Sermon Tone Analysis

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.”

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.”

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 :

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?

Jesus pointed us toward the answer in when he said,

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.

John 4:23-

With the advent of the Messiah the time came for a new order of worship.

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?

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.”

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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 .

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.