Lesson One                                                                                                                       October 9,

Tucson                                           WHAT IS WORSHIP?                                                    1998

 

INTRODUCTION:

1.      History and common sense proves that man is a worshipping creature. As it is often said, there are very few foxhole atheists.

2.      God is a Creator who insists upon being truly worshipped. John 4:23.

3.      In this series of lessons, we are going to explore how we, the creature, can truly worship God, the Creator.

4.      In subsequent lessons we will examine particular acts of worship, namely Praying, Singing, Giving, and Eating the Lord’s Supper. Our final lesson will be on Improving Congregational Worship. In our first lesson, tonight’s lesson, we will ask and answer the following question, What Is Worship?

I.       “WORSHIP” DEFINED.

A.     Several Greek words are translated by some form of the English word “worship.” The most common Greek word translated by some form of the English word “worship” is proskuneo.

1.      Proskuneo is a compound word which literally means “towards kiss.”

2.      Kuon properly means “a dog.” In proskuneo it means “to kiss, like a dog licking his master’s hand.”

3.      Proskuneo properly means “to kiss the hand to [towards] one, in token of reverence ... hence among the Orientals, esp. the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence ... hence in the N. T. by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication” (Thayer).

4.      “Obeisance” is “a gesture or movement of the body, such as a curtsy, that expresses deference or homage” (American Heritage Dictionary).

B.      The English word “worship” means “the reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object ... The ceremonies, prayers, or other religious forms by which this love is expressed” (AHD).

II.      TRUE WORSHIP. John 4:23-24.

A.     There are true worshippers and there are false worshippers. Matthew 15:9. God takes false worship very seriously. Leviticus 10:1-3; Acts 5:1-11.

B.      Proskuneo worship in not something a Christian is always doing. To proskuneo worship, we must perform unique acts of worship. Luke 4:8; Genesis 22:5. Admittedly, there is a sense in which all we do for God is worship (Hebrews 13:15-16; James 1:27). However, there is also a sense in which there are unique acts of worship.

III.    THE ELEMENTS OF TRUE WORSHIP.

A.     The proper standard. John 4:19-21.

1.      The New Testament. Matthew 28:18-20.

2.      Nothing else. Not:

a.      The Old Testament. Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19; Matthew 17:1-5; Galatians 3:19A, 21-25; Ephesians 2:11-16; Hebrews 7:12, 18-19; 8:7-8, 13; 10:9B; etc.

b.      The commandments of men. Matthew 15:9; Colossians 2:18-19.

c.      The silence of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 w/2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:2-3; Romans 10:17 w/Romans 14:23; Ephesians 5:8, 10; etc.

3.      True worship under the New Testament is in some ways, but not all ways, the same today as it was under the Old Testament. Where there is overlap, the Old Testament can help us better understand true worship under the New Testament. This is why I quote from the Old Testament, not because it is the proper standard for true worship today.

B.      The proper object.

1.      The true and living God. Matthew 4:8-10.

2.      Nothing else. Not:

a.      Satan. Matthew 4:8-10.

b.      False gods. Romans 1:22-25.

c.      Men. Acts 10:25-26.

d.      Angels. Colossians 2:18; Revelation 22:8-9.

C.     The proper worshipper. 1 Chronicles 16:29; Psalm 24:3-4; Proverbs 21:27; 1 Peter 3:10-12.

D.     The proper spirit or attitude. Matthew 15:8-9.

1.      Fear and reverence. Psalm 5:7; 89:7; Hebrews 12:28-29.

2.      Thankfulness. Romans 1:18-21; Psalm 100:4; 122:1.

3.      Humility. Luke 5:8; 18:9-14.

4.      Whole-heartedness. Psalm 63:1-2; 84:1-2, 10; Malachi 1:6-14; Revelation 3:15-16.

5.      The New Testament does not prescribe particular body positions for particular acts of worship. However, our outward actions should reflect a proper inward spirit or attitude.

E.      The proper acts of worship. The New Testament clearly authorizes the following actions. The following passages clearly establish that these actions are in fact acts of worship.

1.      Listening to the words of God. Joshua 5:13-15; Ecclesiastes 5:1; Isaiah 2:2-3.

2.      Praying. Ephesians 3:14-21.

3.      Singing. Psalm 138:1-2A.

4.      Giving. Deuteronomy 12:4-6; Matthew 2:11.

5.      Eating the Lord’s Supper. The New Testament does not explicitly say that eating the Lord’s Supper is an act of worship. However, given the definition of worship, the New Testament does seems to necessarily imply that eating the Lord’s Supper is in fact an act of worship.

6.      Perhaps fasting. Luke 2:36-37.

F.      The proper acts of worship properly performed.