Worship (1)God: The Author of Worship

Good News Community ChurchJune 1, 2008Timothy Chan

Class Outline

• 6/1 - God: The Author of Worship• 6/8 - Heart of the Worshiper: Biblical Models• 6/15 - Worship in Community: Roles &

Expectations• 6/22 - Battlefronts of Worship• 6/29 - Worship is an Instinct

2002 Barna Research on Worship

• 47% Christians says they participate in worship activities for their own benefit

• Only 29% Christians say they view worship as something that's focused primarily on God

• About 20% Christians say they have no idea what the outcome of worship is

Source: http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=126

Your View of Worship...

• What comes to mind when you hear the word "worship"?

• Why do you worship?

Worship based on Human Effort

Source: http://asbojesus.wordpress.com/2008/02/11/372/

God's Initiative In Genesis

• 12:1-3,7 -- God blessed Abram and made a covenant with him

• 13:14-18 -- God unconditionally blessed Abram with promise of land and descendents

• 15:1-21 -- God renewed His covenant and promises with Abram

• 17:1-21 -- God renewed His covenant with Abram with the rite of circumcision and changed his name to Abraham

• more...

God Draws Israel to Worship Him

Exodus 19:3 摩西上到　神那裡去，耶和華從山上呼喚他，說：“你要這樣告訴雅各家，吩咐以色列人說：19:4 ‘我向埃及人所行的，你們都看見了；也看見了我怎樣像鷹一樣把你們背在翅膀上，帶領你們到我這裡來。

God Draws Israel to Worship Him

19:5 現在你們若是實在聽我的話，遵守我的約，你們就必在萬民中作屬我的產業，因為全地都是我的。19:6 你們要歸我作君尊的祭司和聖潔的國民。’這些話你都要對以色列人說。”

God's Blueprints for Worship in Exodus

• ch. 20 -- God gave the Ten Commandments to tell us we're not just to worship God alone and avoid idolatry, but also worship Him with a total life pattern pleasing to Him

• ch. 25-27 -- The Tabernacle is God's design for human worship, and with its outer court, inner court, and holy of holies, it is a concrete way to express the truth that human beings could not come into God's presence on their own terms

God's Blueprints for Worship in Exodus

• 32:1-6 -- One of the main errors of the Golden Calf idolatry was that the people was trying by their own means to secure the presence of God

Acceptable Worship starts with God

Rom 12:1 所以弟兄們，我憑著　神的仁慈勸你們，要把身體獻上，作聖潔而蒙　神悅納的活祭；這是你們理所當然的事奉。

"Therefore ... in view of God's mercy ..."

What is "Worship In Spirit & Truth"?

John 4:19 婦人說：“先生，我看出你是先知。4:20 我們的祖先在這山上敬拜　神，而你們卻說，敬拜的地方必須在耶路撒冷。”4:21 耶穌說：“婦人，你應當信我，時候將到，那時你們敬拜父，不在這山上，也不在耶路撒冷。

What is "Worship In Spirit & Truth"?

4:22 你們敬拜你們所不知道的，我們卻敬拜我們所知道的，因為救恩是從猶太人出來的。4:23 然而時候將到，現在就是了，那用心靈按真理敬拜父的，才是真正敬拜的人；因為父在尋找這樣敬拜他的人。4:24 　神是靈，敬拜他的必須用心靈按真理敬拜他。”

Analysis of John 4:19-24

• The Samaritan woman asked an authentic question about worshipoProphets are expected to restore proper

worship• Jesus shifted the focus from the place of

worship (mountain or Jerusalem) to the manner of worshipoTrue worship requires a true knowledge of

God• God actively seeks acceptable worshipers

Analysis of John 4:19-24

• What is "spirit and truth"?o "spirit" that is made alive by the Holy Spirit

John 3:5-6b 人若不是從水和聖靈生的，就不能進　神的國。從肉身生的就是肉身，從靈生的就是靈。

o "truth" revealed by means of ChristJohn 14:6 耶穌對他說：“我就是道路、真理、生命，如果不是藉著我，沒有人能到父那裡去。

• Idea shifted from "where" and "how" to "who"

Means of Worship is Through God

• "There is only one true Priest through whom and with whom we draw near to God our Father. There is only one Mediator between God and humanity. There is only one offering which is truly acceptable to God, and it is not ours." -- James Torrance, "Worship, Community & The Triune God Of Grace" (1996), p. 21

Christ's self-revelation

Heb 1:1 　神在古時候，曾經多次用種種方法，藉著先知向我們的祖先說話；1:2 在這末後的日子，卻藉著他的兒子向我們說話。　神已經立他作萬有的承受者，並且藉著他創造了宇宙。1:3 他是　神榮耀的光輝，是　神本質的真象，用自己帶有能力的話掌管萬有；他作成了潔淨罪惡的事，就坐在高天至尊者的右邊。

Christ's self-revelation

Matt 11:27 我父已經把一切交給我；除了父沒有人認識子，除了子和子所願意啟示的人，沒有人認識父。John 1:18 從來沒有人見過　神，只有在父懷裡的獨生子把他彰顯出來。John 17:25 公義的父啊，世人雖然不認識你，我卻認識你，這些人也知道你差了我來。17:26 我已經把你的名指示他們，還要再指示，使你愛我的愛在他們裡面，我也在他們裡面。

The Spirit's role in worship

Phil 3:3 其實我們這些靠　神的靈來敬拜，在基督耶穌裡誇口而不倚靠肉體的人，才是受割禮的，

Gal 4:6 你們既然是兒子，　神就差遣他兒子的靈進入我們心裡，呼叫“阿爸、父！”Rom 8:26 照樣，聖靈也在我們的軟弱上幫助我們。原來我們不曉得應當怎樣禱告，但聖靈親自用不可言喻的歎息，替我們祈求。

Implications

• We cannot just worship in whatever way we choose, because worship is not "anything that pleases God," but a response to God's gracious initiative on God's terms of what is acceptable or not

• Incorrect or idolatrous language in worshipo "I enjoyed the worship time" or "I like the

worship today"o "God showed up as we worshiped"

Why should we Worship God?

• God's commandoDeut 6:13 你要敬畏耶和華你的　神，要事奉他，奉他的名起誓。 (You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.)

• God deserves our worshipo1 Chron 16:29a 要把耶和華的名應得的榮耀歸給他 (Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name)

Why should we Worship God?

• God chose us to worship Himo1 Peter 2:9 然而你們是蒙揀選的族類，是君尊的祭司，是聖潔的國民，是屬　神的子民，為要叫你們宣揚那召你們出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。

oAlso: Exod 19:6, John 4:23• Worship is our natural response when we

encounter Godo Isaiah 6:1-5, 2 Chron 7:1-3, Rom 1:21-23

Why should we Worship God?

• "I am not worshiping God because of what He will do for me, but because of what He is to me. When worship becomes pragmatic, it ceases to be worship. ... If you worship because it pays, it won't pay. Our motive must be to please God and glorify Him alone." -- Warren Wiersbe, "Real Worship" (1986)

Conclusion

• In the theology of worship, who is much more important than how

• The triune God is both the subject and the object of worship

• The triune God is both the actor and the audience of worship

• The triune God is both the means and the ends of worship

Daily Worship Practice

• McDull's story illustrates that true knowledge must be informed by experience

• Early church fathers has a saying in Latin, "lex orandi lex credendi," which applied in the context of worship, is best stated as "worship is faith in action"

Daily Worship Practice

Daily Worship Practice

• Throughout June 2008• Scripture & Theme for each day

oExample• Email reminder:

oDaily scripture and themeoDaily quote about worship for inspiration

worshipaholic.blogspot.com• Take notes and share during (each?) class

oNew discoveries about worshipoDeeper understanding of God's attributes