The By-products of worship
WORSHIP — reverent devotion and allegiance pledged to God; the rituals or ceremonies by which this reverence is expressed. The English word “worship” comes from the Old English word “worthship,” a word that denotes the worthiness of the one receiving the special honor or devotion.
God commands us to worship Him
The first two commands are about worship.
This is not because God is like a Duracell bunny whose batteries need to be continually charged by our worship
We are commanded to worship God alone because He is the only one who is good.
He created us with not only the capacity to worship, but with a bent to worship. We will worship something
The purpose of worship is that it glorifies God … but there are some by-products.
As we look at these by-products I know that you will be motivated to worship more as you begin to understand the benefits.
Ps 73 1 A psalm of Asaph. Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart.
2 But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.
3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong.
5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills.
6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence.
7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.
8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression.
9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.
10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance.
11 They say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”
12 This is what the wicked are like— always carefree, they increase in wealth.
13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. 14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.
15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed your children.
16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny.
18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin.
19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors!
20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies.
21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered,
22 I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.
23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand.
24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.
25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
27 Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.
28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
1. By-Product #1: Worship aligns our perspective
a. Ps 73:3-5 NLT For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. 4 They seem to live such painless lives; their bodies are so healthy and strong. 5 They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.
b. When our focus is not on God, what is it on?
i. Ourselves (what we don’t have)
ii. Others (what they do have)
iii. Money (I need more)
c. When we are not focussed on God, we can actually desire to live like the rich and famous
i. They prosper
ii. Their bodies are healthy and strong
iii. They don’t have problems like we do
if only I could have someone else’s life
d. When we are noy focussed on God we read gossip magazines with envy, instead of using them as prayer books
e. Then Asaph worsipped
i. till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood
1. He may have been talking about the physical temple, he may have been talking about his times of worship
2. sanctuary is where we meet God
ii. it is in the sanctuary that we see what God sees
2. By-Product #2:Worship strengthens us
a. If you were a psychologist and you were examining Asaph, what would the first few verses tell you about his emotional state?
i. Troubled
ii. Insecure
iii. Doubted the goodness and justice of God
iv. Depressed
v. ‘foot almost slipped’ … about to lose it all.
b. Then he goes to the sanctuary and it all changes
i. Vs 18 They are the ones who are slipping
1. The rich and famous: heath ledger; Britney Spears; Amy Winehouse
ii. Nels F. S. Ferré (1769-1821) In worship we meet the power of God and stand in its strengthening.
iii. Richard J. Foster If worship does not change us, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change. Worship begins in holy expectancy; it ends in holy obedience.
iv. A. W. Tozer More spiritual progress can be made in one short moment of speechless silence in the awesome presence of God than in years of mere study.
v. Do you need strength today?
1. you’ve come to the right place.
2. need to make a decision to meet with Him
3. By-Product #3:Worship leads to mission
a. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.
b. Isaiah “I saw the Lord, he was high and lifted up … here am I. Send me”
c. That is the only response to spending time with God
d. If you are not filled with a desire to tell the world, then you haven’t really worshipped
Conc
Asaph
1 Ch 16:1-6 1 They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they presented burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before God. 2 After David had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD. 3 Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each Israelite man and woman. 4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel: 5 Asaph was the chief, Zechariah second, then Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-Edom and Jeiel. They were to play the lyres and harps, Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow the trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God.
Asaph was worship leader and he played drums (cymbals)
Regularly = tawmeed
AV - continually 53, continual 26, daily 7, always 6, alway 4, ever 3, perpetual 2, continual employment 1, evermore
Ac 15:16 ”‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,
