The Heart of Worship (2)
Notes
Transcript
And when the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.
Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brethren, arose and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God.
Though fear had come upon them because of the people of those countries, they set the altar on its bases; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening burnt offerings.
They also kept the Feast of Tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings in the number required by ordinance for each day.
Afterwards they offered the regular burnt offering, and those for New Moons and for all the appointed feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and those of everyone who willingly offered a freewill offering to the Lord.
Worship is a heart that humbles itself so that God may be exalted.
O. S. Hawkins tells a story of Criswell while he was in seminary at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. As the story goes, on one particular fall morning while standing outside of Mullins Hall, Criswell became so overwhelmed with joy for the Lord that he began to sing, “It pays to serve Jesus. I t pays everyday. It pays every step of the way. Thought the pathway to glory may sometimes be drear, you’ll be happy each step of the way.” Years later he would find out that a student had packed his suitcase and was preparing to leave seminary for a different vocation when he heard this song, fell on his knees, and once again surrendered his life to serve Jesus.
Criswell displayed true worship, it is a denial of oneself to exalt Jesus. Now this does not mean that chaos should dominate the believers life, but that we should surrender to His bidding, should He call.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
I. The Foundation of Worship
I. The Foundation of Worship
A. It is establishes
A. It is establishes
Jesus is the foundation of our worship.
The foundation is that which the building is built upon, in worship Jesus is our foundation.
He must remain the center of all that we worship.
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
B. It is steadfast
B. It is steadfast
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
II. The Focus in Worship
II. The Focus in Worship
He must increase, but I must decrease.
Mark Hall (lead singer and song writer for Casting Crowns) in his book Only Jesus, tells of the story behind the song bearing the same name. In it he told of a prominent singer who stated that CCM would not leave a legacy. The point Mark was making is that the object of our music, worship, and lives is not to leave a legacy but rather to point others to Christ.
The focus of our worship, whether through giving, singing, or serving is not to make a name for us, but a name for Jesus.
Make it count, leave a mark, build a name for yourself
Dream your dreams, chase your heart, above all else
Make a name the world remembers
But all an empty world can sell is empty dreams
I got lost in the lie that it was up to me
To make a name the world remembers
But Jesus is the only name to remember
All the kingdoms built, all the trophies won
Will crumble into dust when it's said and done
'Cause all that really matters
Did I live the truth to the ones I love?
Was my life the proof that there is only One
Whose name will last forever?
And I don't want to leave a legacy
I don't care if they remember me
Only Jesus
And I've only got one life to live
I'll let every second point to Him
Only Jesus
A. It is not outward
A. It is not outward
B. It is upward
B. It is upward
Mark Hall (lead singer and song writer for Casting Crowns) in his book Only Jesus, tells of the story behind the song bearing the same name. In it he told of a prominent singer who stated that CCM would not leave a legacy. The point Mark was making is that the object of our music, worship, and lives is not to leave a legacy but rather to point others to Christ.
The focus of our worship, whether through giving, singing, or serving is not to make a name for us, but a name for Jesus.
III. The Fee to worship
III. The Fee to worship
Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.
A. It must be freely given to God.
A. It must be freely given to God.
Thus, the word used in worship is offering.
This is why the offering is one of the most critical aspects of our worship. It is where we can display through action the focus of our heart.
B. It must be costly to the giver.
B. It must be costly to the giver.
It must be sacrificial. If the offering does not have value then it is not worship.
‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field when you reap, nor shall you gather any gleaning from your harvest. You shall leave them for the poor and for the stranger: I am the Lord your God.’ ”