STRUGGLING WITH WORSHIP

REVELATION 3:20-21

STRUGGLING WITH WORSHIP

American Christians are struggling over worship today. Usually the focus is on the different outer styles of worship that we observe. Today we are going to focus not on the outer forms of worship, but on true worship that happens on the INSIDE! If we truly worship God on the inside, then the outer forms of worship will cease to be an issue because we will be so busy worshipping God in our spirits that we won’t have time look at what others are doing in their outer worship.

Jesus said that the most important thing we do is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Personal worship and group worship are the instruments that develop our love of God in this manner. That’s why the most important thing we do is to worship God, both as individuals and as a group. It brings us into the intimate presence of God and becomes the fuel of PASSION for everything else we do. Worship is where our whole world is headed. When this world ends all the other things we do at Ridgecrest will cease because they will be unnecessary, but worship will be what we do in Heaven for eternity! So if you are not good at it, you need to start practicing right now!

In the past we have talked about the importance of our individual, daily walk with Christ. The quality of your personal worship at home will determine to a large extent the quality of our group worship at church. Today we are going to limit our discussion to our worship of God together here at church.

Before we can study worship, we must know exactly what the Bible is speaking about when it talks about worship. The best definition that I have heard is by Bruce Leafblad: “Worship is communion with God in which believers, by grace, center their mind’s attention and their heart’s affection on the Lord, humbly glorifying God in response to His greatness and His word.” Let that soak in.

I. GOD INITIATES WORSHIP.

We see this in the phrase, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Many times we attend church worship and never worship, but it isn’t God’s fault. He is always here trying to start a worship experience in our spirits. He is always there knocking, waiting for those who will hear His voice and open the door. Many times we gather for our services to talk about Him while He is knocking, waiting for anyone who will meet with HIM and speak to Him! He came before Elijah not in the earthquake, or the wind or the fire, but in a still, small, intimate voice.

This is yet another picture of the grace of God. We could never approach God on our own, but because Jesus is our Savior He comes to lead us to worship.

II. WORSHIP IS CONDITIONAL UPON OUR RESPONSE.

The phrase, “If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,” is an invitation for God to enter into our private life and speak directly to our situation. How?

First, we must humble ourselves and admit that we need God. Many times we come to church and never give a thought to the presence of God in this place because we don’t understand how desperately we need Him. It takes a humble spirit to listen for God and open our lives for Him to come in and help.

Second, if we are to worship God, then we must make a conscious effort to turn our mind’s attention to God. God says, “Be still and know that I am God.” This means that we must constantly work to make sure we don’t let our minds drift onto other things that may keep us from focusing on Him. Each Sunday a battle for your mind occurs. Will you give your attention to Satan or to God?

Third, we must turn our heart’s love toward Him. As we reflect on the unrivalled excellence of His character, His name and His actions our love will cause us to break forth in a spirit of rejoicing. We will adore His beauty. We will thank God for working around us and within us. We will fall in love with Him again and express our love to Him through the outer actions of worship. This worship is the highest form of love.

III. WORSHIP IS TO BE INTIMATE BETWEEN GOD AND YOU.

We see this in the use of the phrase, “I will come into him and sup with him.” This referred to having supper with each other. In the times of Jesus this was an all night affair. (Like when I went to my cousins on a weekend summer night!) Worship is communion with God. It is relational. It is not just talking about God, but it is talking TO God. Even though we are in a group setting, worship is to be just for two. This can be compared to when you have a date and the table is set for just two. For some of you with little ones, you may have to work to remember that! Even though you are surrounded by a multitude of people, you only have eyes for each other.

If we are to be close to God, then we must remove any barriers to our relationship. We continually have to clear out the garbage that would separate us from being close. This involves a repentance of our sin on a regular basis so that it won’t become a wall of separation between us. After praying for forgiveness, we need to come to worship expecting to spend time alone with Him in the midst of a crowd. We need to communicate with Him, which involves both speaking and listening. For most of us we really need to focus on the listening part as we are not good at that. Listen and speak to the Lord today in His House!

IV. TRUE WORSHIP LEADS US TO BE OVERCOMERS.

This word literally means that we will share in the Messiah’s rule. God doesn’t command us to praise Him because He needs our praise. God commands us to praise Him because we need what praise can do in our lives. The highest calling of our salvation is to praise Him. That’s why we are called “a holy priesthood.” Our job is to give spiritual sacrifices to Him through spoken praise.

The Bible teaches that if we delight ourselves in God, then He will give us the desires of our heart. That is the best description of the results of true worship. We come into the presence of our great and triumphant God. We hear Him promise us that He wants to be great and triumphant in our lives if we will listen and open our lives to His Spirit’s leadership. When we do this, then our lives will be ones of victory that will glorify God. Since this is God’s chief aim in life, then we are doing what He desires most. This also brings us the most satisfaction. He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

Remember Martha? She got all flustered with her sister for sitting at the feet of Jesus and not helping her fix the meal in the kitchen. In her life we see five traits of a person who is deficient in their worship and therefore their intimacy with God: a complaining spirit, no reverence for God’s authority, a selfish spirit, a demanding spirit, and concentration on things rather than relationships.

On the other side of that coin if we do truly worship God there are several great results. We will be brought into the very presence of God to personally feel His love and compassion for us! He will give us His perspective on our situation. He will change our stinking thinking into an attitude of gratitude and hope and faith in His ability to do whatever we need done. We will look forward to His mighty works being a part of our lives.

CONCLUSION

Charles Stanley said, “God doesn’t have favorites, but He does have intimates.” Are you one of His intimate friends? This verse tells us that He desires for each of us to be His intimate friend. Let us pledge to never enter into those doors again without praying in advance that we will have the strength and faith to seek intimacy with God during this service. Then let’s come expecting God to do amazing things in our lives.

Ridgecrest Baptist Church | 7469 Old Canton Rd. | Madison, MS 39110 phone: 601.853.1090 fax: 601.853.1092