Community Group Discussion GuideThat Thing You Do: Worship/Singing – Weekend of February 23 &

24, 2019

I. Starter question:

1. Name a song, Christian that, when it comes on, you just can’t help but sing along?2. Describe a moment in the past when you were caught up with emotion. A sporting

event? A concert? Something else?3. What does the word worship mean? And what might be some signs that someone

worships someone or something? Who might you accidentally worship instead of God?

II. Discussion of Scripture:

Worship and singing in church sometimes can be a source of discord between brothers and sisters in Christ due to varying opinions, beliefs, and tastes. This can cause us to take our eyes off what worship is truly about. Even though, deep down, we know the answers to the following questions, it is important to take a routine inventory regarding how we approach corporate worship. Here are some good questions to ask:

Am I worshipping the one true God, the great I AM, as revealed in His Word, or is my perception of God a misrepresentation that I’ve formed in my mind to suit my own preferences?

Have I made worshipping Him a priority in my life? Do I hold Him in proper esteem? Am I entering worship with the proper attitude, understanding that worship is a sacrifice on my

part for His glory? Is my heart prayerfully prepared? Have I prepared physically, mentally and spiritually to

worship God Almighty? Am I fully engaged or distracted when I come for worship? Do I understand God’s call for and the value of worshipping Him in unity with fellow believers? Am I seeking to worship Him in Spirit and Truth?

Listed on the following pages are a handful of the many passages in the Bible that mention worship or singing. Read them as a group. List and discuss the words or phrases in the passages that describe:

The God of our worship The proper attitude or heart of our worship What our worship should look like The message of our worship Who we are in God’s eyes How we should view and act toward one another

Psalm 100 (ESV)100 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his;[a]

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV)15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Psalm 150 (ESV)150 Praise the Lord!Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens![a]

2 Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness!3 Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!5 Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!Praise the Lord!

Psalm 96 (ESV)96 Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.6 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;[a]

tremble before him, all the earth!10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it;12 let the field exult, and everything in it!Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy13 before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

III. Responding in prayer:

Read the passage below and pray that Henderson Hills would strive for unity in our worship of God. Pray that God would protect us from Satan’s schemes to sow discord. Pray that we would glorify Him in humility, joy, and gratitude and that He would draw more new believers to His family through our sacrifice of praise.

Ephesians 4:1-6 (ESV)4 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.