Thesis: We must worship the correct god in the correct way, which turns out to be a very political statement in the midst of the civil religions and cultural paganism surrounding us.
Revelation 1.1-11 (B Christ the King, Year C 2Easter).
This sermon gets at the concepts of how the Alternate Life intersects with (especially) corporate worship carried out visibly in an unfriendly context. The first part of this sermon is essentially the same as the last part of 4000 Years and Still Worshiping. This content leads to describing Roman Imperial Worship and its impact on the church in Revelation. The Implications section at the very end will be controversial in some churches.
Keep worship free from the contamination of civil religion. (Avoid national flags, songs, celebrating national holidays, and suggesting how people should vote)
Keep worship free from the contamination of the unhealthy values of the culture.
Take positions on moral issues as part of the Alternate Kingdom, without joining a secular “side.”
Come to worship to give praise and thanks to God and to make a statement to the powers of this world that we are primarily citizen’s of God’s Kingdom.
We have not really worshiped by listening to others worship.
Blessings, Tim