Summer Slow Down: Worship

What is the best way you have heard someone describe worship?

“We should connect on the idea of worship/sacrifice/and dying daily.”

“Worship is telling God how much you love him. How you do that is between you and God.”

"Worship is when your heart says, 'I love you, God.' That means worship can be singing or dancing or helping others or cooking or even cleaning a toilet! As long as you're doing it because of your love for Jesus."

“Worship is our admiration of God and we can express this through many different forms.”

Mine: “Worship is a response to who God is and what He has done in creation, including the creation of me and my new life in Christ.”

What is the most damaging thing you learned about worship?

“That it should make me feel good.”

"Worship is singing and (visually) participating in service."

“Worship ushers in the presence of God.”

“Most damaging was the mentality that it was just the Sunday song service and not a daily constant act.”

“Most damaging thing I learned and had to unlearn about worship: That worship ushers in the presence of God. Surprise: He never left.”

Mine: Story of Riley raising his hands and clapping. My own sin in believing that worship is this, this and this.

Forming the discipline of living a life in RESPONSE to God and His goodness is foundational.

Worship is a response.

It is an expression of reverence and adoration of God.

By definition.

It is a reaction to His actions.

Biblical Context for Worship

It is so important for us to look throughout the entire Biblical narrative on worship. It was not just a NT experience.

In the OT:

-In the home: Jewish parents knew the importance of meditation. Children must be taught the Law and the significance. REFERENCE 1 Chron. 28:910 (David’s reminder to Solomon and worship the Lord.

-In the Temple: Families would go to the temple time to time to worship and sacrifice animals. There was national times of worship in the temple. 3 times a year all adult men would travel to the temple to celerbate national festivals (Passover, Feast of Weeks and Feast of Booths). When possible families would accompany them. These are tremendous occasions when believers from all over would converge to Jerusalem for worshipo in the temple.

1 Chronicles 28:9–10 NLT

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. So take this seriously. The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary. Be strong, and do the work.”

David is encouraging his son to lean into worship and serve God. Does he mean “sing and serve God”?

Worship in the temple changed with the 1st and 2nd destruction of the temple. That’ when synagogues come into play. Sacrifices in the physical place of worship declined because you didn’t sacrifice in those spaces.

Luke 17:15–16 NLT

One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

Worship in the NT is usually means expression of praise or thanksgiving.

Also a respond.

We see in Luke that that worship is central to Christian life. The Gospel opens up and ends with scenes of worshippers.

Acts 2:46 NLT

They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity—

The idea and practice was less complicated than because it was embedded into the pillars of their lives.

This is why we structure home church the way we do: we break bread, we teach and learn from the Word of God, we pray and we fellowship.

My heart is trying to continually remove religious complications and hurdles in what it means to follow Jesus.

Worship was not a once a week event at a specific location. It is a lifestyle.

John 4:20–26 NLT

So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!”