Anglicans Ablaze Western Cape Regional Conference – Saturday 2nd May 2015
Worship and
Liturgy
Back to the heart of worship
Romans 12:1-2
†Martin Breytenbach
“Therefore…”
Romans 12:1a
“Therefore…”
Testimony
1)
Being Filled with the Holy Spirit (1974)
• My purpose: to worship God
• Every moment
• In everything
2)
First Celebration of the Eucharist
• South African Prayer Book
• Surrender to God
• God was there!
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“Therefore…”
Response to what God has done (Romans 1-11)
• Good News! (Rom 1:16-17)
• Creation (Rom 1:20)
• We messed up (Rom 3: 23-24)
• God’s grace in Jesus (Rom 6:23)
• No condemnation (Rom 8:1)
• Children of God (Rom 8:15-16)
Rom 11:33-36
• God works for good (Rom 8:28-39)
• All are included – God sends us (Rom 10:12-15)
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Two Directions
Two Questions
Romans 12:1b-2
Two Directions – Two Questions
1) From Us To God (Rom 12:1)
• “Present your bodies” (plural)
Thank offering
Each one individually
Body = whole being
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•
•
•
•
•
Spirit
Intellect
Relationships
Emotions
Activities
Work…
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Two Directions – Two Questions
1) From Us To God (Rom 12:1)
• “A living sacrifice” (singular)
A corporate activity
• We cannot worship alone
• Worship binds us together
Sacrifice means surrender – give up
• Time
• Personal preferences
• Not about meeting my needs
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Two Directions – Two Questions
1) From Us To God (Rom 12:1)
• “Holy and acceptable”
Holy = set apart
• Dedicated
• Committed
• Responding to God’s call
Holy = pure
• We fall far short
• Bring the impurities to God too!
Personal sin, Problems in society, Issues in the community, Doubts,
Failures, Disappointments, Grief, Illness…
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Two Directions – Two Questions
1) From Us To God (Rom 12:1)
First Question:
What do we have to bring to
God in this act of worship?
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Two Directions – Two Questions
2) From God To Us (Rom 12:2)
• “Transformed”
Not conformed
• So many pressures in the world to conform
• False values
• Often unaware of it!
Back into God’s image
• 2 Corinthians 3:18
• Increasingly like Jesus
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Two Directions – Two Questions
2) From God To Us (Rom 12:2)
• “Renewing of your mind”
Learning
• To think as God does
• To see things as God does
• To act as God does
God leads and guides
• God’s plan for individuals, churches and nations
• How to respond to life situations
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Two Directions – Two Questions
2) From God To Us (Rom 12:2)
• “God’s good, pleasing and perfect will”
The Holy Spirit at work
• Saving & healing
• Calling into new ministries
• Empowering for mission and service
The Transforming power of God
• In individuals, churches and nations
• Leaving church as changed people
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Two Directions – Two Questions
1) From God To Us (Rom 12:2)
Second Question:
What does God want to bring
to us in this act of worship?
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Summary
1) Worship: From Us
to God
2) Worship: From God
to Us
• What do we have to
bring to God in this
act of worship?
• What does God want
to bring to us in this
act of worship?
Workshop: How do we work this
out in practice?
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