Worship Invites God's Presence.
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As we briefly looked at last week, God’s Presence really is all we need.
In God’s Presence we find joy, hope, peace, strength, wisdom, comfort...
However, when we speak about God’s Presence we must make sure we are accurate in our expression.
For example:
God is Omnipresent - That is, the bible says that God is everywhere.
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.
So in a very real sense we are always in God’s Presence.
However, when we speak about God’s Presence in these sermons, we are not speaking of His Omnipresence, rather we speak of His Special Presence or MANIFEST Presence.
What is the difference?
Its like a child in a thunder storm. They know their parents are right there in the next room, but its only in their Close Presence that they feel comforted.
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So we don't “Call Down” the presence of God as if God is not here.
Rather the christian “enters in” to the presence of the God who is already here.
“I am with you” is the Lord Promise.
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Given the unfathomable blessings of God’s manifest Presence - it becomes the highest priority of every christian therefore to daily “enter into” God’s Presence.
An entering into that is only possible because of the salvation we received through Jesus Christ.
Because of Jesus Christ:
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
So the question of the hour become:
According to Scripture How do we Enter into the manifest Presence of God?
And to this question God has provided an answer:
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
God manifests His Presence in the Praise and Worship of His people.
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A problem that we have today is that the language of the church has diminished or rather pigeonholed Praise and Worship, AGAIN as a thing you need facilities to do on a Sunday.
Praise and Worship in the mind of most Christians is defined as the singing of songs.
And whilst singing God’s Praise is without a doubt an act of Worship is it NOT what defines worship.
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What is Worship?
Worship is the Christian hearts expression towards God.
What makes a diamond beautiful?
The beauty of a diamond is brought out by its many faceted angels.
Its the working together of the facets that bounce and reflect and refract the light that creates the sparkles of beauty.
In the same way:
Worship is beautiful when it incorporates all the biblical facets of Worship - of which singing is but only one!
Today let us cut the lines, let us display the many facets of worship.
1: Worship is Reverence.
1: Worship is Reverence.
Serve the Lord with fear,
And rejoice with trembling.
To revere God is to worship Him.
Reverence is the understanding and application of the simple fact that God is God and I am not.
The Psamest said:
But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy:
And in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.
Reverence is the fear of the Lord.
What is the fear of the Lord?
John Calvin once beautifully described it the place where Joy and Awe meet.
When your words, lifestyle, attitudes, relationships all reflect the fact that you are aware that a Being of immeasurable power and unlimited ability watches you all the time, you will walk in 24/7 Worship.
2: Worship is Love and Obedience
2: Worship is Love and Obedience
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
The word Worship means literally to “assign Worth”.
You worship what you believe is WORTH lifting up.
Thus Worship is us proclaiming how much we value, love and appreciate God.
The measure of Praise reflects our measure of God.
The measure of love correlates to the measure of Worship.
So when Jesus says: “If you love me, you will obey me”.
We understand that each act of obedience is an act of love, which is an act of Worship unto God.
3: Worship is recognizing the Sovereignty of God.
3: Worship is recognizing the Sovereignty of God.
Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
The Proclaim trust in God is an act of worship.
To see all the chaos going on and yet to still have faith that God is working all things to His glory is an act of worship.
To know that the future may hold any number of circumstances: Good or Bad - Yet to trust in God for providence is an act of Worship.
To wake up each day and look at all that needs doing yet to say by faith:
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Is a Powerful act of Worship.
But here is what this also means:
To live in fear, anxiety, worry, stress is ANTI-Worship.
Here is why:
If you meet a child, 12 years old.
And this child lives in fear of punishment or disaster - You would not be wrong in assuming that this child's fear is evidence of parents who were unable to comfort, unable to satisfy, unable to be reliable, unable to be responsible.
In the same way:
A fearful, anxious Christian bears a poor testimony of Jesus Christ.
As God Himself said:
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
4: Worship is Seeking God.
4: Worship is Seeking God.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
The very act of simply:
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Just doing this, just looking unto Jesus is in itself an act of Worship.
Any act, done for God, is an act of worship.
Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
5: Worship is the putting in order or maintaining of our Spiritual house.
5: Worship is the putting in order or maintaining of our Spiritual house.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Whenever we, as Christians, realize that our lives may be “missing the mark” or “falling short” of what we know God wants and we confess, repent and fix our eyes of Jesus to reform - we are engaging in powerful worship.
When the Israelite realized their sins and saw how far they fell short look at their response:
And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.
Confession and Worship are the best of friends and it is cruel of us to deny them to meet and greet each other regularly.
The more they get to meet, the more manifest God’s Presence becomes.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
One day, weary after a long day of ministry Jesus sat by a well and had a conversation with a Samaritan woman.
They discussed many things including the concept of what it means to Worship God.
Jesus said:
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.