Party People

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Until we get celebration right we miss a significant part of the character of God.  There is a misbelief in the church that to be serious about your faith you must be solemn and unfun.  The reality is celebration and joy are at the very heart of Jesus. Join us for the conclusion of our series NOT YOUR ORDINARY CHURCH SERVICE and as we celebrate 9 years of God’s faithfulness to Awakening Church.

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Scripture

  • 1 Chronicles 16
  • Deuteronomy 14:22-29
  • Hebrews 12:1-2
  • Nehemiah 8:10
  • Psalm 34:8
  • Revelations 21-22

More from Not Your Ordinary Church Service

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Teaching Notes

Why does a church throw a birthday party? How do we become a joy-filled church in the midst of a joy-sucking world?

 

Embrace the SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE of Celebration.

 

 

THOU SHALT CELEBRATE: Deuteronomy 14:22-29

 

Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and olive oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the Lord your God always…

 

Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the Lord your God and rejoice.

Deuteronomy 14:23,26

 

 

Celebration centers on SOMETHING or SOMEONE worth celebrating.

 

Celebration is a way of engaging in actions that orient the spirit toward worship, praise and thanksgiving. Delighting in all the attentions and never-changing presence of the Trinity fuels celebration. - Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

 

 

Celebration completes worship because we enjoy ourselves, our life, our world, in conjunction with our faith and confidence in God’s greatness, beauty, and goodness. Typically this means that we come together with others who know God to eat, drink, to sing and dance, and to relate stories of God’s action in our lives.  - Dallas Willard

 

 

Celebration is central to all the Spiritual Disciplines. Without a joyful spirit of festivity the Disciplines become dull, death-breathing tools in the hands of modern Pharisees.  - Richard Foster

 

A GREAT CELEBRATION:

 

 

  • Remembers the FAITHFULNESS of God. 1 Chronicles 16

  • Savors the GOODNESS of God. (Psalm 34:8; 145:3-8)

  • Infuses STRENGTH to persevere. (Nehemiah 8:10, Hebrews 12:1-2)

  • Mirrors the ACTIVITY of heaven. (Luke 15, Revelations 21-22)

  • Is a full BODY SPORT.

 

SHOUT for Joy (Psalm 100, Psalm 98:4)

SING for Joy (Psalm 126:2-3, Psalm 28:7)

DANCE for Joy (2 Samuel 6:14, Psalm 30:11)