What is Worship?
1.
Old Testament shâchâh, seg-eed'(Daniel – Chaldee)
2.
New
Testament proskuneō, sebomai, threskeia
a. Definition: is to “bow down”, “kiss toward”, “to show deep respect”
1. While worship is service to God, all service is not worship.
2. Some argue that making a sandwich, going to work, painting a wall, doing gymnastics, constitutes worship.
a. They are exercising their talents. “Showing deep respect” behind the velvet picture of Jesus.
b.
Heavenly Pizza in
1. latreuo - the word only means serve – Thus it is simply an action
2. Worship vs. Service
a. Old Testament
·
Ex. 20:5 (shakah),
Deut. 8:19 I Kings 9:9, Jer. 25:6
b. New Testament
· Mat. 4:10, Luke 4:8
· Mat. 4:10 says not to worship men, but 2 Cor. 4:5 identifies apostles as man’s servants.
3.
Worship and service cannot be the same if the scriptures are
true.
A.
Worship involves specific actions with a sincere heart,
commanded by God.
a. vain worship – Matt. 15:8-9
b. will worship –
·
Col 2:20-23 If ye died with Christ from the rudiments of
the world, why, as though living in the world, do ye
subject yourselves to ordinances, Handle not, nor taste, nor touch (all which
things are to perish with the using), after the precepts and doctrines of men? Which
things have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and severity
to the body; but are not of any value
against the indulgence of the flesh.
c. worship in ignorance – Acts 17:23
d. true worship – John 4:23-24
a. The scriptures don’t teach this.
a.
We
must have Authority for what we call worship.
a. It is by His Authority that we determine what is worship.
b.
It is by the new
Testament that we determine what worship is.
a.
Cain and Able
a. Nadab & Abihu
a. I Cor. 11:27 – Corinthians were partaking of Lord’s Supper Unworthily.
a.
If everything is
worship, these men would not have been punished.
1. Abraham didn't know it - Genesis 22:1-5 - “will go yonder, and we will worship”
2.
Elkana
didn't know it - 1 Samuel 1:3 – “Go up yearly to
worship and sacrifice … in
3. Saul didn't know it - 1 Samuel 15:25 – “return with me that I may worship the Lord”
4.
David
didn't know it - Psalm 132:7 – “Let us worship at His
footstool” -
5. Jeremiah didn't know it - Jeremiah 7:2; “enter by these gates to worship”
12.
If Everything is Worship to God,
then the Bible has it wrong.
1.
Is
he an Ego-maniac that everything has to praise Him?
a.
He created them all! They should desire to praise Him!
·
Do you not commend the worthy in many aspects?
2.
God is all
powerful, knows all things, sees all things.
a.
How could our praise make him more glorious?
b.
How could
anything we do boost His Ego?
c.
John
17:5 – Glory “Before
the World Was” - Doesn’t desire current glory of humans.
3.
Oprah
talks of her religious experience and hearing that “God
is a jealous God.”
a.
She has equated that jealousy with
insecurity on God’s part. In her words
she was amazed God could be “Jealous of her”.
b. Definition of Jealous: Vigilant in guarding something:
·
God is not Jealous of Oprah, he is Jealous For her.
·
God doesn’t want to see her soul lost to false teachings and
evil actions.
1.
Think About
Our Current Status
a. We no longer call a man a Drunk. He is a problem Drinker.
b. Kids no longer get red ink on their paper – It could hurt their feelings.
c. Tag is being removed from School because it fosters insecurity.
2.
What about
Reality?
a. A Drunkard needs to realize he is out of control and in trouble.
b. Kids need to understand when they do something wrong, so they can improve.
c. When you play tag, if you get tagged often, its time to learn to run faster, use the other opponents as barriers, or some other strategy.
3.
When we
recognize God, we are recognizing Reality.
a. There is a God
b. We are not Him.
4.
God is Love.
a. He is perfect, He is sinless, He is righteous, He is Holy.
b. He is trying to keep us from the pain and destruction of Sin!
5.
Common sense
screams “Worship God!”
a. Are you not thankful for your family?
b. Are you not thankful for your every breath?
c. Are you not thankful for every blessing?
d. Our utter thankfulness is why we should worship God!
6.
God Wants us to Worship Him because
He loves us.
A.
“God is Spirit and those that worship Him must worship must
worship in Spirit and Truth.”
1.
In John 4:24 is an Aim (God)
a. God is the Target. Our worship is the Arrow.
b. We Aim Our Worship toward Him.
c.
We do not aim it toward man, moon, beast, or idol.
2.
In John 4:24 is Action (Those that worship - Us)
a. We shoot the arrow
b. We have to do something.
c.
Your Salvation is up to you! Will you do nothing?
3.
In John 4:24 is an Absolute (Must)
a. If you want to be a child of God, You Must.
b. You Must worship.
c.
You can refuse, but you will not be a child of God
if you do so.
4.
In John 4:24 is Attitude (Spirit)
a. Your heart has to be engaged in worship.
b. Ex. I can see faces made at the preacher (“am I enemy know that I tell you the truth”)
· I can see the notes passed. I can see talking and giggling.
· I can see the left over handouts wadded up or left on the pews.
· I can see the lack of singing. I can see the Bibles closed.
· I can see the checking of the watches and impatience.
·
God can see it too.
5.
In John 4:24
is Authority (Truth) – Truth Guides us
a.
Psa 25:5 - Guide me in thy truth, and teach me; For thou art the God of my salvation; For thee do I wait all
the day.
b.
Psa 86:11 - Teach me thy way, O Jehovah; I will walk
in thy truth: Unite my heart to fear thy name.
c.
Joh 17:17 - Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is
truth.
d.
Psa 96:13 - Before Jehovah; for he cometh, For he cometh
to judge the earth: He will judge the world with righteousness, And the peoples
with his truth. Truth is what will judge us.
e.
Psa 119:142 - Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And
thy law is truth.
f.
Psa 119:151 -Thou art nigh, O Jehovah; And all thy
commandments are truth.
g.
Psa 119:160 - The sum of thy word is truth; And every one
of thy righteous ordinances endureth
for ever.
h.
Remember God did not destroy Nadab and Abihu because
of their heart. He did so because they
did not worship in Truth.
C.
God has established Aim, Action, Absolute, Attitude and
Authority for our Worship.
A.
Lovingly Desiring to Bow Our Hearts Down To God While:
B.
You will find no other Authorized Actions within the
Worship of the Church.
1. Worship is not just showing up and going through the Actions.
2. Christians forsaking the assembly aren’t worshipping either.
3. Sometimes a person will say:
a. “I just know God would be pleased with ___X____.”
b. Why would anyone expect God to be pleased with something he didn’t ask for?
B.
Everything man does is not worship, even if he says it is
in Jesus’ name.
C.
If we engage in an Authorized act of worship, with a wrong
attitude, we are guilty of sin.
D.
Though we may serve God in many ways. All service is not worship.
E.
God desires us to bow down to Him in reverence, because He
is worthy and loves us.
F. Are you ready to do so? Are you ready to Worship God in Spirit and Truth? Take the Step Today.
Outline by Travis Main
http://www.thatchristianwebsite.com/