The Basics of Christianity - Worship
Well, here we are at the final lesson on The Basics. Please remember that the Bible is like the deepest ocean and in these lessons we have merely stepped on to the soggy sand of the ocean's beach. I encourage you to sign up for the Transformation Class. The transformation takes us quite a bit deeper. And then I encourage you to join a LifeLine where your personal spiritual growth can continue and you can be part of other's growth as well.
Now, let's talk about worship. Imagine if you were to walk into the Throne Room of a King and as you approached him, he said, "Worship me. Exalt me. Tell me how great I am." What would you think? Would he seem a bit narcissistic? This is one reason why people do not understand why the Lord calls us to worship Him.
Worship means to "bow before" or to "prostrate oneself" before a deity. But does this command from God to worship God make God extremely self-centered? Of course not. Worship is not for God. It is for us. Through worship, we remind our heart, mind, and soul where we are positioned with God. We sing His praises to remind us that He is still God; that He has forgiven us; that He has taken our punishment that we might have a home in Heaven. Worship builds or re-builds our faith because we remind ourselves that He is God and we are His children dearly loved.
We use music for worship because this is how God set it up long ago. Did you know the whole book of psalms are songs written to God? When we sing a song, and I mean truly sing and not just go through the motions, I must get my heart into it. The music of worship helps me to connect with God on a deeper heart-level. The Bible calls it worshiping in spirit.
So worship strengthens my mind and my faith as I remember who God is and whose I am. But it also connects my heart to the heart of God by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity (you will lean about the Trinity in the Transformation class). The Holy Spirit is the full measure of God that is able to be present everywhere in this world at the same time. He is present in the hearts of believers. He is present with those who are hurting and need strength. He is present. The Bible says He is an ever-present help in trouble. Through worship, I am strengthened in my mind, but also my heart and my spirit.
The Bibles calls us to worship in spirit and in truth. To worship in truth is to obey His teachings. This is a form of worship. But worship through praise is worshiping in spirit and God calls us to do both. We need both frankly.
There is no set posture of worship. When you come to church, you will notice that some people raise their hands symbolically setting the Lord upon the throne of Heaven. Some may dance as they are filled with the joy of the Lord. Some may remain quite still as their heart connects with the Lord. It is not how you worship as long as you worship as you sense the Holy Spirit moving you. If you sense the Spirit wanting you to raise your hands, then raise them. If you don't sense from the Spirit that you should do anything but sing, then sing with all your might. The key to worshiping in spirit is to simply allow the Holy Spirit to lead you from within.
Finally, worship is referred to in Scripture as the Sacrifice of Praise. A sacrifice is something given to another. If you go back and look at the great miracles of the Bible, God always uses something we have and have given to Him. When Moses parted the sea, He did it by using the staff that Moses had committed to Him. When Jesus fed the 5000 with just a few fish and some bread, He first asked if anyone had any food to give Him. Then He used it for their miracle. The Lord calls us to give to Him our obedience, our finances, and our heart through worship. Then He will always out-give us. Whatever we give to Him, He will give us more. The Bible says that as we give to Him, He shall give back to us pressed down, shaken together, overflowing. It is a picture of filling a container with something. And when it is full, it is shaken hard to get the contents to the bottom, then the contents are pressed down to make more room. Then it is filled again and again in the same way until it is overflowing. Worship is our first act of giving after salvation.
Now, let's talk about worship. Imagine if you were to walk into the Throne Room of a King and as you approached him, he said, "Worship me. Exalt me. Tell me how great I am." What would you think? Would he seem a bit narcissistic? This is one reason why people do not understand why the Lord calls us to worship Him.
Worship means to "bow before" or to "prostrate oneself" before a deity. But does this command from God to worship God make God extremely self-centered? Of course not. Worship is not for God. It is for us. Through worship, we remind our heart, mind, and soul where we are positioned with God. We sing His praises to remind us that He is still God; that He has forgiven us; that He has taken our punishment that we might have a home in Heaven. Worship builds or re-builds our faith because we remind ourselves that He is God and we are His children dearly loved.
We use music for worship because this is how God set it up long ago. Did you know the whole book of psalms are songs written to God? When we sing a song, and I mean truly sing and not just go through the motions, I must get my heart into it. The music of worship helps me to connect with God on a deeper heart-level. The Bible calls it worshiping in spirit.
So worship strengthens my mind and my faith as I remember who God is and whose I am. But it also connects my heart to the heart of God by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity (you will lean about the Trinity in the Transformation class). The Holy Spirit is the full measure of God that is able to be present everywhere in this world at the same time. He is present in the hearts of believers. He is present with those who are hurting and need strength. He is present. The Bible says He is an ever-present help in trouble. Through worship, I am strengthened in my mind, but also my heart and my spirit.
The Bibles calls us to worship in spirit and in truth. To worship in truth is to obey His teachings. This is a form of worship. But worship through praise is worshiping in spirit and God calls us to do both. We need both frankly.
There is no set posture of worship. When you come to church, you will notice that some people raise their hands symbolically setting the Lord upon the throne of Heaven. Some may dance as they are filled with the joy of the Lord. Some may remain quite still as their heart connects with the Lord. It is not how you worship as long as you worship as you sense the Holy Spirit moving you. If you sense the Spirit wanting you to raise your hands, then raise them. If you don't sense from the Spirit that you should do anything but sing, then sing with all your might. The key to worshiping in spirit is to simply allow the Holy Spirit to lead you from within.
Finally, worship is referred to in Scripture as the Sacrifice of Praise. A sacrifice is something given to another. If you go back and look at the great miracles of the Bible, God always uses something we have and have given to Him. When Moses parted the sea, He did it by using the staff that Moses had committed to Him. When Jesus fed the 5000 with just a few fish and some bread, He first asked if anyone had any food to give Him. Then He used it for their miracle. The Lord calls us to give to Him our obedience, our finances, and our heart through worship. Then He will always out-give us. Whatever we give to Him, He will give us more. The Bible says that as we give to Him, He shall give back to us pressed down, shaken together, overflowing. It is a picture of filling a container with something. And when it is full, it is shaken hard to get the contents to the bottom, then the contents are pressed down to make more room. Then it is filled again and again in the same way until it is overflowing. Worship is our first act of giving after salvation.