True Exaltation
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What does it mean to exalt? Who are we exalting? How do we truly exalt God in true acts of worship?
Exalt is just another word for worship...
“True worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things.”
“True worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things.”
There are two aspects of worship we need to look at this morning as we consider the concept of True exaltation.
Inner Essence of Worship
External Expression of Worship
Let’s start with the inner essence of worship and then work out to the more public expressions of worship services or daily acts of love, which Paul calls our “spiritual worship” ().
The reason we need to make a distinction between the inner essence of worship and the external expression of it is because I think Jesus did in : “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me.”
1 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.
The reason we need to make a distinction between the inner essence of worship and the external expression of it is because I think Jesus did in : “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me.”
The reason we need to make a distinction between the inner essence of worship and the external expression of it is because I believe Jesus did in :
8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”
For Jesus, this worship amounts to zero. That is what “vain” means. “In vain do they worship me.” Zero. It is not worship.
For Jesus, this worship amounts to zero. That is what “vain” means. “In vain do they worship me.” Zero. It is not worship. This is a zero worship. It is zero if there is no heart dimension to it. So, you can do as many deeds as you want and go to as many church services as you want and never be worshiping if it is all external and nothing is happening in your heart toward God. All true worship is in essence a matter of the heart. It is more, but it is not less.
So, you can do as many deeds as you want and go to as many church services as you want and never be worshiping if it is all external and nothing is happening in your heart toward God.
All true worship is in essence a matter of the heart.
Then the question becomes:
What is this inner essence of worship?
What is this inner essence of worship?
Jesus pointed us toward the answer in when he said,
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Notice that worshiping in spirit is not contrasted with worshiping in the body or with the body. Instead, it is put alongside worshiping in truth.
Notice that worshiping in spirit is not contrasted with worshiping in the body or with the body. Instead, it is put alongside worshiping in truth.
So what does that mean, that we are to be spirit-worshipers, worshiping from the spirit, and truth, driven by truth?
I think first of all, the point is that when we worship — right worship, pleasing worship, Authentic worship that involves an inward change of heart, not just outward observance.
Our worship of God is centered on the Truth about God. It is the truth that sets up free right, what is truth, God’s holy word, Jesus is the Word...
(Explain deeper)
Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
If we worship an idol of our own creation, we are not really worshiping God.
So then we need to understand that true authentic worship depends on a right spiritual or emotional or affectional heart-grasp of God’s supreme nature.
So true worship is based on a right understanding of God’s nature.
Secondly, worship depends on a right spiritual or emotional or affectional heart-grasp of God’s supreme value. So true worship is based on a right understanding of God’s nature, and it is a right valuing of God’s worth.
We just celebrated the Advent season...
With the advent of the Messiah the time came for a new order of worship. True worshipers are those who realize that Jesus is the Truth of God (3:21; 14:6) and the one and only Way to the Father (Acts 4:12). To worship in truth is to worship God through Jesus. To worship in Spirit is to worship in the new realm which God has revealed to people. The Father is seeking true worshipers because He wants people to live in reality, not in falsehood. Everybody is a worshiper (Rom. 1:25) but because of sin many are blind and constantly put their trust in worthless objects.
23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:23-
With the advent of the Messiah the time came for a new order of worship.
Holman New Testament Commentary: John A. Demonstration of Gospel Witness (4:1–26)
Rather than the hour of crucifixion, the emphasis here seems to rest upon the first advent. The Messiah has appeared; the gospel has already been proclaimed; life and light are available. True believers must stop this mindless, endless, meaningless bickering about sites and sounds of worship.
True worshipers are those who realize that Jesus is the Truth of God (3:21; 14:6) and the one and only Way to the Father (). To worship in truth is to worship God through Jesus. To worship in Spirit is to worship in the new realm which God has revealed to people. The Father is seeking true worshipers because He wants people to live in reality, not in falsehood. Everybody is a worshiper () but because of sin many are blind and constantly put their trust in worthless objects.
The inner essence of worship is an attitude of heart which acknowledges God and his sovereignty over our lives. Furthermore, worship must be done in truth—honestly, biblically, centered on Christ.
Of course, his worth is infinite. Thus, true worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things. That would be the closest I am going to give to a definition, I suppose. True worship is a valuing or a treasuring of God above all things.
The inner essence of worship is the response of the heart to the knowledge of the mind when the mind is rightly understanding God and the heart is rightly valuing God.
Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, p. 77). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
That is the inner essence of worship.
So what about the external expression of worship?
What is the external expression of worship?
What is the external expression of worship?
We worship God authentically when we know him truly and treasure him duly. Then the word “worship” refers to that valuing, that inner valuing, becoming visible in the world in two basic ways in the New Testament.
In fact, the English word “worship” comes from worth ship. That is, worship is showing, displaying the worth of God.
Acts of the mouth
Acts of love with the body
The acts of the mouth are acts of praise and repentance in worship services or small group gatherings.
Acts of love with the body and the hands and the feet are acts of love that show the supreme value of God by what we are willing to sacrifice for the good of others.
We worship God authentically when we know him truly and treasure him duly. Then the word “worship” refers to that valuing, that inner valuing, becoming visible in the world in two basic ways in the New Testament.
One is acts of the mouth: acts of praise and repentance in worship services or small group gatherings.
“True worship is based on a right understanding of God’s nature, and it is a right valuing of God’s worth.” Tweet Share on Facebook
The other is acts of love with the body and the hands and the feet: acts of love that show the supreme value of God by what we are willing to sacrifice for the good of others.
We get those two things from .
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Hebrew
I get those two things from . Listen to this amazing summary. It says, “Through him, then,” — through Christ — “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Do you see what that is saying, “Through him, then,” — through Christ — “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge and give thanks to his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Listen to this amazing summary. It says, “Through him, then,” — through Christ — “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Those two verses begin and end with the term “sacrifice.” Of course, the sacrifice is an echo from the Old Testament sacrifices which were at the center of the worship and were to display the value of God as we gave up a bull or a goat and showed that God is precious to us.
I get those two things from . Listen to this amazing summary. It says, “Through him, then,” — through Christ — “let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Those two verses begin and end with the term “sacrifice.” Of course, the sacrifice is an echo from the Old Testament sacrifices which were at the center of the worship and were to display the value of God as we gave up a bull or a goat and showed that God is precious to us.
We value his redemption that comes to us through the sacrifice and now through the sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ two things become worshipful sacrifices in our life:
the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name; that is, worship services in singing and praying and repenting and confessing, and
We value his redemption that comes to us through the sacrifice and now through the sacrifice of Christ. So through Christ two things become worshipful sacrifices in our life: the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name; that is, worship services in singing and praying and repenting and confessing, and secondly, the fruit of deeds.
secondly, the fruit of deeds.
Don’t neglect to do good. Share what you have. Such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Both of those are acts of worship. They are the bi product of first having the inner essence of God in your heart.
Don’t neglect to do good. Share what you have. Such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Both of those are acts of worship.
You see it in :
1 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
So all of our bodily life done in love for others and in reliance upon God display the worth of God above all things and make us worshipers in our daily life.
You see it in : “I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, which is your spiritual service of worship.” So all of our bodily life done in love for other and in reliance upon God display the worth of God above all things and make us worshipers in our daily life.
“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, which is your spiritual service of worship.” So all of our bodily life done in love for other and in reliance upon God display the worth of God above all things and make us worshipers in our daily life.
So, here there it is: The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things. And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ. That is what True Exaltation looks like.
