Let the Worshippers Arise
John 4:23-24
TEXT
I. We Must Have a Relationship With God
a. We must have had a Salvation Experience
i. Matthew 7:21-23
1. A music minister in Knoxville made this statement: “We live in a society filled with religious people. Unfortunately, many are not Christians.”
2. There are going to be quite a few that will hear verse 23, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”
3. Why are we here as a church? That’s why!
b. We must have communication with God
i. Matthew 7:7-8
1. God wants us to be in constant communication with Him.
2. If we are not in communication with the Father, we are not going to be able to worship Him. You have to know Him, in order to worship Him.
c. We must serve God fulfilling His purpose
i. D. James Kennedy calls this God’s Cultural Mandate
1. Genesis 1:26-28
a. We are created in God’s perfection
b. We are called not only to be fruitful and multiply in a physical birth sense, but we are to share the Gospel and multiply spiritually.
c. We are to serve by serving others.
2. 1 Peter 4:11
a. We are to serve with God’s strength, not ours!
II. Which Tree do you live off of?
Ted Haggard, Pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs discuses worshipping God in this way. Living from the Tree of Life or living from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
a. Tree of Life
i. If we live from the tree of life, the following things are constantly on our minds:
1. Jesus’ life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension
2. John 4:13-15
a. Jesus is always ready to dispense Living water to those who are thirsty
3. Galatians 5:22-23
a. Always prepared to love one another and display each of the Fruits of the Spirit
b. Tree of Knowledge and Law?
i. James 3:13-18
1. Focus on your knowledge of the word, not the content
2. Focus on condemnation of people you don’t agree with, or people who don’t agree with you.
a. Also known as a legalistic mentality
3. No focus on loving one another at all.
a. Story of Pastor driving by a bar – saw one of his church members., etc.
III. What happens when true worshipping ceases?
a. Message to the church at Ephesus
i. Revelation 2:1-7
b. Folks were living with the tree of knowledge mentality.
c. They were living the right way according to their knowledge, but they had forgotten the power source.
i. Remember from where you have fallen
ii. Repent and do what you did at first
iii. If you don’t, I will remove your lampstands.
d. Worship is not about what songs are sung, what the preacher preaches, or anything else like that. Worship is an expression of our love to Christ through serving Him with our everything.
IV. Let the Authentic Worshippers Arise
a. Revelation 4:8,11
b. Revelation 5:11-14
i. They fell down and worshipped
ii. They cried out to His glory
iii. They issued a proclamation of praise
What about you and I:
Are we authentic in our worship or are we fake?
Here is you a thought:
Are you more excited about Sunday AM Worship than you are Monday morning?
Are your thoughts about worship, “I hope that we get out early today, I have a lot of things to do.”
Are your thoughts about worship, “I sure do wish that that preacher would hush.”
Do your kids wonder who you are on Monday after seeing you act Holy on Sunday?
Do you desire to be all that God wants you to be?
First, you must have that relationship with God established. That’s the key. Once that is taken care of, it is a matter of following God and not man
Second, if you’ve got the relationship, but have faltered on communication – you can get that taken care of tonight as well.
Third, if you’ve got the relationship, got the communication, but realize that you are struggling on compassion to others and are living off of your own knowledge, you can come and get that taken care of tonight.
Fourth, you may realize that you just need to pray and talk to God about your life, your church, your family.
That is the invitation. My prayer is that no matter what your burden is – that you will come and get up out of this alter and become a true, authentic worshipper.
