The Essence of Worship Recalling the Hope of Glory by Allen P. Ross

Fear and Adoration “Woe is me, for I am ruined.” (Is. 6:5) Be afraid, stand in awe, reverence The presence of God is likewise both attracting and frightening. –(i.e. dangerous animals, tornadoes, natural wonders) –Revelation 1:17-18

Confession and Commitment Lose ourselves... Find ourselves (James 4:10; 2 Corinthians 4:16) “…those who never envision the holiness of YHWH never truly see themselves for what they are.” Isaiah 6:1-8 –revelation to confession to cleansing to commitment

Ritual Acts and Religious Observance Worship (“to bow down”) also implies “serving,” “keeping,” and “ministering” First, at the center of worship is sacrifice Second, connected to sacrifice is proclamation (a ritual act w/o appropriate words is open to any interpretation) Third, with the proclamation of the faith there is also praise

Ritual Acts and Religious Observance Fourth, praise assumes there has been prayer (cycle moves from prayer to praise) Fifth, worship included covenant renewal (some act of renewed commitment or dedication by the worshippers) –Almost always in response to the Word of God read or expounded –Inspired by the dramatic celebration of communion with God

Ritual Acts and Religious Observance Fifth, worship included covenant renewal cont. –Four Basic Senses: Intellectual sense – understanding has two effects in worship –It safeguards the expression of worship by ritual acts and religious observances from superstition and empty routine –It is the way by which worshippers learn how to relate the vision of glory to the reality of life

Ritual Acts and Religious Observance Fifth, worship included covenant renewal cont. –Four Basic Senses: Aesthetic Sense – when dramatic worship is combined with the proper reading and exposition of the Word, the impact is powerful and lasting. –In Israel they lived in booths, ate communal offerings, put blood on their doorposts, followed ritual processions, and performed dramatic and symbolic acts. They were not observers –In church they have baptisms, weddings, funerals, dedications, sunrise services, musicals, plays, Lord’s Supper

Ritual Acts and Religious Observance Fifth, worship included covenant renewal cont. –Four Basic Senses: Corporate Sense – praise God together, pray for one another, continue in the Word and to encourage one another, minister together, and to commemorate together the sacrificial atonement that God provided to make them one. (Ps. 26; 42; 43)

“Communal worship also enables people to overcome their self-consciousness and their insecurity, for in the congregation their commitment to faith is made courageous, as they become an important part of the visible corporate body. They realize how much they have to do with one another as the people of God as they gather together around the alter, become one in spirit as they pray for each other, encourage one another in praising and singing of their common faith, and are strengthened for their individual struggles in life as they hear testimonies and exhortations from others.” “Accordingly, private worship or personal devotions, which are essential to the spiritual life, must lead into and find full expression in the assembly of the righteous, for private meditations must benefit others.”

Ritual Acts and Religious Observance Fifth, worship included covenant renewal cont. –Four Basic Senses: Moral Sense – w/o this intellectual will become arrogance, aesthetic will be entertainment, and corporate unguided assembly. –Life has to be lived on a higher plane than that of the world with all its corruption –Communicating the Word for meditation & decisions about righteousness, just, honest, good and compassionate. –Inspire a different ethic among the people, which in turn will have an impact on society.

“If the teaching only imparts information, and the fellowship is equated with socializing, and the ritual acts are rushed and not explained, the moral sense will not be caught by the people. If worshippers leave a service with no thought of becoming more godly in their lives, then the purpose of worship has not been achieved.”