Discipleship GRPC (I) - Worship

DISCIPLESHIP!

3 main categories: worship God, getting mature in the community and spreading the Gospel.

What does worship mean?

Songs, prayer, giving money, kneeling? Yes. But the list is still open!

Worship in the NT

We cannot follow Jesus unless we worship Him: only he who recognizes Jesus’ divinity can really follow Jesus. Whoever recognizes Jesus’ divinity will worship Him. But I cannot worship Jesus if I don’t follow Him, because worship - true worship - is in Spirit and Truth!

Mainlines for worship in the NT

RECOGNIZE Jesus’ special identity

King/Lord - Matt. 2:2, 8, 11, 7:22,

To worship means to give God what God asks for you to give, and not to give God what you think God would need. Literally: myrrh! It doesn’t matter what your logic says about that! “Joseph will kick me out of there!”

The Lord of all creation. Even of the demons!

Son of God/Man - Matt. 14:33; Jn. 4:10-24, 9:38; Heb. 1:6.

He rules over the nature! Over the living water - eternal life! Over the disease! Over the angels!

Healer - Matt. 8:2, 9:18, 15:25.

When we worship we know Jesus wants to heal you! Your’re ILL, but it’s not His WILL. Pray until He says “no!” (see 1 Cor. 12:9).

When we worship we know Jesus is coming, even He “might be late”. He’s never late!

Exorcist - Mk. 5:6.

He is Risen - Matt. 28:9, 17

When you worship, keep your faith strong! Don’t doubt, because whoever is doubting will not receive anything (James 1).

PRAISING and ADORING God

For creation and His powerful will - Rev. 4:10-11, 14:7.

Blessings - Rev. 7:11

Doing God’s will - Rev. 11:1

Giving thanks - Rev 11:16-18

Saying Hallelujah - Rev. 19:4

With all those who keep the words of the Book - Rev. 22:9

Praising and adoring God and Jesus - Agreement - Rev. 5:14

Only one Lord! God, not Satan - Matt. 4:9, 10.

Adore: at the ascension: Lk. 24:52

Teaching and worshiping - Matt. 15:8-9.

Serve - Matt. 4:10; Lk. 4:7-8

Spirit and truth! Jn. 4:20-24

Conditions: born again and being guided in the truth of God, which was revelead by the Truth Himself.

God will challenge people to worship Him using truth (Jn. 4:20-24) but the beast will use deceitful things (Rev. 19:20)

Bad worship (I)

Doubt - Matt. 28:17

Mock - Mk. 15:19

Certain place, certain ritual - Jn. 4:20-24

Images - Ac. 7:43

People - Ac. 10:25

Angels - Rev. 19:10, 22:8

We have the reaction to worship people who reveal deep truth to us. We must totally avoid that! We must worship only God Himself.

Bad worship (II)

The dragon and the beast by praising their power - Rev. 13:4, 13:12,

The people will worship because they will be deceived - Rev. 19:20

Only those who don’t belong to the Lamb - Rev. 13:8

The result: drink the wine of God’s wrath - Rev 14:9-11, painful sores - 16:2

Requests to other people - Matt. 18:26

Request to Jesus: Insurance on the position in the afterlife Matt. 20:20

Jewish rituals - Jn 12:20; Ac. 8:27, 24:11;

Being sure that the blessing will be real - Heb. 11:21

Recognizing my failure - Rev. 3:9.

Failing in worship because of my not-repentance - Rev. 9:20.

Die for Jesus - Rev. 13:15

God’s presence recognized in the church - 1 Cor. 14:25.

Final worship: praising God - Rev. 15:4

The reward of worshiping God and not the beast: reign - Rev. 20:4

Do we really worship God? Do you worship God? Do you:

recognize Jesus as Son of God?

praise God Himself?

worship Only Him?

Serve Him?

Spirit and truth: are you born again? Are you guided by His Truth?

Avoid bad worship?

… do you:

have good requests?

recognize your failure?

prepare yourself every day to die?

work in the congregation in such a way that God's presence is recognized?

prepare for final worship?

know that there is a reward for your worship?