Worship Part 3
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings...
Today we continue looking at our theme: Fundamentals.
These are the foundational principles or “milk” of the Bible but they are vital to understand before anyone can mature to the “meat.”
Over the last couple of weeks we have focused our attention at answer what Jesus meant by “worshiping God in spirit and truth” ().
We have noticed that worship requires an understanding of the proper object of worship God.
We have notice that worshiping God requires our all in sincerity, reverence, trust, and focus.
We have noticed that worshiping God in truth demands worshiping according to the pattern of facts authorized by God’s Word.
Today we are going to tackle the second component of true worship which is “worshiping in spirit.”
Worshiping in spirit means worshiping God spiritually.
Flesh VS Spiritual
Flesh VS Spiritual
Flesh is all about “self.”
Flesh is all about “self.”
The Bible is full of passages depicting the obvious nature of “self gratification” and it’s association with worldliness or fleshly living.
7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:7
19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Rom 8:
Spiritual is all about “God.”
Spiritual is all about “God.”
Those that desire God will be spiritual people not fleshly or worldly people.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
Rom 8:
God devoted people are people that have sacrificed their old fleshly selves in order to live godly lives.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Summery
Summery
To worship God with “spiritual worship” we must be a “living sacrificed” that is noticed by God as holy and acceptable.
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Spiritual Worship Is Acceptable
Spiritual Worship Is Acceptable
Spiritual worship is always sound to the Word of God.
Spiritual worship is always sound to the Word of God.
God the Father, Son, and Spirit have always required us to be sound “acceptable in God’s eyes” in everything we do.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Summery
Summery
It can’t can’t be said that worshiping God in spirit means leaving the truth behind for emotions, rather it means having the right heart behind sound worship.
In order to have the right heart for worship our heart must must be holy before we ever begin worshiping. Therefore...
Spiritual Worship Is Holy
Spiritual Worship Is Holy
Spiritual worship is always pure before God.
Spiritual worship is always pure before God.
I’m not suggesting that we are or even can be pure on our own or that we must become pure on our own.
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
1 Jn
I am saying that we can’t worship God spiritually unless we are pure before His eyes first.
The question then is how do we get this way?
First by having our sins washed away, by the blood of Christ, through obedience to the gospel.
16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.’
Second by having our sings washed away, by the blood of Christ, continually through the spiritual blessing of repentance and confession.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God has always expected His children to be perfect through His grace and mercy.
Jesus said as much.
48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Summery
Summery
Spiritual worship begins by loving God’s Word and striving for purity in life through Christ before one ever starts to worship.
It’s only then that true heartfelt/spiritual worship can occur. Therefore...
Spiritual Worship Is Heartfelt
Spiritual Worship Is Heartfelt
Heartfelt worship is found honest before God.
Heartfelt worship is found honest before God.
It’s genuine because it is from the heart.
45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
8 “ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
Heartfelt worship is dedicated to God.
Heartfelt worship is dedicated to God.
A lot of people, I’m afraid, come to services to punch a time card.
They think somehow that if they just show up and put in their “required” time in that God will be pleased with them and their attitude towards Him.
This type of mentality is typically seen by those that think that Bible has put “time limits” on worship.
I don’t know when this invention of men came about that we must have a start time and end time when worshiping God and that if we go over it is heresy.
Those that worship in “spirit” and truth will come to worship God and will be left wanting more not wishing for less.
Remember again what “spiritual worship” is...
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Can anyone honestly, from the heart, say they think God is pleased when we are happy that we didn’t worship God “longer” than an hour as a family?
Do we think spiritual worship is being upset at someone because they had a long open or closing prayer putting us past our “hour.”
Do we think spiritual worship is being upset at someone because they led too many songs or all the verses from long songs which put us past our “hour.”
Do we think spiritual worship is being upset at someone because they preached a sermon that lasted more than 30 minutes which put us past our “hour.”
Do we think spiritual worship is being upset at someone because they spent some time in the Bible on the Lord’s Supper before praying and passing the emblems?
Summery
Summery
Brethren, we have some in our own congregation that hold to the “time piece” when it comes to worship, but not sports, fishing, hunting, and any other type activity.
Conclusion
Conclusion
A.W. Tozer in 1962 stated that it was “scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction was God.”
He was talking about denominationalism, but brothers and sisters I’m know this mentality isn’t foreign to Lord’s church either.
If we can’t wait to end worship so we can eat, watch sports, take a nap, or literately anything else we don’t understand what it means to truly worship God in spirit and truth.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.