4 Determinations For Divine Worship

2.

a. Illust- Jonathan Edwards ? famous leader of America?s Great Awakening in the early-mid 1700s stated: ?God?s overriding purpose and priority is the display and furtherance of His own glory.? You see, when we tell of His wonders we are joining Him in this.

b. How do I practically do this? Share Biblical truth with others. Share personal testimony of how Christ has worked in your life. (Live in a culture is becoming more and more opposed to propositional/exclusivistic truth, yet no one seems to be willing to argue w/ one?s experience. Share what Christ has done!

C. Applic:

III. 3rd Determination: I am to be Glad and Exult in Thee!

A. The Christian is to Exalt in the Lord as a part of Divine Worship

1. What does it mean to exult in the Lord?

a. exult ? from Heb. ?alas?- verb describes an emotional response of the righteous. (Who can remember the 1980 Winter Olympics when ragtag US men?s hockey team upset Soviet Union? Then, later on, after the gold medal round, when Old Glory was raised, anyone American watching was overcome w/response of exultation! If that is response to a game, what should be our response when we come to worship our Savior?!

b. Piper: ?There is no higher activity for created beings that worship. Worship is not a means to anything else. We don?t primarily worship at church to grow our numbers, to make people feel better about themselves, to teach believers, or evangelize the lost. We worship to actively cherish and savor the glory of God.?

2. Are you exulting in the Lord?

a. Illust- Eric Alexander: ?It is a mark of spiritual barrenness in the church when Christians come to worship to fulfill a duty rather than to satisfy an appetite.?

b. Or have you grown barren and dry? Does worship, does fellowship in the body of Christ seem dull and boring? Would you rather be somewhere else doing something else?

B. We Can Exult in the Lord Because We have a Perfect Worship Leader. .

1. Do you realize that as Christians we already have a Perfect worship leader?

a. Illust- Some Christians feel have to have certain type of charismatic person to lead worship in such a way if really going to ?get into the Spirit?. No, sorry, as good of a worship leader as Jim Mays is, he?s not the One Who I am talking about.

b. Nay, Christ alone is our true worship leader! He stands before us as we life our praise to the Father. In Him we are allowed thru the Spirit to participate in Christ?s ongoing communion with the Father. This is not only true because as the perfect sacrifice bought our redemption thru His blood, but also because as Heb. 7:25 states: ?He always lives to make intercession for us.?

2. Jesus Christ takes our Sacrifice of Worship and Places it before the Father.

a. Illust- As Ron Man (p.35) has stated A sort of ?Protestant transubstantiation? takes place as our feeble expressions of worship are taken up by Christ and transformed by Him into a perfect offering of praise to the Father.?

C. Applic:

IV. 4th Determination: I will sing Praise to Thy Name!

A.

1. Choosing to Sing Praise to the Lord is a Determination of the Will.