08-30-2026 - RETURN TO WORSHIP - HAVEN CHANGING EARTH - Chonicles 30:10-27
MESSAGE BY PASTOR DANIEL PARK
FROM BETHANY BAPTIST IN RICHMOND, BC.
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Los invito a orar y a hacer esta oración personal, y por quienes necesiten apoyo en momentos difíciles. Mencionamos los nombres de quienes lo necesitan y también oramos por sus familiares y amigos. Ustedes también pueden mencionar el nombre de la persona que lo necesita.
(Vicky O, Nancy R, Tere G, Stevie A, Sócrates D, mamá de Sara H, Margarita G, Rosy Ch, Patricia L, Lina J, Manuel D, Silvia H, Magda-, Miguel H.L, Manuel D.H, Alicia G. Margarita G, Brianda M, Alejandro M, Natalia M, María Elena C, Óscar N.D, Luis Carlos V. Laci N, Alicia R. Ana Feri.)
Te pedimos sanidad en todos los aspectos de nuestra vida: física, emocional, mental y espiritual. Te pido que nos des fortaleza y resiliencia para los días venideros. Sé que tienes un gran propósito para quienes creen en tu nombre.
Ayúdame a no permitir que las distracciones y las dificultades de mi día a día me agobien hasta el punto del agotamiento. Sé que tu deseo es que viva esta vida con plenitud y libertad. Mi mayor deseo es reflejar tu amor y tu luz a un mundo que desesperadamente necesita tu esperanza.
Por mis seres queridos que enfrentan el cáncer o un diagnóstico difícil, oro por tu protección sanadora y tu gracia. Oro para que tu fortaleza y tu gran paz llenen sus vidas, recordándoles que estás cerca. Gracias porque contigo nada es imposible. Gracias por luchar por nosotros; eres más grande que cualquier cosa que este mundo nos dé.
Confío plenamente en ti, Señor, porque solo tú puedes. Te amamos; te necesitamos hoy y siempre.
En el nombre de Jesús,
Amén.
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To give a quick recap of parts 1 to 3 of the Return to Worship series:
First, worship is the most important thing we do in life
An activity we need to keep coming back to and continue as a priority
Second, worship is the celebration and reminder of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus
Worship always highlights the sacrifice of Jesus, God’s Son, whose blood was shed as a propitiation for our sins
- Third, we learn to bow down in worship as we submit and humble ourselves to God
Today, we see that worship defines and redeems our existence on earth
What do I mean by that?
Worship defines our existence on earth because it defines our identity
Worship is what we were created for by a loving God, but worship is not an earthly activity
Worship is a heavenly activity
And the union of heaven and earth is what the bible is all about
TOUCHING HEAVEN
A couple of weeks ago I shared the original corporate vision statement of Integrity Music, a Christian record label, which begins,
There is one thing we do on earth that we will continue to do in heaven. That is to praise and worship God. That is why we view life on earth, for those who love Jesus, as choir practice for heaven.
Worship is the only thing that earth has in common with heaven
Worship, where creation glorifies their Creator out of a loving relationship is the original purpose
Where WE glorify OUR Creator
The worship of the saints - the redeemed - confirms and celebrates the redemptive work of Jesus Christ
How Jesus came from heaven to earth, to show the Way
From the the earth to the cross, my debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
And when 2 or 3 believers gather to worship, we have the Church . There is no church without worship
And to be clear, remember that worship is so much more than what we think it is
More than the music
It’s the reading and receiving of the Word of God
It’s this, listening to an explanation of the bible
It’s sitting attentively to receive
In verses 13-19 of today’s passage, we read a LOT more about rituals and sacrifices and consecrating and cleansing
It’s a running theme throughout chapters 29-30 because it is a critical aspect of worship
Worship is only possible because of the forgiveness of sins through the sacrifice and blood that pays the debt of our sin
But for us today, we don’t have to sacrifice animals at church anymore because of Jesus
Because Jesus became the Lamb of God who died once and for all and His blood cleanses and purifies ALL who believe once and for all
So for the redeemed, we can come to worship just as we are, because who we are is purified by the blood of Jesus.
This was the purpose of all the laws, rituals, sacrifices and observances of the Old Testament
The need for them has not disappeared
We still need the laws and sacrifices
Jesus has just superseded them
The Old Testament “stuff” seems strict, restrictive, and mandated
But it had and still has the most important purpose
To show us the way to God and heaven
It is how a sinner can approach heaven - the presence of God
The temple and everything that happens in it were so important in the Old Testament and to the Israelites because it is where people can meet God
Where heaven meets earth
A worshipping church is heaven on earth
A worshipping church is obsessed with Christ
Even though there’s so much strictness with observing the laws and rituals of sacrifice and purification
The interesting or even shocking thing is that technically, Hezekiah and the people do a few things WRONG
They hold the event in the WRONG month!
Verse 2-4 mentions that they could not keep the Passover in the proper 1st month, so they decide to push it back to the second month
And then verse 18, people ate the Passover BEFORE they were cleansed through sacrifices!
As Hezekiah admits in verse 19, “even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.”
But this is not held against Hezekiah and the people
FOR, verse 18 says, Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying,
“May the good Lord pardon everyone who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.”
What is technically wrong and compromises are actually forgiven
For those who set their heart to seek God
God desires obedience of the heart more than the technically correct sacrifices
Proper worship is more about the heart, not the technicalities.
Worship is immersed in the grace of God
Worship is experiencing the grace of God personally
In Jeremiah 31, while the Israelites were exiled from their homeland and taken captive by foreign powers, God comforted them, saying,
- “I have loved you with an everlasting love;
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.
From the beginning, God never sees nor addresses people as tools or his property
Children, yes, but never as slaves or in any dehumanizing way
God has always been clear that humanity was created IN HIS IMAGE for a truly loving relationship
Best explained as a Father and child relationship
That is who we are and who He is
And like a child, we crave an absolutely loving relationship
So does God
Which is why He sent Jesus to us
So that we are not defined by our mistakes and sins
By our limitations and weaknesses
But we are defined by the blood of Jesus as a child of God
A child of heaven and eternity.
2. Changing Earth
I don’t know how much experience or knowledge you have with religions and spiritual practices in the world other than Christianity, but I think the Church and worship of Christians has 1 thing that all others seem to lack - JOY
I have seen peace, contentment, very sombre and serious
But rarely, if ever, JOY
If you read through verse 21-26, the second half of today’s passage, the recurring theme is joy and gladness. People are singing with joy, praising, and bringing offerings of peace and thanksgiving
This is after a lot of people scoffed and mocked what Hezekiah was trying to do
Their shortcomings in trying to keep the most important religious festival
And even breaking some rules of worship
Right in the middle of today’s passage, we have the linchpin
Hopefully some of you remember what I’ve said in the past - in Hebrew writing, the most important point is always in the middle
For Hezekiah had prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon everyone 19 who sets his heart to seek God, the Lord, the God of his fathers, even though not according to the sanctuary's rules of cleanness.” 20 And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.
The people had an intercessor who prayed for them
And God heard the prayer and answered by healing the people
With this, everything changes
People change
A people that was divided into 2 kingdoms come together (though notice there is no full reunification)
The priests and Levites who were in charge of leading worship rededicated and committed themselves to ministry with passion.
People who scorned and mocked the call to return to worship couldn’t stop worshipping
Even foreigners - Gentiles joined in the worship!
THIS is supposed to be very wrong! A very shocking thing
Because of the prayer of King Hezekiah and God responding to that prayer
Worship transforms the world as it transforms us
Because of everything I’ve been talking about today and the last few weeks
I may not see it, you may not realize it, but you being here today is transforming you
Experiencing and knowing God heals us from the chaos in our lives and returns joy as we worship
Worship can actually heal us from the underlying things that keep us from experiencing joy
Today’s passage doesn’t talk about physical healing, but Jesus healed heaps of people in that way
So keep praying for healing of every kind
And ask for prayers - and keep asking for prayers
You can ask me, Rob, the person next to you right now, the person that says hi to you in the foyer after the service
God can even heal the inexplicable and darkest things we go through and experience in life
I’m not saying it’s easy for us
But I am saying GOD CAN
God can and also does use people
King Hekeziah has obviously been the catalyst as we have gone through 2 Chronicles 29-30, calling people to return to worship God.
We see Jesus in Hezekiah
He calls and shows people the way to God
He is praying for people and specifically for God to forgive their sins
And he is continually encouraging his people to give their utmost to worship
We all need someone like Hezekiah to help and encourage us
Who has the Spirit of Jesus to become His hands and feet
It is not a weakness to ask for help when we lack courage
It is right for us to ask for help from our Father/Dad in heaven
He LOVES it when we go to Him
Worship is knowing how much we need God
And God has placed us in a community called the Church
Also called a body, that you are a part of
The body has many members - all together with Jesus as the head
Worship leads us to serve another as we serve God
One of the easiest ways to serve a brother or sister is by being an encourager
The word encourage literally means to “give courage” or “To put heart into someone or to place courage inside them.
All believers have Christ in us, who is the hope of glory
And all we need to do is to give people Christ
His truth, love, and life
Worship redeems our existence on earth
To be mini-versions of Jesus in the world
And this happens after the grace of Jesus changes us in our lives
As we are transformed, our families are transformed, and as our families are transformed, our neighbourhoods will be transformed and eventually our nation and people
We worshippers, touch heaven; we change
the earth in Jesus name
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