WHY SHOULD WE WORSHIP GOD?
Our theme verse for this series, "Worship - Giving God What He Deserves" is Ps 29:2 "Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness."
Here’s the question for you today:
Why should we worship God?
One obvious reason is that God wants us to – He deserves it!
But there are a number of other correct answers. Can you think of any?
Let’s take some time to look at some of the reasons the Bible gives us about why we should worship God.
1. WORSHIP MAKES ROOM FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
Ps 22:3 But You [are] holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
Another translation translates this as “inhabiting the praises of Israel”. . .
If you want God’s presence to be obvious in your home, make it an atmosphere of praise!
If you want God’s presence to be obvious in our church, let’s not hold anything back when we’re praising Him!
2. WORSHIP HELPS US WIN BATTLES.
2Ch 20:19 Then the Levites of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with voices loud and high.
2Ch 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the LORD, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the LORD, For His mercy [endures] forever."
2Ch 20:22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
Ac 16:25 ¶ But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
What battles are you facing? Anybody face something that you can’t handle this week? Have you tried praising God? Have you praised God until he “ambushed” your enemies?
When we start worshiping God, it’s amazing what starts happening.
I saw this on a choir tour once with the God’s Bible School choir. We were at a church in Ohio. The person that was leading the halftime prayer meeting for the choir in the back room, said, “Let’s not pray for the second half. Let’s praise God, and worship him.” During that time, as we simply worshiped God, God began to work in the main auditorium. People who had been hardened to the gospel for years began to come forward and pray, asking to be saved. It was one of the most amazing services I’ve ever been in – and it all happened because we chose to praise God from our hearts!
3. IF A RIGHTEOUS PERSON DOES IT, WORSHIP IS BEAUTIFUL TO GOD.
Ps 33:1 ¶ Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! [For] praise from the upright is beautiful.
Ps 119:7 ¶ I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments
Ps 147:1 ¶ Praise the LORD! For [it is] good to sing praises to our God; For [it is] pleasant, [and] praise is beautiful.
God wants your life to be consistent with your praise. You may not feel that you are an extremely talented singer, but if you’re an upright person, God looks at you and says, “Wow! That’s beautiful!”
One songwriter put it like this:
“That’s His favorite song of all, it’s the song of the redeemed.
When lost sinners now made clean lift their voices loud and strong.
When those purchased by His blood lift to him a song of love,
Nothing more He’d rather hear, none so pleasing to his ear,
As His favorite song of all!”
(Carol Cymbala? "Favorite Song of All" recorded by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.)
4. IT’S A WITNESS TO UNBELIEVERS.
Ps 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth-Praise to our God; Many will see [it] and fear, And will trust in the LORD.
Ps 108:3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
Ps 109:30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
Heb 2:12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."
I wanted to touch on this, because it is one of the reasons that the Bible gives for worshiping, but I won’t stay here. I will come back to it in the last message of this series.
5. IT’S A WITNESS TO OUR CHILDREN.
Ps 78:4 We will not hide [them] from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
Ps 79:13 So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.
Ps 102:18 This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.
Ps 145:4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.
I know we all want our kids and grand kids to make it to heaven. The question is, what are some things that we can do to make sure they make it?
Well, here’s one thing – the one generation needs to praise God’s works to the next one! We need to not hide from our children the praises of the Lord.
Now you might say, “Well, it makes me feel silly – to always be talking about the Lord, and how good he is, and how he saved me, and how he’s taken care of us. . .” True. . . it might feel silly at first. But it’s just like any other habit – if you’ll practice it whether you feel silly or not, it will begin to feel normal!
What are some practical ideas for this? How can you “praise God’s works” to the next generation?
6. BECAUSE WE WERE CREATED AND SAVED FOR PRAISE.
Isa 43:21 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.
Eph 1:12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Php 1:11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which [are] by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
1Pe 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, [being] much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
1Pe 2:9 But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
If we fail to do this, we’ve just missed one of the reasons we were made!!!
7. GOD HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS.
Lu 18:43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw [it], gave praise to God.
Lu 19:37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,
God’s works are awesome in our lives! Is there anyone here that has never seen God work in your life? If you’ve become a Christian, you’ve seen God start to change your life. . . if you’re like most people, you never could change yourself, but God’s doing it!
That in itself would be enough to praise God! But start reviewing your life. . .
- think of the answered prayers.
- think of the financial needs met.
- think of the guidance your life has received.
- think of the times you could have been killed, and God protected you.
- think of the meaning he’s put into your life.
- think of the great future he’s promised you!
Now, here’s a question for you: IS there a correct way to praise God? Are there incorrect ways to praise God? Well, we’ll look at the Bible’s answers to that question next week, in "How Can I Worship God?
WHY SHOULD WE WORSHIP GOD?
“Give to the Lord the glory due to his name...”1. WORSHIP MAKES _______ FOR THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
Ps 22:3 But You [are] holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.
2. WORSHIP HELPS US WIN _________________.
2Ch 20:22 Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.
Ac 16:25 ¶ But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
3. IF A ___________________ PERSON DOES IT, WORSHIP IS BEAUTIFUL TO GOD.
Ps 33:1 ¶ Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! [For] praise from the upright is beautiful.
Ps 119:7 ¶ I will praise You with uprightness of heart, When I learn Your righteous judgments
Ps 147:1 ¶ Praise the LORD! For [it is] good to sing praises to our God; For [it is] pleasant, [and] praise is beautiful.
4. IT’S A ________________ TO UNBELIEVERS.
Ps 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth-Praise to our God; Many will see [it] and fear, And will trust in the LORD.
Ps 108:3 I will praise You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations.
Ps 109:30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
Heb 2:12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You."
5. IT’S A WITNESS TO OUR _________________.
Ps 78:4 We will not hide [them] from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.
Ps 79:13 So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations.
Ps 102:18 This will be written for the generation to come, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD.
Ps 145:4 One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts.
6. BECAUSE WE WERE _____________ AND ________________ FOR PRAISE.
Isa 43:21 This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.
Eph 1:12 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.
Php 1:11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which [are] by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
1Pe 1:7 that the genuineness of your faith, [being] much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
1Pe 2:9 But you [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
7. GOD HAS DONE _______________ THINGS.
Lu 18:43 And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw [it], gave praise to God.
Lu 19:37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen,
