WORSHIP
- THE LORD IS WORTHY
Rev.
4:1-6, 8-ff; 5:8-ff THE
THRONE ROOM
SCENE
WHEN
YOU READ THAT - WHAT IS YOUR REACTION?
Does
it cause you to long to be there?
To
join in the angelic songs of praise?
To
raise your voice with the heavenly host to declare His greatness?
To
rejoice in the knowledge that all eternity is ours to share in the
unending bliss
of one another's presence before God?
Does
it make you realize this is only a pilgrimage - that this is not our
home?
OUR
WORSHIP IS A FORETASTE OF WHAT AWAITS US.
If
we don't find joy in our worship together - we won't enjoy heaven,
because heaven
is a place of worship. If
we don't find joy in our worship together - we won't be there,
because only those
who love the Lord & reverence Him will be there.
WHAT
IS WORSHIP?
Singing?
Praying? Lord's Supper? Teaching? Giving?
Yes.
These are acts of worship - but what prompts these responses?
Worship
[proskuneo] (pro
= towards/
kuneo
= kiss)
ILLUSTRATION:
Blowing a kiss. "To make obeisance, do reverence to."
Jn.
4:24 "God
is Spirit, and those who worship Him
must worship in spirit and
truth."
THIS
IS DEMONSTRATED IN THE EXAMPLE OF CAIN & ABEL'S WORSHIP
And
example of worship in spirit without truth.
Gen.
4:1-8 Abel's
worship was acceptable to God,
Cain's was not
NOTE
- Cain was more worried about what he
felt (resulting in jealousy) than how
God
felt.
Heb.11:4 "By
faith Abel offered to God a more
excellent sacrifice than Cain,
through
which he obtained witness that he was
righteous,
God testifying of his gifts; and
through it he being dead
still speaks.
NOTE
- How our influence in worship can continue after we are gone.
An
example to me was brother Woods in Tennessee. He was deaf but
faithful in attendance. He recognized his influence on others. He
used to tell me, "I could learn more by staying home because I can't
hear. But I come because I might be able to influence some younger
person to be faithful."
HE
IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP
See
above reference to Rev.
4 & 5
MAN
IS NOT WORTHY OF WORSHIP
Acts
10:24-26 Peter
would not accept Cornelius'
bowing to him. (A
far cry from Catholic "priests" who look to Peter as first
Pope.)
Mt.
23:5-12 Not
to wear titles. "Father, rabbi,
teacher - Doctor, reverend"
(In
Masonic lodges - "Most worshipful master")
Psm.
111:9 "...Holy
and awesome (reverend, kjv)
is
His name."
Psm.
99:3 "Let
them praise Your great and
awesome (terrible, kjv)
name - He is
Holy."
Reverend
[yare'] "To fear. To revere, To be made afraid, dread
(dreadful), terrible.
NOTE:
This term is never
used
in reference to man.
ANGELS
ARE NOT WORTHY OF WORSHIP
Rev.
19;9-10; 22:8-9 John
bowed before the angel
& was told not to do that.
Rev.
1:12-18 But
John bowed before Christ & the
Lord accepted his worship.
ALL
WILL WORSHIP HIM, IF NOT NOW, AT THE JUDGEMENT
Rev.
19:1-7 The
praise of God at the marriage of
the Lamb.
Rom.
1:9-12 Everyone
will
bow & confess.
OUR
CHOICE IS: WILL WE WORSHIP NOW OR AT HIS THRONE
Josh.
24:14-15 Choose
you this day whom you will
serve.
WILL
WE RESPOND AS THOSE PEOPLE DID?
Josh.
24:16-25
EXAMPLES
OF UNACCEPTABLE WORSHIP
SCRIBES
& PHARISEES WERE ABUSIVE IN THEIR GIVING
An
example of how we can obey in part
and
be unacceptable to God.
Mt.
23:23 "Woe
unto you , scribes and Pharisees,
hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint,
anise and cumin, and have neglected the
weighter matters of the law: justice
and
mercy and faith. These you ought to have
done, without leaving the
others undone."
SCRIBES
& PHARISEES WERE ABUSIVE IN THEIR TEACHING
An
example of how we can speak
words of praise from and empty
heart.
Mt.
15:3-9 They
honored Him with their lips, but
their heart was far from Him.
NOTE
- God's commands never contradict eachother.
THESE
WERE ABUSIVE IN OBSERVING THE LORD'S
SUPPER
An
example of how we can practice this memorial for the wrong purpose
1
Cor. 11:20-22 They
turned the Lord's supper into
a common meal.
WHAT
CAN HINDER OUR WORSHIP?
OUR
MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP
1
Pet. 3:7 "Likewise
you husbands, dwell with them
(your wives, gvw)
with understanding,
giving honor to the wife, as to the
weaker
vessel, and as being
heirs together of the
grace of life, that
your prayers may not
be hindered."
Mal.
2:13-16 Under
the old law, this hindered their
worship.
RELATIONSHIP
WITH OUR BRETHREN