Why We Worship God

By: M. Allen

 

FILING INFORMATION:

98010

2/15/98 - Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction.

A.     Worship is something God expects of those who serve Him.  Jesus said that true worshippers would worship in spirit and truth.

1.    Jhn. 4:23-24

2.    Not only is sincerity expected in worship, but also our worship is to be carried out in the exact manner laid down by Christ & the inspired apostles.

3.    Jhn. 17:17 - Jesus prays to the Father

4.    To worship "in truth" means that we must worship according to the directions found in God's word.

B.     God's word = NT.  Our directions on how to worship God are found here.

1.    In NT, FC Christians came together to worship.  We find that the following makes up Scriptural worship:

a.    Acts 20:7 - Lord's Supper served.

b.    1 Cor. 16:1-2 - Giving of their means.

c.     Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16 - Singing of hymns of praise.

d.    1 Thess. 5:25 - Engaging in Prayer.

e.    1 Cor. 1:21 - Preaching the gospel

2.    We are to do these things each first day of the week as we have the example of the FC Christians doing this.  (Acts 20:7)

3.    This is the kind of worship that Almighty God has set forth for us.  We must be content with this plan!  His plan is what He wants.

4.    Man is not at liberty to change God's plan of worship in any shape, form, or fashion.  Change?  Goes outside the boundary of authority and thus unpleasing to God.

5.    Yet, that is what the majority of people have done in today's religious world.

C.    In today's lesson, we wish to talk about why we worship God.

1.    Ask yourself: why am I here today?

2.    Is my mind set upon worshipping God?

3.    Am I ready to spend the next hour considering the state of my soul?

D.    This is an important lesson that we all need to think about from time to time.

1.    Easy to forget why we are here and the proper frame of mind we are to have.

2.    Not here to have fun.  Not here to have some kind of emotional outburst.  We are here to worship God!

 

II.  Insincere Worship Has Always been a problem of mankind.

A.    A problem that perhaps all have to deal with.

1.    Must engage in worship in proper frame of mind.

2.    Can't "go through the motions."

3.    Can't make light of proper worship.

B.    Insincere Worship a problem of the Israelites.

1.     Problems during time of Amos:

a.      Amos prophesied to Israel just before Israel fell into Assyrian captivity.  + - 30 yrs.

b.      4:4-5 - worship centered on the things ONLY that they wanted to do.

c.       5:21-23 - worship not sincere.  God HATES worship that is not from the heart.  The people were wasting their time.

2.     Mal. 1 - Some 350 yrs. later.  Israel should have learned their lesson.  Same problem here as before…

3.     It wasn't that they were leaving an important part of worship out, or not fulfilling the command.  (They did that all the time.)  God was not pleased with their attitude!

a.      v. 6-8 - Israelites honored their earthly fathers/political leaders, BUT NOT GOD.

1.    More reverence to fellow man than to God - their Creator!

2.    They would not offer leftovers to men, but gave God leftovers.

b.      v. 9-10 - God had no pleasure in them! Might as well not worshipped at all!

c.      V. 12-13 - no joy in their heart to worship God!  Only contempt & ungraciousness.

4.  Same problem today:

a.    Men not thankful/content with God's way.

b.    Men erected all kinds of schemes not pleasing to God - when all they do is please themselves.

c.     Result:  many have changed direction of worship - from pleasing God - to man.

1.      God is the one that is being worshipped - NOT MAN!

2.      Many changed worship to satisfy human desires/wants…

a.    ins music/choirs.

b.    Charismatic services

c.     L. S., irregularly

d.    Women leading in service

d.  God could say same thing about men to day as He did back in OT to Israelites.

5.  Still others demonstrate insincerity today by:

a.     Whispering/talking during worship.  What's so important that it can't wait until after services???

b.     Coming in late.

c.      Sleeping during worship.  Seen/heard people snoring during worship.

d.     Worshipping infrequently.  Some people just come when they take a notion.

6.    While at worship, it is important that we be a participant in the congregation's collective worship of God.  Let us do our best to be sincere in our worship!

 

III.  Why We Worship God.

A.    The following reasons are the proper motivation behind our worship to God.  We must understand that the motives behind our worship DO matter.

1.    Impure motives?  Worship not pleasing to God.

2.    Impure motives?  Wasting time - as the Israelites.

3.    Why do you worship God?

B.    To commemorate the Lord's death/burial/resurrection.

1.    The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the center of Christianity!

a.    1 Cor. 15:12-17 - Paul: no resurrection: no forgiveness of sins.

b.    Phil. 3:20-21 - Fleshly body transformed to a glorious body…

c.     Where would we be w/o the resurrection of Christ?

2.    Eph. 2:11-13 - where would we be w/o the death of Christ?

a.    man no hope w/o Christ

b.    Christ shed His blood for you & for me.

3.    The death by which Christ shed His blood was no ordinary death.

a.    To die is one thing - but death by crucifixion another!

b.    Nails driven in His hands/feet.  Crown of thorns upon His head.  Spat upon. Forsaken by all.  Side pierced by a Roman soldier.

4.    We come together to partake of L.S. to remember what He did for you & for Me!

a.    Acts 20:7 - we do this on EACH first day of the week.

b.    Lk. 22:19-20 - Communion should never be a mere duty, but a marvelous privilege!  An honor!

C.   To demonstrate our thankfulness to Almighty God.

1.    Why should we be thankful to God?

a.    Jhn. 1:29 - the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  Jesus the only one who can take away my sin!  W/o Him, we cannot be pleasing to God!

b.    Jhn. 3:16 - God gave His Son!  He didn't have to do that!

1.    We should be thankful for that!

2.    We should want to take every opportunity to serve Him!

2.  Too many take God's love for granted.  This is what the Israelites did!  Are people thankful when we ask:

a.    How many services do I have to attend to be pleasing?

b.    How much do I have to put in the collection plate to be pleasing?

c.     Why should this even be an issue?  If thankful, no such questions asked.  This attitude: take gift of God for granted; unthankful.

3.  Thankfulness to God demonstrated through worship.  Starts in the heart.

a.    Psa. 122:1

b.    Where do you think David's heart was?

c.     We get the picture of a totally thankful heart!

d.    David wanted to worship God!

4.  Are you thankful?  Do you demonstrate thankfulness by being present @ worship?  Do you demonstrate thankfulness by worshipping God in sincerity?

D.  To Encourage/Edify our brethren in Christ.

1.     How wonderful it is to come together with fellow saints to praise God!

a.    Each time we gather here I am greatly refreshed to see fellow bro/sis in Christ who believe in God, serve Him, love Him, and love me.

b.    Leave here encouraged/built up/strengthened each week.  Ready to stand up as a light for Christ in a dark world.

c.     By end of week…spiritual batteries need recharged.

2.    Heb. 10:24-25

a.           In worship we sing praises to God and are encourage/reminded to do that, which is right.

b.           We can stir one another up to love/good works.  God expects us to do this!

3.    Do we realize that our presence here makes a difference?  Each/everyone of us are important.

a.    Don't believe devil's admonition that you aren't important!

b.    What if Ephaproditus/Paul/Timothy/Peter had this attitude?

c.     Where would the church be today?

E.  To learn more about Him.

1.    We come together not for only spiritual/emotional support but to be spiritually fed.

a.    Baby = need food to grow up & grow strong.

b.    Christian = need spiritual food in order to grow up in Christ & be strong in Him.

c.     When we come together we hear message from God's word.  It is intended to help us stand up for the Lord.

2.    2 Tim. 3:16-17 - profitable for doctrine/instruction in righteousness.

a.     We come together to grow in His word.  To more fully understand our purpose as Christians.

b.     So we may be equipped for every good work.

c.      So that we might stand against the wiles of the devil.

d.     So that we might be able to stand in confidence before the lord.

3.    Col. 2:6-7

a.    It should be our desire to grow strong in Him.  We should feed upon the word of God.

b.    Paul wanted Colossians to do just that - notice phrase in v. 7 - abound in Him w/thanksgiving.

4.    v. 8-10 - We learn more about Him so we can stand up to the world around us!

a.    v. 10 - how are we made complete in Him?  By study & application of God's word. 

5.    Do you want to learn more about God?  Then you will be at worship as often as you possibly can!  You will listen intently to the Words of God that are spoken.

F.  To realize our shortcomings; repent; and ask for forgiveness.

1.     As established already, we come together to listen to lesson from Word of God.  The purpose of God's word is 4-fold.  Back to 2 Tim. 3:16-17

a.    Doctrine:  which we have already discussed.

b.    Reproof: pointing out/defining sin/ identifying sin.

c.     Correction: we must realize the need for correction.

d.    Instruction in righteousness: we look at Bible as a standard of truth - by which to compare our lives to.

2.     Heb. 4:12 - word of God is able to show us where we need correction in our lives.

a.      That's why we read/know of people being convicted of sins after hearing/reading/studying the Word of God.

b.      Brethren - we need to be corrected of our wrong doings and repent & try to conform to God's standard of righteousness.

c.      Like those in Acts 2:36-37 - Alien sinners must ask, what must I do to be saved?  Must act upon what one reads in Scripture.

d.      Like David in 2 Sam. 12:13 Christians must be willing to admit that they have sinned against the Lord.  Must bear fruits of repentance.

3.     We have an opportunity at every worship service to hold up our lives to the ultimate measuring stick - God's word.

a.    When we fall short we can make amends by asking for forgiveness.

b.    How thankful we need to be to God for granting us that opportunity.  Let's take advantage of it.

 

IV.  Conclusion.

A.     We have seen from our lesson today why it is so important that we worship God in spirit and truth.

1.    Jhn. 4:23-24

2.    How are you doing?  Are these the reasons why you worship God?

3.    Do you give thought to why you come here each week?

4.    If not, why do you worship God?  Are the motives behind your worship pleasing to God?

B.     What is you are here this AM and not a Christian?  Then you need to make your life right.  Do so by….

C.    My fellow Christians, have you been worshipping God properly?  Another question: Are you living faithfully before the Lord?  If not, why not?

D.    I N V I T A T I O N