When Worship Is Pointed The Right Direction

Isaiah 6:1-5, Ezekiel 1:22-28; Psalm 8,29,95; Titus 1:16

Introduction - Barbara McKeever, Urbana, Ohio -- Said that in the middle of a soloist's number at church, her young grandson Chandler tugged her sleeve and whispered, "She can't sing very well, can she?" She knew that the woman had a deep love for God. She told him, "She sings from her heart. That's what makes it good." He nodded like he understood. Several days later, Chandler and his gramma were driving down the road together, singing along with the car radio. Chandler stopped and said, "Nana, you sing from your heart, don't you?"

Some of you are eager to sing more this morning, whether you sing like Chandler's gramma or not! We're going to sing. Hang on.

This morning, I want to direct our thoughts to one of the most primary aspects of worship -- the object of our worship -- Who is it we worship?

Quote - C.H. Spurgeon - "I believe a very large majority of churchgoers are merely unthinking, slumbering worshipers of an unknown God."

Whew! Thanks, C.H.! Now tell me how you really feel! I don’t want to lend any reason to someone to think that we are slumbering worshipers of an unknown God! Let's look into it!

We're going to go to God's Word early this morning to make a single point: worship doesn't happen until we consider God! Worship, whether it’s private or as the Body gathered together, is the outcome of considering Who God is and what He has done. So, to illustrate that, to help us grasp it, and to apply it as we go, we're going to begin this hour pondering God and what He has done.

And then, watch -- something's going to happen.

When you consider Who God is and what He has done...

I. You Surrender Human Position

The Bible term for this is "fall on your face" It happened to people in the Bible. Each one of these 3 passages involves the same thing, there is one man (Isaiah, Ezekiel, and John), and he’s being given a vision of heaven, and we get to hear him describe it and then we get to see what he does.

(Isaiah 6:1-5) In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."

(Ezekiel 1:26-28) Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

(Revelation 1:13-17) and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man," dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.

What I see is a pattern of people, when they come into contact with the glory of God, who find themselves falling on their faces. This isn't falling over in the pews because some slick guy on a stage blows across his microphone and says the "Spirit is moving like a mighty rushing wind!" or he hits someone with his coat. This is man's natural response when we come face to face with the holiness and splendor of God!