What is Worship?
Genesis 4:3-5 - "In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast." (NIV)
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 - "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (NIV)
John 4:23-24 - "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. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (NIV)
Romans 12:1 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship." (NIV)
Hebrews 13:15 - "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name." (NIV)
You have probably been to many worship services and events in your life. When it comes to worship, you most likely have preferences regarding music, liturgy, ambiance, community and more. But, is worship simply made up of human preferences regarding musical style, delivery of the word and a physical church building? Wouldn't it be important to know what God's instructions are involving worship? In Scripture, he clearly communicates what pleasing worship is and what it is not.
In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to build a tabernacle. This was a mobile structure that was to be God's home. In order to come close to God, the Israelites needed to make sacrifices, giving up the best of their animals or crops. These offerings would be set on the altar and burned up as worship before God. This was a statement to God saying, "You are worth the sacrifice." God invited the Israelites to draw near with their sacrifice. In Romans 12:1, we read, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship." (NIV) In our day, the God's instruction for our worship reflects that of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Now, we don't offer animals to God anymore. For Jesus has paid the price for our sin with his own death on the cross. However, we are still instructed to sacrifice before God - to offer a "living sacrifice." Hebrews 13:15 says, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name." (NIV) God calls this sacrifice "pleasing worship." Therefore, the basis for worship is the concept of sacrifice or surrender. At the core, worship is not about music, liturgy or church buildings. It is all about offering up pleasing sacrifices or acts of surrender before the Lord.
In worship what can we surrender before the Lord? Deuteronomy 6:4 says, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (NIV) We are called to offer up our whole person to God. In worship, we are used to offering up our lips to God, our mind and maybe our heart. But, what if you loved him with everything you are? What if you surrendered your hands, feet, arms, eyes, and your mind and heart as well? In fact, the Psalms are full of instructions to worship God with declaration, kneeling, shouting, speaking, singing, playing instruments, clapping and more. These are all examples of ways to surrender before God. Sacrifice and surrender should be the leading edge in our worship, not musical style preference. We should be able to surrender before God with great energy whether we are being led in worship by a symphony orchestra or one man and his guitar.
Worship is not a religious form that is practiced or recited. God is not pleased with music and words with no sacrifice. Psalm 51:17 says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (NIV) God is looking at our hearts. He desires that we worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). In other words, he is looking for a real sacrifice, not religious repetition. When we lay down our tiredness, distractions and preferences before him, he gets great pleasure. And as we were created to bring him glory, we actually sense his pleasure and are filled with incredible meaning and purpose in his presence.
For More Study
Thoughts and Questions for Application
Memorization
Romans 12:1 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship." (NIV)
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 - "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (NIV)
John 4:23-24 - "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. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (NIV)
Romans 12:1 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship." (NIV)
Hebrews 13:15 - "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name." (NIV)
You have probably been to many worship services and events in your life. When it comes to worship, you most likely have preferences regarding music, liturgy, ambiance, community and more. But, is worship simply made up of human preferences regarding musical style, delivery of the word and a physical church building? Wouldn't it be important to know what God's instructions are involving worship? In Scripture, he clearly communicates what pleasing worship is and what it is not.
In the Old Testament, God instructed the Israelites to build a tabernacle. This was a mobile structure that was to be God's home. In order to come close to God, the Israelites needed to make sacrifices, giving up the best of their animals or crops. These offerings would be set on the altar and burned up as worship before God. This was a statement to God saying, "You are worth the sacrifice." God invited the Israelites to draw near with their sacrifice. In Romans 12:1, we read, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship." (NIV) In our day, the God's instruction for our worship reflects that of the Old Testament sacrificial system. Now, we don't offer animals to God anymore. For Jesus has paid the price for our sin with his own death on the cross. However, we are still instructed to sacrifice before God - to offer a "living sacrifice." Hebrews 13:15 says, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess his name." (NIV) God calls this sacrifice "pleasing worship." Therefore, the basis for worship is the concept of sacrifice or surrender. At the core, worship is not about music, liturgy or church buildings. It is all about offering up pleasing sacrifices or acts of surrender before the Lord.
In worship what can we surrender before the Lord? Deuteronomy 6:4 says, "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." (NIV) We are called to offer up our whole person to God. In worship, we are used to offering up our lips to God, our mind and maybe our heart. But, what if you loved him with everything you are? What if you surrendered your hands, feet, arms, eyes, and your mind and heart as well? In fact, the Psalms are full of instructions to worship God with declaration, kneeling, shouting, speaking, singing, playing instruments, clapping and more. These are all examples of ways to surrender before God. Sacrifice and surrender should be the leading edge in our worship, not musical style preference. We should be able to surrender before God with great energy whether we are being led in worship by a symphony orchestra or one man and his guitar.
Worship is not a religious form that is practiced or recited. God is not pleased with music and words with no sacrifice. Psalm 51:17 says, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." (NIV) God is looking at our hearts. He desires that we worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23). In other words, he is looking for a real sacrifice, not religious repetition. When we lay down our tiredness, distractions and preferences before him, he gets great pleasure. And as we were created to bring him glory, we actually sense his pleasure and are filled with incredible meaning and purpose in his presence.
For More Study
- Genesis 4
- Exodus 25-26
- Deuteronomy 6
- Numbers 7
- Hebrews 9
Thoughts and Questions for Application
- What words best describe worship to you?
- Describe some of your experiences in worship? Have they reflected the idea of sacrifice?
- If worship involves sacrifice, will worship always be a warm and fuzzy environment? Probably not. Sacrifice involves giving something precious away. That doesn't always feel good. But, it's always right, because God is worth it.
- What is God calling you to surrender to him as you think about worship?
Memorization
Romans 12:1 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship." (NIV)
HOME | ABOUT | TODAY'S STEP |
|
© 2023 stepstudyteach.com
All Rights Reserved. You are encouraged to use this content for personal devotions, small groups and church groups. It may not be re-published or sold at any time. |