Worship
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Altars
Altars
There is no altar in Gen 1-3.
We see an offering offered to God for first time in Genesis 4:3, although it doesnt mention an altar.
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,
First mention of altar is in Genesis 8
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
We see Adams family sacrificing to the Lord, then we see a period where people seem to be very wicked, then we see Noah and his family building an altar after the flood.
Altars are not a good thing because they have to be proceeded by sin. No SIN, NO ALTAR.
Yet they are a good thing because they signify a spirit of repentance in a person.
NOW THAT SPIRIT CAN NOT ALWAYS BE RIGHT. We have seen false worship through the years of history.
But people understand that gods or God is bigger and better.
Notes from https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hbd/a/altar.html#:~:text=Old%20Testament%20The%20Hebrew%20word%20for%20altar%20that,primarily%20as%20places%20of%20sacrifice%2C%20especially%20animal%20sacrifice.
Altar is a structure used in worship as the place for presenting sacrifices to God or gods.
The word for altar in old testament means slaughter or place of slaughter.
Thats pretty gory.
Animals werent the only thing sacrificed on altar in OT though. Grain, fruit, wine, and incense were too.
So the cross became an altar in a manner of speaking. A sacrifice for our sin.
There is lots of thoughts and discussion on whether “altars” should be in the New Testament church now that killing animals is no longer necesarrry since Jesus paid the final price for sin.
But most agree that if there is one now (like the front of the stage), its a place to confess sin and to meet God.
The altar was always the bridge between us and God.
It was a weak broken bridge.
NOW WE HAVE CHRIST
Hebrews 4:14–16 (ESV)
14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
So lets move along a little more.
Why do we worship and how do we worship?
Do we still kill animals, has Jesus changed our worship at all?
John 4:23 says that we should worship in spirit and truth. Where do we find truth? (ask)
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
So theres a lot of discussion on this, but at the very least, what we do in worship should be based on scripture.
Lets dig a little deeper.
Worship was and is this act of coming to God.
So the better question is:
How do we now come to God? (ask crowd)
Answer is Christ.
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
So our worship should be about Christ and through Christ.
Sound right?
Our songs and messages should be about Christ, God, and His bible.
Romans 12:1-2 help us understand how this all works.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Since worship no longer is physically sacrificing animals, then what should it be? John 4 says in spirit and truth.
These verses help us understand what Jesus meant by that.
verse 2 helps us understand what verse 1 means.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
So worshipping God is now presenting our complete person and selfs to go in a pleasing form.
That is pretty difficult.
What are some things I see others doing in during singing worship?
singing, raising hands, closing eyes, rocking, crying, staring,
why do we do these?
Some are natural reactions of humans to the situation.
Some are from scripture.
Raising Hands in worship from Christianity.com
There is no shortage of Bible verses that encourage or command God's people to raise their hands in worship. David sang in Psalm 134:1-3: "Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD, who stand by night in the house of the LORD! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the LORD!" (ESV).
David also declared that he would lift up his hands to God's "commandments" (Psalm 119:48) and toward God's "holy sanctuary" (Psalm 28:2).
Several other verses we should consider on this topic include:
Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension (1 Timothy 2:8).
Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them...(Leviticus 9:22).
Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven (1 Kings 8:22).
And all the people answered, 'Amen, Amen!' while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground(Nehemiah 8:6).
Indeed, I lift up My hand to heaven, And say, as I live forever (Deuteronomy 32:40).
I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name (Psalm 63:4).
May my prayer be counted as incense before You; The lifting up of my hands as the evening offering (Psalm 141:2).
It is helpful at this point to understand that the most common word used for worship in the New Testament is proskyneo, which means "to kiss."
This demonstration of love, appreciation, or worth giving can be seen when a subject lays on the ground and kisses the feet of their king. We see this physical expression of worship exemplified in Scripture in passages such as Psalm 47:1 and 134:2.
When we are worshiping God whether in singing, talking, praying, or shouting, we extend or lift our hands to God to physically signify our intentions, to ask for or accept a blessing, to make ourselves vulnerable and open to the Holy Spirit's ministry in our hearts (as opposed to closing our fists and crossing our arms).
To direct our praise upward to God through the pointing of our arms and hands, and even to cheer for the victory that we have in Christ over sin, death, and hell.
Maybe share testimony about Student Life camp at Covenant College on Lookout mountain. - where i first worshipped in song worship.
What questions do you have?
This starts with a relationship with Jesus. Do you have one?
You cannot worship from any other spot but an active relationship with Jesus. Anything else is false worship.
Next week we will get a chance to spend an hour worshipping in song. But will it be a time of spirit and truth?