How To Worship Psalm 100 051
Introduction:
We have just finished the thanksgiving holiday. A holiday that is supposed to call us to thank God for his blessings. A of worship. A time of praise.
It's to bad that real Worship is fast becoming a lost practice in America. Most people have no idea how to worship. In fact many ridiculous things are going on under the title of 'Worship."
Illus:
In one church the congregation gathers never speaking to one another waiting for the spiritual one to come into the high pulpit and read to them from the mysterious book.
In another building across town the Sunday morning version of Hee Haw is taking place. The MC introduces the comedians and the singers and the Lord of entertainment is worshipped.
In another place two groups meet in one room. They habitually gather each week to for this day of ritual but the strife between the two factions doesn't allow room for God or his worship.
GOD WANTS US TO WORSHIP HIM WHEN WE GATHER. WHAT WE DO HERE SHOULD BE FOR HIS HONOR AND GLORY.
So we need to examine the scriptures and see what God wants.
I. Make a Joyful Noise
A. Make a noise
You don't have to sing like Striesand or Bev Shey in order to worship God. God isn't so much interested in our tone and pitch as he is in our heart felt expression
When the children sing 'Jesus loves me" That is worship. When some of you folks just turn loose on your favorite hymn, singing to God from the heart. That is real worship
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B. A Joyful Noise
God wants the world to hear the joy of his people. Worship shouldn't be a spectator sport. It's not something you sit and watch. It's something you do. It is you expressing your love for God. Your thankfulness to God. Your relationship with God.
II. Serve Him With Gladness
Another aspect of worship is service to God.
Not grudging obligatory service but service energized with gladness.
Illustration
I come to church early on Sunday mornings. One Sunday as I was studying I heard a teacher preparing her classroom for the children she was to teach that day. She was singing as she scurried about getting everything ready. This blessed my heart. She was serving the Lord with gladness. This is the kind of service David was writing about here. This service is seen by God as true worship.
Come Before His presence with singing.
There are 165 references in the Bible to singing. God wants us to sing praises to him. The songs we sing on Sunday morning are not just a warm up for the sermon. They are God's peoples expression of worship to Him. It is us acknowledging that He is God and that we are his creatures. so when singing time comes SING. Sing loud. Express yourself.
"Wait a minute preacher." "I'm not the emotional type, I just don't get into the emotional scene." Oh Yea I saw you at a football game. You were screaming and yelling. Jumping up and down. Waving your hands in the air. Then later you talked about the game for hours. Don't tell me your not the emotional type.
IF WE GET FIRED UP AT A BALL GAME SHOULDN'T WE GET MORE FIRED UP AT THE GREATEST EVENT ON EARTH. WHEN MEN COME BEFORE THEIR MAKER. WHEN SOULS ARE SAVED FROM HELL.
III. Be Thankful Unto Him
We are to be a Thankful people
When we come into his presence we need to come with thanksgiving on our lips and in our heart. We are guilty of being an ungrateful people. always complaining and moaning about how bad we have it. About how tough things are. We should be thanking God for so many things. Health, Salvation, Friends, Family, Freedom
We have so much to be thankful for. It's ad that we have cubbyholed thankfulness into the 4th Thursday in November. Even then it has degenerated from a time of worship into and excuse to eat like a pig, watch football and nap.
Worship Begins by Acknowledging God's Place in your Life.
You will worship the one who sits on the throne of your life
The one who lives for himself cannot worship. The one who doesn't even recognize that they are the creature and God is the creator cannot worship. The man who has refused the loving mercy of God cannot worship God. WHY? because He isn't on the throne of their heart.
Verse 5 says
For the Lord is Good, his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Jesus is God's ultimate expression of his Goodness and Mercy. Why? because he died for you, so that you can have a wonderful relationship with God.
invitation
How can you make Jesus your Lord and Savior?
(tell of Nicodemus)
