Josh McGuire - “A Vertical Plank of Worship” | Austin CFC | 2024-09-29
Summary
The speaker discusses the concept of a church needing both a vertical plank (relationship with God) and a horizontal plank (relationships with fellow believers). He emphasizes that while love for one another is important, the most crucial element is maintaining a solid, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The message challenges listeners to deeply examine who they truly worship, drawing on scripture to define true worship as being in spirit and truth.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
Is the vertical plank solid?Following a recent conference, the speaker challenges whether individual members have a solid and secure relationship with Jesus Christ, distinguishing between a club focused on one another and a true church rooted in the vertical plank.
What does it mean to be a true worshipper?Jesus tells the woman at the well that the Father is seeking true worshippers who worship in spirit and truth, challenging believers to examine who they truly worship in daily life.
Worshipping money, self, or God?Many do not bow to wooden idols, but instead serve money or themselves on the throne of their lives, whereas Jesus died on the cross to set believers free from selfish living.
What is the spiritual service of worship?Romans 12 defines worship as presenting our physical bodies to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to Him.
Cutting up the sacrifice piece by pieceJust like sacrifices in the Old Testament, believers must surrender their eyes, ears, feet, and tongue to God, cleansing failures in the blood of Christ.
The first dog: ThankfulLearning to give thanks in all circumstances, even in trials and complaints, deepens our worship and love for the Lord.
The second dog: InvestorRather than seeking worldly esteem in money or power, believers should take inventory of what God has given them and invest it for eternity.
The third dog: NeedfulGrowth in worship depends entirely on acknowledging our deep personal need for Jesus, just like the criminal on the cross and the Samaritan woman at the well.
All the fitness He requireth is to feel your needA concluding testimony reminds the congregation that the only requirement to come to Jesus is recognizing our absolute need for Him, desiring nothing else on earth besides Him.
Building a deep foundation for the crossBringing the meeting to a close, a brother emphasizes that for the church's horizontal love to stand strong against storms, the vertical foundation driven into the ground must be deep and secure.
