True Worship #1 – Worship Defined and Depicted
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon Outlines Tags: Sermons on WorshipINTRODUCTION:
1. Worship is a topic that we all should be vitally interested in.
1) In the beginning, on the sixth day of creation, God reached down and made man from the dust of the earth.
2) Ever since then man has been reaching upward to God in worship.
3) The Greeks had a name for man anthropos, meaning the “upward looking one.” Man was made with the capacity to look upward in worship of God.
2. David captures the wonderful concept and spirit of worship throughout the book of Psalms, for example:
1) Psalm 95:1-6
2) Psalm 96:1-4, note especially verse 9
3. John 4:20-24
1) Notice that in these 5 verses the word “worship” is used 10 times (Jesus using 8 of them), and from this we can see this is an important passage in helping us to understand worship.
2) With this lesson we will begin a series on understanding what TRUE WORSHIP is all about
4. This is vitally important to understand for:
1) Many say, “It doesn’t matter how you worship as long as it comes from the heart.”
2) Many go to worship “for what they can get”
3) Worship has become nothing more than entertainment in many congregations
4) Many hold little reverence in worship
5. In the very beginning we need to realize that worship is giving not getting – it is giving to God.
DISCUSSION: The obedient tongue will utter words fitly spoken because it is a tongue that. . .
I. Speaks Truth (All other categories affected by this one. [i.e. if not truth, then can’t be praise, won’t reflect good judgment, can’t be edifying)
1. Fellowship with God–Psalm 15:1-2 “LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.”
2. Righteous/Eternal–Proverbs 12:17-19 “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. . . . The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.”
3. Acceptable to be spoken to others–Ecclesiastes 12:10 “The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.”
4. The Christian and truth speaking–Ephesians 4:11ff (Read through 25).
II. Utters Praise
1. Occurs Anytime–Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
2. Example praise gives–Psalm 40:3 “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.”
3. Daily–Psalm 71:8 “Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.”
4. Among The People of the World–Psalm 109:30 ” I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.”
5. Salvation is contingent upon Praise–Psalm 50:23 “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.”
6. Psalm 145 (Read whole Psalm–explain how each line is praise).
7. Hebrews 13:5 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
III. Reflects Good Judgment–we do this by
1. Bridleing our Tongue
1) Psalm 39:1 “I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.”
2) Proverbs 10:19 “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.”
3) Proverbs 17:27-28 “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”
4) Psalm 141:3 “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.”
7) Proverbs 29:11 “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.”
5) James 1:19 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:”
6) James 1:26 “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”
2. Speaking Wisely
1) Psalm 37:30 “The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.”
2) Proverbs 10:13 “In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.”
3) James 3:13 “Who is wise and understanding among you? let him show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom.”
IV. Edifies
1. Psalm 77:12 “I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.”
2. Psalm 119:172 “My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.”
3. Proverbs 10:11 “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.”
4. Proverbs 10:20-21 “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.”
5. Proverbs 16:24 “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
6. Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
CONCLUSION:
1. It has been said “that worship is the missing jewel of the church.”
1) That sounds very strange when you consider the fact that the church spends so much time in worship
2) But, QUANTITY is no substitute for QUALITY
3) And just “going to church” is not the same thing as meaningful worship
2. Our challenge, then, is to grow in the worship defined and described in God’s holy word
3. We need to ask ourselves:
1) Do I really focus on God?
2) Is worship a real priority with me?
3) Do I faithful attend the services with a true commitment to worship in spirit and truth?
4) Do I do all I can to make my worship meaningful?
5) Do I interfere with other’s worship?
4. There is a close relationship between salvation, worship and service.
1) Salvation comes down from God through Jesus for man
2) Worship rises up to God from man through Jesus
3) Service goes out to man from man for God
5. Invitation