worship in spirit and truth

Worship in Spirit and Truth

WORSHIP in the Bible means ‘an act of service’.
-Boda - Hebrew
-Latria – Greek
-"Service" signified the labour of slaves or hired servants.
-An example of this is Joseph.

Worship in Spirit and Truth
-What does it mean to worship in Spirit and truth?
-1 Corinthians 2v12
-Worship with not only our mouths, but with our minds and hearts.
-1 Corinthians 14v14-17
-1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14.
-You cannot read chapter 13 on its own without reading the other two chapters with it, we need a full overview.

Truth:
-Daniel 3- King Nebuchadnezzar made an idol of gold. His worship was not truth, but the three men, Shadrach, Meshac and Abednigo denied the false worship of other gods, and were true to their God.
-Leviticus 10- Nadab and Abihu falsely lit fire in the temple in order to look good. This wasn’t truth in any respect.
-Mark 7v6b-7- The Pharisees were false in order to keep their reputation up.
-Zechariah 4v6- By My Spirit
-John 4v23-24
-Worshipping in Spirit and truth is something we have to develop. To manifest spiritual gifts and a relationship with the Holy Spirit, we have to be born again of the Spirit.
-Mark 8v27-29
-1 Corinthians 11v2- Propriety in worship
-1 Corinthians 14v26- Orderly worship
-Worship in Corinth- the women were ordered to cover their men would not get distracted. Hair down in that culture would have only happened between husband and wife.
-Paul wanted this from the women, not only because it was appropriate and respectful, but also so that worship to God could be the best.
-Worship in Spirit and truth is not disorderly, it does not cause confusion or loss of control.
-1 Corinthians 14v32
-This passage does not major on musical worship, but on gifts.
-Gifts are from God Himself.
-Worship is not always music.
-Worship is the use of what God has given us for His glory.
-Music is a reaction to God’s greatness.

Authentic worship!!!

-‘Spirit’ is not the Holy Spirit, but our spirits.
-Worship is our spirit responding to God’s spirit.
-Worship in Spirit and Truth is accurate worship.
-People often say ‘I like to think of God as…..’ and then worship that. That’s idolatry!
-Worship must be based on the truth of scripture.
-John 4v23
-To worship in ‘truth’ means to worship God as He is truly revealed in the Bible.

Worship with all of our lives
-Jesus said ‘Love God with all your heart’. He meant that worship must be genuine and heartfelt.
-It is not a matter of saying the right words!
Would you rather receive one or two specific comments that praised what you did or 10 minutes of unheartfelt praise?
-Ephesians 5v10- Find out what pleases God, and do it!
-The heart of worship is surrender. You don’t have to be musical to worship God!
-True worship is surrender and trust.
-Surrender to God is a natural response to a true revelation of who God is.
-Mark 1v 16-17- The fishermen left all they owned to follow Christ.
-We don’t worship out of fear or duty, but love, because He first loved us.
-Everything we do can be in worship.
-We are ambassadors of Christ Jesus. We represent Him and when people know who you know, they will watch your every move.

Place of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in Worship

Old Testament.
-People could only worship in the temple and even then, it could only be done by particular people, priests, levites etc.
-The Father was not to be approached boldly as we can do now, the approach was regulated.
-Hebrews 12v18-21
-John 4v21-23- from regulated to free.
-Hebrews 12v22-24

New Testament
-The tabernacle separated the Holy Place from the rest of the temple, but Jesus fulfilled the law and allows us to now enter into the Holy Place.
-There are no restrictions upon us in worship. We can approach the Father, Son and Holy Spirit freely.
Holy Spirit in Worship
-Ezekiel 37
- The Bones were made into the form of man, but it wasn’t untill the breath was commanded into them that they came into life.
-Genesis 2v7-Breath of life.
-The Spirit gives life
-1 Corinthians 2v10-16
-1 Corinthians 3v16-The Spirit is in us! We don’t have to call Him down from heaven, He is within us.

Personal Submission
James 4v7- Instructions in submission

It is only when we fully submit ourselves to God that He can work through us fully.
David fully submitted himself to God, and in return, God called him "A man after my own heart".
We cannot run with God and be filled with Him when our lives are already filled.

How can an empty soul know it’s hungry when the stomach is groaning because it is filled?

We cannot worship two things, otherwise we will love one and hate the other.
Matthew 6
"You can’t worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you’ll end up hating the other."
(The Message)