Why Do We Worship God?

states: “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” declares, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” proclaims, “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” And commands us to “exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.”

Psalm 29:2 ESV

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

Psalm 95:6 ESV

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

proclaims, “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” And commands us to “exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.”

Psalm 96:9 ESV

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

Introduction

Psalm 99:9 ESV

Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!

Introduction

commands us to “exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.”

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” proclaims, “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” And commands us to “exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.”

declares, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” proclaims, “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” And commands us to “exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.”

We are commanded to worship God. Worshiping God is one of the primary reasons the Church exists. Yet, there seems to be much controversy today about worship. What type of music is the “right” music with which to worship God? In some churches, people complain that the amount of time spent in singing praises to God in worship services is either too long or too short. Other issues probably come to your mind that have come up in your own church.

states: “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” declares, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” proclaims, “O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.” And commands us to “exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill; for the Lord our God is holy.”

We are commanded to worship God. Worshiping God is one of the primary reasons the Church exists. Yet, there seems to be much controversy today about worship. What type of music is the “right” music with which to worship God? In some churches, people complain that the amount of time spent in singing praises to God in worship services is either too long or too short. Other issues probably come to your mind that have come up in your own church.

But notice what these controversies are focused on. No one questions the necessity of offering worship to God. The “proper” ways to express that worship are what people argue about.

This unit of study on worship is not intended to become a forum for arguing the right or wrong of the various ways of expressing worship. It is intended to remind us of the true purpose of worship: to ascribe worth to God.

The first lesson asks the question, Why worship God? We will explore the truth that God is worthy of our worship because of His marvelous attributes, such as His holiness and goodness. The focus of worship is telling God He is wonderful because of who He is and what He does.

Jesus said that people must worship God “in spirit and in truth” (). Yet there are many things that can hinder true worship. Learning what some of these hindrances are can help us overcome them, so that we can worship as Christ taught. True worship begins with acknowledging Jesus as Savior and Lord.

As Spirit-filled believers, we enjoy the benefits of worshiping God in the Spirit. Spirit-filled worship glorifies God and edifies believers. Rather than bringing confusion, Spirit-led worship always results in building up the Church.

STUDY TEXT

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Outline

FOCUS

OUTLINE

FOCUS

1. God Is Holy

To understand that God is worthy of worship and determine to worship Him.

A. The Lord Reigns

OUTLINE

B. Exalt God

OUTLINE

2. God Is Good

1. God Is Holy

A. Worship With Gladness

1. God Is Holy

A. The Lord Reigns

B. Worship Through Thanksgiving

B. Exalt God

3. God Is Worthy

2. God Is Good

A. Worship With Gladness

A. Worship The Creator

B. Worship Through Thanksgiving

B. Worthy Is The Lamb

3. God Is Worthy

A. Worship The Creator

B. Worthy Is The Lamb

Revelation 4:11 ESV

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

Introducing the Study

How does a person really worship God? The answer lies in understanding that worship has to do with showing intense love, not in words alone, but in actions also. The object of our worship greatly influences the level to which the demonstration of our love is released. Many things around us and in our lives may be worthy of admiration, affection, or intense interest, but there is only One who is worthy of our worship. There is no doubt it is the Lord God Almighty.

As believers, we must determine to do whatever it takes to remove from our lives anything or anyone that we would exalt above God. Often, it is easy to actually worship a person who is very special to us, or to allow a hobby, a job, or an activity to take the place of God in our lives.

This week’s study explores the marvelous attributes of God that not only draw a person to God, but also stimulate a desire to fellowship with Him and to communicate our love to Him.1. God Is Holy

This week’s study explores the marvelous attributes of God that not only draw a person to God, but also stimulate a desire to fellowship with Him and to communicate our love to Him.

Psalm 99:1–4 ESV

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

Ps

Ask: “How does the opening phrase of verse 1, ‘The Lord reigneth,’ set the stage for explaining God’s holiness?” This psalm of praise portrays Jehovah in the character of a king. God, as a king, is therefore clothed in majesty and divine holiness. It is His divine holiness that demands He be glorified and honored as a king. God’s holiness is one of His marvelous attributes that inspires worship and praise from all who love Him. He is worthy of our praise because His holiness exemplifies His purity and His glory (). An earthly king is honored because of his position. Our Lord is honored because of His holiness ().

Teaching Tip 1: Display the transparency “The Ark Of The Covenant.” Have the students give particular attention to the location of the cherubim. Before class, assign a student to give a report from a good Bible dictionary on the description and function of the cherubim.

Ask: “How does the opening phrase of verse 1, ‘The Lord reigneth,’ set the stage for explaining God’s holiness?” This psalm of praise portrays Jehovah in the character of a king. God, as a king, is therefore clothed in majesty and divine holiness. It is His divine holiness that demands He be glorified and honored as a king. God’s holiness is one of His marvelous attributes that inspires worship and praise from all who love Him. He is worthy of our praise because His holiness exemplifies His purity and His glory (). An earthly king is honored because of his position. Our Lord is honored because of His holiness ().

God’s holiness is further demonstrated in that God “sitteth between the cherubims” (verse 1). This place is also known as the mercy seat of God (). The mercy seat—which means the covering or the atonement for sin—was designed specifically by God. As the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on the mercy seat by the priest, God forgave the sins of His people.

God’s presence and glory was between the cherubim. The heavenly King designed a special way to have a symbol of His throne and His holiness to continually dwell among His people.

When Jesus came and took on the mantle of flesh, there was no longer any need for an ark or mercy seat to display the presence of God. We can now experience His presence every day of the year in our hearts, for our hearts have become the abiding place for the presence of God. Although we do not bow before a physical throne, we honor Him as King when we surrender our hearts to Him. We can experience His presence when we come into His house or our home or wherever we are.

Psalm 99:5–9 ESV

Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he! Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the Lord, and he answered them. In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them. O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings. Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!

Teaching Tip 2: Assign groups of 4 or 5 students to read and discover why God’s holiness leads us to exalt Him. Summarize their answers on the chalkboard.

In , the Psalmist continues with a call to exalt God by worshiping at His footstool. Ask: “What is meant by the footstool of God?” Eastern cultures built the thrones of their kings on an elevated platform. The king would then be “exalted” and lifted up above all the people around him. The throne was reached only by ascending a series of steps. The bottom step was traditionally known as the king’s footstool. A servant would approach no higher than this low step when bringing supplications, gifts, or proof of loyalty. The Psalmist was implying that true worship of a holy God begins with a posture of humility at the footstool of God.

Verse 6 gives a great roll call of the faithful, noting Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as examples of men who knew how to exalt God for His holiness. God’s answer to the prayers of these great men was the result of their keeping His laws (verses 7,8).

We can be assured God still answers prayer today. However, many would like to receive from God without first giving themselves to Him. His desire for us is to first receive His gift of salvation. Then He will respond to our worship with wonderful expressions of love and blessing.

Psalm 100:1–3 ESV

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Ask: “What does it mean to ‘serve the Lord with gladness’?” Joy in the Lord is one of the distinguishing marks of a believer who is in right relationship with God. Worship, a basic instinct of all people, finds its expression in every culture around the world. In , the Psalmist wrote of serving the Lord with gladness. He was writing about a happy and cheerful attitude of worship.

Teaching Tip 3: Display the transparency “Reasons For Gladness.” Lead the class in a discussion of each point and ask for a personal example of how God can be described as a good God in each point.

The cares of life cause many to forget the goodness of God, and lead to worry or fear rather than gladness of heart. In spite of the burdens each must bear, the reasons for joy far outweigh the heaviness of the present circumstance. God’s goodness is not only a reason for joy, it leads us to an expectation that God will be with us in every circumstance.

Ask: “What do we know about God that invokes joy and praise as a spontaneous response to His presence?” Verse 3 seems to indicate there is something in knowing God that will cause a person to want to worship Him. The awesome fact that He is God—and we are not—is reason enough. However, the Psalmist continued by noting God is the One who made us; we did not and could not create ourselves. Only God can create life. The Psalmist also indicated that we are “His” people and the sheep of “His” pasture. In essence, he is saying we belong to God, and not to Satan nor ourselves. As our Creator and Shepherd, God is everything we need, both now and forever.

Psalm 100:4–5 ESV

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Ps 100

In , the Psalmist admonished the worshiper to enter the presence of the Lord with an attitude of thanksgiving. Gates and courts are most likely references to the temple, which was the central gathering place of worship. Ask: “Is the house of God the only place where worship can take place? If not, where else can the believer worship God?” In ancient times, the tabernacle, then later the temple, became the natural gathering places for people to worship God. Since Jesus Christ came, believers have become the temple—both individually and collectively—in which God’s Spirit resides (). Therefore, worship is not limited to a church building, it can occur any place we are.

Teaching Tip 4: Choose five students to read aloud each of the following Scripture passages: ; ; ; ; . Ask the students to identify the key phrases concerning God’s goodness found in these passages. List these on the chalkboard or a blank transparency. Use this as a starting point for the following commentary.

The goodness of God should inspire volumes of praise and thanksgiving from the believer’s lips each time he prays. The concept of good carries with it thoughts of gentleness and kindness, which give the believer insight into the heart of God. “Good” is supremely descriptive of God’s nature in reaching out to man. The goodness of God is manifested through His mercy and His truth ().

Teaching Tip 5: Hand out the case study “God’s Goodness.” Use this illustration to define the gentle and kind nature of God. This will add clarity to the students’ understanding of God’s worthiness to receive our worship.

We worship God because His mercy is everlasting and His truth (, kjv; or faithfulness, niv) lasts from generation to generation. The elements of mercy and truth are two of the most powerful restraints that hold sin in check and lead the believer to a deeper relationship with God. We are promised, when we know the God of truth, that the truth shall set us free (). Through God’s goodness, we can be inspired to worship Him with joyful songs and with thankful hearts. Of all God’s creation, we have the most for which to be thankful—redemption, regeneration, reconciliation, and renewal by the Holy Spirit.

Revelation 4:10–11 ESV

the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

The apostle John looked into the future and saw a time when both heavenly creatures and the 24 elders gave glory and honor to God. Their song of praise was “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty” ().

Teaching Tip 6: Ask students to read both and . Have your students compare these two passages with regard to the activities of the living creatures and their role in praise.

John recorded that the living creatures did not rest day or night in the worship of God with their ceaseless song of praise (). Verse 11 notes that the living creatures and the elders praised God for His creative splendor. Their song of praise was that God is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power because He is the Creator of all things.

The crowns the 24 elders cast at the foot of the throne are representative of the crowns of victory won by the faithfulness of the saints (verse 10). The casting of their crowns was an acknowledgement that their victory and their glory were from God and His grace. God is the ultimate Lord, for He alone is worthy of our worship.

The casting of crowns at the feet of Jesus serves to remind us of some important principles:

· Everything we do must be done to the glory of God (). There is no room for self-ambition or self-exaltation in the service of God. It is the attitude and mindset of John the Baptist: Jesus must increase, I must decrease ().

· Our ability to do anything of worth in the kingdom of God comes from the power received from God through our relationship with Him. This principle was spelled out by Jesus in when He taught that He is the vine and we are the branches. “Without me ye can do nothing” ().

· We are merely servants who are doing our duty. “When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do” ().

Spontaneous praise erupts from the lips of the heavenly worshipers declaring God’s worthiness (verse 11). Ask: “What forms of praise is God worthy to receive?” God is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. He receives glory for all the wonders of nature He has created. He receives honor for His glorious Lordship over all His creation, and He has power over every facet of His creation.

Obviously, God has taken great pleasure in His creation (verse 11). At the end of the sixth day, God looked at all His creation and said that it was “very good” (). God’s crowning achievement was the creation of man. From the beginning, God desired fellowship and interaction with His creation, and took pleasure in them. God is worthy of our praise because He made us and provided everything we need to be complete in Him.

Revelation 5:9–14 ESV

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

opens with the vision of all heaven looking for one who is worthy to open a great scroll (verse 2). When the Lamb came forward and took the scroll in His hand, all heaven broke loose in a reverberating song of praise (verses 9-11).

Teaching Tip 7: Have a student read aloud. Ask the class to list the seven great blessings the Lamb is worthy to receive. Write these on the chalkboard as they are listed.

These descriptive words indicate how worthy the Lamb of God is to receive the praises of His people. Ask: “Why is Jesus worthy to open the scroll, and of praise?” The redemptive work of Jesus makes Him worthy. Without that work, we would only be able to bow our knees and confess His Lordship in stubborn acknowledgment of His right to judge us as sinners. But because of His shed blood, we can praise Him as our Redeemer, and joyfully acknowledge Him as the worthy Lord of all creation. Whether in reluctance or in rejoicing, all will proclaim Jesus as Lord.

Praise and thanksgiving must rise from all believers to our wonderful Lord. Each believer must determine in his heart that not one day will pass without praise and worship being offered to the Lord who died for all.

Life Response

For many Christians, the concept of worship has to do with where one goes to church. For others, it is simply the mental assent that God exists somewhere in the universe. However, the real essence of worship has to do with the marvelous nature and character of God.

We must not worship God because it is politically correct to do so, neither because we are forced to do so. Nor should we worship simply because it is expected of us. Rather, we must worship God because we have an intense desire to know Him and to fellowship with Him. To know God is to worship Him because He is a holy God, omnipotent over all of His creation. And we worship Him because He is a good Father to His children.

Consider those areas of your life in which you have taken God for granted. Purpose in your heart to become more sensitive to the ways you can exalt, honor, and worship Him.

1. What are some of the marvelous attributes of God that inspire us to worship Him?

2. How does knowing God is holy, good, and worthy affect the way we live?

Evangelism Emphasis

While sin separates a person from God, repentance and forgiveness draw one close to God. When Christ has become a person’s Savior, he has many reasons to thank God and worship Him for His goodness. Invite unsaved guests to receive Christ today.

In , the Psalmist continues with a call to exalt God by worshiping at His footstool. Ask: “What is meant by the footstool of God?” Eastern cultures built the thrones of their kings on an elevated platform. The king would then be “exalted” and lifted up above all the people around him. The throne was reached only by ascending a series of steps. The bottom step was traditionally known as the king’s footstool. A servant would approach no higher than this low step when bringing supplications, gifts, or proof of loyalty. The Psalmist was implying that true worship of a holy God begins with a posture of humility at the footstool of God.

Verse 6 gives a great roll call of the faithful, noting Moses, Aaron, and Samuel as examples of men who knew how to exalt God for His holiness. God’s answer to the prayers of these great men was the result of their keeping His laws (verses 7,8).

We can be assured God still answers prayer today. However, many would like to receive from God without first giving themselves to Him. His desire for us is to first receive His gift of salvation. Then He will respond to our worship with wonderful expressions of love and blessing.

Why Do We Worship God?

Introduction

Why Do We Worship God?

God is worthy of our worship because of His marvelous attributes.

1. God Is Holy

1. God Is Holy

The Lord Reigns

Exalt God

Exalt God

2. God Is Good

Worship With Gladness

Worship Through Thanksgiving

3. God Is Worthy

Worship The Creator

Worthy Is The Lamb