Principles for Worship

Introduction:

When you come into the Lord’s House to worship, what goes through your mind? I was thinking about this while I was at the convention this past week. I looked around the room during the worship time and I looked at those leading worship. I watched their body language and their faces. I tried to think through what they might be thinking in their minds as they worshiped God.

Sometimes we can tell when someone is truly worshiping God. We can see it written all over them. We can also easily see when someone isn’t and is simply performing.

There is a popular Christian song by Mandissa that has a line in it that says, “I’m about to get my worship on.” Now, I’m not trying to disparage Mandissa, but I think a lot of people think about worship as their own worship. And for many that is what it is. It is about them and not the Lord.

Tonight, I want to share with you a few principles for worship as we look at Leviticus 9. Now, next week we will take a peak at what bad worship looks like, but for now, join with me as we look at these 7 principles for worship in Lev. 9.

However, I want to skip ahead and read to you Lev. 10:10-11 before we begin to look at these.

Leviticus 10:10–11 ESV

10 You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, 11 and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the Lord has spoken to them by Moses.”

Pray.

1. God is Holy and Must Be Worshiped in a Certain Manner (vv. 1-2)

Leviticus 9:1–2 ESV

1 On the eighth day Moses called Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel, 2 and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord.

There was a particular day

There was a particular manner. This manner is contrasted in chapter 10 when Nadab and Abihu do it their own way.

This all points to Christ. He is the only way to the Father. There are not many ways. If we want fellowship with God we must come through Jesus.

2. We Must Worship God with a Pure Heart (vv. 2-11, 15)

Leviticus 9:2–11 ESV

2 and he said to Aaron, “Take for yourself a bull calf for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord. 3 And say to the people of Israel, ‘Take a male goat for a sin offering, and a calf and a lamb, both a year old without blemish, for a burnt offering, 4 and an ox and a ram for peace offerings, to sacrifice before the Lord, and a grain offering mixed with oil, for today the Lord will appear to you.’ ” 5 And they brought what Moses commanded in front of the tent of meeting, and all the congregation drew near and stood before the Lord. 6 And Moses said, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.” 7 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them, as the Lord has commanded.” 8 So Aaron drew near to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering, which was for himself. 9 And the sons of Aaron presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar and poured out the blood at the base of the altar. 10 But the fat and the kidneys and the long lobe of the liver from the sin offering he burned on the altar, as the Lord commanded Moses. 11 The flesh and the skin he burned up with fire outside the camp.

Leviticus 9:15 ESV

15 Then he presented the people’s offering and took the goat of the sin offering that was for the people and killed it and offered it as a sin offering, like the first one.

The priest had to come clean before he could minister on behalf of the people

The people also had guilt that needed to be confessed.

In addition to this sin being confessed, we need to come clean with why we are worshiping in the first place. Is it to manipulate God to get something? Is it to honor and praise His name? Is it some other reason?

3. Worship is Not About Us (v.6)

Leviticus 9:6 ESV

6 And Moses said, “This is the thing that the Lord commanded you to do, that the glory of the Lord may appear to you.”

Worship is about ascribing worship to God

It’s not my worship that I’m about to get going, but worship of Almighty God

This day was about God getting the glory

If we steal glory from God, He will not show up. This is ultimately the sin of blasphemy. It is making ourselves out to be better than God

4. Worship is an Outward Expression of Dedication to God (vv. 12-14, 16)

Leviticus 9:12–14 ESV

12 Then he killed the burnt offering, and Aaron’s sons handed him the blood, and he threw it against the sides of the altar. 13 And they handed the burnt offering to him, piece by piece, and the head, and he burned them on the altar. 14 And he washed the entrails and the legs and burned them with the burnt offering on the altar.

Leviticus 9:16 ESV

16 And he presented the burnt offering and offered it according to the rule.

There were visual elements of worship

5. Worship Involves Fellowship with God (vv. 17-18)

Leviticus 9:17–18 ESV

17 And he presented the grain offering, took a handful of it, and burned it on the altar, besides the burnt offering of the morning. 18 Then he killed the ox and the ram, the sacrifice of peace offerings for the people. And Aaron’s sons handed him the blood, and he threw it against the sides of the altar.

After the sin offering and burnt offering, came the grain offering

The goal of worship was to come into God’s presence to fellowship with Him

6. Both the Pastor and the People Must Be Right with God (vv.22-24)

Leviticus 9:22–24 ESV

22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. 23 And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

When the pastor and the people are not right with God, He hides His presence

Listen to Malachi 2:1-2 “1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you. 2 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.”

Back a chapter earlier God said,

Mal. 1:10 “10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.”

If we aren’t going to worship God the way He desires, it would be better to just stay home!

7. Worship is a Blessing for God’s People (v. 22)

Leviticus 9:22 ESV

22 Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings.

Why does God want our worship? Does He need it?

The answer is no! God doesn’t need it, but He is worthy of it.

To worship any other thing is to ascribe worth to something that is unworthy

We give our worship to God because He is worthy and it is a blessing to us to do so!

Conclusion:

Worship is a matter of the heart and the mind and the body. Worship isn’t about us. It is about God. Are we giving Him the worship that is due Him?