Worship: Expressing Our Love And Adoration

Speaker: Toby Soechting

Scripture: Malachi 

INTRODUCTION:

1. When Paul warned Timothy of a coming time when men would have a “form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Tim. 3:5) he spoke of times that mirrored those in the days of Malachi.
2. Malachi’s audience was finding little meaning or fulfillment in life.
3. There is a direct correlation between possessing the quality of holiness in one’s life AND finding meaning in life.
4. Scriptural worship helps us keep the two (holiness & meaning) connected.

DISCUSSION:
I. GRATITUDE (Mal. 1:2).

1. I have loved you,” says the LORD. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?
2. When we are less than grateful to God, we have a form of godliness, but are denying its true power!

II. GIVING (Mal. 1:6-14).

1. Israel was giving God their leftovers.
2. We have an obligation to avoid dishonoring or despising God in the worship we pay.

III. GLORIFY GOD, NOT YOURSELF (Mal. 2:1-9).

1. “…You shall love the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” (Mt. 4:10).
2. “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up” (Jas. 4:10).

IV. GRATITUDE FOR EVERYTHING (Mal. 3:6-12).

1. God accused Israel of robbing Him.
2. Christians are not obligated to tithe but we should feel obligated to give everything to God.

Conclusion:  May we always approach God with the love, respect, and adoration He deserves and His nature demands.

Worship: Expressing Our Love And Adoration

Worship Gone Wild

Speaker: Toby Soechting

Scripture: John 4

INTRODUCTION:

1. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.    (Gen. 2:7 NKJV)
2. Our word worship comes from an Old English word meaning worth-ship (i.e. worthy).
3. Worship seems to be something man naturally desires to do, but it is an activity that presents great difficulty for him to accomplish scripturally.

DISCUSSION:
I. CAINS WORSHIP WENT WILD (Gen. 4).

1. “And the Lord respected Abel and his offering…”
2. Abel’s offering was by faith (Heb. 11:4).

II. AN ENITRE NATION’S (ISRAEL) WORSHIP WENT WILD (Isa. 19:13-16, Jer. 17:1-7, Amos 8:1-10, Mal. 1:6-8).

1. Inasmuch as these people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me… (Isa. 29:13).
2. Distracted or complacent worship is sinful worship!

III. SAUL’S WORSHIP WENT WILD (1 Sam. 15:1-9).

1. The Amalekites were to be destroyed (cf. Ex. 17:8-16).
2. In the end, God removed Saul as king of Israel.

IV. IN JESUS’ DAY, THE WORSHIP OF BOTH THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS HAD GONE WILD (Jn. 4).

1. Gerezim was the wrong place!
2. Jerusalem was the right place, but the Jewish nation’s heart was far from God.
3. Notice Jn. 4:21.  Neither would be accepted.

Conclusion:  It is surely possible for men and women to come together with the intentions to worship, but go wild (wrong) by ignoring or ridiculing the will of God.  It is a tragedy that can be avoided.

Worship Gone Wild

The Sacrifice Of Worship

Speaker: Jeff Enoch

Scripture: Genesis 22:5

In Genesis 22:5 Abraham links the activities of "sacrifice" and "worship". Acceptable worship requires a sacrifice of some sort. We are told to offer ourselves as a "living sacrifice".

The Sacrifice Of Worship

Worship

Speaker: Darrin Savage

Overview of the pattern of worship authorized in the New Testatment

Worship