Engage with God through Worship and Prayer

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

What’s something you feel really connected to in your life right now (a hobby, a team, a friend group)? What makes that connection strong?

When people talk about “worship,” what comes to your mind first — singing, church services, or something else? Why?

If prayer is talking to God, what do you think keeps people your age from praying more often?

INTRODUCTION

Does anyone here like LEGOs? (have the volunteer come up and begin putting together the set normally (without any glue).

LEGOs are all about connections. How do the pieces given in the box fit together to create a sculpture or finished product. So you begin by looking at the instructions and placing the pieces together.

But how many of you have been building a LEGO set and your little sibling, dog, or vacuum knocked over the set and the pieces broke apart? (break the set that is being built) They were connected, but the connection wasn’t strong, solidified, concrete.

But how many of you have seen large LEGO sculptures (talk about the one in the space needle) that didn’t seem to break? How does that happen? Often they use glue/super glue to keep the pieces connected. This connection is extremely difficult to break.

This is how I think about our teen group. Your life is being built, molded, shaped, constructed. But I believe for each teen and adult for that matter in this room, that we must be engaged in 4 foundational relationships to ensure we reflect Christian maturity.

ENGAGE:

What does it mean to engage? meaningfully connected

During the coming four weeks, we’ll walk through four foundational relationships that every follower of Christ needs to be meaningfully connected to in order to grow into spiritual maturity.

Here they are:

Engage with God through worship and prayer.

Engage with others through love and mission.

Engage with the Word through study and obedience.

Engage with the church through service and fellowship.

I believe this is the finished product for every believer — Every believer must be meaningfully connected to these four foundational relationships in order to grow into spiritual maturity.

Each relationship is tightly connected in order to complete the Christian (like the super glue).

Our first one tonight is… Engage with God through worship and prayer.

WITH GOD:

We’re going to look at several scriptures tonight so let’s begin in James 4.

James 4:8 KJV 1900

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

This is it. Our call to engage with God.

A Christian that is not meaningfully connected by an intimate relationship with God misunderstands their purpose. Being in relationship with God is the believer’s highest priority.

I have three compelling reasons for believer’s to engage with God.

He created us.

Turn over to Colossians. We’ll stay in this book for the rest of the evening. Can someone read for us the following verses?

Colossians 1:16–17 KJV 1900

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Who made everything? Who made you? Do you see what Paul says about God’s creation?

Not only were we created by Him, but we were created for Him.

What does this mean?

We exist for relationship God that’s meant to bring glory to Him.

God’s action requires an action from us. God created us. We glorify Him.

1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV 1900

31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Because He created us, we engage with Him and seek to glorify Him in everything we do.

He redeemed us.

Colossians 1:13–14 KJV 1900

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

How has God redeemed us?

The Heidelberg Catechism states, “He — not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood — has delivered and purchased us body and soul from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, to be his very own.

1 Corinthians 6:20 KJV 1900

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Jesus’ blood bought freedom for those enslaved to sin to become the very children of God.

What should our response be?

What is the chief end of man? Man’s chiefest and highest end is to glorify God, and fully enjoy him forever. — Westminster Larger Catechism

He reconciled us.

What does it mean to be reconciled?

Colossians 1:20–22 KJV 1900

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

Sinners are enemies of God. Yet through redemption and the blood of Christ, God takes His enemies and calls them friends. There is peace between the two parties.

Jesus reconciles sinners to God. Jesus is the supreme peacemaker.

Romans 5:10 KJV 1900

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

We now know why we are to engage with God…

creation

redemption

reconciliation

But how should we engage with God? (some other ways we’ll cover in the following weeks.) I’d like to provide two ways in which we should engage with God.

THROUGH WORSHIP AND PRAYER:

WORSHIP

What would it mean for you to engage with God through worship? What does it mean to worship?

Worship is not merely an action. Worship is a lifestyle that begins in the heart. It’s an attitude of the heart that involves honoring God above all else, which overflows into outward expressions of praise, reverence, service, and obedience.

*describe another religions worship.

Why is this radical? Should it be? Or is it a reasonable response.

Romans 12:1–2 KJV 1900

1 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. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Why then is worship only quantified as singing or as a Sunday morning event?

Colossians 3:16–17 KJV 1900

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Worldliness is living with out thought of God. If that’s the definition of worldliness, then godliness would be living with thought of God. I’d argue then that worship is the expression — both inward and outward — of living with thought of God.

Our response to God’s acts — creation, redemption, reconciliation — should be worship.

Revelation 4:11 KJV 1900

11 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.

Worship casts glory and honor at the feet of our God.

What does worship look like?

Worship is singing but not merely singing. Worship is giving but not merely giving. Worship is service but not merely service. Worship is evangelism but not merely evangelism. Worship encompasses our whole life.

Worship is not what we do, but how we do it.

Some of the attitudes included in worship is thanksgiving, praise, reverence, awe, honor, etc.

What would it mean for you to engage with God through worship?

PRAYER

Colossians 4:2–4 KJV 1900

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; 3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: 4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

How does God speak to us primarily? How do we speak to God? Why would we need to speak to God?

We engage with God through prayer because we love Him.

ACTS (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication)

One of the primary reasons we engage with God is because we love Him.

Praise and Thanksgiving

Psalm 100:4 KJV 1900

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Adoration

Psalm 103:2–4 KJV 1900

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; Who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; Who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

When I think upon and converses with thee ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up, ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed, ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart, crowding into every moment of happiness. — Valley of Vision (pg. 26)

We engage with God through prayer because we need Him.

Do you believe that you are needy?

Have you ever found that you pray more when you have a need? Why is that? It’s out of your control.

Guess what?! We are always needy!

How can we remember that we are always needy?

Psalm 102:17 KJV 1900

17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, And not despise their prayer.

The only solution to our need must be casting those needs to God.

1 Peter 5:7 KJV 1900

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Our prayers to God must always be flavored with need.

*Lord I Need You song

And when I cannot stand, I’ll fall on you. Jesus, you’re my hope and stay.

We engage with God through prayer because we trust Him.

When we choose to worry instead of pray, we are admitting we do not trust God.

Philippians 4:6–7 KJV 1900

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Prayerlessness is a trust issue.

God created you, redeemed you, and reconciled you. He can be trusted.

Lord, we are aware that the things we pray about are the things we trust you to handle and the things we neglect to pray about are the things we think we can handle on our own. O Sovereign Father, make us realize our utter dependence on you as we seek to daily walk in the ways of Jesus in the strength of the Spirit. Amen. — H.B. Charles

God made you, saved you, and brought you close—so stay connected to Him through worship and prayer.

PRAYER PROMPTS

Thank God for creating you, saving you through Jesus, and bringing you into a relationship with Him.

Ask God to help you see worship not just as singing, but as living every part of your life to honor Him.

Pray for a heart that talks to God daily — in both good times and hard times — trusting Him with every need.