Reverend Michael Mwangi
Senior Pastor, Fedha Church, Kenya Assemblies of God
John 4: 19-24
Samaritan woman's concept of worship (ritualistic, time place and activity).
Most of us have the same mentality of worship.
Components of Worship, in Spirit and in Truth
It is not an act in a certain place at a particular time.
Worship: it is not based on places, time and rituals, but on spirit and truth.
1. To worship in spirit means you are connected with spiritual realities because God is not physical but spirit. Worship is therefore spiritual and involves something deeper beyond the physical and external expression. It is a spiritual reality. It is more than time, places outward sacrifices, external song, or certain acts. It is more about how well your spirit connects with God’s Spirit. It's a relationship and spiritual connection.
Worship is your Spirit tuning to God's Spirit
2. To worship in truth means you worship according to the whole counsel of God’s word.
It means conformation with the truth of God or his word. Meets all the standard.
Every aspect of worship must be in line with God's word..in truth in harmony with God's nature. True and holy must be these parameters.
It also means that you come to God in truth, not in pretence or a mere display. Worship is informed by truth.
What is worship?
To get a good understanding of worship, we need to look back to the beginning.
Genesis is a book of beginnings, universe family, sin, trade, government ...
Exodus is a book of deliverance, redemption, and salvation.
Leviticus. Book of worship, Numbers... warfare numbered and organized for warfare.
Study Leviticus to understand worship... the heart of worship not just the expression of worship.
So we see the Israelites were saved to be God's holy people to worship him manifesting Him to the world or glorifying him. that’s what they were called for
We are delivered or saved from sin to be God's holy people to and for worship.
We live to glorify God and declare him with our lives and all that we have.
We were saved and sealed with the Holy Spirit. It is our main call here on earth.
1 Peter 2:9.
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
We are saved to worship
Worship means drawing near. God saved us and delivered us from the bondage of sin so that we can be able to draw near to Him and fellowship with Him.
We were previously unholy, separated from God by our sin and could not draw near a holy God.
1 Peter 2
10. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Worship is not what we do on Sundays or during services. It is not the activities of songs or prayers.
What we do on Sunday is not worship but expression and presentation of our worship, us being that sacrifice of life lived holy throughout the week.
Worship is not something we do occasionally but all our life.
It is not an event It is a lifestyle birthed out of a relationship.
Worship is life.
Worship is all we do in life, it is who we are in reverence to how we live daily be it as husbands, wives children or workers.
Whether in church, workplace or home, day or night, in hobbies, in rest, as a wife, husband, child, worker or boss.
Worship should be everything we do, it is what we do and how we live every day.
1 Corinthians 10:31.
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Colossians 3
17. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
23. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Worship is when we live According to the word of God. Holy living.
It is living in obedience and abiding in Him. Worship is living out for God in such a way that when people look at us all they can see is Christ.
It is a lifestyle that honours God and glorifies God manifesting God's kingdom.
It is living life in a way that you and all that you have is fully dedicated to honouring God at all times.
Worship is a lifestyle that keeps you in the presence of God, spirit-led life.
Christ-centered, living Christ-like life. It is total surrender, dying to self becoming like Christ.
Galatians 2:20-21
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Worship in Leviticus
Before presenting other offerings, this was the first offering. It represented the offerer.
Leviticus 1:1-17 wholly burnt offerings was the first offering preceding all other offerings.
Leviticus 1:17 the first offering
1. It is a sweet aroma to God, given not because of sin but out of sincere and heartfelt devotion.
2. It is offered for acceptance instead of the offerer. The animal represents the offerer.
3. A life is given, representing total devotion.
4. It is completely burned up, also representing total devotion in every area.
Worship begins with who we are not what we have
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.
2. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
You offer yourself as a living sacrifice. Dedicating yourself holy living.
God's golden requirement for Worship
The central character of God is his holiness This is what sets him apart from everything else. If worship is drawing near a holy God, then we must be holy for us to draw near to Him.
1 Peter 1:15-16
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
Holiness is what defines God and it is the only way to draw near to Him.
Hebrews 10:22
Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
We can only worship God in the beauty of his holiness
Worship thrives in the atmosphere of holiness
Psalm 29:2.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness.
Psalm 96:
8. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.
9. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.
1 Chronicles 16:27.
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place.
28. Ascribe to the Lord, all you families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
29. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.
30. Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
- Our salvation is a call to worship.
- Worship begins with a right relationship with God.
- If you are not living right with God you can never be a true worshiper.
- A worshiper's life is the first and the main sacrifice, others are supplementary sacrifices
- True worship only flows always when we are living right with God (in spirit)
- Worship is not an event But a lifestyle that blossoms from a right relationship with God
- When we are living right with God or (in truth) we become a living sacrifice.
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