Worship

1. Worship - 5th April 2017
“Godisspirit,and hisworshipersmust worshipin the Spirit andin truth.” (John4:24)
The Bible doesn’tgive aformal definitionof worship.Butperhapswe canstart byseeingwhatvarious
wordsfor worshipmean.The Englishword"worship"comesfromtwoOldEnglishwords: weorth, which
means"worth,"and scipe or ship, whichmeanssomethinglike shape or"quality."We cansee the Old
Englishword -ship inmodernwordslike friendship andsportsmanship –that’s the qualityof beinga
friend,orthe qualityof beingagood sport. So worth-shipisthe qualityof havingworthorof being
worthy.Whenwe worship,we are sayingthatGod has worth,that he is worthy.Worshipmeansto
declare worth,toattribute worth.Or to putit inbiblical terms,we praise God.We speak,orsing, as we
believeandshare howgoodand powerful Godis.
Worshipisthe job descriptionsof aChristian. We were calledforthe purpose of praisingGod,
worshipingGod.We declare thatGod isworthy,worthmore than everythingelse puttogether. Of
course,wordmeaningsdon’tprove whatworshipis,buttheydoillustrate three kindsof worship.First
there isWorshipthat involvesspeaking, thatexpressesthe person’s heart.Thatisgivingpraise upward.
Secondthere is worshipthatinvolveslistening,and thatinvolvesthe mind andlearningand receiving
instructionsfromabove.Thirdthere is worshipthatinvolvesdoing whichisinreference to the body and
howwe use it. Howwe carryoutout the given instruction tothe worldaroundus. We need all three
typesof worship.
The apostle Paul describedtrue worship perfectlyin Romans12:1-2,“ Therefore, I urge you, brothers
and sisters,in view ofGod’smercy, to offer your bodiesas a livingsacrifice,holyandpleasingto
God—thisisyourtrue andproper worship. 2
Do not conform to the pattern of thisworld, butbe
transformedby the renewing of your mind.Then you will be able to test and approvewhat God’swill
is—hisgood,pleasingandperfect will.” Thispassage containsall the elementsof true worship.First,
there isthe motivationtoworship:“the merciesof God.”God’smerciesare everythingHe hasgivenus
that we don’tdeserve:eternallove,eternal grace,the HolySpirit,everlastingpeace,eternal joy,saving
faith.InadditionGod’smerciesavail us ,strength,wisdom, hope,patience,kindness,honor,glory,
righteousness,security,eternal life,forgiveness,reconciliation,justification,sanctification,freedom,
intercessionandmuchmore.The knowledge andunderstandingof these incredible giftsmotivate usto
pour forthpraise andthanksgiving—inotherwords, we worship God!
Thispassage alsogivesusa descriptionof the mannerof ourworship:“presentyourbodiesalivingand
holysacrifice.”Presentingourbodiesmeansgiving toGodall of ourselves.The referencetoourbodies
here meansall our humanfaculties,all of ourhumanness—ourhearts,minds,hands,thoughts,
attitudes—are tobe presentedtoGod.Inother words,we are to give upcontrol of these thingsand
turn themoverto Him,justas a literal sacrifice wasgiventotallytoGodonthe altar.

2. But how?Verse 2 givesusthe idea:“by the renewingof yourmind.”We renew ourmindsdailyby
cleansingourminds of the world’s“wisdom”andreplacingitwithtrue wisdomthatcomesfromGod.
Thisinterncomeswhenwe readstudyand meditate onGod’sWord.Thisknowledge thatwe derive
fromsame enablesusto worship Himwithourrenewedandcleansedminds,notwithour worldly
wisdom. Goodsound wisdomis wonderful,butunlesstheyare shapedbyamindsaturatedin
knowledge of Godand Truth,theycan be destructive,out-of-controlforces.Where the mindgoes,the
will follows,andsodo our emotions. We canlearnfrom James 1:5, “Ifany of youlacks wisdom,you
shouldask God,whogives generouslyto all without findingfault,anditwill be given to you.” There is
onlyone wayto renewourminds,andthat is bythe Word of God. It isthe truth, the knowledge of the
Word of God, whichisto say the knowledge of the merciesof God,andwe’re backwhere we began.To
knowthe truth, tobelieve the truth,toholdconvictionsaboutthe truth,andto love the truthwill
naturallyresultintrue spiritual worship.
True worshipisnotconfinedtowhatwe do inchurch. It can be where youare.True worshipisthe
acknowledgmentof Godandall His powerandglory ineverythingwe do.The highestformof praise and
worshipisobedience toHimand HisWord. To do this,we mustknow God; our close relationshipwith
His matters.We cannot be ignorantof Him. We can learnfrom Acts 17:23, “Foras I walked aroundand
lookedcarefullyat yourobjects of worship,I even foundan altar withthis inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN
GOD.So you are ignorantof the very thingyou worship—andthisiswhatI amgoingto proclaimto
you.” Worshipisto glorifyandexaltGod—toshow ourloyaltyandadmirationtoour Father.NEVERto
any otherGod!
It’salso importanttoknow that our worshipshouldbe reservedonlyforGod.OnlyHe isworthyand not
any of His servants.We can learnfrom Revelation 19:10, “At this I fell at his feet to worshiphim. But he
saidto me, “Don’t do that!I ama fellowservant with you andwith your brothers andsisters who hold
to the testimony ofJesus. WorshipGod!Forit is the Spirit ofprophecy who bears testimonyto Jesus.”
We are not to worshipsaints,prophets,statues,angels,anyfalse gods,or evenMary,the motherof
Jesus.We alsoshouldnotbe worshipingforthe expectationof somethinginreturn,suchasa
miraculoushealing.Worshipisdone forGod—becauseHe deservesit—andforHispleasurealone!
True worshipisGod-centeredworship.Peopletendtogetcaught upin where theyshouldworship,
whatmusic theyshouldsinginworship,andhow theirworshiplookstootherpeople.While musicand
singingpraisesof Godisgood,but totallyfocusingonthese thingsmissesthe point.Jesustellsusthat
true worshiperswill worshipGodinspiritandintruth as we can read from John4:23- 24, “Yet a time is
comingand hasnow come when the true worshiperswill worshipthe Father in the Spirit andin truth,
for they are the kindof worshipersthe Father seeks. 24
Godisspirit,and hisworshipers mustworship
in the Spiritand in truth.” Thismeanswe needto worshipfromthe heartandthe wayGod has
designed.Worshipcaninclude praying,readingGod'sWordwithan openheart,singing,participatingin
communion,andservingothers.Itisnotlimitedtoone act,but isdone properlywhenthe heartand
attitude of the personare in the rightplace.