Experiencing Worship

Experiencing Worship

Introduction-

For the past couple weeks, we have looked at practical ways to experience God; and have God evident in our life.

We had Looked into being a Barnabas church and a Barnabas giver. A Barnabas person or church is one that shows generosity and kindness to those they come in contact with.

A Barnabas person would be a giving person that not only thinks of himself /herself but would be one looking for ways that they could help someone else.

Last week we looked at prayer, Peter in prison with an attitude that God has things under control and (sleeping) the newly formed church was praying for Peter to be set free. When he was set free, they could not believe it. They were praying, but not really believing that God answers prayer.(doubt)

What would a praying church look like?

This morning, I want to take a minute and look at worship.

Worship is singing loud, singing quietly, arms raised, arms down, head down, standing, sitting, traditional music, contemporary, chorus, hymns, a lot, a little, instrument, no instruments, many people, by yourself. If you are strictly looking at the outward signs of worship, it becomes complicated.

Worship usually gets a bum wrap because people want to say that it is personal and forget that God tells us that we must also worship corporately. They say things like…worship is between me and the big guy upstairs; well, if you are calling him the big guy upstairs, you have already lost a little in who you are worshiping because God is not “The guy upstairs”

Psalms 96:9-

“Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.”

So if you are to worship the way God intended it to be it is the worship of God, not putting anything or anyone in that spot that belongs to God alone.

I have read of one definition of worship this way… “Worship is not the slow song that the choir sings. Worship is not the amount that we put in the offering plate. Worship is not volunteering in the children’s ministry. These are acts of worship, but they do not define worship.

According to Webster-Worship is extravagant love and extreme submission.

We worship God because He is God. That is a good enough reason. Everything else hangs on that fact.

He is a God that saves.

He is a God that cares and gets involved in our lives.

He is God that wants and desires and makes Himself available to us if we draw near to Him.

True worship is defined by what we place our priority too.

True worship is worshiping God in Spirit and in truth.

True worship is motivated by love to God and to God’s people.

True worship is a deep respect for God. Reverence.

So how could that play out in our lives?

What does it look like?

Can we have worship in a structured service? Could we experience worship alone in our bedroom and corporately together in a worship service? Yes we can.

It plays out when God is first before anything else.

Let’s think about that a minute.

True worship is attitude and priorities.

It is worshiping in Spirit and truth, which can only be done if the Holy Spirit of God is active in your life or it would be impossible to worship in the Spirit.

Worship is motivated by God’s love toward us that we love Him and we love God’s people. You forgive because you have been forgiven, you love because He first loved you.

You must look at God being God and not think that you can place God at an equal level with you. He cannot be your savior until you make Him your savior. Until you admit and live out that you need a savior.

We would have to agree that if we are to worship God, then God has to be involved. Right ?

Yet some people say that they love God and spend no time with Him. They wonder why they have a hard time worshiping or giving praise to God.

Let’s break this down- priority in our life.

To submit is considered a bad thing in society today.

Marriages do not use the word submit in ceremonies.

Contracts are drawn up before weddings so they will have a way to divide assets when the marriage falls apart. Doomed before it starts.

The word commit is taken out of most sentences because “everything has a season” and the ability to walk away at any time is the only option people want.

That is not how God looks at priority. He is to be first in everything and every part of our lives.

No submit issues

No escape clauses.

No broken contracts

Commitment is a given.

Now get this! Not because we have too, all kinds of rules…..but because we want too. (Repeat )