Acts: Worship, Fasting, & Prayer Part 1

I. INTRO

a. READ ACTS 13:1-4….PRAY

b. SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES ARE THOSE PERSONAL AND CORPORATE (PRIVATE AND PUBLIC) DISCIPLINES THAT PROMOTE SPIRITUAL GROWTH.

i. 1 TIM 4:7, FOR THE PURPOSE OF GODLINESS

1. BIBLE INTAKE; PRAYER; WORSHIP; EVANGELISM; SERVING; STEWARDSHIP; FASTING; SILENCE AND SOLITUDE; JOURNALING; LEARNING

c. TODAY’S TEXT POINTS US TO 3: WORSHIP, FASTING, AND PRAYER

i. THIS IS SO IMPORTANT THAT I WILL COVER ONE AT A TIME FOR THE NEXT THREE WEEKS…TODAY WE WILL DISCUSS WORSHIP.

II. DIVERSE CHURCH OF ANTIOCH (V1)

a. THIS IS A LIST OF THE PASTORS AND TEACHERS

b. A LEVITE FROM CYPRUS, A MAN FROM NORTH AFRICA, A MAN FROM MODERN DAY LIBYA, WEALTHY COURTIER OF HEROD THE TETRARCH, AND A BENJAMITE FULL ROMAN CITIZEN FROM TARSUS

i. IT DEMONSTRATES THE GOD ORDAINED DIVERSITY OF THE CHURCH

1. ISAIAH 49:6

2. MAL 1:11

3. GREAT COMMISSION

ii. THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER IN CHRIST…THIS WE MUST RECLAIM THROUGH THE GOSPEL

c. LET’S TAKE ON THE FIRST ELEMENT OF VERSE 2

III. A LORD’S DAY TO REMEMBER – WORSHIP (V2)

a. WHEN WE READ THIS WE GET THE IMPRESSION THAT MAYBE THEY WERE HAVING A STAFF MEETING…THE TERM HERE FOR WORSHIP IS “LEADING PUBLIC WORSHIP”…THEY WERE IN CHURCH WITH THE CONGREGATION

b. WHAT IS WORSHIP?

i. PERSONALLY - WORSHIP IS FOCUSING ON AND RESPONDING TO GOD (DON WHITNEY)

ii. CORPORATELY – ACTIVITY OF GLORIFYING GOD IN HIS PRESENCE WITH OUR VOICES AND HEARTS (GRUDEM)

iii. SINGING, READING, LISTENING TO PREACHING, GIVING ARE ALL TOOLS TO GET THERE

1. GOING ON VACATION – THE CAR, THE LUGGAGE, THE AIRPLANE, THE DESTINATION, THE FOOD, THE CAMERAS, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT INDICATE WE ARE ON VACATION BUT IT IS NOT THE VACATION ITSELF

c. OBSERVATIONS OF WORSHIP

i. ASCRIBING – RECOGNIZING GOD’S WORTH

1. JOHN 20:27-28 (JESUS’ DEITY)

ii. MAGNIFY – AMPLIFYING PROCLAMATION

1. REV 4:8 (GOD’S CHARACTER)

d. IT IS COMMANDED BECAUSE HE IS WORTHY

i. MATT 4:8-10

ii. PSALM 95:6

iii. REV 22…THE ANGEL SAYS WORSHIP GOD

e. CHARACTER OF WORSHIP - VAIN

i. MATT 15:8-9

ii. WE ARE NOT WORSHIPING IF WE ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT GOD

f. CHARACTER OF WORSHIP – SPIRIT AND TRUTH

i. JOHN 4:23-24, HEART AND HEAD

ii. JOHN PIPER’S ILLUSTRATION LOVE AS DUTY VS JOY

g. TIMING – ALWAYS

i. DO NOT NEGLECT DAILY PRIVATE WORSHIP

ii. HOW CAN WE EXPECT THE FLAMES OF OUR WORSHIP OF GOD TO BURN BRIGHTLY IN PUBLIC ON THE LORD’S DAY WHEN THEY BARELY FLICKER FOR HIM IN SECRET ON OTHER DAYS? (WHITNEY)

IV. EXHORTATIONS

a. THE GOAL IS TO BE LIKE JESUS

i. LUKE 6:40

b. TRAIN DAILY TO BE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE TRIUNE GOD

i. READ THE SCRIPTURES (GOSPELS, PSALMS, REVELATION)

1. 2 Tim 3:16

2. Titus 2:11-12

c. DON’T THINK ON THE ACT OF WORSHIP, THINK ON JESUS AND ALLOW YOURSELF TO RESPOND TO YOUR THOUGHTS

i. COL 3:16

ii. PRACTICAL EXERCISES:

1. WRITE A LETTER THANKING AND PRAISING JESUS

2. SING A SONG TO JESUS