worshipcalled into his presence

page 4 9 WORSHIP

ed inttoo his presennce

To understand biblical worship and consider ways to rightfully engage in both corporate worship and worship as a lifestyle.

Worship is directed to God alone and worship that is in spirit and truth values the Triune God supremely above all things and proclaims His praises.

Worship is a lifestyle and not simply an event, and the desired outcome is a heart that worships God in spirit and in truth (see John 4:23-24). A simple practice entails regular attendance at a corporate gathering of worship in a local church. True worship is not merely attendance, but a heart that is drawn to submit to God, proclaim His praises, and seek to honor Him.draw to sub to God, procla is praises, and seek o hono

Background

Passage:

P S A L M 9 5

scripture

Passage:

P S A L M 9 5 : 1 - 7

• Worship is directed to God and

includes elements of praise and

thanksgiving (vv. 1-2).

• Worship is a response to who God is

and what He has done (vv. 3-5).

• Worship includes a submission to

God and His providential care

(vv. 6-7).

Memory

Verses:

P S A L M 9 5 : 6 - 7

Come, let us worship and bow

down; let us kneel before the

LORD our Maker. For He is our

God, and we are the people of

His pasture, the sheep under

His care.

CCHHHAAAAAAAPPPPPPTTTTTEERRRR 666

page 5 0 WORSHIP

PREPARING TO TEACH

The discipline of worship involves experiencing the resurrected

Christ and the glory of God privately and among the gathered

community. It is the human response to a divine initiative. Worship

is our response to who God is and what He has done for us. Spend

time this week worshiping God privately and corporately as you

prepare to facilitate this study.

Once again, invite God through His Holy Spirit to invade your

own life as you prepare. Work through the Venture In Travelogue and

review all the teaching suggestions and options for this week. Bathe

your study in prayer, asking God for His supernatural wisdom as

you lead the people in your group.

Music is a crucial element of worship. Review the presentation

“What is Worship?”

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v+nuYoVjp33zk). Primarily

geared toward a student audience, it is a meaningful tool for adults

as well.

Take time during your preparation to watch, listen to, or read

this sampling of worship songs. Search for other options as well.

Select at least one song to share during the course of the study time.

If you are unable to show a video or share an audio, find the lyrics

either online or in a hymnal and use them as a responsive reading.

1. In Christ Alone, Keith and Kristen Getty; http://www.gettymu-

sic.com/hymns-inchristalone.aspx

2. Revelation Song, Kari Jobe; https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=3dZMBrGGmeE

3. Worthy is the Lamb, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir; https://www.

youtube.com/watch?v=LAplJ0_jDFc

4. Worship the Great I Am, Kari Jobe; https://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=otRskRpdaV4

If your group prefers hymns, locate and read the lyrics of Worthy

of Worship; Holy, Holy, Holy; and O Worship the King and look for ways

to incorporate them during your group study.

NOTE: Select only the music-related activities that will

page 5 1 WORSHIP

enhance the study; don’t spend all the group time using music and/

or video presentations.

Prior to the study, enlist someone who reads with inflection and

power to be ready to read Revelation 5:11-14. Make sure all audio

and/or video equipment is ready if you plan to utilize technology

during the study today. Create a display of items typically used in a

corporate worship gathering: Bible; musical instruments; hymnals,

song sheets, worship bulletins; lights; microphones; communion

cups and/or trays; offering plates; and so forth.

Write the memory verse on the board: “Come, let us worship and

bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and

we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care” (Ps. 95:6-7).

TEACHING SUGGESTIONS

WORTHY OF WORSHIP

As learners are arriving, play Worship the Great I Am, Revelation Song,

or another song you have selected softly in the background. Greet

learners and direct attention to the display of worship-related items.

Instruct them to work in groups of two or three and determine the

significance of each item displayed. Introduce today’s spiritual disci-

pline and call for groups to share their thoughts and ideas about the

items displayed. (Be careful not to turn this introduction time into a

debate on worship styles.) Emphasize how each item contributes to

or enhances corporate worship.

Share this summary of worship (based on pp. 61-62 of the

Travelogue): “Worthship” means to give great worth to someone. Christian

worship is a total life investment of believers who deeply love their Lord and

delight in celebrating who He is and what He has done. Ask: How would

you refine this definition or what would you add to it?

Call attention to this question in the Travelogue (p. 62) and chal-

lenge learners to keep this in mind throughout today’s study: Why

would you become more like Jesus the more you worship Him?

Lead in prayer for the study.

page 5 2 WORSHIP

______________________________________________________________________________

Teaching Option

Introduce the study by using one of these hymns as a responsive

reading: Worthy of Worship; Holy, Holy, Holy; or O Worship the King.

Discuss the lyrics as they relate to the definition of true worship.

______________________________________________________________________________

A SUMMONS TO WORSHIP

Briefly summarize the previous spiritual practices studied by the

class: Bible reading, prayer, sacrifice, and giving. Encourage learners

to identify ways that each of these disciplines is incorporated into

the discipline or practice of worship.

Call attention to the memory verse on the board. Direct learn-

ers to silently read all of Psalm 95. Emphasize these points from

the Travelogue (pp. 62-63) as you discuss the invitation we have to

worship God:

• Worship flows out of an attitude that believes God is worth all atten-

tion, all glory, and all honor.

• We enter His presence not on our own initiative but in response to a

divine invitation. God initiates worship by revealing Himself to us;

we respond with praise, honor, and adoration.

• The power of corporate worship…takes place when God’s people

gather to focus on Him.

Solicit opinions about this statement (Travelogue, p. 63): Corpo-

rate worship is like a campfire—one log can burn, but it will glow brighter,

hotter, and longer when gathered with other logs.

Call on a volunteer to summarize the three points listed in the

Travelogue (pp. 63-64) concerning how we can direct our worship:

We worship in what we say. We worship in how we listen. We worship in

what we do. Ask some questions to facilitate discussion of these points: How

does singing and praying enhance your worship time? How can you listen

more closely to the Scripture reading and sermon? How do you demonstrate

to others that your life has been changed or improved through the corporate

worship experience?

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______________________________________________________________________________

Teaching Option

Use the video presentation “What is Worship?” (https://www.

youtube.com/watch?v+nuYoVjp33zk)

______________________________________________________________________________

WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH

Direct learners to John 4:19-24 while a volunteer reads the verses

aloud. Ask: What does John teach us about worship in these

verses?

Call attention to “Worship in Spirit” (Travelogue, p. 65) as you

guide a discussion of what it means to worship God in spirit. Ask:

How do you express yourself to God in worship?

Move the discussion to include the command to worship “in

truth.” Read the last three statements from the first paragraph under

“Worship in Truth” (Travelogue, p. 65) that begins “Since the main way

God has chosen…” Ask a volunteer to read aloud 1 Peter 2:9-10 and

discuss why worshiping in spirit and in truth is vital.

______________________________________________________________________________

Teacher Helps

For additional commentary on John 4:19-24, go to

www.MyStudyBible.com, enter the Scripture reference, and then

click on the Video Player Tool. Dr. Gene Getz provides an in-depth

review of John 4.

______________________________________________________________________________

A TASTE OF HEAVEN ON EARTH

Call on the person you enlisted to read Revelation 5:11-14. Guide a

brief discussion of the emotion contained in these verses and how

they reflect worshiping God both in spirit and in truth. Ask learn-

ers to share the song that comes to mind when they reflect on this

scene. Encourage them to use songs and worship videos to help

them express praise and love to Jesus Christ during times of private

worship.

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______________________________________________________________________________

Teaching Option

Play the video of Worthy is the Lamb by the Brooklyn Tabernacle

Choir (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAplJ0_jDFc)

______________________________________________________________________________

HOW CAN YOU REALLY WORSHIP?

Group learners into three teams: Prepare Team, Participate Team, and

Be Open and Obedient Team. Give these instructions: Review your

assigned section of “How Can You Really Worship?” from the Travelogue

(pp. 67-69) and prepare a one-sentence summary to share with the group.

You have five minutes.

Ask teams to present their summaries by writing them on the

board. Ask these questions as needed to facilitate discussion:

Do you agree that worship has to be intentional? Why? How

do you prepare yourself and your family for worship? How do

you practice being totally engaged in worship? Why is obedi-

ence crucial to worship?

______________________________________________________________________________

Teaching Option

Invite the worship leader or pastor of your church to share briefly

about the process of planning corporate worship experiences for

your congregation.

______________________________________________________________________________

WHAT IF YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE WORSHIPING?

Read aloud Hebrews 13:5. Ask: How do you practice offering a

sacrifice of praise to God? Do you agree that, in the dark times

of life, we often discover the truest, purest form of worship?

Explain. Why is worship needed and helpful, even when we

don’t feel like it?

WORSHIP AS A LIFESTYLE

Write this statement on the board (Travelogue, p. 70) and briefly

discuss what it means: Worship is not an event; it ’s a lifestyle. Ask:

What can you do personally to make sure worship is your life-

page 5 5 WORSHIP

style? How can you help the church make sure worship is not

turned into an event?

Encourage learners to write these evaluation statements in their

Travelogue as you read them aloud. Using a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being

low, 10 being high), direct them to evaluate their worship lifestyle

based on each statement.

1. God is worthy of my devotion.

2. My whole life is focused on honoring and loving God.

3. I talk to Him continually, thanking Him for protection, wisdom, and

blessings.

4. I live expectantly, listening for God and seeking His presence.

5. I respond to Him when He reveals Himself to me.

6. When I worship, I discover more about who God is and what He has

done for me.

PRAY

Spend time in directed, silent prayer. Thank God for the privilege of

worship. Ask for His help in learning to worship Him better.

CONCLUSION

Lead a brief worship time using music, Scripture, prayer, and a

devotion from your own private times of worship during the previ-

ous week. Incorporate insights from today’s study into the worship

experience. Involve others to lead portions of the worship time.

Distribute index cards and ask learners to write a prayer of

praise and gratitude to God for the opportunity to worship Him in

spirit and truth. Direct them to place the card in their Bible, wallet,

or purse as a reminder of the reasons we need the spiritual practice

of worship.

Close the session by playing In Christ Alone, Keith and Kristen

Getty (http://www.gettymusic.com/hymns-inchristalone.aspx).

page 5 6 WORSHIP

______________________________________________________________________________

Teaching Option

Invite the group to attend corporate worship together. Challenge

them to identify the elements of worship that were discussed during

this study. Afterwards discuss the portions of the worship time that

were especially meaning to each person. (Do not use this as a time to

critique the pastor or other worship leaders!)

______________________________________________________________________________

FOLLOW THROUGH

• Text or email learners and remind them to commit Psalm

95:6-7 to memory.

• Encourage learners who may have missed some of the group

studies. Offer to help them catch up and remain a part of the

group.

• Evaluate your own life in regard to the discipline of worship.

Ask the Holy Spirit to increase your desire to honor and praise

Him through private and corporate times of worship.