Authentic Worship Series

Series the seven keys to revival- Sermon 5 “Authentic Worship”

Thesis: The fifth key to revival is authentic worship in which individuals connect heart to heart with God. When this occurs a power is unleashed in the life of the individual which in turn affects the church and community they reside in.

Texts:

Matthew 22:37 “Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’”

*This verse speaks to the core principle of authentic worship -- an intimate love relationship with Jesus.

Revelation 5:6-14

6Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits£ of God sent out into all the earth. 7He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song:

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

because you were slain,

and with your blood you purchased men for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth.”

11Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12In a loud voice they sang:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

and honor and glory and praise!”

13Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise and honor and glory and power,

for ever and ever!”

14The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

*We ourselves right here today need to learn to worship the Lord like this scenario in Heaven.

Introduction:

Today’s topic is another key to unlocking the door to revival. It’s a topic that is hard to teach people. It’s hard to teach because different people connect in worship with God in different ways. For some it’s through moments of silence for others through moments of vibrant praise. For others it’s through intense times of prayer. For others it happens while reading the Word of God. For others it’s acts of sacrificial service. The point is there is no magical formula for experiencing God in genuine authentic worship. So it’s hard to come up with a 12 step plan to intimate authentic worship.

It’s not a methodology that produces authentic worship but a connecting of two hearts. Your heart and God’s heart. It’s an internal connection to God. This intimate connection comes from having a personal relationship with Abba Father. It’s not learned in a 12 step program even though teachings are helpful. It’s actually a heart to heart encounter with Jehovah Jireh. This is true Authentic Worship. This connection can only happen with God’s help and God’s touch. Mike says, ‘We cannot love God without God helping us to love Him.” He adds, “It takes God to love God!”

Let me clarify – It’s not a head encounter, knowledge encounter, emotional encounter, body encounter, tradition encounter, or religious encounter. It’s a heart to heart connection between you and God in a very special moment of intimacy.

T.S.- To better understand this we need to understand what worship means.

I. The meaning of the word worship from the New Testament.

a. It is described in the original language as a very expressive heart attached action – the Greek word is prokuneo (pros-koo-neh-oh).

i. Mills gives us insight into the root meaning of this Greek word Pros – means to move toward or to go in the direction of. Where kuneo means to kiss or a kiss (190).

1. This word is used 59 times in the New Testament and it is found in the book Revelation 24 times.

2. It appears from its use in Revelation that worship is what is occurring in Heaven even right now because of what He who was, is and will be is doing and has done. This individual is always being worshipped continually day and night at the Throne. The worship never stops and starts. It just keeps going.

3. Mills notes, “We don’t start to worship and then conclude it the way we start and conclude a church service. We join worship. It is universal-going on all over the world-and it is going on in Heaven too all the time night and day. When we begin to sing, praise, give thanks or extol the beauties of our Savior, we are joining an activity already in progress” (190).