• What Is Worship?
• If we are not careful, we can fail to understand what is involved in our
worship to God.
• Introduction
• Worship is an important subject as it involves how we address and acknowledge
God.
• It includes many important elements such as obedience, attitudes, priorities
and authority.
• The subject of worship is a controversial one as the religious world seeks
to define it.
• Some see worship as an emotional occasion that is based upon experience.
• Others see it as ritualistic form with little interest in the understanding
of what is being done (Catholicism will carry out rituals, at times done in foreign
languages and liturgies),
• Some reason that everyday activities are worship and seek to casualize
the “worship experience”.
• All of these concepts are foreign to scripture.
• What is Worship?
• Worship is a challenge to define because it involves many things and is
used in different ways.
• The Bible does not give a clear definition of worship, (e.g. “Worship
is…”) but we find it all throughout its pages, from the early history
to man to its culmination in heaven as recorded in Revelation.
• By studying passage about worship, as well as examples of worship in scripture
we can learn how to worship God and how NOT to worship God.
• What is Worship?
• There are several different words that are translated “worship”
both in the Old and New Testaments.
• Together these words give us a good understanding of what worship actually
is and what it involves.
• Greek words translated worship include:
• ???s????? (proskuneo) – “to make obeisance, do reverence toward”
(Vine’s) (lit. “to kiss toward” as one who might kiss the hand
as a token of reverence.)
“To express in attitude or gesture one’s complete dependence on or
submission to a high authority figure” (BDAG)
This word is used about 60 times in the New Testament, almost always in reference
to worshipping God.
• It is the idea of understanding that you are in the presence of one greater
than you and rendering to Him reverence that He is due, especially in performing
acts directed toward Him.
• John 4:24 – we worship Him in spirit and in truth.
• Matthew 4:9-10 (one of the times it is used of worshipping the devil,
and the other worshipping God).
• Also Hebrews 1:6 – angels worship Him,
• Hebrews 11:21 – Jacob worshipped,
• Revelation 4:10 the 24 elders in heaven worship God;
• Revelation 5:14- the four creatures around the throne worshipped Jesus.
• What is Worship?
• S?ß? (sebo), which means to express in gestures, rites and ceremonies
one’s allegiance or devotion to deity (BDAG) (L&N, 53.53)
• Matthew 15:9, “in vain they worship Me…”
• Acts 16:14, Lydia worshipped God,
• Acts 18:7, Justus worshipped God.
• Romans 1:25 speaks of those who worshipped and served the creature rather
than the Creator.
• What is Worship?
• e?s?ße?a, (eusebia)- a word that means to demonstrate awesome respect
toward God, devoutness, piety; godliness (cf. BDAG)
• The word is translated “worship” in Acts 17:23 where it is
directed toward the gods of the Athenians.
• While the word is not used in reference to God, it is found some 17 times,
most often translated “godliness” (1 Timothy 2:2, 2 Peter 1:3, 6-7).
• IT DOES demonstrate an attitude of reverence that is present in TRUE worship.
• What is Worship?
• ?at?e?? (latreuo) – a word that primarily means to serve, and is
often used in the sense of rendering religious service.
• As worship, it deals with obeying God (doing what He says HOW He says
it) out of reverence toward Him.
• Philippians 3:3 says, “For we are the circumcision, who worship
God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,”
• “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they
call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are
written in the Law and in the Prophets.” (Acts 24:14)
• “For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers,
once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins.” (Hebrews 10:2)
• “Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is
written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’
”” (Matthew 4:10)
• NOTE: IT is the word “serve” that is this Greek word. I note
this passage because we need to understand that as we worship God we ARE serving
Him.
• NOTE: There are some today advocating that everything we do is worship
to God.
• Typically, this is offered by those who wish to make our worship assemblies
less formal.
• They point out that sometimes “worship” is defined as “service.”
• While worship does involve service, a study of the use of these words
in their context negates this concept and makes a distinction.
• It would do us well to consider these different words as we think about
worshipping God.
• It TRULY is fundamental to our faith.
• Worship Is Sacred
• It is a holy act.
• It is doing something for God the way He prescribes.
• It is a solemn occasion that should be treated with the greatest of reverence.
Hebrews 12:28.
• We can see how sacred it is by noting various accounts of worship in scripture.
• The consecration of the tabernacle – Exodus 40:34-38, when the tabernacle
was completed, the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle in the cloud.
• This demonstrates the presence of God and showed He hallowed the place.
• Rules were in place to demonstrate how sacred it is.
• Worship Is Sacred
• Nadab and Abihu – Lev. 10:1-2, they were burned to death for offering
profane fire before God. We read in vs. 3, “And Moses said to Aaron, “This
is what the Lord spoke, saying: ‘By those who come near Me I must be regarded
as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.’ ” So Aaron
held his peace.” (Leviticus 10:3)
• Cain and Abel – Genesis 4 records the murder of Abel by his brother
Cain.
• What led to that was the sacrifices they both offered to God.
• God accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain’s.
• VERY early we learn that God takes worship serious and so should we.
• Exodus 20:8-11 describes the Sabbath day, a day the Lord blessed and hallowed.
• Worship Is A Way For Man To Draw Near To God
• Hebrews 10:22 says, “let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our
bodies washed with pure water.”
• “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands,
you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (James 4:8)
• A study of the history of worship demonstrates that it is something God
has always demanded as a way to recognize and appreciate Him.
• Since our worship is to be directed toward Him, when we worship Him we
can know that He is pleased with us and we grow to appreciate Him all the more.
• Hebrews 13:16 speaks of how our sacrifices are pleasing to God.
• Philippians 4:18 speaks of how Paul had been provided for and described
it as “a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to
God.”
• While not dealing directly with our worship, this shows how when we do
what He asks of us (which would include worship), He is pleased with us.
• Worship Is A Way To Give Back To God
• It is an expression of our gratitude for what He has done for us.
• It is no secret that God has abundantly given to us (James 1:17).
• David demonstrated an understanding of this when he was receiving offerings
for the building of the temple.
• 1 Chronicles 29:10-19 records his praising God.
• In vs. 13-14 we read, ““Now therefore, our God, We thank You
And praise Your glorious name. But who am I, and who are my people, That we should
be able to offer so willingly as this? For all things come from You, And of Your
own we have given You.” (1 Chronicles 29:13–14)
• A realization that God gives us all, and what we return is but a token
of our gratitude for His blessings.
• Worship Is A Way To Give Back To God
• At the threshing floor of Ornan, David is offered everything he needed
to sacrifice to God.
• He replies, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for
I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings with that
which costs me nothing.”” (1 Chronicles 21:24)
• As Christians, we understand this.
• Because of grace, which we can NEVER repay, we still ought to want to
give back to Him what we can.
• ONE way we do that is through worshipping Him.
• Again, Hebrews 13:15-16 says, “Therefore by Him let us continually
offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks
to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased.”
• Worship Is Deliberate
• Worship is something we enter into.
• There are some today who say everything we do is worship.
• That is not what the Bible teaches.
• We find that worship is something that has a beginning and an end.
• Israel had feasts they observed at various times.
• They had a beginning and an end.
• Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together
– it indicates a time when we come together.
• Acts 20:7, the disciples came together to break bread (the Lord’s
Supper).
• 1 Corinthians 11:17-26 indicates they ought to come together to “eat
the Lord’s Supper”.
• 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, speaks of on the first day of the week laying by
in store.
• CONCLUSION
• And thus we can see what worship is.
• While not necessarily an easy subject to understand, it is VERY basic
and fundamental to our faith.
• It is a subject we need to understand and keep in the proper perspective
in our lives.
• Is your worship in spirit and in truth?
By Carey Scott from an outline by Thomas Thornhill
Jr.
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