Worshiping Our God
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
The Sunday morning sermon “theme” for this year has been “Fundamentals” with the express desire to remind us of the importance these pure spiritual milk doctrines should be to each of us.
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
The allow us to grow up into salvation, in other words, they allow us to mature into the solid food of God’s word.
Today we turn our attention to another of those “pure spiritual milk i.e., fundamental doctrines which is that of “Worshiping Our God.”
When we examine every illustration, vision, or dream concerning heaven there is almost unanimously a constant worship of the Creator of the universe God the Father, Son, and Spirit.
8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” 9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, 11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Now, if our eternity with God is going to focus on worship it would behoove each of us to make certain we are preparing for such here on earth.
In other words, we must understand how to go about “Worshiping Our God.”
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
With this in mind let us examine our lesson for today.
Biblical Worship
Biblical Worship
The Five Worship Words.
The Five Worship Words.
Proskyneo: “to express in attitude or gesture one’s complete dependence on or submission to a high authority figure, (fall down and) worship.”
This word literally means to “kiss the ground” or “incline the face to the ground.”
6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him.
This word for worship is found the most in the bible, 243 times, between the Old & New Testament.
Biblical worship is bowing before our God in complete dependence and submission.
Sebo: “to express in gestures, rites, or ceremonies one’s allegiance or devotion to deity.”
This word is found in secular writings to describe the “acts of worship” towards idols to gain their favor as seen in Acts 19:27, Acts 13:50, and Acts 17:4.
When used by God, we see it expanded upon to represent how God wants to be worship such as in Joshua 4:24 and Job 1:9 wherein both times it is translated as “fear.”
24 so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”
Therefore, this word for worship holds the idea of performing the acts of worship expected by way of fearful wonder.”
Sebazomai: “the attitude of awe while worshiping.”
This word is only found in Romans 1:25.
25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Though talking about idol worship we can clearly see that this worship should only be for the Creator not creation.
Thus, we must have the right attitude behind each act of worship which is “awe” and “reverence.”
Letreuo: “to perform the acts or rites of worship.”
This word is found some 111 times in the bible between the Old and New Testaments.
28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,
Thus, when we talk about the five biblical acts of worship (singing, preaching, praying, giving, weekly feasting) this word is applicable.
Eusebeo: “showing loyal reverence for i.e., piety.”
This word is only found twice in the N.T. and once in the LXX.
23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
Thus, this word focuses on our worship of God with a loyal reverence.
Summary
Summary
When we worship then we must as God wants not as we want or as Jesus put it to the Samaritan woman, which we read earlier, we must worship in “spirit and truth.”
So knowing what we know concerning worship what does it mean to worship in spirit and truth?
Worshiping In Spirit & Truth
Worshiping In Spirit & Truth
Worshiping In Spirit.
Worshiping In Spirit.
This means to worship with spiritual awareness instead of fleshly awareness.
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
The spiritually aware worship God with their “spiritual minds.”
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
The word for “spiritual” here “logikos” literally means “to logically think in the spiritual realm not the physical.”
We also have the word “latriuo” here for worship.
Thus, you have the idea of serving God with a spiritually reasonable mind.
The spiritually aware worship God with their “spiritual images.”
46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
When we worship God in spirit we are to be worshiping Him bearing the image of God in our lives. In other words...
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
The spiritually aware are amenable to God’s molding.
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
If we want to worship God in spirit, we must be willing to let the artist “God” mold the clay which is “us” through His Word.
If you notice we haven’t said anything about emotions. So often this part of the verse is used to say “spirit” is emotions and “truth” is God’s Word.
The reason I haven’t mentioned emotions with this, is because worshiping in spirit has nothing to do with emotions rather it has to do with worshiping God with a spiritual awareness rather than a carnal one.
“Worship has been misunderstood as something that arises from a feeling which ‘comes upon you,’ but it is vital that we understand that it is rooted in a conscious act of the will, to serve and obey the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Graham Kendrick)
Worshiping In Truth.
Worshiping In Truth.
This means worshiping God according to the authority set forth in His Word.
17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
8 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.
8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
This also means worshiping God according to the emotions set forth in His Word.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.
7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Summary
Summary
To worship God in spirit and truth means to worship Him with a spiritual awareness and a willingness to adhere to the Bible’s pattern on all things including emotions.
Conclusion
Conclusion
As anyone can tell by now preparing for eternity begins and ends by understanding the importance of having the right attitude concerning worship.
“Any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.” (Tozer)
As we work toward our heavenly reward let us have a heart that is consumed with worshiping God as often as we can, as much as we can.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.