NT Worship - A Study of Worship

A Study of Man’s Worship to God

Text: John 4.20-24

Thesis: To prove that God deserves man’s worship and that He alone dictates how man is to

             worship Him.

Introduction:

(1)    Man too often is guilty of “going through the motions” when engaging in worship.

(a)    One may be singing the words of a song while his/her mind is elsewhere.

(b)    One may appear to be taking diligent notes when in reality he/she is making a shopping list.

(2)    Man may also be guilty of overemphasizing worshipping God with the right authority and fail equally to emphasize the right attitude that is vitally essential.

(3)    People have sometimes said, “I just didn’t get anything out of the service.”

(a)    First, how much did you put into the service?

(b)    Second, is it God or you who primarily is to get something out of the service?

(4)    Let us note 6 points pertaining to our worship of Almighty God:

Discussion:

I.                   Let us Define our Reason to worship God:

A.    “Worship” comes from proskuneo (“Pros” – toward; “Kuneo” – to kiss).

1.      It is defined as “to kiss the hand to (towards) one; to fall upon knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence; in the N.T., by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance” (Thayer’s 548).

2.      Webster’s New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines it as “reverent honor and homage to God.”

B.     Why does God deserve “profound reverence?”

1.      Without God, man is lost in his sins.

a.       Gen 3.6 – Sin sets foot into the world

b.      Is. 59.1-2 – Sin separates one from God

c.       Rom 3.10, 23 – All have sinned; thus, need redemption

2.      God’s love is seen through His dealings with His Son.

a.       Gen. 3.15 – God saw the need for man’s redemption

b.      John 3.16 – God sent the ransom

3.      Christ willingly laid down His life for man’s salvation.

II.                God Deserves man’s Recognition:

A.    God is to be sanctified by man.

B.     Hence, man must take time and set God apart

C.     Ps. 46.10 – Be still and know that I am God

III.             God Demands man’s Reverence when worshipping Him:

A.    We must give the earnest heed to our Great Example:

1.      1 Pet. 2.21 – Christ is that example

2.      Note the reverence that He had when addressing God – Matt. 6.9

B.     We are glorifying the Holy of Holies:

1.      Rev. 4.8 – Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

2.      Is. 43.15 – I am the Lord, your Holy One

3.      Exod. 15.11 – Who is like unto thee, O Lord?

4.      Rev. 15.2-4 – Thou only art Holy.

C.     We must gladly put our hearts into our worship.

1.      Matt. 6.19-21 – Our heart is where our treasure is

2.      Matt. 15.8 – “Your heart is far from me”

D.    “True worship includes a spiritual sense of the object worshipped, and a spiritual communion with it; the manifestation of the moral consciousness in feelings, motions of the will, "moods of elevation, excitements," etc. It includes also a truthful conception of the object” (from Vincent's Word Studies of the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft).

IV.             Man’s Duty is to Respect God and God’s wishes:

A.    We are a chosen people

1.      1 Pet. 2.4 – Chosen of God

2.      Eph. 1.11 – Predestined according to the purpose

a.       Eph. 3.10-11 – Purpose = Church

b.      Being a member = Being Chosen

B.     We are God’s creation.

1.      God created all things (Gen. 1.1; John 1.1ff.)

2.      Hence, the creation is to respect the Creator.

C.     Solomon points out that respect includes obeying God (Ecc. 12.13)

V.                God Directs man through His Revelation as to how He desires to be worshipped:

A.    God gives us the Divine format (John 4.24):

1.      The audience is God

2.      The action is worship

3.      The absolute – must

4.      The attitude – spirit

5.      The authority – truth (John 17.17)

B.     We must choose (Jos. 24.15).

C.     A consequence because of our choice:

1.      Follow God = Acceptable Worship

2.      Follow Anything Else = Unacceptable Worship

a.       Even with the best of intentions?  Think of Cain and Abel:

(1)    Heb. 11.4 – By faith – Rom. 10.17 – God’s Word

(2)    Cain did not worship God as God desired.

b.      Remember that the heart alone can mislead you (Jer. 10.23)

VI.             Eternity is Determined by our Reaction to God’s pattern:

A.    Heaven =

1.      Following the will of God

2.      Faithful until the end

B.     Hell =

1.      Foolishly reasons that one way is just as good as another way

2.      Fails to respect God’s authority

Conclusion:

(1)    Worship is a blessed privilege that we are able to enjoy because we have been redeemed.

(2)    Worship can only be offered up by a faithful member of the church (Matt. 5.24).

(3)    Are you able to worship God at this time?