Worship 2007 - Part 1

Revelation 4:1-11

We don?t get very much in terms of information about heaven. What will it be like, what will we be like, what will we do? Turn to Revelation 4:1. The Apostle John got an up close and personal look at heaven and I think what he saw instructs us: it was the Lord in His glory and his people in worship.

Revelation 4:8-11 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

\"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!\"

9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 \"Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.\"

We as Christians living in this world should not underestimate the importance of worship. Yes, I believe we will do more in heaven then worship, but it will be of such primary importance that we need to learn as much as we can about it and practice it regularly! In many ways, as we gather to worship today it is choir practice for heaven so our understanding of what worship is and what it is not is vital.

So how does it work out here ? this certainly is not heaven. One of the Bible worship people, David, shares his perspective:

Psalms 27:4-6 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. 6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

We see in these verses the primacy of worship (?one thing?), the object of worship (?gaze on the beauty of the Lord?), the outcome of worship (?keep me safe, hide me?) the promise of worship (we will be delivered to continue to worship, either here or there!)

This is not an exhaustive study ? there are so many aspects of worship that we would never get through it all ? but you may have wondered from time to time what directs what we sing, how we sing, and our style of worship.

??????????????????????????????? Outline:

1)?????? The purpose of worship

2)?????? The philosophy of worship

3)?????? The outcome of worship

Worship, comes from the word Worthship. In the original it means to ?bow down? in Hebrew, and ?to kiss? (Greek) as in a puppy licking his masters hand (Amy)

Today we have many forms of worship, and each is valid if those two concepts are employed ? giving God the glory He is worthy of receiving, and showing our love and adoration for Him.

No type is better or worse than another ? but God has led us to a particular style and philosophy of worship that we feel enhances our relationship with God, and is a witness to the world, and a prelude to heaven.

I.???????????????????? The Purpose of Worship

First I?m going to give you 12 worship words that help explain what I think worship should be.

1) Worship should be expressive

????????? Our love for God should be revealing, eloquent, full of meaning

????????? Ps 63:1 ?O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.?

2) Worship should be intense

????????? It should not be treated lightly, but should be concentrated and unwavering.

????????? 1 Chr 13:8 ?David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.?

3) Worship should be directed to God

????????? That is why most of the songs we sing are prayers

????????? Ps 17:6 ?I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.?

????????? Colossians 3:16 ?singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.?

????????? A worship song service could be summed up as ?musical prayers to God.?

4) Worship should fill your mind

????????? Are you thinking about the Lord, or where you?re going for lunch?

????????? Isaiah 26:3 ?Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.?

5) Worship should include your body

????????? That?s why we lift our voices in song, our hands in praise, our feet in celebration.

????????? Psalms 63:4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.

6) Worship should employ your heart

????????? Even our inner being cries out in praise

????????? Ps 103:1??????? Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (KJV ?Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me ??

????????? Eph 5:19 ?????? ?Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord?

Continued in Part 2?