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The Worship God Desires Series
Contributed by Mike Turner on Jul 28, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: Ask a hundred people what is worship....and you’ll probably get 100 different answers. What does the Word tell us about worship ? This series deals with "The Word On Worship"
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The Worship God Desires
John 4:16-24
Jesus had came to Samaria for one purpose. He came there to transform the
life of a woman. One who had been confused, abused, and used.
Here was the root of her problems.
1. Her Relationships Were Wrong.
Jn. 4:16-18
2. Her Reasoning Was Wrong.
V. 19
3. Her Religion Was Wrong. V. 20
Everything about her could have been drastically changed if only her life
had been changed by a relationship with the one true God.
Nothing else in our life will ever be totally in order until we get this one
thing in right !
Jesus transformed this woman. He changed her life......he changed her life
totally. God wants to change us this morning. He wants to save us if we
are lost......and to the church this morning........he wants to transform
the way that we worship.
Some go to church to take a walk. Some go to church to laugh and talk. Some
go to church to meet a friend. Some go to church, their time to spend. Some
go to church to meet a another.
Some go to church, a fault to cover. Some go to church for speculation. Some
go to church for observation. Some go to church to doze and nod. The wise go
there to worship God.- Author Unknown
Henry Ward Beecher was a great pastor of yesteryear. He had to be absent
from the pulpit once Sunday, and so he asked his brother Thomas Beecher to
fill in. When many of the folks saw that the famous Henry Beecher was not
going to be preaching that Sunday.....they begin to leave. Undisturbed,
Thomas simply said......would those who came to worship Henry Ward Beecher
please leave, but those who came to worship God please be seated.
Hopefully we have come to worship today. Today we look at the kind or type
worshipers that God is looking for.
I. God Is Seeking Those Who Will Worship In The Spirit.
Story: There was a law firm called "Head & Hart". After many years Hart died........do you know what was left ? You might say......"All head & no heart". I wonder how much of our worship is all head and no heart !
Phil 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
What happens when we worship in the Spirit.......?
1. The Spirit Produces Life.
a. The services will come alive.
b. The sermons will come alive.
Joke: Story about a church....had a man in the choir who couldn’t sing. Others tried to help him find other places of ministry in the church without hurting his feelings but with no success. The choir director became so desperate that he went to the Pastor. The music director told the Pastor that he had to do something or he would quit, and half the choir would as
well. After trying to beat around the bush, and make a point unsucessfully....the Pastor finally told the man that he needed to leave the choir......why asked the man......Several people have told me you can’t sing
! That’s nothing....fifty people have told me you can’t preach.....but you’re still here !
c. The singing will come alive.
d. The souls will come alive.
You read over in the book of Gen and you’ll find that the first thing that moved on the earth was The Spirit of God.....but it seems to be the last thing moving in the church today. Our services are more like wakes than worship......We’re stiff, and over starched..dried up, dormant and dead........instead of entering his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts.....we walk in looking like our father in heaven died, and didn’t leave us a cent.
2. The Spirit Provides Liberty.
2 Cor. 3:17
When we worship in the Spirit..we will be free......
a. from the confinement of place.
b. from the commands of people.
c. from the conformity to the past.
3. The Spirit Pours Out Love.
Rom. 5:5
When we worship in the Spirit our church.....lives will abound in love...
a. Love for the sanctuary.
b. Love for the scriptures.
c. Love for the saints.
d. Love for sinners.
II. God Is Seeking Those Who Will Worship In Sincerity.
1. Sincere in Purpose.
I love what David said in Psa 5:7 But as for me, I will come into thy
house in the multitude of thy mercy: and in thy fear will I worship toward
thy holy temple.
Now that is sincerity in worship. David had the right motive.....the correct purpose for his worship !
We need to be sincere in our purpose or motive for worshipping. Old song......I don’t know what you came to do.......people come to worship
services for different reasons. The Pharisees of Jesus day just wanted to be seen, and heard ! They wanted to make a name for themselves.....and they