on the seventh day of creation and instructed us to do the same.

“The biggest disease in North America is busyness”

-Thomas Merten

-We are living in a world that has never needed rest more and yet we don’t even know how.

-From the moment we get up until the moment we shut our eyes, we are busy, and we even create busy for ourselves.

-From our earliest days, whether due to “the American Dream” or the passionate focus on “getting things done” we are, frankly, taught not to rest.

“Most of the things we need to be most fully alive never come in busyness. They grow in rest.”

-Mark Buchanan

Mark 2:27-28

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

-One of the problems with Sabbath is we’ve made it something that it’s not.

We see it as this master list of restrictions. For me a kid, a list of ‘do’s and ‘don’ts’. But Jesus was shedding the light on the true heart of Sabbath.

-This is not a command given to weigh you down and cause you to jump through hoops. It’s a command given to give you rest and freedom and to restore life.

Verses for further study/reflection:

Genesis 2:3

Exodus 20:1-17

Exodus 31:12-17

Isaiah 58: 13-14

Luke 4:16

Luke 23:56

Hebrews 4:9

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving

Church of the Nazarene – East Rock

Building Blocks – Part 2

Sabbath

Today we continue a new teaching series called “Building Blocks”.

Building Blocks is a series focusing on the essential features, the basics, of the Christian life. It’s not intended only for new believers, but also for those who have been walking with Jesus for many years.

Our series began last week focusing on prayer

Today we focus on Sabbath – a command from God that is an incredible gift, and one that is too often disregarded.

Exodus 20:8-11

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Genesis 2:2-3

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

Pete Scazzero

“Make no mistake about it: keeping the command to Sabbath is both countercultural and extremely difficult in our everyday lives.”

Jeff Bethke

“In our Western culture that constantly bends the knee to gods of productivity, work-based identity, and speed, Sabbath comes as a fist in the air every week (in resistance), saying no…”

So why Sabbath?

STOP

REST

DELIGHT

WORSHIP

Matthew 11:28

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Soren Kierkegaard

“Busyness, keeping up with others, hustling hither and yon, makes it almost impossible for an individual to form a heart.”

Mark Buchanan

“Most of the things we need to be most fully alive never come in busyness. They grow in rest.”

Mark 2:23-28

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Tips for all Practices/Disciplines/Building Blocks

-Start small

-Think subtraction, not addition

-You get what you put in

-Remember the J-curve

-There is NO formation without repetition

Isaiah 58:13-14

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the Lord has spoken.

John Mark Comer

“The end goal of Sabbath is not to say, “I practice Sabbath.” It’s to apprentice under Jesus to become a person who is marked by an inner spirit of restfulness and who is calm, at ease in their own body, unhurried, kind, and present. You will become aware of what God is doing around you, sincerely grateful, emotionally healthy, and delighted by the goodness of your life with God. A person who is like a rock in a sea of chaos, unmoved by the overwork, overconsumption, and overactivity of our host culture.”

Verses for further study/reflection:

Genesis 2:3

Exodus 20:1-17

Exodus 31:12-17

Isaiah 58: 13-14

Luke 4:16

Luke 23:56

Hebrews 4:9

Giving at COTN

If you ever have questions or need help with online giving, please let us know: finance@cotnaz.org

Thank you for your partnership in the Kingdom of Christ!

Giving