WHY ARE WE HERE IN CHURCH TODAY? WHY DID WE COME TODAY? WHAT WERE WE EXPECTING TO HAPPEN ONCE WE ARRIVED HERE? WHAT ARE WE EXPECTING TO GET FROM IT? WHAT, IF ANYTHING, ARE WE HOPING TO TAKE WITH US WHEN WE LEAVE?
ALL OF THESE ARE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE ONE THING THAT SURROUNDS THE WHOLE POINT OF WHAT CHURCHES SHOULD BE DOING ON A SUNDAY MORNING. THAT “ONE THING” WE CALL WORSHIP.
AS DIVERSE AS WE ARE, I CAN REST ASSURED WE WOULD GET A LOT OF ASSORTED ANSWERS ON WHAT “WORSHIP” IS ALL ABOUT. WORSHIP ORIGINATES FROM OLD ENGLISH WORD THAT MEANS “WORTH-SHIP” OR “WORTHINESS.” IT IS A WORD THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE PERSON WHO IS WORSHIPPING.
THAT MEANS, WHEN A PERSON “WORSHIPS,” THEY ARE PUTTING THEIR HEART, MIND AND SOUL INTO AN ATTITUDE OF REVERENCE AND HONOR IN ORDER TO EXPRESS JUST HOW MUCH THE “WHO OR WHAT” THEY ARE WORSHIPPING IS WORTH TO THEM.
THIS IS WHY IT BECOMES SO IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE, AS CHRISTIANS, DO NOT MISPLACE THE TRUE MEANING OF WORSHIP. GOD IS NOT JUST SEEKING WORSHIP; HE’S SEEKING WORSHIPPERS. GOD IS LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHOSE MINDS AND HEARTS ARE BENT TOWARD HIM AND WHOES SOULS ARE FOCUSED SOLEY ON HIM.
WE CANNOT, FOR ONE MOMENT, ALLOW SATAN TO FIRE HIS DARTS OF DISTORTION INTO OUR WORSHIP. SOMETIMES WE CAN ALLOW SATAN TO GET OUR WORSHIP OUT OF TUNE AND MISPLACED JUST AS SOON AS WE WALK INTO THE SANCTUARY.
THE TRIVIAL THINGS THAT CHOKE OUR WORSHIP SUCH AS WHERE WE ARE GOING TO EAT LUNCH, WHO’S GOING TO WIN THE BALLGAME, THE HYMN SELECTIONS, THE ROOM TEMPERATURE, OR THE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS IN THE BULLETIN.
WE CAN EVEN “MAJOR ON THE MINORS” WHEN OUR WORSHIP GETS SIDE-TRACKED BY REVERING THE WRONG THINGS. LIKE WHEN WE HONOR THE “SACREDNESS” OF THE SANCTUARY BY GETTING POSSESSIVE WITH PEWS, UPSET WHEN FURNITURE IS MOVED OR WHEN SOMEONE BRINGS IN A CUP OF COFFEE, OR EVEN WHEN CHILDREN RUN, SKIP AND CRAWL UP AND DOWN THE AILES.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE FOCUSED ON THINGS RATHER THAN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THEN WE HAVE MISPLACED OUR WORSHIP. WE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE STAYED HOME AND WERE PROBABLY BETTER OFF DOING SO IN THE FIRST PLACE.
JESUS MADE IT VERY CLEAR TO THE SAMARITAN WOMAN THAT GOD IS SEEKING TRUE WORSHIPPERS. THESE WORSHIPPERS, AS JESUS SAID, WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
THIS IS WHY OUR MESSAGE TODAY IS ENTITLED “SEEKING WORSHIPFUL WORSHIPPERS,” BECAUSE GOD WANTS SINCERITY. UNFORTUNATELY, MOST PEOPLE MISS IT BY JUST 18 INCHES BECAUSE IT COMES MORE FROM THEIR HEAD THAN THEIR HEART.
WHEN JEUS SAID WE MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT, HE MEANT THAT IT MUST COME FROM OUR HEARTS WITH THE UTMOST SINCERITY. THERE’S AN IMPORTANT LESSON THERE. WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT YOU MUST BE “BORN AGAIN” IN ORDER TO TRULY WORSHIP GOD.
WE CANNOT HAVE THE SPIRIT WITHOUT HAVING JESUS FIRST. WITHOUT THE SPIRIT, WE CANNOT WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT. THE HEAD AND THE HEART MUST BE TOTALLY ENGAGED IN WORSHIP. THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE IF THE SPIRIT IS NOT PRESENT.
TRUE WORSHIP CAN ONLY COME THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT INDWELLING THE CHRISTIAN. ONLY THROUGH THE SPIRIT CAN WE HAVE THE KIND OF SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WE’RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE WITH GOD AS OUR FATHER.
NOT ONLY MUST WE HAVE THE SPIRIT TO PROPERLY WORSHIP, BUT WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH. IN ORDER TO WORSHIP IN TRUTH, WE MUST RECOGNIZE WHO IT IS WE WORSHIP.
JESUS SAID IN JOHN 14:6, “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.” THAT MEANS IN ORDER TO WORSHIP IN THE TRUTH, YOU MUST FIRST BE ABLE TO CONFESS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS THE SAVIOR WHO MAKES THE WORSHIP-RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ALL POSSIBLE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
IN ORDER TO WORSHIP IN THE TRUTH, WE MUST ALSO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE WORD “TRUE” MEANS. IT REFERS TO WORSHIPPING “IN A TRUE WAY” OR “WITH GUINENESS.”
THAT MEANS WE CANNOT RESTRICT OURSELVES AND HOLD BACK FROM WORSHIPPING JUST BECAUSE WE FEAR WHAT SOMEONE MAY THINK OF OUR STYLE AND OUR EXPRESSIVENESS.
IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE COME BEFORE GOD WITH GENUINENESS AND SINCERITY AND NOT OUT OF HABIT OR JUST BECAUSE IT IS “SUNDAY” AND IT IS “TIME TO GO TO CHURCH.”
IT MEANS THAT WE HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE TRUTH IS SUCH THAT BECAUSE GOD IS NOT LIMITED TO TIME, SPACE, AND DIMENSION, I CAN THEREFORE WORSHIP GOD ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME, AND FOR ANY REASON WHATSOEVER.
GOD IS NOT BOUND BY SANCTUARIES, CHURCH BUILDINGS, 10:45AM WORSHIP SERVICES ON SUNDAY, BULLETIN FORMATS, PRAYER TIME, AND ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS ONE-HOUR PROGRAM.
GOD CAN BE WORSHIPPED NON-STOP, IN ALL PLACES AND AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY. THIS IS WHY WE MUST ALWAYS BE ENGAGED IN WORSHIPPING GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
IT IS NOT A MATTER OF BEING IN A HOLY PLACE TO WORHSIP, BUT TO BE A HOLY PERSON IN ORDER TO WORSHIP IN ANY GIVEN PLACE. WHETHER IT BE FROM A SOLDIER OUT IN THE BARREN SANDS OF IRAQ TO THE WELL-GROOMED SAINT ON SUNDAY MORNING IN THE COMFORT OF A CHURCH SANCTUARY, GOD CAN BE WORSHIPPED IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
IF THAT IS THE CASE, THEN WHAT ARE SOME HELPFUL WAYS TO GET US STARTED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION OF “SPIRIT AND TRUTH” WORSHIP?
THE BEST WAY TO START IS TO FOCUS ON GOD DAILY. IN OTHER WORDS, BECOME CHILD-LIKE IN YOUR APPROACH TOWARDS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER. MAKE IT A HABIT TO BEGIN THE DAY SITTING ON YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER’S LAP THROUGH DAILY MEDITATION OF PRAYER AND SELECT SCRIPTURE STUDY.
SETTING ASIDE THIS TIME IS A WAY OF INTENTIONALLY FOCUSING ON GOD. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:17, “PRAY WITHOUT CEASING” IS TO ALWAYS BE CONCIOUSLY AWARE OF GOD. THAT MEANS I KNOW THAT HE IS WITH ME IN EVERY SITUATION, IN EVERY CONVERSATION, AND EVERY THOUGHT, ACTION, AND DEED. MY EVERY WAKING MOMENT IS WITH GOD IN FELLOWSHIP.
A SECOND WAY TO HELP US WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH IS TO SIMPLY PREPARE OURSEVES TO WORSHIP. IF YOU’LL NOTICE IN YOUR BULLETIN THE VERY FIRST THING THAT BEGINS OUR FORM OF WORSHIP IS CALLED “MUSIC FOR MEDITATION AND PRAYER.” THIS IS THE TIME TO BE STILL AND REFLECTIVE IN MIND, HEART AND SOUL WITH GOD WHOM YOU ARE WORSHIPPING. FROM START TO FINISH OUR FOCUS IS ON REVERENT WORSHIP OF GOD.
IT SURE CAN BE TEMPTING TO OVERSHADOW THIS IMPORTANT PART OF OUR SERVICE BY CARRYING ON CONVERSATIONS, ATTENDING TO LAST-MINUTE BUSINESS OR BY DOING OTHER DISTRACTIVE THINGS.
SOME HELPFUL HINTS ON SOME THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE TO WORSHIP IS TO LOOK OVER THE WORDS TO THE SONGS THAT WE’LL BE SINGING BEFORE THE WORSHIP HOUR STARTS. READ OVER THE WORDS TO GRASP THE FULL MEANING.
ALSO SPEND TIME IN PRAYER FOR OUR MUSICIANS, USHERS, GREETERS, AND YOUR PASTOR. THEN PRAY FOR YOURSELF. ASK GOD TO HELP YOU FOCUS AND MAKE YOUR HEART RESPONSIVE. INVITE HIM TO HAVE HIS WAY WITH YOU. PREPARE!!
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, LOOK AT WORSHIP AS AN OFFERING TO GOD. THE MOMENT YOU COME INTO THE SANCTUARY WE NEED TO REMOVE THE DESIRE TO “GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT.” WORSHIP IS WHAT WE GIVE NOT WHAT WE GET. IF YOU EVER LEAVE A WORSHIP SERVICE SAYING TO YOURSELF, “I JUST DIDN’T GET ANYTHING OUT OF IT,” GUESS WHO WAS THE OBJECT OF YOUR WORSHIP?
ALWAYS LOOK AT WORSHIP AS YOUR OFFERING TO GOD. WITH JESUS’ HELP, WE CAN, AS STATED IN HEBREWS 13:15, BE ABLE TO CONTINUALLY OFFER OUR SACRIFICES OF PRAISE TO GOD BY PROCLAIMING THE GLORY OF HIS NAME.
AFTER ALL, THE FOCUS IS UPWARD AS WELL AS INWARD. GIVE GOD YOUR FOCUS AND RESPONSE. OFFER JESUS YOUR THOUGHTS AND YOUR ACTIONS AND YOU’LL FIND HIS HEART DEVELOPING IN YOU. REMEMBER, WE ARE PLAYING TO AN AUDIENCE OF ONE—IT IS NOT WHAT WE GET OUT OF IT BUT WHAT GOD GETS OUT OF IT.
SO TRUE WORSHIP HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BUILDINGS OR PLACES, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH STYLE, CONTEMPORARY OR TRADITIONAL AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH POSTURE WHETHER WE ARE STANDING, KNEELING, OR SITTING.
TRUE WORSHIP HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE FIRST SPIRITUALLY CONNECTED AND FOCUSED ON GOD, AND THEN GLADLY AND UNRESERVEDLY RESPOND TO THAT FOCUS WITH FREEDOM AND JOY. LET’S US ALL BECOME “WORSHIPFUL WORSHIPPERS.”
