Notes from Oct 11/12

Sermon Notes for Small Group Leaders
“Return of the Ark” “Bringing it Back” series
Pastor Jim Zippay
Oct. 11/12, 2008
1 Chronicles 15

Outline
1. Preparing a place for the Ark
~ Establishing a sacred place
~ Understanding the correct approach
2. Preparing a people for the Ark
~ Prepare yourself by personal consecration
~ Prepare the congregation by musical instrumentation
3. Preparing for pushback about the Ark
~ Michal thought David was getting attention, but his attention was really on God.
~ Michal thought his actions were inappropriate; they were undignified and increasing.
~ Michal thought of herself as a princess; David knew he was a chosen, royal priest.

Content
1. If God is in control, what He does is what’s important. Worship shows we trust Him.
2. We need to restore God to a place of prominence in our worship and in our lives.
3. There are right and wrong ways to approach God and often we want to do it our way.
4. We prepare ourselves for worship by working out grudges we have against people before going to worship.
5. We also need to check our morals, relationships, values, priorities, promises and financial dealings.
6. We want to “let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
7. The ark is a visible demonstration of the truth that God came to earth and desires to meet with us.
8. We all have a divided heart at some point when it comes to worship (with expressing emotion to God).
9. Worship should be a total body experience, renewed mind, re-dedicated body, re-generated spirit, and revived heart.
10. God calls us to learn to worship in heart.
11. Michal was critical – observed, evaluated and judged – and cynical.

Aim
When we worship, we should make much of God and less of us by worshipping God with our whole heart, focusing on Him and not ourselves.

Application Questions
1. What are some things that have kept you away from God?
2. What are some right and wrong ways to approach God?
3. In what ways have you sometimes not been prepared for worship, and how did that affect your worship experience?
4. Describe a time when you experienced pushback when your relationship with God was especially good.
5. When you worship, is God the prominent focus? What are some things that take our minds off Him?