True worship, in other words, is defined by the priority we place on who God is in our lives and where God is on our list of priorities. True worship is a matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness. Thus, if your lifestyle does not express the beauty of holiness through an extravagant or exaggerated love for God, and you do not live in extreme or excessive submission to God, then I invite you to make worship a non-negotiable priority in your life.
The Purpose Of Our Worship Of God
The purpose of our worship is to glorify, honor, praise, exalt, and please God. Our worship must show our adoration and loyalty to God for His grace in providing us with the way to escape the bondage of sin, so we can have the salvation He so much wants to give us. The nature of the worship God demands is the prostration of our souls before Him in humble and contrite submission. James 4:6, 10 tells us, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up”. Our worship to God is a very humble and reverent action.
Jesus says in John 4:23-24, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.“ It doesn’t say we can worship God anyway we want, but we “must worship Him in spirit and in truth”. The word “must” makes it absolute. There is no other way we can worship God and be acceptable to Him. The word “must”, expresses “an obligation, a requirement, a necessity, a certainty, and something that must be done”. When “must” is used it means that it is not optional. Here the word “must” is expressing that in spirit and in truth is the only way to acceptably worship God. God seeks true worshippers, and He identifies them as those who “worship Him in spirit and in truth”. Worshipping God in spirit and in truth is a serious matter which must not be taken lightly. If we have any regard for our own souls, we will want to make sure we are worshipping God in spirit and in truth.
Since God is the object of our worship, He and He alone has the right to determine how we are to worship Him. We read in Jeremiah 10:23, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.” We are not granted the option of directing our own ways in religion. God is the One who we look to for guidance and direction in our lives.
Our very best in worship is due God and is prescribed by Him in the Bible. The worship God has prescribed is the only way we can be pleasing to Him in this life and finally attain everlasting life with Him in eternity. The Christian’s worship is of the greatest importance.
Worship is a time when we pay deep, sincere, awesome respect, love, and fear to the one who created us. Acts 17:24-25 says, “God who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives life, breath, and all things.”
God is the one who holds our eternal destiny in His hands. Philippians 2:12 tells us to, “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Our salvation is a very serious matter and will not happen by accident. We must work it out “with fear and trembling”. Our salvation depends on whether our worship is pleasing to God or not. On the Day of Judgment it will be too late to make any corrections.
Worship should cause us to reflect on the majesty and graciousness of God and Christ, contrasted to our own unworthiness. God does not have to have our worship, but we must worship Him to please Him. Our singing, praying, studying His word, giving, and communion are designed by God to bring us closer to Him and to cause us to think more like He thinks, thus becoming more like Him. James 4:8 tells us to, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
Our worship not only honors and magnifies God, but it is also for our own edification and strength. Worship helps us develop a God-like and Christ-like character. We become like unto those we admire and worship. When we worship God we tend to value what God values and gradually take on the characteristics and qualities of God, but never to His level. As Philippians 2:5 says, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ.” How do we take on the mind of Christ? In Romans 12:2 we read, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We renew our mind as we study and meditate on God’s word and worship Him.
When we worship God we develop such traits as forgiveness, tenderness, justice, righteousness, purity, kindness, and love. All of this is preparing us for eternal life in heaven with God and Christ. As we are told in Colossians 3:2 to, “Set your mind on things above, and not on things on the earth.”
Important notes to keep in mind.
Worship is both a privilege and the responsibility of the Christian.
1. God’s people face several important responsibilities regarding worship.
a. Presence – to worship regularly as commanded is important.
b. Purpose – to worship accurately as commanded is important.
c. Participation – to be responsive in worship is important.
B. Is worship a wise investment of time and effort?
1. Indeed, true worship is the highest and noblest activity.
2. In this lesson, let’s look at the purpose of worship.
I. To Obtain Fuller Knowledge Of God.
A. Ignorance and true worship are incompatible.
1. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “You do not know what you worship.” John 4:22
2. Paul so charged the Athenians. Acts 17:22-23
B. We must know God. John 17:3; Heb. 8:10-11
1. To know God means to know more than certain facts about God.
C. Those who worship God regularly come to know God better than the non-worshiper.
1. For example, in our worship at the present, we emphasize some basics of the nature of God from John 17.
a. The only true God, vs. 3.
b. The Eternal God, v. 5.
c. A personal God, vs. 8. He is a person, not some mysterious force.
d. A Father, vs. 20-21. Six times in this prayer, Jesus called God, “Father.”
e. A God of love. 23,26.
D. Our continual worship of God helps us to know God. He does not remain a stranger to us.
Ii. To Draw Near To God.
A. We need to draw near to God. James 4:8
B. We must come with true hearts. Heb. 10:22; Psalm 34:18
1. We draw near in song. Psalm 146:1-2
2. We draw near in prayer. Heb. 13:15; Psalm 145:18
3. We draw near in the Lord’s Supper.
a. It is a memorial of solemn event. 1 Cor. 11:23-26
b. It is a communion (sharing) of the body and blood of Christ. 1 Cor. 10:16-22
c. It is a union of minds. 1 Cor. 11:27-29
(1) It is probably the only time when all of our minds are centered on one thing.
C. True worship is an important and excellent way to draw near to God.
1. We should delight to approach God.
2. Friendship with God rests with us.
Iii. To Reinforce Our Hope.
A. The hope of the Christian is:
1. The hope of the resurrection. Acts 23:6; 24:16; 1 Thess. 4:16-18
2. The hope of salvation. 1 Thess. 5:8
3. The hope of eternal life. Titus 1:2; 3:7
4. The hope of being like Christ. 1 John 3:23
B. Hope is based on the promises of God. Heb. 10:23; 6:11-19a
1. Faith and hope are closely related. Heb. 11:1
2. When we have true hope, we eagerly wait for the object of our hope. Rom. 8:24-25
3. Our hope of heaven is a “living hope.” It is alive and vibrant. 1 Pet. 1:3-4
C. Our hope needs to be strengthened and renewed, and what better way than in our worship?
1. Worship reminds us of God’s reality.
2. Worship reminds us of God’s promises.
3. Worship reminds us of God’s power.
4. Thus, worship encourages us to hold fast to our hope.
Iv. To Receive Strength.
A. We come to worship both to give and to receive. Heb. 10:24
1. We are to stir up, provoke, stimulate, motivate to:
a. Love – We promote good will, concern, and interest in one another.
b. Good works – We plan good works that we can do together. We encourage one another to keep busy in doing good.
B. It is impossible to “stir up” and to be “stirred up” when we forsake our worship assemblies.
1. Thus, vs. 25. We are not to forsake any of our worship services.
a. Some brethren say that the word “forsake” refers to forsaking altogether and cannot be applied to when a person misses only one service.
(1) However, the word sometimes refers to just one forsaking. 2 Tim. 4:16; Matt. 27:46
b. Some brethren say that the verse refers to the “assembly” – only the Lord’s day morning service.
(1) Actually, the word “assembling” is a verb and refers to the act of assembling. It refers to the coming together of the saints.
c. Some brethren say the word “day” refers only to the Lord’s day; example, we need to increase our efforts when we see the Lord’s day coming. Thus, again, they claim that one only needs to attend on the Lord’s day.
2. The “exhorting” in the verse seems to be referring to the “exhorting” which is done in the assembly.
a. Many of the old commentators take the position that “the day” refers to the destruction of Jerusalem – that the Hebrews, by the signs of Matt. 27 and Luke 21, could see it approaching.
b. It probably refers to “the Day” of the Lord – His second coming.
(1) Our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Rom. 13:11-12; James 5:7-9; 1 Pet. 4:7-9
(2) Also, as we get older, we begin to see the need for exhortation to love and good works “so much the more.”
(a) The end of our life may not be a long way off for any of us. It can’t be a long way off for
some of us. Psalm 90:12
V. To Bear Fruit.
A. We are to bear much fruit (John 15:8) and to be full of good fruits (James 3:17).
B. To worship regularly is to bear fruit.
1. We give God the worship that He seeks.
2. We grow and develop spiritually.
3. We set a good example.
4. We hold fast our allegiance, profession, and hope.
5. We put the kingdom first.
6. We fulfill our duties to others.
7. It’s part of being ready, watching, and waiting.
CONCLUSION.
A. Thus, worship is a wise investment of time and effort. Why do we worship?
1. To obtain a fuller knowledge of God.
2. To draw near to God.
3. To reinforce our hope.
4. To receive strength.
5. To bear fruit.
B. Let us be glad for the opportunity to worship God. Psalm 122:1
1. Let us take advantage of this great privilege and afford ourselves of the many blessings derived from it.
SUMMARY:
Purpose of Worship;
To Obtain Fuller Knowledge of God
To Draw Near to God
To Reinforce Our Hope
To Receive Strength
To Bear Fruit
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