Worship: In Spirit and in Truth
Part 2: Who and Why should we Worship?
Review Part One: What is Worship?
Worship is:
1. “a bowing down”, describing our approach to God, submission, deep respect.
2. “service”, highest role of worship
• - Worship is LIVING: Daily & Deliberate
• - Worship is SACRIFICIAL: David, Abram, and You – it will cost you something
• - Worship is SPIRITUAL: communicating with God on a higher level
• - Worship is SERVING: We show God His worth by serving Him with our lives.
Part 2: Who and Why should we Worship?
Who should we worship? Our Creator – Our Lover – Our Friend
Why should we worship God? Because of who He is. - Because of what He’s done.
Text: Exodus 20:2-6; John 4:23-24;
According to the definition of worship, we worship many things in life – superstars, money, relationships, material possessions, success, etc. In addition to that, some people worship other gods – Ala, Budda, Mohamed, mother earth, etc. So who or what should we worship?
1. Worship the Lord your God
Exodus 20:2-6
"I am the LORD your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt. "Do not worship any other gods besides me. "Do not make idols of any kind, whether in the shape of birds or animals or fish. You must never worship or bow down to them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God who will not share your affection with any other god! I do not leave unpunished the sins of those who hate me, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations. But I lavish my love on those who love me and obey my commands, even for a thousand generations.” (NLT)
Mark 12:28-30
"Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: ’Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
(NIV) (cf. Matthew 22:36-40)
A. God commands us to worship.
Usually when we do a top ten list of any kind, we save the TOP or NUMBER ONE for #1. That is exactly what God did here with the Ten Commandments. Jesus confirms this truth in Matthew 22:36-40 & Mark 12:28-31. (Besides, as you read through the rest you’ll notice that if we have this number one command in check, the rest should follow suite.)
B. God is jealous.
How does your boyfriend/girlfriend react when you are flirting with someone else? How would they react if you took someone else out on a date, or worse yet, caught you kissing them?
God wants to be number one in your life! He doesn’t want to compete with other “things” in this world, whether good or bad.
2 Cor 11:2
“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” (NIV)
• - Worship the Lord Your God: He commands it, he demands it!
• - You can add - C. God desires our worship & - D. God inhabits our worship
2. Worship God for who He is
Who is God to you? How would you define God? – Psalm 150:2
A. His Essence – the nature of God, aspects of God’s divine substance
1. He is Spirit: “God is Spirit” – John 4:24
He is immaterial – does not consist of matter
He is Invisible – cannot be seen (Jn. 1:18; Col. 1:15)
He is Alive – not dead, one who feels, is active, and powerful (Mt. 16:16; Acts 14:15; 1 Thes. 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:15)
He is a Person – spirit implies personality, speaking, hearing, grieving, jealousy, love etc.
2. He is Self-Existent: He does not depend on anyone outside of himself. He is fully independent.
3. He is Immense: not limited by space (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 2:6; Acts 17:24-28).
4. He is Eternal: infinite in relation to time, no beginning or end (Ps. 90:2; 1 Tim. 6:16; Revelation 1:11).
B. His Attributes – a quality or character
1. Incommunicable: absolute attributes, man can NOT possess
a. - Omnipresent: God is everywhere at the same time
(Jeremiah 23:23-24; Ps. 139:7-12; Galations 2:20)
b. – Omniscience: God is all knowing
(Isaiah 46:9-10; Proverbs 15:3)
c. – Omnipotent: God is all powerful
(Genesis 17:1, 18:14; Matthew 19:26)
d. – Sovereignty: God has all authority
(Psalm 135:5-6; Romans 13:1-4; Ephesians 1:11)
e. – Immutability: God is unchanging.
(Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6)
2. Communicable: moral attributes, man has the ability to possess
a. – Holiness: absolute moral purity
• innate – perfectionism, exclusively God’s (Rev. 15:4)
• transit – a process of becoming pure (1 Peter 1:15-16)
b. – Righteousness & Justice: God manifests his absolute holiness in dealing with His creation. (Genesis 18:23-25; 2 Timothy 4:8)
c. – Goodness: acts of kindness, God is good to everyone
(Matthew 5:45; 7:9-11)
d. – Love: unselfish affection for His people
(John 3:16; Romans 5:8)
e. – Mercy & Grace: pity and compassion toward our misery, undeserved favor
(Jeremiah 3:12; Psalm 103:8-18; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5)
f. – Truth: God’s knowledge and declarations conformed to reality
(John 17:3; 1 John 5:6; Hebrews 6:18)
g. – Faithfulness: God is absolutely dependable in keeping His word and promises.
(Psalm 55:22; Lamentations 3:22-23; Phillipians 1:6; Hebrews 13:5)
h. – Long-Suffering: God manifests extreme patience with us
(Romans 15:5; 2 Peter 3:9, 15)
• The attributes of the infinite God are inexhaustible. These have only given a glimmer of light on Him whom the heavens cannot contain.
• Worship God because of WHO HE IS: His Essence and His Attributes.
3. Worship God for what He has done
What has God done for you?
A. He Formed You
• God created you and loves you just the way you are. (Duet. 32:6; Isa. 44:24, 49:5; Jer. 1:5)
• He has a purpose and a plan for your life. (Jeremiah 29:11)
B. He Forgave You
• 1 John 1:9 – If we confess, he is faithful to forgive
• Psalm 32:1-5 – He doesn’t count our sin against us
C. He Freed You
• Romans 5:8 – while we were sinners
• John 3:16 – He gave His only Son to give me a second chance
• Revelation 1:5b-6 – we have been freed from our sin and it’s power
• Romans 6:11-14 – sin is no longer your master
• Worship God because He FORMED you, created you, loves you and has a purpose for you.
• Worship God because He FORGAVE you of all the wrongs and sins that you have committed.
• Worship God because He FREED you from the power of sin and gives you victory.
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Closing:
Now we are going to spend some time in worship and out to work what we have just learned. As you worship, realize that he commands it, demands, but also desires it. After all, that’s why He created us – “to show forth the praises of Him who has called us out of darkness.”
As you worship, think about his nature – He is Spirit, Self-Existent, Immense, and Eternal. Think about His attributes – omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscience, sovereign, and unchanging. Think about his holiness, goodness, righteousness & justice, His love, mercy and grace, His truth, faithfulness and patience.
As you worship, think about what all He has done for you – He formed you, forgave you, and freed you from the power of sin.
As you think about all these things, your worship will never be the same. Your worship will be filled with wonder and awe. Your worship will be filled with reverence and fear. Your worship will be filled with thanksgiving and passion. Your worship will be In Spirit and in Truth.
