Worship Participation

Worship Brings Unity

We are going to look at 1 things worship Does and 2 things worship Is.

Question: What does it mean to be unified?

sometimes the best way to describe something is to say what it is not. Unity is Not being divided.

Q. What are some things that divide us? politics, friends, sin, difference of opinions.

Ill. In a culture like ours it is hard to think that their could ever be unity between people. But that doesn’t mean it is impossible. The only time that people can genuinely be unified is when they give their lives to God and live in worship to God.

In the passage today we will see how actively worshipping God for who is brings unity among believers and gives us a glimpse as to what heaven will look like.

Read:

English Standard Version Chapter 8

And all the people gathered as one man into the square before tthe Water Gate. And they told uEzra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest vbrought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, won the first day of the seventh month. 3 xAnd he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.

Ex. [textual] After the Babylonian exile [597-538 BC] there were three leaders that lead in the rebuilding efforts of the temple that was destroyed. Zerubbabel, who helped lead the Israelites back to Jerusalem. Ezra, who helped lead in the community and teach the Torah, and Nehemiah, who was fundamental in the rebuilding of the walls .

In Nehemiah 8 both Ezra and Nehemiah join forces to bring together the exiles and create a spiritual renewal. For a week they read the bible and worshipped God.

[specific] The people of God were in a time of hardship as they struggled to rebuild the very place they gathered together for worship. There were many distractions that kept them from finishing the task quickly. People were breaking the laws of the Torah and the commands of God.

Despite all their rebellion, there came a point on October 8th of that year. That is known as Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.

Ezra and Nehemiah along with all the people (40,000+) gathered together to read Gods word and worship him.

Question: How do you know if you are worshiping corporately? you are being unified.

What does that mean? It means you are willing to lay aside your bitterness and drama and self desires and come together and worship in Spirit and in Truth, which leads to unity.

-JN. 4:24 “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

App. Worship brings unity among believers.

Worship is Active

What does it mean to participate? “take part in, so share in, to partner in”.

What is the difference in active and passive? Passive means to be “acted upon, not acting.” “Showing no interest or initiative.”

Ill. Would you say an athlete is passive or active in their training or competition?

Definition of Athlete: “a person who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise.” -active lifestyle

The life of a Christian is illustrated as a race, it’s an active lifestyle that requires participation and training. Worship is a main aspect of our participation and training that if we do not have we become “flabby Christians.”

Read:

English Standard Version Chapter 8

5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, y“Amen, Amen,” zlifting up their hands. aAnd they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.

Notice how they worshipped God. They worshipped God Actively.

The word for worship in all contexts shows ACTION.

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 7812. שָׁחָה

שָׁחָה shâchâh

shâchâh means:

to prostrate oneself,

to bow down or stoop (PS. 66.4, "All the earth worships you (bows down to you) . they sing praises to your name.")

Ill. In our Christian life’s, sometimes we forget to put what we prepare for into action.

Reading the Bible and praying is worship in itself, but it is also preparation for cooperate worship.

[textual] Can you image if all the people in Ezra and Nehemiah’s day gathered together to read God’s word and sat down playing on their phones, drawing pictures, or falling asleep? Image us reading that, what a downer…

Application: Worship is active participation. (singing, dancing, playing music, living a holy life.)

Ts. What is it in active participation of?

Worship is a response to who God Is

English Standard Version Chapter 8

10 Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and isend portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Ex. As the believers actively worshipped God, being fully unified together they wept. They cried as they heard the law of the Lord being read aloud because they realized all that they had done to violate the law of the Lord.

They worshipped God knowing who they are in his presence. A broken, wretched people who have dishonored him and deserve death. But, they also worshipped God knowing who he is, the just law giver who brings Joy an peace to those who love his ways. They knew God Could have given up on them, but he didn’t.

God Doesn’t give up on us, we give up on God.

So,. worship is...

Worship is Unification through Active participation, in Response to who God is.