Authentic Worship

John 4:19–26 NIV84

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”

Today, I want to talk to you about the importance of worship. Worship is not just something we do on Sunday mornings; it is a way of life. It is a way of acknowledging God's goodness and grace in our lives and responding with gratitude and praise.

When we worship God, we are expressing our love, devotion, and adoration for Him. We are recognizing His sovereignty, His power, and His majesty. We are humbling ourselves before Him and acknowledging that we are utterly dependent on Him for everything.

The Bible tells us that we were created to worship God. In Psalm 95:6, we read, "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Worship is an essential part of our relationship with God. It reminds us of who He is and who we are in relation to Him.

Worship is not just about singing songs or raising our hands; it is about giving our whole selves to God. In Romans 12:1, we read, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship." When we worship God, we offer our whole selves to Him - our thoughts, our actions, our words, and our relationships.

Worship is also a way of experiencing God's presence. When we worship, we invite God's Spirit to move in our hearts and minds. We open ourselves up to His guidance and direction. In John 4:23-24, Jesus says, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth." When we worship in Spirit and truth, we experience the fullness of God's presence in our lives.

When we worship, we are not just going through the motions or performing a ritual. We are engaging in a spiritual act that has the power to transform us from the inside out. When we worship, we are aligning ourselves with God's will and purposes for our lives. We are allowing Him to shape us into the people He created us to be.

“A budget is a theological document. It indicates who or what we worship.” James S. Hewett

1. Worship is not about a location, it is to God

Adore is another word for worship

At Arise Church, part of our mission is to Adore the Triune God

We use Adore as a synonym for Worship

This means that we must worship Him with our hearts as well as our minds. We must love Him with all our hearts, souls, and minds.

When we worship God in Spirit and in Truth, we are showing Him that we truly love Him and that we want to be close to Him.

We are showing that we are willing to repent of our sins and walk with Him in obedience.

We are showing that we want to know Him more and that we want to follow His plan for our lives.

In the gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells his disciples, “You cannot serve God and money.”

Money is a powerful thing, it has the ability to give us what we want, and it often becomes the most important thing in our lives.

But when we put our trust in God, we realize that he is the only thing that can give us true peace and happiness.

When we put our faith in Him, we learn that he has greater plans for us than just wealth.

In fact, GOD wants us to be wealthy and blessed, but he wants us to be Blessed through him. Paul explains that “the love of money is the root of all evil

We Christians believe that we should worship God wherever we are, and that we do not need to go to a special holy place to do so.

We believe that God is present in all places and that He can be worshipped anywhere.

2. Adoring God is my response to His love

Adore God passionately — With all of your heart

Mt 22:37-38 “37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.”

Beware of the pretenders

We must also be honest with Him, and ourselves.

We cannot pretend to be something we are not, or try to hide our sins from Him.

John 3:16-17 “16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

God demonstrates His love by giving His Son

We adore Him in response

Because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, we can be forgiven for all our sins.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

3. Adoring God is giving back to HIM

Adore God Mindfully

Be aware of all that God has done for you

We should all be aware of the many blessings that God has bestowed upon us

Everything we have is a gift from Him, and we should be grateful for all that we have

Unfortunately, we often take things for granted and forget to be grateful for them

Just look around you. Everything is created by God. He is everything

Consider your strengths and weaknesses in addition to your shortcomings

Think About All That He Has Done for You When it feels like your world is crashing down around you, it can be hard to see anything positive

In moments like these, it is important to remember all of the good things that God has done for you in the past

He is always faithful, and He will never let you down

Sometimes, when times are tough, it can feel like God is far away

But He is always there, and He cares about you more than you could ever imagine

Remember that He is on your side, and He will help you through whatever you are facing

No matter how difficult your situation may seem, God is still with you

Look beyond your lacks

4. Adoring God means using your abilities for Him

Adore God by focusing your attention on Him

Adore God Authentically with my skills

Adoring God means using your abilities for Him

There are many ways to adore God, but using your God-given gifts for His glory is one of the most important

It means being grateful for your gifts and using them to glorify Him

It also means being humble and recognizing that everything you have comes from Him

When we use our talents for God, He blesses us and gives us even more

He gives us opportunities to share our faith and make a difference in the lives of others

So, use your gifts wisely and always give Him the glory!

When we use our talents and abilities to praise and worship Him, we are showing our gratitude and love for Him

So, brothers and sisters, let us make worship a priority in our lives. Let us come before God with open hearts and minds, ready to offer ourselves to Him in praise and thanksgiving. Let us seek His presence and guidance as we worship Him in Spirit and truth.

As we continue to develop our relationship with God through worship, it is important to remember that worship is not just about us. It is also about the community of believers around us. When we worship together, we strengthen our bonds with each other and with God.

In Hebrews 10:24-25, we read, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." When we worship together, we encourage each other in our faith and in our daily lives.

So, let us not neglect the importance of gathering together for worship. Let us make it a priority to attend church and to participate in other worship opportunities with fellow believers. Let us encourage each other as we continue to grow in our relationship with God.

In conclusion, let us make worship a priority in our lives. Let us offer our whole selves to God in Spirit and in truth, seeking His presence and guidance. Let us worship together as a community of believers, encouraging each other in our faith and in our daily lives. Thank you for listening, and may God bless you in your journey of worship.