True Worship

Intro:

What is true worship?

What does true worship look like?

Some people think worship is the first 30 minutes of church...

We need to understand what worship is, in order to TRULY WORSHIP GOD.

We also need to understand what worship isn’t so that we worship God correctly.

What Worship Isn’t:

Temporary

Expressing ourselves

Not about Music

Not based on our emotions

What Worship Is:

It’s Constant

Expressed in Prayer

Expressed in Song

Expressed in Service

Expressed in Giving

Expressed in Living

TRUE WORSHIP IS ABOUT GOD, NOT YOU.

The New King James Version Chapter 12

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

What is our motivation for worship?

The mercies of God

Love

Grace

Holy Spirit

Peace

Joy

Saving faith

Comfort

Strength

Wisdom

Hope

Patience

Eternal Life

Sanctification

Justification

All of these should motivate us to worship our creator.

Present your bodies..

What does this mean?

Giving God all of us.

All of our human faculties

Our heart, mind, hands, thoughts, and emotions.

Our JOB is to give these things to God.

But, how do we do this? It sounds good, but how do we go about doing it.

Verse 2 gives us the answer…

BY RENEWING OUR MINDS

Renewing of Your Mind

Our minds and thoughts get full of worldly junk, because we live in a world where people don’t fear God.

We live in a world where we open our instagram, facebook, or twitter and semi-porn pops up.

We live in a very sexualized culture, it’s hard because it’s at every turn.

Working with non-christians can be hard, because you hear garbage every day.

What’s sad is some “christians” join in on those conversations and talk just like their co-workers.

We have junk coming in to our hearts and minds daily, which is why we need to continually have our minds RENEWED.

OUR MINDS ARE CLEANSED BY BEING IN GOD’S WORD.

WE WORSHIP GOD WITH OUR RENEWED MINDS

If we believe God to be who He claims to be… Then, you better be spending time in the Word.

If you aren’t spending time in the word, then I’d ask:

Do you really believe God to be real?

Do you believe that the Bible is the Word of God?

Can’t have a relationship without the Word of God.

I know we sound like a broken record...

Read your bible, read your bible, read your bible...

If you don’t love the Bible, can you really love God?

The Bible is Truth

To know the TRUTH, to believe the TRUTH, to hold CONVICTIONS about the TRUTH, and to LOVE the TRUTH will naturally result in TRUE WORSHIP.

Many people think music is worship..

Music itself can’t produce worship.

Music is not the origin of worship, but an expression of it.

We should not be looking to music to induce our worship; look to music as simply as an expression of that which is induced by a heart that is completely fascinated by the mercies of God.

TRUE WORSHIP IS GOD CENTERED

Many people get caught up in the things like where they worship, what music they should sing (hymns, contemporary, etc..), and how their worship looks.

When we focus on those things, we lose sight of TRUE WORSHIP… We MISS THE POINT.

Because we are looking at everything else besides GOD.

John 4:24 NKJV

God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Meaning: We worship from the heart and the way God designed worship.

What Does Worship Include:

Praying

Reading God’s Word

Singing

Participating in Communion

Serving

WORSHIP IS NOT LIMITED TO ONE ACT, BUT IT IS DONE WHEN THE HEART IS IN THE RIGHT PLACE.

Worship is done when you are doing these things for God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 NKJV

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

When you serve God, which we’re all called to do, and you do it with the right attitude that is WORSHIP.

Who is WORSHIP RESERVED FOR?

Worship is reserved for God and God alone.

Only HE IS WORTHY.

Revelation 19:10 NKJV

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

We don’t worship angels, false gods, Mary, prophets, your job, your kids, anything, besides God.

People say “I don’t worship my wife, my kids...”

What ever you put above God, you are worshipping.

Here’s an excerpt from Kevin DeYoung, a Senior Pastor in North Carolina: SIGNS WE MAY BE WORSHIPPING OUR FAMILY

We Seldom Reach Out to Others:  If our family is so insular that others don’t know us, there is a problem. A Christian family filled with love and worship should overflow to those around them. Neighbors and co-workers can’t help but be touched by the love that permeates in and cascades from our family.

We Seldom Serve in the Church: If our family is so focused on just being a family that we can’t attend  mid-week bible studies or are so intent on being together Sunday morning that the parents can’t teach Sunday School or assist in the nursery, there is a problem. As a Christian family we are to see ourselves as part of the community. Not separate from it. Not more important than it. But essential to it.

We Seldom Have Time: If our family is always busy with its own activities, whether soccer, piano, ballet, family vacations, or even family worship to the point that we have little time for others, there is a problem. The enrichment and growth of our children, even in spiritual things, is not to pull us away from people but towards them. Yes, we only have so many years to train and teach our children while they are at home. But are we teaching them that they and their activities are the center of life or worshipping Christ and loving others is what is most important?

We Seldom Sacrifice: If our family is reluctant to give generously, because of what it costs our family, there is a problem. We hesitate to give above our tithe to missionaries, the local church, the building fund, or the homeless shelter because our children’s college education comes first. We neglect supporting the church member headed out on a short-term mission’s trip, because our family “educational trip” is more important. We always have an excuse. And it is always our family’s need that provides the ground for that excuse. Rather, the Christian family should be generous in giving—generous to the point of giving sacrificially.

We Seldom Have Flexibility: If others feel like they are always interrupting our family by calling, visiting, or proposing a time to get-together, there is a problem. Others will notice it before us. They begin to feel like our family’s routine cannot be interrupted under any circumstances. We convey this consciously or even subconsciously and others pickup on it. Rather, our family should be noted by its flexibility and joy when others stop by, friendliness when called, and availability when needed.

We Seldom Speak Well of Others: If our family tends to have an arrogant air about it, there is a problem. We have it together. Others don’t quite understand the importance of the family, worship, and our calling as parents. Our conversations are too often critical and judgmental. If only others understood as we do. May it never be! Our families should be filled with thanking God for others. Our children should hear us commending and promoting others. People should find that we are refreshing to their souls, rather than critical of their practices.

By all means, let us enjoy and treasure our families. Let us celebrate the gift they are. Let us pour out our lives and hearts into ministering to our spouse, rearing our children in Christ, and filling our homes with the love and truth of Christ. However, in so doing, let us also be worshippers of the Christ we are seeking to honor. Let us worship Him in our worshipping families, rather than worship our families in the name of worshipping Him.

Worship is meant only for God.

True Worship is felt inwardly and expressed outwardly.

God blessed me sooo

God saved me sooo..

False Worship is out of obligation

You know this feeling, we’ve all been there.

“I guess I have to worship God no matter what.”

WHEN WE WORSHIP GOD OUT OF OBLIGATION IT IS IN VAIN.

God knows your heart, He see’s the hypocrisy and HE HATES IT.

He demonstrates this in

Amos 5:21–24 NKJV

“I hate, I despise your feast days, And I do not savor your sacred assemblies. Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs, For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments. But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.

He demonstrates it in the story of Cain and Abel:

They both brought offerings to God.

Cain brought his out of obligation

Abel brought his out of faith and admiration for God.

I tell the students, “Whatever you do, sports, school, work, do your best so that you may bring God glory.

If you do your best in everything you do, for God, you will ultimately glorify God and that’s worship.

Conclusion:

True Worship isn’t music.

True worship is the acknowledgement of the fullness of God and glory in all that we do.

THE HIGHEST FORM OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP IS SIMPLY BEING OBEDIENT TO HIM AND HIS WORD.

However, in order to do this, we have to know GOD.

YOU CANNOT KNOW GOD UNLESS YOU’RE IN THE WORD, DRAWING CLOSE TO HIM.

WORSHIP IS TO GLORIFY AND EXALT GOD.