THE DEFINING MOMENT
IN WORSHIP
In Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman in John chapter 4, we find the defining moment in worship, when Jesus set forth what true worship is all about:
John 4: 23-24
23
"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship
the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His
worshipers. 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in
spirit and truth."
“in spirit and truth” – our worship must be:
AUTHENTIC - spirit
ACCURATE - truth
I AUTHENTIC
Criteria #1 – SAVED
The immediate response of a person accepting Jesus Christ as personal Saviour was often joyful praise and worship:
Acts
Luke
Criteria #2 – SET ON FIRE
Since
worship involves delighting in God, it engages your emotions. God gave you emotions so you could worship
Him with deep feelings, but those emotions must be genuine, not faked. Heartless praise is not praise at all. It is an insult to God. “Love God with all your
heart and soul.” Luke
Criteria # 3 – SACRIFICIAL
Romans 12:
1 - Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual
service of worship.
Real worship costs. David knew that and said: “ I will not offer to the Lord my God sacrifices that have cost me nothing.” II Samuel 24:24 One thing worship costs us is our
SELF-CENTEREDNESS. You cannot exalt God and yourself at the same time. You don’t worship to be seen by others. You deliberately shift the focus off yourself.
II ACCURATE
1. FOUNDATION – Word of God
God-pleasing worship is not only deeply emotional, but deeply doctrinal. The greatest statement in Scripture on the Incarnation of Jesus ( Philippians 2: 5-11 ) was a hymn.
2. FOCUS - God
Real worship happens when your spirit responds to God. Your biggest distraction in worship is yourself – your interests and your worries over what others think about you.
FORM
Christians often differ on the most appropriate or authentic way to express praise to God – Why?
- Personality
- Background differences
- Many forms of praise and worship mentioned in the Bible:
*Confessing * Dancing
*SINGING * Making a joyful noise
* Shouting * Testifying
* Standing in honour * Playing musical instruments
* KNEELING * Raising hands
FAMILY
Where possible, the best worship
is INTERGENERATIONAL
The greatest praise gathering of all eternity will be:
·
INTERGENERATIONAL
·
MULTI-NATIONAL
·
MULTI-ETHNIC
· MULTI-BEING- People, Angels, Living creatures
Want to read about it? Revelation 7: 9-12
9 After these things I looked,
and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and
all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the
Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; 10 and
they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on
the throne, and to the Lamb." 11 And all the angels were standing around
the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell
on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, "Amen,
blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
be to our God forever and ever Amen."
TO GOD BE THE GLORY, GREAT THINGS HE
HAS DONE!!