Values of Worship: Worship as a Spiritual Discipline

I once heard a religious saying that says something to the effect of worship being “an outward expression of an inward disposition...” In the moment I thought it profound...

Unfortunately, this saying does not appear to add up. Today across many churches there are people who are shouting from the top of their lungs and yet they are not worshipping,..

In the same way, someone can be sitting with a solemn look on their face and be fully engaged in deep contemplative worship.

When we consider the work of corporate worship there is a duty we are called into…

The worship team has the privilege of leading the body into corporate worship but they are not here for your entertainment.

That is to say, there is a need to express with our lips the praises, adoration and songs of the Lord. In the corporate setting we lift our voice in unison. The lighting, visual effects, artistic talent bring a varying dimension to our worship but are not in themselves worship.

A greater reality sets in when we consider this platitude “Whether you know it or not you are worshipping something” taking this into consideration there is a question that surfaces “Who am I worshipping?” What are we telling of? and what is the legacy?

The minstrel in Medival Times would tell the secrets of the Kingdom

It is or this reason that as a body of believers the Church we need to be careful to not create a group of people that just show up to consume programs and production, instead we need to together create an atmosphere of authentic genuine worshippers… this is accomplished when we make of our worship a spiritual discipline.

Our Corporate Worship Tells of Kingdom Leaving a Generational Legacy

Revelation 19:6–8 ESV

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

Tremendous Warfare leads to a Celebration

Rejoicing in Heaven

imagery of created and uncreated beings are

The heavens roaring (multitudes)

The whole of creation trembling

The Wedding Feast will be Filled with Worship

If the hosts of heaven dedicate themselves to the work of corporate worship how much more should? How can we deny what we have been created for?

Individual Worship in the Trial

Matthew 4:8–10 ESV

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ”

Jesus exemplifies what our response should look like even in the trial

What does the enemy offer you;

in exchange for your muted prayers and worship

in exchange for your silence

In exchange for your worship?

The Lord differs to the word of God in all instances “Worship the Lord your God...”

Bob Kauflin writes;

no one is excused from worship… even those with no musical ability… what matters is the song that you have to sing

The Corporate Setting

When we worship in our individual setting coming together in the corporate with song becomes easier...

This holy gathering shakes the very ground we stand on, and is our response

it is the sound of the body of believers roaring even as the heavens roar

Psalm 107:1–7 ESV

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in.

This is the song of the redeemed

He did not forget about you or I

He went and gathered us

gave us a city to dwell in

How could we but lift our song to Him

We can no longer live in the space of I did not get anything out of the worship service… you came to give Him worship

what if I don’t have a song?

Corporately We Declare the Song He Gives Us

Psalm 40:1–3 ESV

I waited patiently for the Lord; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the Lord.

In the Pit of despair we turn to Him

He Responds and Reveals Himself to US

He Puts a New Song in Us His People… Its a Song of Praise

The Big WHY;

All will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord

Our Corporate Worship has an Intergenerational Impact

Psalm 78:2–3 ESV

I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

Declare

Parables=Proverbs, wise sayings

Dark=enigmas

Taught by the fathers

Our Declaration Teaches all of those around us… we engender those who are around us

Psalm 78:4–8 ESV

We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers to teach to their children, that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments; and that they should not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation whose heart was not steadfast, whose spirit was not faithful to God.

v4 When we refuse to open our mouths to sing we deny the next generation

they are watching how you worship… (how could we not express our worship)

v5-7 Our walk yes even the muck and mire will serve as testimony through our song the generations cannot forget and are drawn to His commands

v8 teaches them to be faithful

Corporate worship is not about what we come to receive its about what we come to give

Corporate worship as a unified body tells the world of His greatness and tells of His fidelity

All of this is birthed out of our individual spiritual discipline, and then we pour out with all we have to tell the world beginning with the next generation…