In part one of Easter series we look at worship and why the proper worship of God REALLY matters!

1. WHY WORSHIP?
PRAISE AND WORSHIP, PART ONE

2. THE HUMAN INSTINCT TO WORSHIP
• CREATED WITH THE INSTINCT FOR DEVOTION AND WORSHIP – NO OTHER
CREATED BEING SHOWS THIS CAPACITY
• WE WILL ATTACH OURSELVES TO WHATEVER IT IS WE WORSHIP
• ANYTHING THAT GIVES US A FEELING OF TRANSCENDENCE WILL TEMPT OUR
WORSHIP
• NOT A QUESTION OF “IF”, BUT OF WHAT AND HOW WE WILL WORSHIP

3. WORSHIPPING IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH
“YOU WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW; WE KNOW WHAT WE
WORSHIP, FOR SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS. 23 BUT THE HOUR IS
COMING, AND NOW IS, WHEN THE TRUE WORSHIPERS WILL WORSHIP
THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH; FOR THE FATHER IS SEEKING
SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM. 24 GOD IS SPIRIT, AND THOSE WHO WORSHIP
HIM MUST WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH.” (JOHN 4:22-24)
TRUTH REALLY MATTERS TO WORSHIP!

4. OUR WORSHIP MUST BE FOCUSED
BY TRUTH AND ACCURACY
“HEAR, O ISRAEL: THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. 5 LOVE THE LORD YOUR
GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR
STRENGTH” (DEUTERONOMY 6: 4-6)
• WORSHIP MUST BE SHAPED BY GOD’S REVELATION OF HIMSELF
• TRUE WORSHIP TAKES PLACE AT THE INTERSECTION OF OUR INSTINCT TO
WORSHIP AND GOD’S REVELATION OF HIMSELF AS THE ONLY WORTHY OBJECT
OF OUR WORSHP

5. WORSHIP CHANGES US
• WE WILL BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE WHATEVER IT IS WE WORSHIP – FOR
BETTER OR FOR WORSE!
• WORSHIP INCLUDES DEVOTION
• VERY DEFINITION OF “WORSHIP” INCLUDES A SENSE OF PROSTRATING ONESELF
OR BOWING DOWN BEFORE
• RESTRAINS OR AMPLIFIES CERTAIN IMPULSES AND CHOICES
• LOOKS LIKE: THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

6. SO, WHY WORSHIP?
• PROPERLY FOCUSES US ON THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD
• IT ATTACHES US TO HIM AND FOSTERS DEVOTION
• DEVOTION CHANGES US TO BE MORE LIKE HIM
(WORSHIP DOES NOT PRODUCE RIGHT-STANDING WITH GOD – THAT IS THE WORK
OF GRACE – BUT IT DOES ENERGIZE AND RELEASE OUR RIGHT-STANDING WITH
GOD TOWARDS HIM)
* FULFILLS ONE OF OUR KEY REASONS FOR BEING: “YOU HAVE MADE US FOR
YOURSELF, O LORD, AND OUR HEART IS RESTLESS UNTIL IT RESTS IN YOU”
(AUGUSTINE)