Worship in Empty Produces Life
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Hope in Empty Places Week 6: Worship in Empty Produces Life
2 Kings 5:1-19
October 22nd, 2023
3 Foundational Hope Assertions:
Assertion #1: Empty is an illusion because God is an ever-present presence.
Genesis 1:1,2 “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
God precedes “empty”, He is present in “empty” and He fills empty making empty an illusion.
Assertion #2 Hope is not an emotion but an anchor in the person of Jesus.
Hebrews 6:19,20 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 20 where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Assertion #3 Hope can be learned, practiced and passed.
2 Kings 5:1 (NIV) Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.
To many, grace is a free pass for a past act. To God, grace is any path forward toward reconciliation and restoration.
2 Kings 5:2-6 (NIV) 2 Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing. 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
Any word, action or deed that highlights the magnitude of God is worship.
Becoming/remaining a person of worship is the key to a full life and to leading the people around you into that same fullness.
7 Big Ideas
1. Living life and giving life isn’t position dependent it is worship centric.
2. Setbacks aren't staybacks they are just new seasons for life-giving worship and spiritual influence.
John 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Worship shapes us into Jesus – full of grace and truth.
3. Worshipping Jesus fills you with life, grace and truth. Life, Grace and Truth are attractive, recognizable and trust-worthy.
2 Kings 5:7 (NIV) 7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”
4.When your worship fades your faith will follow and so will your spiritual influence.
2 Kings 5:8-14 (NIV) 8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” 11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage. 13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
5. You can’t hold onto your pride and change your position!
6. Obedience is worship and both are needed for life.
2 Kings 5:15-19 (NIV) 15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. He stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from your servant.” 16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused. 17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.” 19 “Go in peace,” Elisha said.
Many people know what Christians claim about God but their interactions with God are with too many leaky kings and not enough worshippers and prophets!
7. Worship in empty produces life and it reaches further than you can imagine.
7 Big Ideas Recap
Living a full life and giving life isn’t position dependent it is worship centric.
Setbacks aren't staybacks they are just new seasons for worship.
Worshipping Jesus fills you with life, grace and truth. Life, Grace and Truth are attractive, recognizable and trust-worthy.
When your worship fades your faith will follow and so will your spiritual influence.
You can’t hold onto your pride and change your position!
Obedience is worship and both are needed for life.
Worship in empty produces life and it reaches further than you can imagine.
Psalm 115:1-8 (NIV) Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. 2 Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him. 4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. 6 They have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. 7 They have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk, nor can they utter a sound with their throats. 8 Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
Worship keeps your head in the game, heart connected and feet moving forward to fulfilling God’s purposes for your life.
Recap: God used worship…
To allow a slave girl to live free and to lead others to freedom. Your position doesn’t have to determine your freedom. You don’t have to hold a powerful position for your worship to be powerful!
To lead an enemy to the feet of God. Testimonies are life giving.
As a gift of grace to a nation! To experience grace is to give witness to grace.
Romans 4:17-21 (NIV) 17 As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.