If worship were a tree, the roots would be the glory of God—how deserving He is of our praise and pledges of allegiance. The trunk of the tree would be anything He specifically says or requires about worship, plus a little wiggle room for our personal gifts, preferences, facilities, etc. The branches would then be what we actually DO, how we worship, and the fruit would be God experiencing joy and us experiencing deep fellowship with Him and with each other.
Series: Authentic Faith: The Church
Speaker: John Pryor
Notes:
Worship is the only sane response to the glory of God. A natural reaction to who God is and what He does, true worship begins with fear and awe more than anything else. Psalm 5:7, 29:2, & 111:10; Isaiah 6:1-8, Matthew 14 & 15, John 9, Romans 1:16-32
Worship must be "in spirit.” Complete surrender results in truly life-shaping experiences and art. Why is more important than when, where, and how. John 4:24, 1 Timothy 2:8
Worship must be "in truth.” It's not enough to be sincere and real; true worship celebrates and reflects God Himself and expresses total submission to His will. Amos 5:21-24, Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 11:28, 1 Peter 3:15
Music is a tangible, physical, effective way to express our respect and surrender—and God does like it! Throughout the scriptures, people are writing and singing songs. They sing, play instruments, shout, dance, and much more. Exodus 15, Judges 5, 1 Chronicles 16 & 20, The Psalms, Song of Songs, Isaiah 12, Habakkuk 3, Ezra 3:10-11
Nehemiah 12:27-43, Mark 14:26, Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16, Revelation 5 & 7:9-12