.    WHAT IS WORSHIP?

• The nature of worship is from the heart and has two equally important parts. We must worship “in spirit and in truth.”

John 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

• Spirit: We must have the Holy Spirit in us to worship in spirit. The Holy Spirit in us compels us to bring Glory to God with our lives.
• Truth: We must understand who God is through His Word, which is truth.

2. WORSHIP STARTS WITH                                                   WHO GOD IS.

“LEFT TO OURSELVES, WE TEND TO REDUCE GOD TO MANAGEABLE TERMS.”

– Chip Ingram1

Isaiah 40:25-26 25“To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

• God is omnipotent. He does not tire.

Romans 11:33-36 33Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34“Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” 35“Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” 36For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.

• God is all knowing, and everything comes from Him. He is sovereign!

Exodus 34:5-6 5Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

Psalm 84:11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

• God is good, compassionate, gracious, merciful, and generous.

3. WHEN WE SEE GOD FOR                                       , WE WANT TO WORSHIP HIM.

Isaiah 6:1-5 1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is filled with his glory.” 4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.”

• Isaiah’s response: “I am ruined!” When you see God for who He is, you are undone; you see how broken you are! d grace, our response is gratitude, praise, and worship.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living

sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

1. IT’S OUR                              TO WORSHIP.

Matthew 4:8-10 8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Our purpose in life is to grow and mature in Christlikeness so we glorify God. When we worship, we are changed from a “me” centered person to a God-centered person. When we worship God, we express our love for Him.

1. WHAT DOES WORSHIP IN REAL LIFE LOOK LIKE?

Luke 10:27 He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind.”

• Love, agapao, choosing to love what God loves. An act of your free will.
• Simple acts of obedience can be worship to God.
• We are to love God with our emotions, desires, thoughts, and perceptions.

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

• Loving God with all our strength: Practically, with abilities and gifts
• Loving God with our mind: Thoughtfully, turn our thoughts to the things of God.

Hebrews 12:2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

QUESTIONS

1. Do you have a personal love relationship with our Lord and Savior?
2. Are you compelled to worship Him out of your relationship with Him? If not, what will you do?
3. How will you express your love for Him? How will you worship Him with your life?

QUESTIONS TO DISCUSS IN LIFE GROUP AND WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS:

Passages to consider: Psalm 148, 146, & 19; Isaiah 6:1-8

• What from the sermon was meaningful to you?
  1. Read Isaiah 6:1-8. Describe what you see about God and Isaiah’s response in this passage. What does that show you about worship?
  2. Worship can be defined as giving worth. What worth does God hold for you? A) What helps you recognize/remember who God is and His worth? In what ways do you express that?
  3. Read Romans 12:1-2 and Mark 12:29-31. What do these passages show you about worship?
  4. What do you think is at the heart of worship?
  5. How would/could/do you involve each part of heart, soul, mind, and strength in worship of God? A) Which comes easy or the most naturally? Which is the most difficult or challenging?
  6. What is God showing you about worship? How will you respond to Him? Next week: Called Out to Worship in Real Life (Week 2): Personal Worship Passages to prepare: 1 Peter 2:9-10; Luke 7:36-47; 2 Samuel 6:12-22

¹Chip Ingram, God: As He Longs for You to See Him, 2006, p.34.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyri