"...and this is the gate of heaven". Genesis 28:17b

These words where uttered by Jacob after awakening from a dream. His dream was about a ladder that stretched from the earth to heaven and angels were ascending and descending. And the Lord was standing at the top of the ladder and spoke to Jacob, telling he would give him the land where he slept.

Jacob awoke and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not".

How many times do we enter the doors of our churches out of pure habit. How many times have we gone to church and not participated in worship. Maybe they weren't singing the songs we liked or the music was too loud.

How many times has the Lord been there, "...and we knew it not"?

It's time that we stop being an audience of spectators and start being an audience of participators.

It's time to move from Program Worship to Participatory Worship.

• Program Worship is about something rather than to someone
• Programs are typically passive
• Program Worship invites judgement

We must plan for God to be the source rather than the topic of worship.

We have to shift our emphasis from whether I am pleased to whether God is pleased...

"God" - What else can we say?

God is like Coca-Cola,
He's the real thing.
God is like Pepsi,
He's got a lot to give.
God is like Pan Am,
He makes the going great.
God is like Chevrolet,
He is building a better way.
God is like Dodge,
You can depend on Him.
God is like Dial soap,
He gives around-the-clock protection.
God is like Hallmark cards,
He cared enough to send the best.
God is like Bayer aspirin,
He works wonders.
God is like Alka-Seltzer,
Try Him, you'll like Him.
God is like Scotch tape,
You can't see Him, but he's there!

The Excellency of Christ

Christ's excellency (opposite ends of the spectrum brought to one place) brings to the picture every aspect of Who He is. 

• He is the God-Man...when he fell asleep in the hinder part of the boat He was man(he slept); but when He stepped to the bow and spoke to the storm He was God(there was a great calm)
• He is the Lion and the Lamb...Lion meaning royalty, power, strength...Lamb meaning gentlness, humbleness, led without a single word to the cross.
• Alpha & Omega...everything that needs to be said, expressed, everything that you can possibly need or want can be expressed between Alpha and Omega.

This is why it is impossible to know Him as Savior but not experience Him as Lord.  I read about this doctrine a few years ago and all of it's silliness.  Can you jump in the river and not get wet?  Can you touch a flame and not get burned?  Can you jump off the Empire State Building and not fall down?
Falling down is a part of the experience of jumping off; getting burned is a part of the experience of touching an open flame; getting wet is inherently  a part of jumping in a river; AND experiencing Him as Lord is a part of proclaiming Him as Savior.