What is Worship?

Worship Defined

What is worship?

Worship is the awed response to the saving acts and praiseworthy character of God. -Lexham Theological Wordbook

So worship is more than just singing or raising hands.

Worship is our response to what God has done.

What value do you find in God and in the work of God? I am not talking about what your words say, but what does your actions say? How you live your day to day lives?

Worship is a lifestyle, not what we do for a few minutes on Sunday morning.

To discuss this I want to look at Romans 12:1-2:

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

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. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Our worship at it’s heart is a spiritual matter. Paul describes the worship as spiritual. So the way you live your life and the way you worship reflects on the state of your spiritual being. Also John 4:24 states:

John 4:24 ESV

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Let us break down this passage in Romans.

Living Sacrifice. What does that mean? Is a sacrifice alive by the end of the ceremony? No. So what does it mean to be a living sacrifice? We are to die to self. We are to put our desires and sinful human nature in the grave and walk in the newness of life the Spirit has given us. In other words, die to self. What is the heart behind your actions?

Holy. what does holy mean? It means to be set apart. What are we set apart from? the ways of the world. We behave in a different way. We carry ourselves different. We talk different than the world. We stand out. I think of the Lyrics of Jesus Freak by dc Talk

What will people think When they hear that I'm a Jesus freak What will people do when they find that it's true (Oh oh) I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak There ain't no disguising the truth

Acceptable to God. Again what does this mean? Should we be concerned about what people think? No. Who should we be concerned about? We should be concerned about what God thinks of us. Others opinions don’t matter. If you feel led to witness. Witness don’t worry about the backlash. Feel led to raise your hands. Raise them, don’t worry about what people think. You are living for God’s approval, no one else. In a hundred years from now whos approval will make a difference? In a hundred years from now those you are a around are either going to be thankful for your godly behavior or resentful for your lack of godly behavior. People may shame you now, but they will thank you one day.

Worship is living a life of gratitude for what God has done for you.

Worship is to be a holy living sacrifice everyday.

Worship in a Worship Service

Their are different ways to worship in a worship service.

Worship how you feel led.

So tonight I am going to talk a little on why I worship the way I do. Because if you have not figured out by now I worship different than most baptist.

So some ask is it Biblical to dance in church. Is it alright to sway a little? 2 Samuel 6:14-16 says:

2 Samuel 6:14–16 ESV

And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart.

David danced praising God. Biblical there is nothing wrong with dancing to praise God.

So why do i do what i do? Why do i lift my hands?

What is the universal sign of surrender? Lifting of hands. So part of my worship is saying Lord I surrender to you. I belong to you. I am under your control.

More questions. What do you do when the song comes on (at home or the concert)? Fancy Like by Walker Hayes. Astronaut in the Ocean by Masked Wolf. My Name is by Eminem. Etc. The list could go on and on. You dance. You enjoy the song. Sometimes you may even lift your hands.

So you comfortable enjoying music and dancing music about going on cheap dates or about dealing with mental stress with no real answers or to vulgar music glorifying ungodly thoughts and actions about my name is.

I say all this to say why can’t we show that excitement about God. Why can’t we lift our hands from time to time. Not only do I lift my hands as a sign of surrender but of celebration. I get excited about what God is doing and who he is. Or how many of us raised hands Friday night? Or cheered Friday night? Did you sing Sunday? Did you lift your hands when felt led? Why not?

If you feel led to do something and don’t do it. That is sin.

James 4:17 ESV

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

What to Sing?

Sing theology you believe.

Just because it is in a hymnal, on k-love, or sung in church does not mean it is necessarily Biblical. You may disagree with some people on songs. If you watch me you will pick up on one song I will not worship to. That is Reckless Love by Cory Asbury. One I don’t like supporting Bethel in any way. But mainly because I disagree with the theology of this song. I don’t feel right calling God reckless. would you ever accuse God of being reckless? Reckless in our culture today too is always taken in a negative sense. I don’t like connecting those negative connotations with God. Because God’s love was not reckless. God’s act’s of love were well planned and God was in control the whole time. Scriptures that I use to back this up is 2 Timothy 1:9, Matthew 26:39, and Matthew 26:53.

Also if you not willing to commit what you are saying don’t sing or else you are lying in church. When singing of lifted hands, lift some hands.

What Does Your Worship Reveal About You?

Worship reflects the value we put on God and the state of your heart.

Do you feel embarrassed to raise your hands? = Some shame in your spiritual walk