Larry Pasley
SCRIPTURE - (John 4:19-24) The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive
that You are a prophet. {20} "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and
you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."
{21} Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you
will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. {22}
"You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation
is of the Jews. {23} "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is
seeking such to worship Him. {24} "God is Spirit, and those who worship
Him must worship in spirit and truth."
INTRODUCTION
A. For centuries people believed
that Aristotle was right when he said that the heavier an object, the faster it
would fall to earth. Aristotle was
regarded as the greatest thinker of all time, and surely he would not be wrong.
Anyone, of course, could have taken two objects, one heavy and one light, and
dropped them from a great height to see whether or not the heavier object
landed first. But no one did until nearly 2,000 years after Aristotle’s death.
In 1589 Galileo summoned learned professors to the base of the Leaning Tower of
Pisa. Then he went to the top and pushed off a ten- pound and a one-pound
weight. Both landed at the same instant. The power of belief was so strong,
however, that the professors denied their eyesight. They continued to say
Aristotle was right.
B. HOLD UP
HAND, PALM OUT, TO THE AUDIENCE OR INDIVIDUAL.
1. ASK THEM WHAT
THEY SEE IN DETAIL. 4 FINGERS, 1 THUMB, LINES.
2. I THEN DESCRIBE
WHAT I SEE. 4 FINGERS, 1 THUMB, LINES, HAIR, KNUCKLES, FINGERNAILS
3. WHY THE
DIFFERENCE - POINT OF VIEW
C. Remember the
ancient Hindu story about six blind men who were brought to “see an elephant?
“It’s very like a wall,” said
the first man as he touched the side of the elephant. “It’s very like a spear,”
said the second man as he stroked the elephant’s tusk. And the third man,
taking the elephant’s squirming trunk in hand, said, “It’s very like a snake!”
“Nonsense!” the fourth man
shouted. Stretching his arms about one of the legs, he concluded, “This
wondrous beast is very like a tree!” The fifth man, touching the elephant’s
ear, cried, “Even the blindest can tell this animal is very like a fan.” And
the sixth, grabbing the tall, assured his friends that “the elephant is really
very like a rope!”
D. OUR STUDY OF WORSHIP IS DESIGNED TO HELP US LOOK AT THE SCRIPTURES
AND THROUGH STUDY AND DISCUSSION TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THE SCRIPTURES IN SUCH
A WAY TO TRULY RESTORE NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY.
E. IN OUR LAST SERMON ON NEW
TESTAMENT WORSHIP WE LOOKED AT THE USE OF THE CONCEPT OF WORSHIP IN THE ENTIRE
BIBLE AND CONCLUDED THAT WORSHIP IS AN ACTION THAT SHOWS OUR ALLEGIANCE,
DEVOTION, SUBMISSION, DEDICATION TO GOD.
I. N. T. USAGE OF THE WORD WORSHIP (KJV)
A. PROSKUNEO
- USED 59 TIMES - ALWAYS TRANSLATED AS WORSHIP
1.
THIS WORD IS MOST CLOSELY RELATED TO THE OLD TESTAMENT WORD FOR WORSHIP,
MEANING TO BOW DOWN TO.
2. (1 Cor
14:24-25) But if all prophesy, and an
unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is
convicted by all. {25} And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so,
falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly
among you.
B. LATREUO -
USED 26 TIMES - ONLY TRANSLATED WORSHIP 4 TIMES USUALLY TRANSLATED SERVE
1. (Mat 4:10) Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you,
Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship (PROSKUNEO) the LORD your God, and
Him only you shall serve (LATREUO).'"
2. (Acts
24:13-14) "Nor can they prove the
things of which they now accuse me. {14} "But this I confess to you, that
according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship (LATREUO) the God of
my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the
Prophets.
C. SEBOMAI - USED 10 TIMES -
TRANSLATED: DEVOUT, RELIGIOUS & WORSHIP USED MOSTLY IN ACTS
1. (Acts
18:12-13) When Gallio was proconsul of
Achaia, the Jews with one accord rose up against Paul and brought him to the
judgment seat, {13} saying, "This fellow persuades men to worship (SEBOMAI)
God contrary to the law."
2. (Acts
17:17) Therefore he reasoned in the
synagogue with the Jews and with the Gentile worshipers, and in the marketplace
daily with those who happened to be there.
3. (Acts
13:43) Now when the congregation had
broken up, many of the Jews and devout (SEBOMAI) proselytes followed Paul and
Barnabas, who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of
God.
D. THERAPEUO
- USED 43 TIMES - TRANSLATED WORSHIP ONLY ONCE REST OF TIME TRANSLATED HEAL OR
CURE - (Acts 17:24-25) "God, who
made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does
not dwell in temples made with hands. {25} "Nor is He worshiped with men's
hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all
things.
II. THE ASSEMBLIES WERE NEVER REFERRED TO AS WORSHIP IN
THE N.T.
A. OF THE 59 TIMES WORSHIP IS USED
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ALL BUT 7 ARE IN THE GOSPELS (USUALLY REFERRING TO O. T.
WORSHIP OR SOMEONE BOWING DOWN TO WORSHIP JESUS) AND REVELATION (USUALLY
REFERRING TO WORSHIP IN HEAVEN OR WORSHIP OF THE BEAST).
B. OF THE 7 LEFT FROM ACTS TO JUDE
ARE THE FOLLOWING:
1. FALSE WORSHIP
IN THE WILDERNESS - (Acts 7:41-42)
"And they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the
idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands. {42} "Then God turned
and gave them up to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of
the Prophets: 'Did you offer Me slaughtered animals and sacrifices during forty
years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?
2. JEWISH WORSHIP
- (Acts 8:27) So he arose and went. And
behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen
of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem
to worship,
3. FALSE WORSHIP
OF A MAN - (Acts 10:25-26) As Peter was
coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. {26}
But Peter lifted him up, saying, "Stand up; I myself am also a man."
4. PAUL'S JEWISH
WORSHIP AT THE TEMPLE? - (Acts 24:10-13)
Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered:
"Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this
nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, {11} "because you may
ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to
worship. {12} "And they neither found me in the temple disputing with
anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. {13}
"Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me.
5. WORSHIP OF AN
INDIVIDUAL TO GOD - (1 Cor 14:24-25) But
if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is
convinced by all, he is convicted by all. {25} And thus the secrets of his
heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and
report that God is truly among you.
6. ANGELS TO
WORSHIP JESUS - (Heb 1:6) But when He
again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: "Let all the angels of
God worship Him."
7. JEWISH WORSHIP
BY JACOB - (Heb 11:21) By faith Jacob, when
he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the
top of his staff.
III. WHY ARE DIRECTIONS FOR ASSEMBLED WORSHIP SO
CONSPICUOUSLY ABSENT IN THE LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES (WHERE WE WOULD EXPECT
DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS TO BE FOUND)?
A. REMEMBER WHAT JESUS SAID - (John
4:21-23) Jesus said to her, "Woman,
believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in
Jerusalem, worship the Father. {22} "You worship what you do not know; we
know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. {23} "But the hour is
coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit
and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
1.
THE PLACE IS NOT GOING TO BE IMPORTANT
2.
HAVE WE, IN ESSENCE, BY OUR ACTIONS, SAID THAT "IN THIS BUILDING IS WHERE
WE OUGHT TO WORSHIP GOD?"
a. WHEN WAS THE
LAST TIME YOU DID SOMETHING AWAY FROM THIS BUILDING THAT YOU CALLED WORSHIP?
b. WHEN WAS THE
LAST TIME YOU REFERRED TO WORSHIP AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT WE DO HERE AT
THIS BUILDING
c. HOW MANY TIMES
HAVE YOU HEARD INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC WITH SPIRITUAL SONGS OR GROUP SINGING
JUSTIFIED BECAUSE IT WASN'T "WORSHIP?"
(1) WHO SAID IT
WASN'T WORSHIP?
(2) DO I DECIDE
WHAT IS WORSHIP OR DOES GOD MAKE THAT DECISION?
B. IS IT
POSSIBLE THAT JESUS WANTED OUR WORSHIP TO BE PRIMARILY INDIVIDUAL AND NOT
COLLECTIVE?
C. IS IT
POSSIBLE THAT WE SHOULD BE WORSHIPPING GOD MUCH MORE OFTEN THAN WE ARE?
D. ARE WE
LIMITING OUR WORSHIP OF GOD TOO MUCH BY ONLY WORSHIPPING HIM THREE OR FOUR
TIMES A WEEK?
E. IS IT
POSSIBLE THAT OUR CHRISTIANITY HAS BECOME DILUTED AND WATERED DOWN BECAUSE WE
LIMIT OUR TIME IN WORSHIP TO GOD?
F. IS IT
POSSIBLE THAT WE SHOULD BE USING OUR ASSEMBLIES MORE TO ENCOURAGE AND
STRENGTHEN ONE ANOTHER TO GO OUT AND PRAISE, HONOR, GLORIFY AND EXALT GOD IN THE WORLD RATHER
THAN IN THIS BUILDING ONLY?
G. LOOK AT
THE REFERENCES TO ONE ANOTHER IN THE LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES
1. 50 VERSES REFER TO THE
RELATIONSHIP USING THE TERM "ONE ANOTHER"
2. WHILE WE DO WORSHIP GOD
IN OUR ASSEMBLIES THROUGH: SINGING, PRAYING, GIVING, COMMUNING, AND STUDYING
GOD EVIDENTLY INTENDS FOR US TO GROW STRONG IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS AT THE SAME
TIME.
CONCLUSION
A. THE WORD WORSHIP IS USED ONLY 7
TIMES IN THE LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES AND ONLY ONE OF THOSE REFERS TO CHRISTIAN
WORSHIP AND THAT WAS INDIVIDUAL WORSHIP - (1 Cor 14:24-25) But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an
uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all.
{25} And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on
his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
B. THE ASSEMBLIES IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT ARE NEVER REFERRED TO AS WORSHIP EVEN THOUGH WE DO ACTS OF WORSHIP
SHOWING OUR ALLEGIANCE, DEVOTION, SUBMISSION AND DEDICATION TO GOD.
C. WOULD WE BE MORE SPIRITUAL IN
OUR LIVES IF WE WORSHIPPED GOD MORE INDIVIDUALLY AS WELL AS COLLECTIVELY?
1. (Col 3:17) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
2. (Rom
12:1-2) I beseech you therefore,
brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. {2} And
do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of
God.
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