The Heart of Worship

Praise and Prayer

This morning we are not continuing our series in Nehemiah, as God has really been stirring my heart about some things and these things He has shown me actually deal with the fact that as a church we cannot be rebuilt if these things are not dealt with first.

As the theme verse for our series in Nehemiah is Jeremiah 31:4

Jeremiah 31:4 CSB

4 Again I will build you so that you will be rebuilt, Virgin Israel. You will take up your tambourines again and go out in joyful dancing.

We see in this theme verse that God is ready to build us so that we will be rebuilt, that we may take our tambourines and go out in joyful dancing.

With that there are things that can hinder God or keep God from doing what he is trying to do, things like having the right heart for worship, like disunity in the church, like people in the church that are causing division, and if there is not unity in the church then God is not able to do what he needs to do.

With that this morning we are going to start looking at some things that God has been laying on my heart, the first thing is the Heart of Worship.

The Heart of Worship

First we must understand what worship is: worship is so often misunderstood as just the singing portion of our church service.

Therefore, we must understand worship does not begin and end with the singing portion of our church service. Worship is also not limited to bowing in reverence before God.

To begin with, worship is determined by God Himself, not by our feelings, our musical skills, or what we want.

True biblical worship must be reverent as we are told in Hebrews 12:28

Hebrews 12:28 CSB

28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful. By it, we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and awe,

The word serve there in Greek, is actual a form of a word for worship, the second half of that verse is telling us that we are to worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.

See we must understand who is being worshiped. God is holy, just, perfect, powerful, loving, etc. We are sinners saved by grace coming before a holy God on the basis of our Redeemer.

I. True Biblical Worship

Romans 12:1 CSB

1 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

This is our main text this morning, and the first, two verses of Romans chapter 12 we see all the elements of true worship.

Therefore, brothers and sisters, that is believers, Paul is writing this letter to the believers at Rome, and so he is specifying that he is meaning listen up, listen closely.

In view of the mercies of God, this is the motivation to worship, the mercies of God are everything He has given us that we do not deserve: eternal love, eternal grace, the Holy Spirit, everlasting peace, eternal joy, saving faith, comfort, strength, wisdom, hope, patience, kindness, honor, intercession and much more.

The knowledge and understanding of these incredible gifts motivate us to pour forth praise and thanksgiving - in other words, worship!

Because of these mercies Paul urges us, that is he calls us to, or encourages us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice holy and pleasing to God.

This is a description of the manner of the way we are to worship in, presenting our bodies means giving to God all of ourselves.

The reference to our bodies here means all of our human faculties, all of our humanness - our hearts, minds, hands, thoughts, attitudes - are to be presented to God.

In other words, we are to give up control of these things and turn them over to Him, just as a literal sacrifice was given totally to God on the altar.

In the Old Testament, the people had to bring animals that had no spot or blemish, that is they had to be as perfect as could be and present them as their sacrifice before God.

When we come, we are to come as clean, as holy, before the Lord as possible. That is we are to prepare ourselves before the Lord, we are to begin Saturday night, preparing to meet with God in His house on Sunday morning.

The problem many people have on Sunday’s is they have not prepared themselves, they are expecting to come and be served on a silver platter and God is waiting on them to come prepared to eat.

God wants us to be fully and completely surrendered to him, it is like the pig and the chicken, as the chicken and the pig walk down the road they see the sign for a egg and bacon breakfast fundraiser, the chicken says hey lets help out.

The pig says hey not so fast, the chicken says what is the problem, the pig says for you all you have to do is lay an egg and go on about the day, for me I have to sacrifice my life to give bacon.

That is the thing, we are to give up control of our hearts, our minds, our hands, our thoughts, our attitudes and turn them over to God, just as a literal sacrifice was given totally over to God on the altar in the Old Testament.

In the Old Testament when the Jews brought a animal for sacrifice, it was put on the altar and was not returned, like the pig we are to sacrifice our life for God.

II. How to Worship

Romans 12:2 CSB

2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

We must remember that Worship is not just about singing, but is more of the awed response to the saving acts and praiseworthy character of God.

Worship is how we respond to what God has done for us, his mercies, and that comes in many different forms.

In verse two here we are told do not be conformed to this age, which is meaning world, that is do not allow the ways of this world to lead us but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We hear this conformed to the world, and we say well if you do this or you do that, or if you do not do this then you are conformed to the world.

Let me say this, I hear things being said about the praise and worship music and that it is worldly, and that it should not be played in the church because it is worldly, also that we should only use the KJV - well I am not really sure were that is found in Scripture because I have yet to find it, but our text here does says to present your body as a living sacrifice, and to be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Just because something was done in the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and so on does not mean that is what God is calling us to do now.

God has called me and others to lead this church and therefore, we will lead this church as God moves and leads us.

There is only one way to renew our minds, and that is by the Word of God. It is the truth, the knowledge of the Word of God, which is to say the knowledge of the mercies of God.

To know the truth, to believe the truth, to hold to the convictions about the truth, and to love the truth will naturally result in true spiritual worship.

It is conviction followed by affection, affection that is a response to truth, not to any external stimuli, including music.

Music as such has nothing to do with worship. Music can’t produce worship, although it certainly can produce emotion. Music is not the origin of worship, but it can be the expression of it.

Do not look to music to induce your worship; look to music as simply an expression of that which is induced by a heart that is captivated by the mercies of God, obedient to His commands.

True worship is God-centered worship. People tend to get caught up in where they should worship, what music they should sing in worship, and how their worship looks to other people.

Focusing on these things misses the point.

Jesus says in John 4:23-24

John 4:23–24 CSB

23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”

To worship the Father in Spirit is to have a heart that is in pursuit of an intimate spiritual relationship with the God who is Spirit.

To worship God in truth is to worship in a biblical accurate way - through the One who is the truth.

John 14:6 CSB

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

God is on the hunt for those who will worship him spiritually through Jesus Christ based on the truth of his Word.

This means we worship from the heart and the way God has designed. Worship can include praying, reading God’s Word with an open heart, singing, participating in communion, and serving others.

It is not limited to one act, but is done properly when the heart and attitude of the person are in the right place.

The song we sang the Heart of Worship, did you pay attention to the lyrics to that song.

They go like this -

When the music fades All is stripped away And I simply come Longing just to bring Something that’s of worth That will bless Your heart

What it all comes down too, not the music, is what we bring to God, are we trying to be a blessing to God.

I’ll bring You more than a song For a song in itself Is not what You have required

Mere music is not what God wants from us.

You search much deeper within Through the way things appear You’re looking into my heart

God is not looking at the music we are singing, he is not looking at the clothes we have on, he is not looking at shoes we have, the length of our hair, the color of our carpet, or if we have pews or chairs.

No he is examining our hearts, he is looking to see if we are coming with a heart that is ready to worship God, ready to bring worship to God, to be a blessing to God.

See God would rather hear rap music from a tender heart, that is on fire for him, than a hymn sung from a heart that is hard, and ice cold towards him.

It is never about the music; it is always about the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 CSB

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature because I have rejected him. Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”

I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it.

When it’s all about You, it’s all about You, Jesus

As Matt Redman wrote here in this song, we need to ask forgiveness because it is not about us, it is all about Jesus.

We need to get back to what Christianity is all about in the first place, a intimate personal relationship with Jesus, and making him number one in our lives.

The core of worship is complete and total surrender to Jesus, just as we seen in our text that we are to offer our bodies as a living sacrifices.

It’s also important to know that worship is reserved only for God.

We are not to worship saints, prophets, statues, angels, any false gods, or Mary, the mother of Jesus.

We should also not worship, the style of music, or traditions, or a certain translation of the Bible.

We also should not be worshiping for the expectation of something in return, such as a miraculous healing.

Worship is done for God—because He deserves it—and for His pleasure alone.

True worship is felt inwardly and then is expressed through our actions.

"Worshiping" out of obligation is displeasing to God and is completely in vain. He can see through all the hypocrisy, and He hates it.

He demonstrates this in Amos 5:21-24 as He talks about coming judgment.

Amos 5:21–24 CSB

21 I hate, I despise, your feasts! I can’t stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. 22 Even if you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will have no regard for your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. 24 But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.

True worship is not confined to what we do in church or open praise (although these things are both good, and we are told in the Bible to do them).

True worship is the acknowledgment of God and all His power and glory in everything we do.

The highest form of praise and worship is obedience to Him and His Word.

Worship is to glorify and exalt God—to show our loyalty and admiration to our Father.

As our text tells us, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

I know people have their opinion about music, about what translation that should be used, and even what clothing should be worn.

But I also know that God has called me to be the pastor of this church, for this season, and I am called to follow his guidance and the Holy Spirit’s leading in my life to shepherd this church.

To do what I discern is what is good, pleasing, and what the Holy Spirit is leading to do as the perfect will of God.

I do understand that some want us to doing things like they were done in 60’s or a certain way, but I also know that I am held accountable by God for the way I shepherd this body of believers.

I also believe God has a plan and a purpose, and He can use anyone, and anything for His glory and to reach the lost, if we will get out of His way.

Isaiah 29:13 CSB

13 The Lord said: These people approach me with their speeches to honor me with lip-service, yet their hearts are far from me, and human rules direct their worship of me.

To many times, we want to do things a certain way, or in a certain format, to follow the way we always have, but God says, it is time to get our hearts right, quit worrying about traditions, and how it has always been, and get our hearts closer to him.

A verse that I strive to live by, one that I would say is my life verse if you will is:

John 3:30 CSB

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The only difference is I generally say it backwards, because before God/Jesus can increase I first must decrease.

Another words I got to get out of the way of what Jesus is trying to do in my life before He is going to do it.

I believe God has great plans for this church, but sometimes, we get in the way of those plans.

We bicker, we gossip, we disagree about things, and all this blocks what God is trying to do.

We have to get our hearts right with God, realize it is not about us, realize it is all about Jesus, and recognize all that he has done for us, even though we do not deserve it, then we strive to bring glory and honor to him.

See it does not matter what we are doing, it may be singing, reading God’s Word, praying, serving, or number of other things, we are to do it all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31 CSB

31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

When we truly offer our lives as a living sacrifice we will be truly worshiping God in a biblical way, and we will also glorify God in all that we do.

Therefore, we must strive each and every day to offer our bodies, our lives as a living sacrifice.

We must fully and whole hearty surrender our lives before God and his will.

We must remember it is not about us and our wants or how we want it, but it is about Jesus, and how he is directing us, and his will.

If you have never accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, if you have never began that Personal relationship with Jesus, than you cannot truly worship him.

Therefore, if you are here and do not have that relationship today, I would love to share with you how to get that personal relationship with Jesus.

In order that we can all truly worship Jesus.