November 6, 2005 Summit AM

Worship – Our Ultimate Priority

Introduction

A. Text – Jn.4:19-24

B. Jesus in Samaria – sharing gospel with sinful woman

1. Outcast – divorced many times & living with man not her husband

2. Her focus – where ought we worship

3. Shares – worship not a place – must be in spirit & truth

C. Pray

I. God Doesn’t Accept Just Any Kind Of Worship

A. Nadab & Abihu – Lev.10:1-3

1. Offered strange fire

2. Acted independently of God’s instruction

B. King Saul – 1 Sam.13:8-14

1. Offered sacrifice himself (unable wait for priest)

2. Descendents lost right to throne

C. Israel – Ex.32:7-9

1. Bowed down to an idol (image representing Jehovah)

2. Not matter what image represents – images wrong

D. Isa.1:11-17 – evil deeds rendered worship unacceptable

E. Mal.1:6-11 – lack of respect rendered worship useless

F. Mt.15:1-9 – ignoring commands made worship in vain

II. Acceptable Worship

A. A demonstration of true humility before God

1. Words for worship

a) Proskuneo – kiss hand toward; prostrate self before

b) Latrueo – rendering honor & homage through service

c) Idea = worship is ascribing worth & honor or paying homage to

2. Rom.12:1 – offering bodies as a living sacrifice

a) Offering ourselves as His servants

b) Heb.13:15 – lips offering praise

c) Heb.13:16 – doing good & sharing with others

d) Eph.5:3-16 – walk as children of light

3. Sharing what have with others

a) Rom.15:14-16 – evangelizing others was Paul’s offering

b) Phil.4:18 – Philippians’ offering to Paul was offering to God

4. Heb.12:28,29 – approaching God with fear & reverence

a) Reverence for His holiness

b) Reverence for His words – Mt.15:7ff

c) Reverence for His righteousness & kingdom – Mt.6:33

B. Ascribing glory to God in our daily lives

1. Scripture

a) 1 Cor.10:31 – whatever do = do to glory of God

b) Titus 2:9,10 – actions make teachings of Jesus attractive

c) Phil.1:20 – Christ exalted in body

2. Application

a) Confess our sinfulness – Joshua 7:19

1) Owning up to our shortcomings

2) Accepting responsibility for actions

b) Being unwavering in our faith – Rom.4:20

1) Abraham obeyed unquestionably

2) 1 Jn.5:10 - to not believe = make God a liar

3) Trust God regardless the trial – Dan.3:16-18

c) Being abundantly fruitful – Jn.15:8

1) Phil.1:10,11 – living a righteous life

2) Col.1:10 – living a life worthy of God

3) Mt.5:16 – doing good works before all

4) Bringing others to Christ

d) Glorifying God with our bodies

1) Sexual purity – 1 Cor.6:18-20

2) Doing good when have the opportunity – Gal.5:9,10

e) Maintain a spirit of unity – Rom.15:5,6

1) Accepting one another as Jesus accepts us – vs.7

2) Loving as Jesus loves – Jn.13:34,35

Conclusion

A. Worshiping God – our ultimate priority

1. Must be in spirit & truth – not just anything accepted

2. Involves the whole of our lives

B. Question – How are you worshiping?

1. In spirit & in truth?

2. In vain?