Worship (Part 1)

John 9:31 "Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth."

The reason we worship is to glorify, honor, praise, exalt, and please God.  Our worship must show our adoration and loyalty to God for His grace in providing us with the way to escape the bondage of sin. The nature of the worship God demands is the bowing of our souls before Him in humble and contrite submission.  

(1) Worship is a very humble and reverent action unto God.

James 4:6 "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble."

Verse 10 "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."

Why does God resist the proud?

-Because their way is more important than His.

-Because their desires bring more attention to themselves than to God.

-Because their thoughts are not always on pleasing God, but pleasing themselves.

God is not looking for another spiritual superstar, but He is looking for somebody who is willing to let their light shine where ever and when ever they can.

(2) Worship is our obligation to God.

John 4:23, 24 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  God is Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."  

It doesn’t say we can worship God anyway we want, but that we "must worship Him in spirit and in truth".  

-The word "must" makes it absolute.  There is no other way we can worship God and be acceptable to Him.  

-The word "must", according to Webster, expresses "an obligation, a requirement, a necessity, a certainty, and something that must be done".  

-When "must" is used it means that it is not optional.  Here the word "must" is expressing that our worship in spirit and in truth is the only way to acceptably worship God. 

-God seeks true worshippers, and He identifies them as those who "worship Him in spirit and in truth".  

-Worshipping God in spirit means that it must be done from the heart.  

-Worshipping God in truth means that it must be done according as God has specified in the Bible.  

-Worshipping God in spirit and in truth is a serious matter which must not be taken lightly.  If we have any regard for our own souls, we will want to make sure we are worshipping God in spirit and in truth.