LET THE BIBLE SPEAK ABOUT THE WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH
By Mike Gurganus

1. The Bible (II Timothy 3:16) doctrine (teaching) of worship (the act of bowing down to, expressing homage toward and praising God).

2. If man will follow the Biblical doctrine of worship—God will be pleased; God will be glorified; and man will be enriched, uplifted and greatly benefit from so doing.
    

3. How should one worship God? Jesus provides us with the answer in John 4:24, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
    

4. The word must means; have to, ought by all means to, required. (Webster’s p. 782)
    

5. It is these two musts (spirit and truth) that are required of us by God in our worship of Him.
    

6. Let us reflect upon our worship of God to determine if we are keeping with the will of God, or if we need to make adjustments.

1. God-pleasing worship involves the proper attitude.

1. The Psalmist described the proper attitude of who would worship God when he invited the people to "come let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker." Psalm 95:6

2. Joshua captured the importance of having the proper attitude before God when he exhorted Israel to "fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth." Joshua 24:14

3. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us to "serve God with reverence and godly fear." Hebrews 12:28

2. Worship that is offered with the proper attitude will eliminate the desire to be entertained.

1. Worship is not about getting; but it is all about giving.

2. Notice the following

1. Singing and praying is to be done with understanding. I Corinthians 14:15

2. The preaching of God’s Word is to be received "with all readiness of mind." Acts 17:11

3. The Lord’s Supper is to be observed with discernment and reflection. I Corinthians 11:28,29

4. Giving is to be not grudgingly or out of necessity but cheerfully, as one purposed in his heart. II Corinthians . 9:7

3. The proper attitude will cause one to desire to please God rather than self. Matthew 15:9

4. The proper attitude, then is a requirement by God to worship Him.

1. There are different kinds of worship.

1. There is false worship. Zephaniah 1:2-6

1. Often times in the Bible, we read of those that were guilty of false worship.

2. Often times, man today is guilty of false worship.

3. God never has and never will accept substitutes in one’s worship to Him.

2. There is vain worship. Matthew 15:9
    

3. There is ignorant worship. Acts 17:23

1. The Athenians were trying to worship all the gods. They had missed the true God.

2. Ignorance of God and His worship requirements may be remedied by learning and obeying the truth in the Bible.

4. There is will worship.

1. Will worship causes men to seek to do it there way rather than God’s way.

2. God has decreed how His creation is to worship Him and who am I to tell God otherwise.

5. There is true worship. John 4:24

2. God has set forth some actions to be undertaken in worship.
    
3. Since Got set them forth they are in accordance with truth.

1. Jesus said God’s word is truth. John 17:17

2. Truth, then is a requirement of our worship of God. John. 4:24

4. Only those actions that are authorized by God may be used in worship to God. Colossians 3:17

1. People today seem more interested in worshipping self than they are in worshipping God; however to be pleasing to God one must worship as God has directed.

2. There are five actions that are authorized in the New Testament to be used when one worships God.

1. The New Testament authorizes one to sing in worship to God (Col. 3:16; Eph. 5:19) .
2. The New Testament authorizes one to pray by the authority of Jesus in worship to God (Acts 2:42; I Timothy 2:8-15).

3. The New Testament authorizes one to teach the truth in worship to God (Acts 2:42; 20:7).

4. The New Testament authorizes one to give of his financial means each first day of the week in his worship to God (I Cor, 16:1,2).

5. The New Testament authorizes one to observe the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week in worship to God (Acts 2:42; 20:7; I Cor. 11:17-34).

3. These fundamental actions are set forth as required by God for those who worship him.

1. When we worship God it is not about what I want, but it is about what does God want?

2. A person is either a true or false worshipper of God.

1. How should one worship God?

2. For our worship to acceptable to God, we must be in a covenant relationship with Him.

3. With this requirement met, we must worship God in spirit and truth.

4. If you have not done anyone of these, you have an eternal need that can be met by trusting and obeying the gospel of Christ.