10 Ways to Worship | Part One

Romans 12:9-13
You may have noticed a common theme among the sermons at Dulin’s Grove: It’s all about Jesus!

It is important to me that our people understand that their good deeds and religious activities do not earn God’s favor. God already loves us maximally through Jesus. This point has been clearly made during our study of Romans 1-11, which is an extended meditation on the gospel: Jesus lived the life we’ve failed to live and died the death we deserve so that we can be forgiven, cleansed and adopted as sons and daughters of God.

The result of meditating on the gospel is action. This is where the do’s and don’ts of scripture come to life. Romans 12 begins a new train of thought: What should I do in respond to what Jesus has done? The answer is worship. Specifically, worship through bodily sacrifice as a part of the church. This looks like being selfless and humble. This looks like using my specific gifts in service to the church. And this looks like all the things Paul lists in Romans 12:9-13; which is the context of this post, which is part one of a look at 10 ways to worship God.

We’ve spent a lot of time learning how to think and what to believe. This is what to do, which means action is required after reading this. Specific, concrete action.

Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. (v.9b)
Abhor means utterly detest and hate. It is a passionate word, more severe than what UNC fans might feel toward Duke fans. It means deeply desiring the eradication of an object, wishing that a fireball from heaven would obliterate it. To hold fast is to glue oneself to an object. This phrase is used elsewhere in the Bible to describe how a husband is to connect with his wife in marriage. It means to deeply fasten oneself to something.

This idea is expressed in another way in scripture: putting off the old self and putting on the new self. Imagine working a long hard day outside in the dirt. You come home sweaty and filthy and odorous to take a shower. After getting cleaned up, would you put on your old disgusting clothes or new clean ones? Since Jesus has cleansed us from our old evil ways. Why would we continue to wear them? Instead, we’re instructed to put off the old self and put on the new self.

So, one way of worshipping God in response to what Jesus has done is to abhor certain things and hold fast to certain other things. But what exactly does Paul consider evil and good? To answer this question, we need to read some of Paul’s other writings on this subject, specifically, Ephesians 4:20-32 and Colossians 3:5-14. Here are some examples of evil things to abhor and good things to which to hold fast:

• Put off falsehood and put on speaking truth and fellowship (Ephesians 4:25)
• Put off sinful, lingering, dangerous anger and put on right, measured, controlled anger (4:26, 27)
• Put off thievery and put on hard, honest work and generosity (4:28)
• Put off corrupting talk and put on constructive, fitting, gracious talk (4:29)
• Put off bitterness, anger, wrath, clamor, slander and malice; put on kindness, tender heartedness and forgiveness (4.31, 32)
• Put off sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, covetousness, anger, wrath, malice, slander, obscene talk and lying (Colossians 3:5-9)
• Put on compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness and above all love (3:12-14)

Your challenge, identify one specific evil thing you need to abhor and it’s corresponding good thing to which you need to hold fast. Then pray this deep hatred and connection into reality.

Love one another with brotherly affection. (v.10a)
Family members are not always loveable. Often they’re difficult, inconvenient, embarrassing and infuriating. Yet, there remains a unique affection for them because they are family. This is the kind of affection we are to have for each other as Christians; for, as William Barclay wrote in his commentary on this passage, “the Christian Church is not a collection of acquaintances; it is not even a gathering of friends; it is a family of God.”

I believe this sort of affection is already in our hearts, given to us as part of our new nature in Christ. Picture the person in our church whom you like the least. That person that you avoid. That person that drives you crazy. Now imagine something truly horrible happening to him or her, like a very close loved one suddenly killed or a brutally violent attack. Doesn’t something deep within you, deeper than your surface level annoyance at them, respond with affectionate concern for their wellbeing? That’s because he is your brother. She is your sister.

Don’t wait until something tragic happens to love them with brotherly affection. Do it now. Grab a directory, flag their picture(s) and pray this love into reality.

Outdo one another in showing honor. (v.10b)
To show honor is to perceive and express value in other people. In other words, it means making sure people know how valuable they are.

My children recently went through a phase of extreme desire to be first in everything, from brushing their teeth to getting out of the van. I’m trying to teach them what Jesus said about being first: in the kingdom of God, the last will be first and the first will be last (Matthew 20:16). In other words, while the world fights to receive honor, Christians fight to give honor.

This temptation to be honored rather than to honor others expresses itself in a number of ways in our church. For instance, many have complained to me after being absent from our gatherings for a long time that no one called them. The sentiment is something like this: “If those people don’t see me as valuable enough to call when I’m not there, I’m not going back.” It is true that the church should value them and should call them when they’re absent for a while. But, in their complaint, they reveal a desire to be honored rather than to honor others.

Another way this shows itself in church life is when a volunteer works really hard on something and then is disappointed when they aren’t thanked or noticed for it. It’s true that the church should value and express appreciation for such service. But the volunteer shouldn’t be serving to be honored but to honor others.

We need to prayerfully identify ways in which we’re overly concerned about our own honor and under-concerned about honoring others. What specific ways can you show honor this week? To whom?

Because you CAN!
As you plan what evil you will abhor, what good to which you will cling, whom you need to love with brotherly affection and whom you will show honor, consider Philippians 2:1-13:

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Do these things because you CAN!

Discussion Starters

1. How was everyone’s week?
2. How does being a Christian give one greater ability to abhor what is evil and hold fast to what is good?
3. Share what you are tackling in response to this command. What evil are you praying a hatred for? What good are you praying a deep connection to? What practical steps will you take?
4. How does being a Christian enable one to love other Christians with brotherly affection?
5. What are some common roadblocks to this kind of affection in the church?
6. Talking to your group, list out the people you find hardest to love in the church in alphabetical order (KIDDING, DON’T DO THIS).
7. How does being a Christian give one greater ability to let go of his own honor and to show honor to others?
8. How can you show honor in practical, concrete ways? Whom will you honor? How will you do it?
9. Take some time to pray together, holding each other accountable for responding in specific ways to these three ways of worshipping God.