Episode Summary: "A TALE OF TWO WORSHIPPERS" | Paul Daugherty | Worship Series Pt. 3

Overview

This message from Pastor Paul Daugherty at Victory Church, Tulsa, draws on the Christmas story in Matthew 2 and Luke 1 to explore the concept of worship. Titled "A Tale of Two Worshippers," the sermon uses Herod and Mary as contrasting figures to unpack what true worship looks like—a choice between centering our lives on self or on Jesus. Pastor Paul brings humor, personal anecdotes, and cultural references while challenging listeners to a deeper, lifestyle-driven worship that outlasts Christmas and impacts everyday choices.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Is Worship Really About? (00:07–05:00)

• Worship is More Than a Song: Paul opens by reframing worship not as music or church liturgy, but as a daily lifestyle of obedience:

  “Worship is so much more than that. [...] Worship really is a lifestyle. It's a lifestyle of obedience.” (00:42)

• Christmas & Worship: He connects the Christmas story with the act of worship, emphasizing that everyone in the Biblical narrative is a worshipper, whether they realize it or not.

• Advent Reflections:

  • Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love: Paul reviews the Advent candles and their meanings, noting that our “hope is in Jesus,” “peace comes from Him,” “Jesus is our joy,” and “love is found in God’s gift.” (03:09–07:00)

The Tale of Two Worshippers: Herod and Mary (07:01–44:00)

Herod: The Self-Worshipper (07:01–22:00)

• Who Do You Worship?
  “It's not a question of if you will worship. It's a question of who you'll worship.” (07:31)

• Herod’s Insecurity and Self-Obsession:

  • Herod is painted as the ultimate example of a person who worships oneself, controlling, jealous, fearful, and destructive.

  “If you have even just an inkling in our heart of making life about us, throwing fits when we don't get our way... that's the spirit of Herod.” (10:23–11:10)

  • Describes the massacre of the innocents as the tragic extreme of this self-worship (14:00–15:40).

• Parallels to Modern Selfishness:

  • Makes the connection between Herod’s attitude (“my will, my way, my kingdom come”) and contemporary entitlement, self-absorption, and cultural narcissism (e.g., prioritizing sports, screens, or personal comfort over Jesus and others).

• Worship’s Consequences:

  • Herod’s obsession ends with his own destruction and “losing his breath” because he didn’t give it back to God:

    “When you don't give the breath back to the one who gave it to you, you lose it... Herod lost his breath, and he died.” (16:41)

Defining Worship Practically (22:00–30:00)

• Value and Devotion:
  “Worship is about value. What is the most valuable thing we could do with our lives?... Worship is where you put your focus.”

• Cultural Examples:

  • References to sports fandom, Taylor Swift fans, obsession with phones—showing how people regularly exhibit worship-like behavior in everyday life.

  • “Some of you that are like, 'I'm not a hand raiser in church,' let me watch you watch an OU football game at your house.” (22:00–25:00)

The Wise Men: Choosing the Right Object of Worship (25:00–34:00)

• The Wise Men’s Choice:
  The “wisest men in the world” made Jesus their object of worship; their journey is a counterpoint to Herod, and their humility, offering, and public devotion serve as examples.

  “The wisest men in the world decided that the most valuable thing they could do with their lives was not spend their time on screens or sports... it was all about bringing their offering to Jesus.”

• Joy in Worship:
  Worship brings joy that circumstances or material things can’t provide.

Mary: The Humble Worshipper (34:00–43:00)

• Mary’s Response:
  Unlike Herod’s troubled reaction rooted in pride and insecurity, Mary’s “troubled” heart comes from humility.

  “Mary was greatly troubled...not from a place of threatened or paranoid or insecure. She was like, 'Who am I that God would come to my house?'” (38:40)

• Mary as Role Model:
  Paul dispels the idea of worshipping Mary, emphasizing that she’s a vessel—like a delivery box for a pizza—while Jesus is the “bread of life.”

  “Mary realized, I'm just a box. I am not the main thing. The bread of life is about to flow through me.” (40:33)

The Song of Mary: The Essence of Humble Worship (43:00–44:00)

• Mary’s Magnificat:
  Mary declares,

  “My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior... for the Mighty One has done great things for me.” (43:00–44:00)

Key Contrasts Between Herod and Mary (41:45–44:00; summarized on-screen)

| Mary | Herod | |-------------------------|----------------------| | Humble | Prideful | | Filled with Faith | Filled with Fear | | Filled with Love | Filled with Hate | | Surrendered | Stubborn | | Willing to be inconvenienced | Resistant | | Here to serve | Here to be served | | Worships God | Worships self | | Gains legacy and peace | Loses everything |

• “One came to be served. One came to serve. Mary lived as a servant.” (42:55)

Application: Where’s Your Worship? (44:01–51:20)

• Self-Examination:
  Paul urges the audience to check their “charts” (priorities) and surrender anything—pride, comfort, distractions—that might be taking Jesus’ place.

• Challenging Listeners:

  “If the wisest men in the world found themselves bowing at the feet of a baby, what's holding you back in 2025 from finishing this year just saying, God, I surrender?” (44:00–45:00)

• Call for Humility & Surrender:
  “Your only path forward is humility. You’re not gonna make it in this next season if you hold onto your ego.” (43:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The question is not, are you a worshiper? The question is, who or what are you worshiping?” (07:30)
• “If you have even just an inkling in our heart of making life about us... that's the spirit of Herod.” (10:23–11:10)
• “Worship is happening on an hourly basis in our life, not just at church.” (20:41)
• “Mary realized, I'm just a box... I am not the main thing. The bread of life is about to flow through me.” (40:33)
• “Mary was humble... Herod was prideful. Mary was filled with faith, Herod was filled with fear.” (41:45)
• “Your only path forward is humility. This is a prophetic word for someone: the only path forward is humility.” (43:50)
• “If you don’t give God the breath he gave you, you’ll run out of breath. Give it back. Bring it to the altar.” (44:10)

Important Timestamps

• 00:07–03:10 — Introduction: Worship, Christmas & Kids
• 03:09–07:00 — Advent Candles: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love
• 07:01–14:00 — Herod: A Case Study in Self-Worship
• 15:40–18:00 — The Massacre of the Innocents & Modern Parallels
• 22:00–25:00 — What Does Worship Look Like in 2025? (Modern Examples)
• 25:00–29:40 — The Wise Men and Sustainable Joy
• 34:00–43:00 — Mary’s Humility, Her Song, and the Contrasts
• 43:45–44:55 — Tale of Two Worshippers: On-screen Character Contrasts
• 44:01–51:20 — Invitation to Self-Examination, Surrender, and Worship
• 50:24–51:20 — Closing Prayers and Application for Christmas Season

Final Blessing & Takeaways (51:07–End)

• Pastoral Prayer: Blessing over listeners for healing, peace, and restoration in the Christmas season.
• Challenge: Lay down ego, pride, and burdens—surrender to Jesus and make Him center.
• Corporate Prayer:

  “Jesus, you deserve the glory. I worship you. I give you my heart. I'm all yours… Have your way in my life, your kingdom come, your will be done. In Jesus name, amen. And amen.” (51:07–51:50)

Episode Tone

Pastor Paul’s tone is energetic, candid, and humorous, blending light-hearted observations (“I’m unhinged!”) with urgent spiritual challenges. Throughout, he emphasizes practical faith, humility, and returning focus to Jesus.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This sermon is a passionate call to shift from self-centered living (the "way of Herod") to Christ-centered worship (Mary’s way). As you enter the Christmas season—or any season—examine your priorities, surrender what needs surrendering, and remember: Worship is not a Sunday activity; it’s a daily life-choice. Choose humility, choose Jesus, choose joy, and you’ll leave a legacy that worships “in spirit and in truth.”