Part 1 The Essence of Worship Exercise Reflect on Worship definitions Exercise Reflect on Worship...

Part 1

The Essence

of Worship

ExerciseReflect on Worship definitions

ExerciseReflect on Worship definitions

Definitions of WorshipDefinitions of Worship

Defining Worship The English Word

Anglo Saxon: weorthscipeRecognising the Worth of God

The Biblical WordsOT: Shachah - Bow Down

Adobah - ServeNT:Proskuneo - Adoration

Leitourgia - Serve

Defining Worship

A Dual Aspect(1) Attitudes of Heart(2) Actions of Service

Worship is the dramatic celebration of God in his supreme worth in such a manner that

His ‘worthiness’ becomes the norm and inspiration of human living. (Ralph Martin)

1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.

Isaiah 6:1-8

3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.

7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

ExerciseDraw the Movement in Isaiah

6:1-8

Awareness of God (vs 1-4)

Response to God (vs 5-8)

Movements in WorshipMovements in Worship

A Vision of God (v 1-4)Journey Upward

A Vision of Self (v 5-7)Journey Inward

A Vision of Others (v 8-9)Journey Outward

A Vision of God (v 1-4)Journey Upward

A Vision of Self (v 5-7)Journey Inward

A Vision of Others (v 8-9)Journey Outward

Worship as Vision/JourneyWorship as Vision/Journey

I Saw - Awareness of God

I Cried - Confession of Sin

I Heard - God’s proclamation

I Said - Dedication to service

Active Participation

Worship is becoming aware of God's presence and responding to His presence with verbal or active expressions of love and devotion.

Worship is becoming aware of God's presence and responding to His presence with verbal or active expressions of love and devotion.

Creation

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

In the beginning God created...In the beginning God created...

God separated the water and sky...God separated the water and sky...

God called the dry ground ‘land’...God called the dry ground ‘land’...

God said, let there be light...God said, let there be light...

God created sea and sky creatures...God created sea and sky creatures...

God created animals and man...God created animals and man...

On the seventh day, God rested...On the seventh day, God rested...

God’s Name

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

I amYahweh!

The God whois presentamong his

people

The God whois presentamong his

people

Symbolised by:

Localised

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

The Presence of God

Tabernacle - Exodus 25:8,22

The Presence of God

Jerusalem - Deuteronomy 12:4-7

The Presence of God

Temple - 2 Chronicles 6:1,2

Universal

The Presence of GodThe Presence of GodIn the Bible

Psalm 139Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens…If I make my bed in the depths…

If I settle on the far side of the sea…If I say the darkness will hide me…

YOU ARE THERE!!!

Universal

The Presence of GodThe Presence of GodIn the Bible

All of God is everywhere present all of the time.

Everything in the universe is immediately in the presence of

God.

Promised

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

I Will Be With You

The Hebrew Word

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

Before the eyes of…

Under the gaze of…

In The Gospels

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

Emmanuel (God with us) - Matthew 1:23

There am I - Matthew 18:20

I am with you - Matthew 28:20

The Word became flesh - John 1:14

In The Believer

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy

Spirit, who lives in you.

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy

Spirit, who lives in you.

In The Church

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

We are the temple of the living God.

We are the temple of the living God.

In The New Jerusalem

The Presence of GodIn the Bible

Now the dwelling of God is with men and he will live with them.

Revelation 21:3

Now the dwelling of God is with men and he will live with them.

Revelation 21:3Yahweh Shammah - The Lord is

There!Ezekiel 48:35

Yahweh Shammah - The Lord is There!

Ezekiel 48:35

The Presence of GodThe Problem of Unawareness

Why???Why???God is invisible

God is crowded out

We don’t discipline ourselves

The Presence of GodThe Problem of Unawareness

Sometimes I envy the Catholic priests. They carry a crucifix around all the time. I need a reminder of the cross of Christ because I forget so

easily what Jesus did for me through his death for us.

James Denney, The Death of Christ

Sometimes I envy the Catholic priests. They carry a crucifix around all the time. I need a reminder of the cross of Christ because I forget so

easily what Jesus did for me through his death for us.

James Denney, The Death of Christ

The Presence of GodThe Problem of Unawareness

Biblical ExamplesBiblical Examples

Were there any Bible characters who were

unaware of the presence of God?

Jacob - Genesis 28:10-17

Jesus’ Disciples - John 21:4-7

Emmaus Disciples - Luke 24

The Presence of GodThe Rewards of Awareness

What would happen to us if we lived with an

awareness of the presence of God?

Intimacy

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

Security

Do not fear, for I am with you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with

my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Do not fear, for I am with you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with

my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Holiness

If Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive

because of righteousness. Romans 8:10

If Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive

because of righteousness. Romans 8:10

The Presence of GodPraise: Tuning into God’s Presence

I have set the Lord always before me. (Psalm 16:8)

I have set the Lord always before me. (Psalm 16:8)

To Keep in Prominence

The Presence of God

The Goal

Raising our level of awareness of God’s

presence.

Raising our level of awareness of God’s

presence.

How???How???

Practising the Presence

•Remind yourself God is with you

What reminders can you think of?

Practising the Presence

•Remind yourself God is with you•Decide to talk to God

•Confess and continue

•Do everything for the Lord

•Take control of your senses

Practising the Presence

How can we use our senses to experience God’s presence?

Practising the Presence

•Remind yourself God is with you

•Decide to talk to God

•Confess and continue

•Do everything for the Lord

•Take control of your senses•Aim to experience God more

The Presence of GodWorship: Responding to God’s Presence

Praise: Express what God has done

Worship: Respond to who God is

Praise: Tune into God’s presence

Worship: Respond to God’s presence

Praise: Express what God has done

Worship: Respond to who God is

Praise: Tune into God’s presence

Worship: Respond to God’s presence

The Presence of God

What is the role of the worship leader?What is the role of the worship leader?

A Description of Worship

(1) Response(1) ResponseAll of our life is a festival,

being persuaded that God is everywhere present on all

sides, we praise him as we till the ground, we sing hymns as we sow the seed, we feel his

inspiration in all we do.

Clement of Alexander

A Description of Worship

(2) Dialogue(2) Dialogue

God speaks to us

Two-Way Communication

We respond to him

Spectator Sports

A Description of Worship

(3) Participation(3) Participation

Worship is not aSpectator Sport!

Involvement in Worship

What do people do in worship?

What do people do in worship?

Altar ofIncense

GoldernLampstand

Table ofShewbread

BasinBronze

AltarBronze

Ark of the Covenant

The Holy Place

The Holy of Holies

Worship is a Verb

Takethe

Tour

Step 1At the Bronze Altar

Dedicate Yourself to GodOffer your body as a living

sacrifice...

Step 1At the Bronze Altar

Dedicate Yourself to GodOffer your body as a living

sacrifice...

Step 2At the Bronze Basin

Confess and Ask for CleansingIf we confess our sin he is

faithful...

Step 3At the Golden Lampstand

Meditate on the Word of GodYour word is a lamp to my feet...

Step 4At the Table of Shewbread

Reflect on the Unity of the BodyHow pleasant it is when brothers

live...

Step 5At the Golden Incense Altar

Offer Prayers of IntercessionThe prayers of saints ascend like

incense

Step 6At the Ark of the Covenant

Express Devotion to GodI will meet with you above the

mercy seat