WORSHIP

I want to start off by thanking Dr John Craft and his wife Lori for coming last weekend so Kanda and I could visit our daughter and son-in-law and be there for her birthday.

Also thank you for all who supported Molly on her mission trip – this church raised over $870 more than needed for the trip – thank you again!

For nine weeks now, we have been studying Spiritual Disciplines. So far, we finished up two of the three categories of Disciplines– Inward Disciplines, Outward Disciplines. Two weeks ago, we started the Corporate Disciplines – and looked at Confession. We talked about and utilized Scripture to show how it is both an inward discipline and an outward discipline and that while salvation is a specific point in time it is also a continual process. We also discussed who we should confess to and what we need to have in place in our lives if someone needs prayer and guidance to help them confess. And the response to confession should be forgiveness so we closed with forgiveness and what it is and what it is not.

William Temple says to worship is to, “quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”

In the Hymn - Set my spirit free that I may worship Thee it says, “Set my spirit free that I may praise Thy name Let all bondage go, and let deliv’rance flow – Set my spirit free to worship Thee”

Worship is our response to a Holy God, our Heavenly Father – so as we get ready to learn about Worship let us Pray!

I. Why Worship?

Jesus said, God said, it is written, Matthew 4:10 – “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”

Creation worships God –

Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Isaiah 55:12 – “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Psalm 148:3-4 – Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!

Shekinah – Jewish word for the glory and radiance of God in the midst of His people

Worship is to experience Shekinah.

When we come to church, we should have the Holy Expectancy to experience God’s presence in our midst.

Did you come here this morning with this expectation?

Jesus said in John 4:23 – “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.

Psalm 100:4 – Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Christian faith strongly emphasizes corporate worship –

Hebrews 10:25 – not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Did we enter today with a heart full of thanksgiving? Did we come today ready to praise Him?

II. What Is Worship?

Ushers us into His Divine Presence and Removes idolatry from our lives –

A. W. Tozer says, “The essence of idolatry is the entertainment of thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.

Worship is our response to God’s love for us – not just singing – not just what He has done for us but for Who He Is!

We say Jesus is our Lord and Savior – Savior is what He did – Lord is who He is

Savior requires thankfulness – Lord requires worship

Mark 12:30 – And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Worship – 1st priority Service – 2nd Priority

Service to the Lord – for the Lord should flow from our worship!

Ezekiel 44:16 – They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

Isaiah 6:8 – And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

III. How do I Worship?

First – every day enter Shekinah of the heart –

While driving, working, eat, play, sleep – always have that expectancy of God’s presence with you

Romans 12:1-2 – 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. 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.

Psalm 150:1-6 – Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Hebrews 12:28-29 – Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

Psalm 95:1-2 - Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

1. Still all human initiated activity.

Be still and know that I am God –

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

Worship is not something that should be multitasked with something else

Be ready to be still no matter where you are

Gas station Grocery Store Classroom Restaurant

2. Praise – the most widely viewed example of worship

Hebrews 13:15 – Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Over 40 Psalms say sing to the Lord, Sing praise to the Lord, Sing and make melody to the Lord, Sing for Joy, Sing of the Steadfast Love, Sing to the Lord a new song, make a joyful noise, sing to the Lord with Thanksgiving

Hebrew word for worship means to prostrate, bless means to kneel

Worship is a physical activity as well as a vocal activity – kneel, clap, raise hands, lifting your head, bowing your head,

What about people with different temperaments – even the quiet and timid get fired up over something (Broncos example)

Worship is a matter of the heart – it is about freely submitting to the Holy Spirit

Warning - we can do all the things above and never truly enter worship!

3. Practice the presence of God daily –

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 – Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.

4. Have different experiences of worship

Alone, at Bible Study, at church, on road, in service to others

Hebrews 13:16 – Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

5. Really prepare to worship – Prepare on Sat night – not staying up late, go to church early to pray over the pews, the pulpit, instruments, people by name,

6. Be Willing to be in the power of the Lord.

Let go of “to do” lists, leave your agenda at home, prepare heart and mind, remember the WE and not the me at church

7. Cultivate Holy Dependency – utterly, completely dependent on God. Look for God moving in the church, during the service, in you. Look forward to that happening whenever you gather.

8. Destroy distractions with an attitude of gratitude. Whatever could be a distraction turn it into a blessing

(A child crying – that we have young ones coming up in the faith / someone coming late

– they still came, they still want to hear from God)

9. Offer a sacrifice of worship – worship even when you don’t feel like it. Bad week, not healthy, a big, unexpected bill, loss –

When you don’t feel like coming to church – come – if you’re running late, come. Kids cranky come – feeling alone and depressed – come, don’t have the energy – sacrifice selfishness for the one who was selflessness – and worship Him even in trials and when we are not feeling like it

Expect God to speak – seek Him and His voice even if you don’t like the series or the music – look for God to do something new and living

As we close – remember

Worship begins with Holy Expectancy – it ends with Holy Obedience

If Worship does not propel us into greater obedience – then it was not worship – true worship changes us.

When we enter His Presence and we truly Worship Him – hearts are softened, forgiveness is extended, we see others as God sees them, we feel compelled like Isaiah 6:8b – Here I am, send me Lord

True worship is not for the timid or those that want to be comfortable – it is a deliberate and disciplined venture into deeper spiritual connections with our Father and other believers