WORSHIP

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth.”

-John 4:23-24-

“Worship is first and foremost for His benefit, not ours, though it is marvelous to discover that in giving Him pleasure, we ourselves enter into what can become our richest and most wholesome experience in life.”

-Lamar Baschman-

Hello Friend! This week we will briefly look at worship and what it means in our lives as believers. God has told us in His word how He desires to be worshiped. We do not determine the way in which we will worship, the way has been set out for us in His word. No matter how much is taught to us about worship, we never really “arrive” in worship. It is a constant lesson or pursuit in the life of every believer that desires to be a true worshiper. Let us look at the word “worship” and its definitions:

• ·         It is the honour, reverence and homage paid to a superior being or power.
• ·         It is to feel adoring regard for.
• ·         In Hebrew, it means to bow down or prostrate oneself.
• ·         The English word means worth-ship and denotes the worthiness of the individual receiving special honour.

Worship may express itself in the form of direct address, as in adoration or thanksgiving or in service to God, it may be done in private or in the public. In the Old Testament times, worship was done in the privacy of prayer [*Genesis 18*] and the public setting up of an altar [*Genesis 12:7*]. Moses established the basis of public worship in Israel and gave it its focal point in the tabernacle [*1Samuel 1:1*].

After the death and resurrection of Christ, the rituals and ceremonies associated with worship were removed and the New Testament church developed different aspects of worship. Christians met in homes for private brotherhood meetings and other times during the Lord’s Day [*Acts 20:7; 1Corinthians 16:2*].

                             Christian worship consisted of:

• a.     Preaching [*Acts 20:7; 1Corinthians 14:9*]
• b.     Reading of Scripture [*Colossians 4:16; James 1:22*]
• c.     Prayer [*1 Corinthians 14:14-16*]
• d.     Singing [*Ephesians 5:19*]
• e.     Alms giving [*1Corinthians 16:1-2*] and
• f.        In certain occasions prophesying and speaking in tongues.

Going back to our text in John 4:23-24, what lessons do we learn about worship?

1.      Every believer is called to be a worshiper- not necessarily a worship leader or to join a worship team but in an individual capacity even in a group setting [church, fellowships e.t.c.]
2.      God desires to be worshiper- We were created to worship Him.
3.      Worship is life-As you render your worship to your Father, you will begin to see your life flourish, blossom and illumination will come into your life.
4.      Anytime is worship time-We are no longer bound by ceremonial ties or systems that begin to focus more on instruction rather than the joy of worship. You don’t need a band, a time or place. Just worship Him.

NB: What is important in the life of a believer is not where worship takes place, but that worship takes place.

When we worship:

a.     In Spirit: We worship with the whole soul, mind, feelings, emotions and desires.
b.     In truth: We worship with sincerity not formalism.

Our worship must show our adoration and loyalty to God for His grace in providing us with a way of escape from the bondage of sin. The purpose of our worship is to:

• ·         Glorify
• ·         Honour
• ·         Praise
• ·         Exalt
• ·         Please God.

God and God alone is the object of our worship. When we worship Him, we take on and develop such traits as forgiveness, tenderness, justice, righteousness, purity, kindness and love. We become like those we admire and worship.

This topic is by no means exhaustible in one lesson, but my desire is that your life will begin to enjoy the richness of true worship and that you will say like the Psalmist in Psalm 84:2, “My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh [yes even that too!!] crieth out for the Living God.”