Introduction

·        Celebrating national holidays causes us to remember our collective past, to be thankful for our present prosperity, and to have hope for a bright tomorrow.

·        Worship also should remind us of what God has done, what God is doing now, and what God will do soon.

One man’s reason to celebrate and worship is our example.

·        The lame man outside the temple was “lame from his mother’s womb and had no hope be being cured (Acts 3:1–2).

·        Peter said, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”

·        The lame man leaped up and walked, praising God in the temple.

·        The man was not concerned about what others might be thinking of him.

What’s the difference between worship and praise?

·        Praise is external; worship is internal; praise is what we do; worship is what we feel.

·        Worship is input, the inner recognition that we have received God’s blessing. Praise in the output, the outward response to what we feel on the inside.

·        Our problem is that we are taught to breathe in the majesty of God but to hold our breath and not release a spontaneous celebration of praise.

·        The lame man’s witness caused people to notice and be filled with wonder and amazement (Acts 3:9–10).

·        Worship is directly related to witnessing.

We have three reasons for celebration worship.

·        Big Idea: We celebrate in worship because of what God has done, what he is doing, and what he will do.

·        Like the lame man, we are in desperate condition before we encounter God’s grace.

      -     Ephesians 2:1–10; Colossians 1:13

·        Where we are today is not perfection; God is still working on the sin in our lives.

      -     Philippians 3:12; Psalm 1:1-6

      -     Illustration: Chuck Swindoll tells of a missionary Marine whose ministry was    stressful and difficult, but his time spent worshiping revolutionized his life.

·        We celebrate because of where we will be tomorrow—in eternity.

      -     1 Corinthians 15:19; John 14:2–3; 1 John 3:2