Moving To New Levels Of Worship

If you use any or all of this message--would you be willing to fire off a quick email to:pastorjerryvargo@juno.com? I would like to have an idea of how often my sermons are actually being preached to strengthen the Body of Christ. Thanks!

Moving to New Levels of Worship

Pastor Jerry C. Vargo

I. Introduction.

A. The Lord has been laying on my heart to talk with you about the subject of worship.

B. I know I said I was going to talk about correction...but things change.

C. Let me share opening comments from my heart...

1. I believe that God is calling us to move to new levels in our passion for worship.

2. I believe that God wants to help us find a new freedom in our worship.

3. Five reasons...

1) He created us to worship Him.

2) It will deepen our prayer.

3) Free worship causes burdens to be lifted.

4) Personal reason: I preach better.

5) Lastly, it is a part of our witness.

II. Body.

1. General Comments about Worship!

Definition

A. I love what A.W. Tozer says about worship:

"We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God!"

B. He defines worship like this...

A throne-ward gaze of the soul upon a holy God!

There is a Battle Going on Over Who gets Worshiped

A. If you study your Bible, you will find that in heaven the central focus is what is happening at the throne of God.

B. All who enter heaven…worship! It is natural…it is spontaneous.

C. Why? Because God is the only one worthy of worship. Angels refuse worship. Satan wants it but can’t have it!

D. There is a line being drawn between those who "worship the beast and his image" and those who worship God.

Worship Should Be a Lifestyle

A. Francis Frangipane makes it clear that worship is a life style. There must be a willingness to worship even in the midst of great battles...

"True worship must emerge now in the context of our daily lives, for no man will worship through the great battles of tomorrow who complains in the mere skirmishes of today."

"The enemy has easy access to the soul that is not protected by true worship of God."

"The Lord knows that the heart that will worship Him in the wilderness of affliction will continue to worship in the promised land of plenty."

We must ask the question: Am I REALLY Worshipping?

A. Worship takes on many forms (which I will discuss in a moment), but the focus is not form…it is internal…it is vertical.

B. It is possible to "look" like we are worshipping, but inwardly we are just going thru the motions.

C. Turn with me to Matthew 15:8-9:

“This people honors (values) Me with their lips, But their heart is far (distant) away from Me. But in vain (unsuccessful search, to no purpose) do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.”

Illustration

When I kiss my wife…what am I doing? I am communicating my love for her. My outward man responds to my inner love for her. My inner attitude of love reveals itself in my actions. But what if I never kissed her? She may not feel too loved.

This is why I believe that true worship from the heart reveals itself in its actions. If we never sing…never shout…never smile…fold our arms…THEN we must ask ourselves if Jesus is really the object of our affections!

Transition: So, worship isn’t just inward or outward. It involves the whole person.

D. Worship involves the whole person

a. Turn with me to Mark 12:28-30:

“And one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?" Jesus answered, "The foremost is, ’Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all our heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

b. True worship involves the whole person…heart, soul, strength, and mind.

1. Heart = Emotions (Feelings/Passions)

2. Soul = Existence (Life/Way of Life)

3. Strength = Vigor (All your might, force, or power)

4. Mind = Intellect (Decisions/Brainpower/Mentality)

c. When we get a revelation of true worship...we will worship with abandon and lack of inhibition.

E. What forms of worship are acceptable to God?

a. This is a hotly debated topic throughout the church world. And can I say that I don’t want that to be the case here!

b. We have an awesome God who is worthy of our worship. Whatever we do to express our worship...this is acceptable. We must not judge.

c. Some of us are going to pay a heavy price when we see Jesus and he asks us why we were so judgmental toward others who are expressing their love for him.