The Real Practice of Faith – August 16, 2026
Psalm 139:1-12, Matthew 28:16-20
August 16, 2026
So, last week, Pastor Kari talked to us about worship. She told us that, when we come into this place, we need to realize – or to rediscover – how great our God is. We need to have a sense that he is the great creator of all that’s around us! His power and majesty are beyond our comprehension. “He rides on the wings of the wind, and makes fire and flame his messengers!”
That’s the God who promised to be with us when we gather for worship! That’s the God whose spirit dwells in our hearts! That’s the God we come to this place to connect with! And yes, maybe we do need seat belts and crash helmets! And that’s why, when we begin worship, I often say, “Take a moment, set aside all your own thoughts and concerns, and concentrate on God’s presence with you – right here – right now!
That presence is too easy to forget, isn’t it? It’s too easy to be distracted from. It’s too easy for us to let the usual things we do in our lives become mundane and almost meaningless. We need to practice being in God’s presence and concentrating on his spirit with us!
I was grateful for that message! Because sometimes even worship itself can be distracting, too. It is too easy to be concentrating on all the details of what we do here in worship, and forget the real focus of worship. (As the song says, “It’s all about you, Jesus!”) But it’s too easy to think of “worship” as a noun, when, in its purest form, worship is a verb. (“Oh no, he’s doing that ‘grammar thing’ again!”) But that’s it! Isn’t it? Worship isn’t something we “go to.” It’s something we do! – All of us. So thank you for that sermon, Kari.
Today I want us to be thinking about the next level of all that. The presence of the living God is what happens – or is supposed to happen – when we’re here in this special place. But what happens when we go out of those doors? As you’ve heard me say, this is where we practice feeling the presence of God, this is where we try to get a sense of God’s majesty, this is where we practice worshipping God, so that we can continue to do those things the rest of the week! Because that’s “the real practice of faith!” It is being God’s people!
That’s what I want you to see today – and every day, for that matter! The real practice of faith begins when we leave here. And that’s where so many Christians miss the boat. They get to the end of a Sunday worship service, and they say to themselves, “Ok, that’s over for the week.” But no! That’s where it begins!
I want you to see that we’re talking about “daily worship.” And what is that? What does “daily worship” look like to you? And notice, it isn’t necessarily the same things we do here in “corporate worship.” But then again, sometimes even in “corporate worship” we miss the boat! Sometimes what we do here, becomes less about concentrating on our connection with God, and more about doing those things we do when we’re in worship. The idea is that all of those things we do here point us to that connection! Otherwise, it’s just some nice music and prayers and words.
Well, daily worship is about that same emphasis. It’s about recognizing God in the world around us, and in our ordinary world. And sometimes that’s hard! Some people have said there is no God, simply because they look around, and all they see is the world in a big mess. And sometimes, when I look around, it seems they have a good argument! Seeing God in all that is hard sometimes. It takes being intentional about it. It takes choosing to be in that “God mode,” where we’re thinking about his presence!
There’s a slide out on our sign that I use off and on. (I rotate them around.) And this one is out there now. I don’t remember where I got it, but it says this. “Those who leave everything in God’s hands, eventually see God’s hand in everything.” That’s what we’re talking about here. Focusing on God, and “seeing God’s hand in everything.”
When we do that, when we practice that focus on God, then the “true practice of faith” is not just being good people, and living the way God wants us to. And that’s important! But more than that, it’s about developing a life of worship. And a life of worship is more than just being a good person. It’s consciously living in the presence of God! It is recognizing God’s presence, its listening for God, its responding to God, its praising God, its turning our attention toward God throughout the ordinary day. Being a good person just naturally flows from that.
So, it’s all about living in God’s presence! I love the words of the Psalmist. “Where can I go from your presence, Lord?” And his conclusion? “Wherever I am, you are there!” Let those words ring in your ears this week. Hear that question go around in your mind. “Where can I go from your presence, Lord?” And it’s a rhetorical question. Because the answer is “Nowhere!” So, living the life of worship is about knowing that, and it’s about concentrating on God’s presence every day. That’s the real “practice of faith.”
But before we do that, we need to be sure of what we’re doing here in this place. Because worship here isn’t just about the standard songs and prayers and inspiration. And again, those things are great! But again, their purpose is to point us to our connection with God! And when we know that, when we practice that, it helps us with what happens when we go out those doors.
Then, when we leave here, we take with us the real practice of faith! And again, that’s more than just being a good person. And again, that’s a good thing! Being kind is good. Being honest is good. Helping somebody is good. But daily worship is more than simply doing good things. It’s remembering that connection with God. It’s noticing God in the ordinary moments of the day. It’s giving thanks. It’s praying. It’s listening. (And listening is a forgotten part of prayer, isn’t it!) Daily worship is recognizing God’s creation in others. It’s seeing that the person standing in front of you as a person God loves! Daily worship is stopping in the middle of a busy day and remembering, “I am in the presence of God.”
I love that Christians changed their worship day. Worship used to be Saturday, the seventh day. But now it’s Sunday – the day of Jesus’ resurrection. It used to be that you’d get to the end of the week, and then worship. And it was sort of a “recap.” You could thank God for all that happened, and then maybe start to think about the next week. I like that we Christians now start out the week with worship. That makes it more of a preparation for the week ahead. It sets us up for that daily worship!
Actually, the Jews do have it right on a day to day basis. Because, as you might know, their day begins at sundown. The day then begins with rest and reset, rather than ending with sleep after exhaustion. That’s like starting the week with worship! That’s like starting the week connecting with God! And that connection, that daily fellowship with God, is what we’re talking about today.
We also read today from the very end of Matthew – chapter 28. And for a long time, many people have referred to this passage as “The Great Commission.” Maybe you’ve heard that. That’s because it’s been seen as a statement of Jesus that calls – or commissions – all believers to “go and make disciples.”
But as you know, I was taught to think of Bible passages a little differently than tradition may have taught them. You know, like how Jesus may have been the “wee little man,” rather than Zachaeus. And how the Story of the Prodigal Son may have actually been about the older brother.
Well, I’m thinking this week that this passage called “The Great Commission,” may also be thought of as “The Great Assurance.” Jesus’ statement that day to his disciples may not have been as much about the great task he had just given them, to make disciples of all nations. His emphasis may have been, “Now that I’ve given you that great task, know for sure that I am always with you – to the close of the age.” Do you see that? That’s “The Great Assurance!”
So when we’re talking about the real practice of faith,” the everyday living of the faith, however difficult that might seem to us, however life-changing it is – and it is life-changing – we can rest in that great assurance that it’s not just something we do by our own strength and determination. We have the assurance – the promise – that Jesus is with us… always!
Knowing that, concentrating on that, living that, is the real practice of faith! It’s developing that awareness of Jesus in our lives. It’s knowing he is walking beside us, giving us strength. And he’s enjoying the connection he has… with us!
Prayer
Eternal God, we are amazed that you have created all things, and that you want to be in connection with us. Help us grow in our awareness of that connection every day! Help us to live lives of worship – daily worship – every day. By the way we live, may people know that we are yours! For we pray in your name, Amen.