Ecstasy or Intimacy
An In Depth Examination Of Our Worship
Presented to:
Bethel Chapel Pentecostal Church
Auditorium Sunday School Class
Granite City, IL
28 April 2019
Updated: April 27, 2019
By:
Boyce Belt
Ecstasy or Intimacy
An In Depth Examination Of Our Worship
Opening:
Text:
John 4:20-24 (KJV) Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Introduction:
Often the body of Christ misunderstands what true worship really is. This is particularly true of Pentecostals. Because we have been known for our vibrant praise we have often thought this was all there is to worship. Far too often when we have an energetic service with loud praise and demonstration we feel like we have worshipped when the truth of the matter is we may not have honored God at all.
True worship takes many forms. Job 1:20-21 (KJV) Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. Obviously this was not a time of rejoicing for Job yet the Scripture says that he worshipped.
The word “Worship” derives from the word “Worth.” To worship is to show worth. One of the ways we show the worth of an individual is by listening to them. When we are listening to the proclamation of the Gospel (i.e. preaching) we are showing God that He is worthy to be heard therefore we are worshipping.
2 Chronicles 33:1-7 (KJV) Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2 But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 3 For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4 Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5 And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6 And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. 7 And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: In examining our worship we must first ensure to whom or worship is directed lest we be worshipping a false God. Often we worship a god of our own making.
Second it is important to realize that not just anything goes when it comes to worship. God was very explicit in the design and worship that took place in the Tabernacle. Do we not teach that God does not change? If He does not change then maybe he had a design and purpose for worship in the church today. The apostle Paul spent much time in the first epistle to the Corinthians detailing how our worship is to be regulated when we come together.
One elder minister told me that when he was young his pastor said that wild fire was more dangerous than no fire. He said at the time he did not understand but as he matured he realized what the man had said was true. Look what the Scripture tells us about wild or strange fire: Leviticus 10:1-2 (KJV) And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. The sad thing is these men had been with Moses to the mountain and had an experience like few have ever had. They had tasted the real thing. Exodus 24:9-11 (KJV) Then went up Moses, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel: 10 And they saw the God of Israel: and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven in his clearness. 11 And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand: also they saw God, and did eat and drink.
Conclusion:
Next Week—New Series: Flesh vs. Spirit
Prayer