Levitical Worship
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Opening
Opening
Joke: Crippled Worshipper
Be careful on what you pray for
Be specific on what you pray for
Be Thankful for what you have
BREATHE!
Have you ever been in a worship where you felt like it was just you and God?
When you feel like you were in a state of “trance”
When you don’t mind the people around you, and you hear very clearly from the Lord
When you felt like every word from the songs they sing are meant for you
When you felt that warm drops of water rolling down your cheeks
When all of a sudden you fell slain on the floor
Do you remember the last time you stepped out of a worship service and said..”man, that was a very powerful worship!”?
If you did, then this implies that you were in a “not very” powerful worship service
Because you will only know what you are missing in a night after seeing a day
BREATHE!
Is there such a thing as “powerful” and “not powerful” worship service?
When will you say that a worship service is powerful or not?
Is it when the band played your most favorite song or songs?
Is it when you’re going through certain life circumstances that draws your feelings closer to God?
Is it the voice of the worship leader?
Is it the beat of the songs?
Or maybe the crowd that you’re worshipping with?
All these and many other questions that lingers in our minds leads us to the question:
What is the truth behind a “powerful worship”?
BREATHE!
First of all, let me be clear that worship is not just “singing” , or “dancing”, or “clapping of your hands”
In , Paul said…
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
our lives is our worship
how we take care of our bodies is a form of worship
when we give to the Lord’s work, it’s worship
when we serve others in His name, it’s worship
when we witness for Christ, it’s worship
Let me tell you this… worship is not what we can get from God, it is what we give to God
Keep in mind that His love is unconditional
The Lord doesn’t answer our prayers based on how we worship Him
He answers them the way that is good for us
The way He wanted, and when He wanted to
Don’t take me wrong, yes! God is pleased when we worship Him, but His unconditional love sits on top of it all
So...
What makes up a Powerful Worship Service?
Let’s take a look at the beginning of Worship Services
BREATHE!
The tribe of Levi is among the 12 tribes of Israel who took its name from the third son of Leah and Jacob (Genesis 29:34)
The tribe of Levi was set apart by the Lord ()
They were set apart by God to do the works in the tent of meeting (Numbers 18:23)
They did not have portion of Israel’s inheritance ()
God is their share of inheritance ()
God gave to them the tithes of Israel as their inheritance ()
And as compensation for the work that they do while serving at the tent of meeting (place of worship) ()
In says this...
At that time the Lord set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister and to pronounce blessings in his name, as they still do today.
If we breakdown this passage we will see Three (3) aspects of Levitical Worship
Carry the Ark of the Covenant -
The Ark that contains the Ten Commandments, the Rod of Aaron and a Jar of Manna represents the presence of God and His glory
Levitical worshipers carries the Ark, in spiritual sense, they carry God’s glory
When God’s glory moves, they move, when the glory rested they rest
The Israelites follow the leading of God’s glory, in essence, they follow the leading of the Levites
This weighty responsibility are cast upon the shoulders of the Levites
So today, those called as Levitical worshippers needs to see themselves as carriers of God’s glory
Shining from their faces with increasing glory
As they step in a room, they carry with them the presence of God
Stand before the Lord to Minister -
Those with Levitical calling are first of all, called to “stand before the Lord to minister”
Ministry “to” the Lord takes precedence over all other ministry
Notice that Levitical worshippers are to minister “to” the Lord and not to the people
In other words, worship for God and not performance for the people
It means to focus our love towards God
Our highest attention
Our greatest energy
Our deepest passion
Our highest praise
They sing songs, clap their hands, dance to the tunes
To pronounce blessings in His name
The Hebrew translation for the word “bless” is Barak, which means to praise, to adore
Interestingly the Hebrew word “barak” was also used in and it means “to kneel down”
Levitical worshipers are to praise, adore and kneel down before the Lord
They are to constantly speak blessings to their environment
Turn to your neighbor and ask… “Do you worship the Lord like the Levites?”
BREATHE!
Don’t let tonight’s worship be one of those hype, or emotion-based worship
But rather, make this night the beginning of your true & proper worship
The beginning of your all-time, and life long worship
The kind of worship that carries the glory of God
The kind of worship that ministers to the Lord
The kind of worship that pronounces blessings in His name
The kind of worship that truly separates you
The kind of worship that truly pleases God