The Anatomy Of A Worshipper Series

Our focus in these messages is to explore the exercise of worship. A book on my shelves is entitled …..’Worship is a verb’….and its title summarizes my aims. Worship is not a passive thing, it is an activity.

I want to use David as a guide to illustrate this truth. David was not only a musician but also a prolific songwriter; more than half of the Psalms could be accredited to David. Others since him have expressed an immense heart of worship through prolific songwriting.

Fanny Crosby, the blind musicians, wrote around 8,000 hymns of praise in her lifetime including ‘To God be the glory great things he has done’ and ‘Blessed assurance Jesus is mine’.

Charles Wesley composed around 6,500 songs during 50 years of passionate service for Jesus. One of his first was ‘O for a thousand tongues to sing’ and his many songs included ‘And can it be that I should gain.’

Every generation needs men and women who will example a lifestyle overflowing with expressions of worship. These people feed the church with songs to use and lyrics that declares God’s goodness and greatness in the language of that generations’ culture.

David illustrates perfectly the many aspects of a worshippers life:

• THE PHYSICAL WORSHIPPER

What am I describing?

Raised hands, waving banners, clapping, shouting, singing, cheering, hugging, laughing, crying.

Is it the worship service of a vibrant, enthusiastic, charismatic church?

Or is it the many actions of a packed football crowd?

Why is one perceived as natural and the other as weird?

Satan has convinced society that excitement about God is unnatural and to be avoided! But excitement for a football team is to be expected and encouraged and is in no way unnatural.

When the Bible talks about worship it uses the language of the human body. The Psalms are full of references to the use of my body to praise and worship God. It is expected that I as a child of God, will quite NATURALLY want to express my enthusiastic gratitude with the help of all of my human make up.

HANDS - Psalm 134:1,2 “Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your HANDS in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.”

KNEES - Psalm 65:6 “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us KNEEL before the Lord our Maker.”

EYES - Psalm 25:15 “My EYES are ever on the Lord.”

LIPS - Psalm 63:3,5 “Because your love is better than life, my LIPS will glorify you…..My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing LIPS my mouth will praise you.”

TONGUE - Psalm 35:28 “My TONGUE will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.”

MOUTH - Psalm 40:3 “He put a new song in my MOUTH, a hymn of praise to our God.”

(What are you doing with the song he gave you?)

HEART - Psalm 9:1 “I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.”

Worship for David was a physical activity each action was a way of illustrating his love, gratitude and affection for God.

• THE PRIVATE WORSHIPPER

2 Samuel 24:18-25

David was instructed to build a private altar of worship. He refused to cut corners or offer cheap sacrifices that had cost him nothing. David had to give God the best he had, even in private.

David was a private worshipper; a man who worshipped on his own looking after his Father’s sheep. Psalm 23:1-3…..David is talking of his private moments with God.

When Israel wanted a King God gave them a warrior - Saul.

When God was looking for a King to replace Saul he searched out a worshipper - David.

To Saul God said…”But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people.” (1 Samuel 13:14)

Your PRIVATE is what gives birth to your PUBLIC!

• THE PUBLIC WORSHIPPER

2 Samuel 6:21,22

This passage records the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Israel. This most tangible of symbols represented God presence and favour upon the nation. David had fought the Philistines and brought it back to Jerusalem. He, and the nation, were elated. The man who held the nations most dignified position expressed his gratitude to God with all of his energy and enthusiasm. He was totally unconcerned by the opinions of others.

Matt Redman: “True worship always forgets itself”

Hallal = ‘clamorously foolish’ from which we get Hallelujah.

Lydia singing in our back garden!

Matt Redman: “In a ‘Reasons to be Passionate’ competition the church of God should come an easy first, yet too often we find ourselves lagging way behind in this area. Isn’t it time we saw more holy mayhem in our worship?”