Rivers of Living Water: Great Biblical Themes and the Shaping of Lives of Faith Week 3: Worship In Preparation for Class Consider the Following: “The Christian way is different: harder and easier. Christ says, ‘Give Me All. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are good. I don’t want to cut off a branch here and branch there. I want to have the whole tree down. Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked – the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact I will give you Myself: My own will shall become yours.’” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Opening Discussion Catechism 101: ◦ What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. How would you define worship or what it means to glorify God?

According to N T Wright “Worship means, literally, acknowledging the worth of something or someone. It means recognizing and saying that something or someone is worthy of praise. It means celebrating the worth of someone or something far superior to oneself.” 2 Golden Rules of Worship ◦ You become like what you worship. ◦ Worship makes you more truly human.

Worship Begins with Who God Is Elohim: “God”, creative, sovereign, omnipotent Jehovah: “I Am”, self-existent, permanent, living El-Shaddai: “God Almighty”, able to bless and satisfy Adonai: “Lord”, owner and master (plural: Trinity?) Jehovah-jireh: “I Am Provides”, sustainer, see-er Jehovah-rophe: “I Am Heals”, healer, caretaker Jehovah-nissi: “I Am the Banner”, deliverer, strength Jehovah-M’Kaddesh: “I Am who Sanctifies”, saves Jehovah-shalom: “I Am is Peace”, source and giver of Jehovah-tsidkenu: “I Am our Righteousness”, just, holy Jehovah-rohi: “I Am the Shepherd”, leader, companion Jehovah-shammah: “I Am is there”, present, with us

Worship is abut What God Has Done and Will do Ephesians 1:3-14 ◦ Blessed us with spiritual blessings ◦ Chose us in Him ◦ Made us holy and blameless in His sight ◦ In love adopted us through Jesus Christ ◦ Freely given us His grace ◦ Redeemed us through Christ’s blood ◦ Forgiven our sins ◦ Lavished His grace ◦ Made the mystery of His will known to us ◦ Will bring all things under Him in Christ ◦ Chosen according to His plan ◦ Made us to be the praise for His glory ◦ Included in Christ ◦ Marked in Him with the seal of the Holy Spirit ◦ Will give us an inheritance

Early Worship Song: Exodus Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the L ORD : “I will sing to the L ORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea. 2 “The L ORD is my strength and my defense [a] ; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. 3 The L ORD is a warrior; the L ORD is his name. 4 Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he has hurled into the sea. The best of Pharaoh’s officers are drowned in the Red Sea. [b] 5 The deep waters have covered them; they sank to the depths like a stone. 6 Your right hand, L ORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, L ORD, shattered the enemy.ab

Exodus 15 Continued 13 In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. 17 You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of your inheritance— the place, L ORD, you made for your dwelling, the sanctuary, Lord, your hands established. 18 “The L ORD reigns for ever and ever.” Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a timbrel in her hand, and all the women followed her, with timbrels and dancing. 21 Miriam sang to them: “Sing to the L ORD, for he is highly exalted. Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”

Deuteronomy 6:4-13: Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments… are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit… and when you walk… when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them… upon your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes…. When the Lord your God brings you into the land He swore to your fathers... – a land with large flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant – then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

What are the Israelites told to do? Why are they told to “love” God? What do we learn about God and what He’s done? How are the Israelites told to “love” God and keep His commandments? What is the triangular connection among worshipping God, loving God, and obeying God? What is God saying worship should always be the result of in our lives?

Group Discussion If we know as Christians that we are made to worship God and out of gratitude and knowledge of who He is, we should worship God, why do you think we struggle so much with doing so?

Micah 6: What is required? 6 Listen to what the L ORD says: “Stand up, plead my case before the mountains; let the hills hear what you have to say. 2 “Hear, you mountains, the L ORD ’s accusation; listen, you everlasting foundations of the earth. For the L ORD has a case against his people; he is lodging a charge against Israel. 3 “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. 4 I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. 5 My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the L ORD.”

Micah 6 Continued 6 With what shall I come before the L ORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? 7 Will the L ORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? 8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the L ORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Jesus’ Words: What’s Missing We’re not humble enough (Matt 6:2-4) We’re caught up materially in this world (Matt 6:19-24) We’re caught up emotionally in this world (Matt 6:25-34) We’re afraid of the cost (Matt 8:18-22) We lack gratitude (Matt 18:21-35) We don’t fully understand (Matt 22:1-14)

What true worship looks like Revelation 5:11-14: Then I looked and hear the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the sea, all that is in them, singing: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders bowed down and worshipped.

To Worship Fully: We must keep our focus in place: “encircled around the throne” Our posture must be correct: “bowed down before the throne” It must be with our fullest being: “in a loud voice” and “with all that is in us” It must be at all times in all places: “every creature”; “earth, heaven, sea” We must recognize what Christ has done for us: “Lamb who was slain” We must recognize what Christ is due: “to receive…”; “be praise and honor…”

What’s Our Take-Away? “A Christian should be an Alleluia from head to foot.” St. Augustine To worship God means to serve God…. One way is to do things for God which need to be done…[like] feed God’s lambs and so on. The other way is to do things for God that you need to do…[like] sing songs for God… tell God what’s on your mind and in your heart…. Frederick Buechner Essential Characteristics of Godly Community: Worship, righteousness, compassion Worship comes from being “worshipful” beings, not just from doing “worshipful” acts