We Believe: Worship

Good morning. Welcome to CCC we are so glad each of you are here with us this morning. Hard to believe it is October but I will tell you I am loving these cool mornings!

As you can tell this morning is different than normal. Normally we have a song, then communion followed by 3 more songs then sermon however, I felt God leading me to do things different today.

Lets Pray

START OBS

What is worship? We just saw a “round table” discussion so to speak of Christians discussing worship and I think there were some very valid points mentioned there.

What is Worship? Is worship communion? Is worship signing songs together? Is worship tithing, giving money back to God through the local church? Is worship serving others, teaching Sunday School, leading Children’s church, doing communion meditations, running the computer and sound in the back, leading Bible studies......What is Worship?

I call what happens here every Sunday at 10:45 am a worship service. The last Sunday evening of every month we hold a worship night. What is worship?

I believe many Christians have a very wrong definition of worship. On one hand I get it....each church has its own definition and version of worship but on the other hand we live in a society, and as Christians even get caught up ourselves from time to time, that worships everything. The NFL has started so many worship NFL players and teams. Movie stars, rock stars, tv stars, politicians, politics itself our society worships everything but God.

Since that is the case then the question becomes Is it that we don’t understand worship or just refuse to accept God’s terms and definition of worship?

In Bible preaching and Bible teaching there is something called the Law of first mention. The Law of first mention is when you come across a word or an action or a phrase that is impactful or moves you, or commands you to do something one of the best ways to discern what God really means with that word or action or phrase is to find when it was first mentioned and look at the original word and context to try to understand what God really means.

Today I want to do just that with Worship.

Genesis 22:5

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“Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.””

Abraham says stay here with the donkey and the boy and I will go over there to worship, then we will come back to you.

This is the 1st time we see the Hebrew word Shachah translated to worship.

Let’s remember the story. Abraham and Sarah prayed for a child and God promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations but Sarah was about 90 and Abraham about 100 and no kid.

Finally God blessed them with Isaac. Here in Genesis 22 God called Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son Isaac. Worship.....taking the son he prayed for, longed for, rejoiced over and in, his most prized possession and kill it. Worship.

We will end up back here but for now turn to

Romans 12:1

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“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”

a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Worship. Abraham was called friend by God, not because he was going to sacrifice Isaac but because he knew God and loved Him. God promised Abraham he would be the father of nations, his decedents would be as the sand on the sea shore and Abraham believed God. He knew God. He fully trusted God. He worshiped God.

Now back to the law of first mention for a moment. Genesis 22 is not the first time shachah was used.

It was first used in

Genesis 18:1-3

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“The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground, and said, “My lord, if I have found favor with you, please do not go on past your servant.”

shachah is translated bowed to the ground here....this is the 1st time we see the word. The law of first mention applied to worship means at the heart of worship is bowing to the ground....reverence....surrender....respect. True Godly worship is humbling because worship acknowledges that God is greater than you.

From this I believe an accurate definition of worship based upon the law of 1st mention would be worship is a heart that is bowed, reverent, and humble toward God. A heart that knows God. A heart that will do anything God asks because it truly knows, believes, and fully follows God.

Worship must be a Christian’s lifestyle. If a pastor would say at the funeral of a Christian, “they lived a life of worship” there could be no greater compliment offered.

Since we have a definition of worship let’s look to God’s Word for what acts of worship look like here on earth. Acts of worship result from a heart of worship.

I Chronicles 16:23-31

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“Let the whole earth sing to the Lord. Proclaim his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples. For the Lord is great and highly praised; he is feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the Lord, families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; let the whole earth tremble before him. The world is firmly established; it cannot be shaken. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!””

Obviously singing to God is worship. Notice it doesn’t say sing hymns, or sing contemporary, or sing country…no it says sing to the Lord....again this is a heart issue not a style issue.

Worship style doesn’t matter but substance for sure matters.

Declare His glory, His wondrous works.

Sing how the Lord is great and to be feared above all god…this is reverence. Sing how the Lord made the heavens and earth…His glory!

Bring an offering....sacrifice…Let the whole earth tremble....bowed down...

What a wonderful picture of worship. Some of y’all don’t even sing, let alone worship.

Corporate worship is about letting go and truly praising God. Melody and Stephanie put prayer and meditation and hours into selecting our worship songs each and every week.

I challenge you to think about and truly sing the lyrics to God....not just count down to when worship will be over or be offended because your style or your song was not used. Worship has nothing to do with you and everything to do with God.

I only have one true rule for the worship team when it comes to songs....they have to be based on scripture

As the ladies were worshiping last Sunday night at worship night God placed this on my heart for this morning. I emailed it to myself from the pew as Melody and Stephanie were singing to the Lord

“I get the opportunity to worship and praise my Father. I am in. Let me sing or talk as loud as I can!!!!!”

You don’t have to come to church, you get to come to church, you have the opportunity to come to church

You don’t have to serve God through whatever your area of service is you get to, you have the opportunity to do so

You don’t have to worship you get to worship....you have the opportunity to worship!

If I asked who wanted to go to heaven right here and right now most if not all would raise your hands but many would be very dissapointed because heaven is worship

Worship is also to follow God’s provision in our lives

Daniel 2:19-23

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“The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him. He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals the deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. I offer thanks and praise to you, God of my ancestors, because you have given me wisdom and power. And now you have let me know what we asked of you, for you have let us know the king’s mystery.”

God revealed the mystery to Daniel.....What does Daniel do? He bows in worship.....He praised God

When was the last time God answered your prayer and your 1st response was worship? Bowing down to God. Praising God. Most Christians today say something like, what took so long? I didn’t think you heard me? God didn’t answer your prayer sooner because you lack faith......

WORSHIP! That is the response to God Period end of story!

James 1:17

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“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Every good gift. Anything good in your life is from God.....a gift from God. Praise Him for it. Thank Him for it. Worship Him for it.

A beautiful sunset or sunrise. Healthy kids and spouse.....a good job…A loving church family....waking up each day....All good gifts are from God

As Melody and I move into this new chapter in our lives I am realizing just how good of a gift from God she is in my life. Now that the business of raising kids and running from football game to wrestling match to track meet we have time for each other and our focus can be on God and our marriage. In that God has revealed to me just how precious my beautiful bride really is. I am so thankful for her and so grateful that God gave her to me. Worship Him for all the good gifts in your life.

The world screams we are self-made but that is not what God says

Luke 18:19

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“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.”

Anything you do that is good is from God! He made you. He blessed you. He allowed you to do it. Worship Him not you!

John 4:21-24

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“Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.””

Worship in Spirit. You don’t need music or a church or a pastor or a worship leader to worship. Worship is Spirit. God lives inside each of you who have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. Worship Him in Spirit. When you read the Word and God speaks to you through it Worship. When you have an experience that could have only come from God....Worship!!!!

Worship in Spirit and truth. Truth is the Word of God and the Word of God is Jesus. Your life must be filled with Jesus, and if your life is filled with Jesus worship will be a natural by product

I want to close with

Romans 12:1-2

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“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Living sacrifice

Pleasing and holy

Look at verse 2 Don’t be conformed to this age

How is that done, standing on God’s Word that is how

Swimming upstream in a culture against God

Chasing God when it costs you something, maybe even costs you your life.

Do not conform to this world.

How…be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You are not yours anymore. You are not the world’s anymore. You are not satan’s anymore. Jesus sought you and bought you. You are a child of God.....you get heaven when you deserve hell. You get to live where Jesus had to die. WORSHIP!

Melody and Stephanie are going to come up and we are going to worship together.

You may need to come to the altar before you can truly worship.....a leader will meet you here and pray with you.

Again this is but a form of worship. I beg you worship Jesus with all your heart and everything you have

Let go of this world. Let go of this place. Forget that there is anyone around you. Get with God and God alone.

Think about what you are singing....better yet as you sing pray to God....thank Him for all that you are and all that you have because it came from Him

Lose yourself in God’s greatness!