Worship

Worship John 4: 23, 24

I. What is worship?

To worship is

To quicken the conscience by the holiness of god,

To feed the mind with the truth of god

To purge the imagination by the beauty of god

To open the heart to the love of god

To devote the will for the purpose of god. William Temple

Worship is not a human invention rather it is divine offering.

Worth and ship = worthy of reverence and honor

When we worship we declaring God’s worth Rev 5 12-14

The biblical Term Kabod [Hebrew] translated glory means honor or weight of god.Isa.6.3

The N.T Term Doxa = glory = God is worthy of praise and honor Luke 2.14

Worship is as natural for man as it is for him to breathe.

Worship is to Christian what as engine to a car.

It is an absolutely indispensable part of Christian life

Worship is an act of honoring god because of his great worthiness to be honored.

1. Worship is celebration

Worship is essentially the celebration of the acts of god in history.

God’s creation

Provision

Covenant and redemption

Celebration of the victory of Jesus on the cross over

Death

Satan and sin

Celebration of the manifestation of God’s power through the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Worship is practicing the presence of god in every experience

2. Worship is dialogue. Isia.6.1

Worship is both revelation and response

God take initiative in revelation and human kind response in worship.

Moses Ex.3.6 And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God

John Rev.1.1717 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand upon me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, 1

Isaiah Isia.6.5And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!"

Daniel 8.1818 As he was speaking to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and set me on my feet

God revealed to worshippers through - Bible

- Nature

- Holy Spirit

Human response through -words and music

- Celebration and dedication

Worship is more than conversation

It is also an encounter between god and man

You should have a new revelation about God when you are in His presence….

To realize His holiness and our ungodliness

Paul in Ephesians 3.8To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ

In 1Timothy 1.15 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. And I am the foremost of sinners;

See the journey from least saint to chief sinner .

When we His holiness we will realize our inadequacy , unworthiness

We tell him lord you are holy thank you for let me worship you.

3. Offering

The purpose of worship is not primarily to receive blessings from the Lord but make offerings to God.

OT People presented offering in the form of sacrifices

Psalm.96.8Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! 9 Worship the LORD in holy array; tremble before him, all the earth

NT also emphasizes giving as central theme in worship.

Offer the gifts in sincere faith and total obedience

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Worship is more than speech it is action, it is acting in the word of god in faith.

God has acted towards us so we have to act toward Him 1Pet.2.5, Heb.13.5

Worship is the offering of our total selves to god.

Outward gifts are results of inward dedication

The highest expression of giving is offering us to god.

Rom12.11 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Gen.22.1-18

V.5. Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the ass; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you

Abraham a man on the way to worship not a man who is about to slay his son

Worship is a costly thing, ready to pay the price to participate in worship of such a god.