Encounter - Week 3 Sermon Notes

Encounter wk 3 ~When you hear the word worship, what comes to mind? ~ singing songs? Life style ? How we act? ~I have talked to many people over the years and have had many thoughts shared with me.. ~ I talked to a friend of mine who is a retired pastor and I asked him if he had found a church he said not yet that he was looking for a more traditional worship service because he didn't enjoy stranding for 45m to an 1hr...lol ~Lets review something - 1) if a person likes a more traditional and another likes a more contemporary, is one better than the other? ~2) If a person likes to raise their hands and one doesn't is one better than the other...? ~3) if one person likes dance and one doesn't ?? Worship is from the spirit, and the spirit leads each person differently?? John 4:23-24(nasb) '23But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. 24God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." ' ~This is one of Jesus' most defining statements about what true worship looks like in the new era He brings. ~This isn't just a nice phrase-it's revolutionary. It redefines worship from external rituals and places to something internal, authentic, and rooted in reality. Why "Spirit" and "Truth"? • In spirit ~This emphasizes the inner, heartfelt dimension. Worship must come from deep within-from the core of our being (our "spirit")-not just outward actions like rituals, songs, or attendance. It's sincere, passionate, and engaged with real emotion and love for God. True worship isn't something we manufacture in our own strength . Our human spirit is enlivened and empowered by God's Spirit John 3:6-"That which is born of the Spirit is spirit" ~The Holy Spirit quickens our hearts, makes God real to us, and enables genuine adoration. ~Without this inner vitality, worship can become formal, mechanical, or hypocritical-like going through motions without passion. • In truth Worship must be informed by reality-by who God actually is, as revealed in Scripture and supremely in Jesus ~It can't be based on myths, feelings alone, or incomplete ideas about God. ~Truth grounds worship so it's not vague spirituality but directed toward the true God: the Father,. ~This includes knowing God's character (holy, loving, just), His works (creation, redemption), and His will. ~Worship "in truth" means our praise, prayers, and lives align with biblical revelation-no pretending, no falsehoods. • Spirit without truth → emotionalism or sentimentality detached from God's revealed character. • Truth without spirit → dry intellectualism or dead formalism. Connection to God's Nature Remarkably, Jesus says the Father is actively seeking people like this. What did NT worship look like? Corporate setting • Teaching and preaching from Scripture - Public reading of the Old Testament (and later apostolic letters), followed by explanation or exhortation (1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:2). The apostles' teaching was central (Acts 2:42). • Prayer - Corporate prayers, including intercession, thanksgiving, and "the prayers" (Acts 2:42; 1 Timothy 2:1-8). • Singing - Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs sung to God, often teaching and encouraging one another (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 14:26). • The Lord's Supper (breaking of bread- A central act of remembrance of Jesus' death, often part of a shared meal (Acts 2:42, 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-34). • Fellowship and sharing - Mutual encouragement, sharing resources, (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 14). • Giving - Offerings for the ministry (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). • Baptism - Administered to new believers as an initiatory rite (Matthew 28:19; Acts 2:38-41 Worship is a Lifestyle