Liftinng Holy hands

Nehemiah 8:6 (CSB)

6 Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted all the people said, “Amen, Amen!” Then they knelt low and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

1 Kings 8:22 (CSB)

22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in front of the entire congregation of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven.

Psalm 28:2 (CSB)

2 Listen to the sound of my pleading when I cry to you for help, when I lift up my hands toward your holy sanctuary.

- Nehemiah 8:6, 1 Kings 8:22, Psalms 28:2

-Reverence Bestowed

I recall a time not long ago when an American President bowed down to a foreign Monarch.

It was quite the scandal.

Here was the world’s most powerful human man, bowing to a foreign leader, of another country and faith.

Bowing is not uncommon.

It is a sign/or a gesture of respect or even adoration.

It’s also a sign of worship sometimes,

In times past it was both, respect and Adoration.

When there were kings, you had to bow in the presence of kings, queens, etc…

Today, not so much.

In the US, we have a democracy as a form of government.

Where the law, makes “ALL” men equal, including those in highest echelon of our system of Governance.

So, we in the modern world, with the feudal system of government so long removed,

We see bowing in reverence Demeaning.

In a democratic system, we see every man as an equal.

As in a feudal system, their is a class hierarchy.

As their still is in the Hindu Cast system.

So that’s why it was such a shock to see our President, who by station, was the most powerful man, bowing to another.

- Many Seek Worship

Even in some religions, the leader often is met with bows and the kissing of the hand, or the feet etc…

This act of reverence is bestowed on the recipient.

And they gladly receive it.

I would never bow in reverence to any man because I am a Christian

And the Bible says, all men are equal before God.

And all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.

Therefore, they aren’t worthy of my adoration, worship, or bowing.

But that hasn’t stopped men from demanding it

All through out history we are told of kings who forcibly demanded Worship from its subjects.

Beginning with Nimrod all the way through the Bible to the devil Himself tempting Jesus in the wilderness

Matthew 4:9 (CSB)

9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.”

It was in Daniel’s time that Nebuchadnezzar tried to kill shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego.

The reason why Jesus would not bow down to worship the devil was because the devil is inferior to God.

The reason why we learn of those in history dying because they didn’t bow down

is because they knew the ones demanding worship weren’t God.

They were mere human men or women making them equal to us.

And we are commanded by God, not to bow down or worship any other God! period!

And many faithful martyrs pay to this day with their lives to keep that commandment

- Only God Deserves Worship

However, there are many instances in the Bible where God Showed up, in the for of (Theophanies,)

When God shows up in Human form.

We know this was God because He “received” worship of men

Joshua 5:13–15 (CSB)

13 When Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

14 “Neither,” he replied. “I have now come as commander of the Lord’s army.”

Then Joshua bowed with his face to the ground in homage and asked him, “What does my lord want to say to his servant?”

15 The commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did that.

You see, in the Bible when Angels appeared, we are told that those who saw them, immediately took them as something to be worshipped.

This is probably due to the awesome site they must present when they appear.

But, the Bible tells us that Angels, don’t accept worship.

Revelation 19:10 (CSB)

10 Then I fell at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers and sisters who hold firmly to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God, because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

So, we see that God does demand and receive worship

Now, I assume we all here realize, we aren’t equal to God?

He is the Alpha & Omega, the Creator of all that is.

If anyone deserves to be worshipped it would be God.

- How Should We Worship?

So, in the Bible it wasn’t considered weird or uncool to worship God.

I mean, real “personal” worship.

The Bible tells us about people like

David who danced naked before the Ark of the Covenant.

Others laid prostrate on the ground, with their noses against the ground in worship like Joshua.

They bowed, they laid prostrate, they sang, they praised.

And they worshipped God in all these ways.

As the Psalm 100 that we open with every week says.

Psalm 100:1 NKJV

1 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

So. I ask, “What happened to that kind of worship?

We don’t see much of that kind of worship these days?

We still come into His presence, but we don’t express that kind of adoration, or worship anymore.

Maybe it’s because we have been extremely blessed, we don’t feel the need to worship to that extreme anymore,

God, I hope that’s not the case.

Or do we kind of feel like it’s beneath us? Like when we see our president bow down to someone.

Do we feel like, we are too proud to express that kind of worship?

Ive heard someone once say a person can worship anyway they want.

But, I would venture to say, No, that’s not true!

We are told how to worship several times.

Psalms 100 for instance. and 1 Timothy 2:8 are examples.

Yes, worship is a personal and private conversation between you and the Lord,

But Sometimes it’s done in a public.

For instance, here among your brothers sisters in Christ

And it should be connected to emotion.

Granted, the emotion should not be the grandstander, or even motivating force, as some might relate with Charismatic / or Pentecostal worship.

But, no matter what faith you are, you can’t have effective worship without including the emotion.

Worship is the time when the emotions of heart join to what the brain knows to be true!

Like, I was blind, but now I See.

I am sinner heading to Hell, but Jesus died to save me.

And, this fallen world with death and misery, is not the end.

He is coming back for us Amen!

That makes me want to shout, just like it says in Psalms 100

Now granted, we may not all the expressive type.

Maybe you aren’t familiar with it.

Maybe, it's just not the way you've ever done it

Maybe it’s how your church did it in the past.

Maybe, we are a little intimidated by what we’ll look like.

Kinda like how we would feel if someone saw us bow to a man

It’s intimidating to face something that we are completely inferior too Like, God!

When we come before God, we are not worthy.

God says our best, is like filthy rags before Him.

But with Christ, we are the redeemed and precious in His sight.

Nevertheless, we don’t see that kind anymore.

We don’t see many kings either anymore.

In the Nativity Story we are told that the “wisemen,”

When they saw Jesus, they bowed and worshipped Him

These were regular men, yet wise enough to recognize, they were inferior to Him whom they worshipped,Jesus!

Jesus however, he made worship even easier.

He changed the rules so-to-speak on worship.

He was the only King worthy of our worship.

So people bowed down to Him, and He received it

But He predicted to the woman at the well

John 4:23–24 (CSB)

23 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. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

People bowed down to what they saw, in front of them.

The ark,

The Angel of the Lord,

or an earthly King they could see.

But, here Jesus tells us, that’s not necessary anymore

Because God is Spirit,

The object of our worship is Spirit so we must worship sin Spirit.

But, how?

When children start walking, you are the object of their affection.

Your are Momma or Dada.

You are their only security.

They find the reason for their existence solely in you,

They can’t understand anything outside of you!

So, what do you do when they start their first steps towards you?

- Hands Lifted High

You hold out your hands to them don’t you?

When you greet someone, you hold out your hand.

When you have fallen and need help you, hold out your hands don’t you?

When Peter started to Sink in doubt, he held out his his hand.

As the old song says, “The Savior Reached down His hand for me”

Even Paul tells us In

1 Timothy 2:8 (CSB)

8 Therefore, I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or argument.

So, Because He is sprit, and your heart is speaking, let us Do as Paul says

Lift up holy hands to our Lord when we pray,

And especially when we worship.

Don’t worry about how your neighbors will see you.

You are supposed to be in submission in mind, body, and spirit to the Lord, especially in worship.

Its a recharging of the Spiritual Battery so-to-speak.

Love the Lord,

Worship the Lord,

Give Him the Worship He demands and deserves.

- God will Receive Worship

He’s gonna get it from you one way or the other.

Don’t make Him wait until you are on your face on prayers and tears.

Asking Him to remove that sickness, or fix this or help with that

Remember, the Bible tells us you will eventually express that worship.

On that day, Every Knee will bow, and Every tongue will confess that He is Lord.