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Henk Frijters
- 9 North Park Street
Belleville,
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Worshiping God, part 1 of 2
Introduction:
1. Every week millions of people all over the world gather
to engage in an activity called "worship"
a. from 2 or 3 to 2 or 3 thousand
b. from small living rooms to cathedrals to no room at
all.
c. from strict rituals to no order whatever
d. yet it's all called "worship"
2. The purpose to accomplish today is
a. to define worship as used in the Bible
b. to describe kinds of worship as used in the Bible
c. to determine why we worship, as the Bible instructs
I. What is Worship?
1. The English word "worship" comes from the Anglo-Saxon
"worth-ship", which means "declaring worth".
2. "Honour, reverence, homage in thought, feeling or action
paid to men, angels, or other "spiritual beings"...but
specifically to deity (International Standard Bible
Encyclopaedia)
3. "act of paying divine honour to God; a feeling of
respect or reverence for power, position, merit, value,
etc" (Webster)
4. Poem by Dwight Bradley:
What is worship?
It is a soul searching for its counterpart.
It is the thirsty land crying out for rain.
It is a candle in the act of being kindled.
It is a drop in quest of the ocean.
It is a man listening through a tornado for the Still
Small Voice.
It is a voice in the night calling for help.
It is a sheep lost in the wilderness pleading for
rescue by the Good Shepherd.
It is the same sheep nestling in the arms of the
rescuer.
It is the Prodigal Son running to his Father.
It is a soul standing in awe before the mystery of
the Universe.
It is a poet enthralled by the beauty of a sunrise.
It is a workman pausing a moment to listen to a
strain of music.
It is a hungry heart seeking for love.
It is a heart of love consecrating herself to her
lover.
It is Time flowing into Eternity
It is my little self engulfed in the Universal Self.
It is a man climbing the altar stairs to God.
He who neglects Worship neglects that which separates
man from the birds, the animals, the insects, the
fishes.
The unworshipful man is an anthropoid with a highly
developed brain.
He may be a paragon of morality, but so are bees and
ants.
He may be keenly intelligent, but so are wolves and
foxes.
He may provide for his family, but so do hyenas and
orang-outangs.
He may be successful in affairs, but so are beavers and
muskrats.
He may be artistic, but so are birds and butterflies.
Worship for men is what song is for a thrush, or
physical beauty for a tiger, or speed for a race
horse.
Worship lifts men to the next level of experience and
justifies their existence as men.
Worship is man expressing his entire personality
To neglect Worship is to accept low-rating as a man.
To neglect Worship is to fail in life's highest
function.
To neglect Worship is psychical suicide.
Intelligent Worship is the most remarkable achievement
of which a human being is capable.
Quote: Andy T. Ritchie, Jr.
"worship is big and most comprehensive. It is an
acknowledgement of the greatness of God and of the need
of men; it is a soul standing in awe before the mystery
of the universe; it is the desperate cry of the lost
soul and the grateful song of the saved one; it is the
quickened, challenged soul dedicated again."
"Do we worship, or do we just "go to church?" Do we
worship through so many "acts" or "items" only, and only
on specified occasions, or with all of life, everyday,
and every hour as well?"
II. Kinds of Worship mentioned in the Bible.
1. Will Worship (nothing corrupts true religion more)
a. a kind of worship where the worshipper determines
the actions not the object of worship, Col 2:20-23
(KJV-"will worship)
b. self-made religion.."we" determine what seems
religious (Charismatic type)
c. also means a "forced piety" (NEB) where we pretend
to worship by doing things that appear to be
worshipful, Matt 6:16-18
(to show devotion by going beyond what was
required. however, not acceptable)
2. Ignorant Worship
a. Act 17:22,23
b. God wants us to know how to worship
(1) Paul proceeded to instruct about God, vs 30
(2) John 4:23,24
3. Vain Worship
a. Matt 15:7-9 (includes all idols, false religions,
etc)
b. establishing our own guidelines for worship instead
of God's way renders our worship vain...useless
(Cain is example)
c. man cannot add or delete from God's plan and be
accepted.
4. True Worship
a. John 4:23,24
(1) "in spirit"...blending our Spirit with God's
Spirit in such a way that worship is not self-
seeking, but true reverence
(2) "in truth"...according to God's instructions
b. Quote: F.R. Yeakley, Jr.
"worship is not a physical act or a ritual. A
person can attend a worship assembly and never
even begin to worship. He can sing without ever
thinking about God; hear or speak the words of
sermons and prayers while his mind is a thousand
miles away; partake of the Lord's Supper without
discerning the body and blood of Christ; and give
with no worshipful thought or feeling.
Worship is the occupation of the soul with God. By
a deliberate act of will, we focus our thoughts and
feelings on God. We look with awe at His majesty.
We are filled with a sense of wonder as we view His
omnipotence. We stand amazed in His presence as we
consider His perfect holiness. With reverence we
think about His love. With gratitude we remember
His mercy. That is what worship is: awe, wonder,
amazement, reverence, and gratitude. Worship is
not: "sing, pray, give, commune, and exhort."
These are the physical acts, the rituals which help
to arouse and express our worship."
c. Quote: J.C. Goodpasture
"the five acts of public worship ordained by God
furnish the channels for real worship of God when
these acts are performed in spirit and in truth.
So that the public worship of God which is not vain
must be conformed and confined to these five acts
done publicly. Preaching, praying, singing,
communing, and giving are the five acts of public
worship ordained of God. Each one of these acts
must be done in spirit...that is, from the heart of
those performing the act; and each one of these acts
must be done in truth...that is, in accordance with
the directions and specifications of the word of
truth. It is a fact all too true that many people
go through these acts of public worship in such a
careless, indifferent, inattentive way as to make
them vain or empty, so far as the person who
performs the act is concerned.
The public worship of God as set forth in the New
Testament is beautiful in its simplicity, deeply
spiritual in its meaning, and without gaudy show in
its form. Whatever turns it aside from God as its
object and takes away from it the spirit of devotion
to God as it expresses itself in the God-ordained act
is a sin in the sight of God and is a detriment to
the spiritual growth and development of the
worshipper."
III. Why do we worship?
1. to do the will of God, Matt 4:8-10, John 4:23
2. to learn more of God's will for our lives
a. from preaching and teaching, Act 20:7
b. from songs, Col 3:16
3. to commune with God, I Cor 10:16 - thru all items
of worship
4. to stimulate and quicken, Heb 10:23-25
a. worship should awaken within us the consciousness
of God...to turn our attention away from ourselves
to God.
5. to restore the soul, Ps 51:1-13
a. we realize our sinfulness
b. we seek the cleansing of God
6. to praise the Lord, Ps 92:1-2; 95:1-5; 100:1-5
Closing: (part 1)
1. to worship is natural.
2. however, we need to learn
a. to worship only God
b. to worship Him only as He directs
c. to receive His forgiveness so as to draw as near
as possible, Ps 51:10-12.
(Part 2: next week)
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