How Should We Worship God? O.T. N.T. God has always demanded that we as humans worship and praise His holy name God has always specified through His Word exactly how man is to worship Him A. He has the authority to determine this, for He is the object of our worship, not us B. Under the Old Covenant, God specified exactly how the Jewish nation should worship Him 1. Animal sacrifices, burnt offerings 2. Go to a specific place to worship 3. High Priest would go before God on behalf of all the people C. Under the New Covenant, the actions of worship has changed, yet in the NT God is very specific in how He is to be worshipped

What is Worship? “To prostrate before, do reverence to, to revere, to render religious service or pay homage to...” Vine’s Expository Dictionary of N.T. Words, p. 235 proskyneo

How Must We Worship? “THESE PEOPLE DRAW NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME. AND IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.” Matt. 15:8-9 proskyneo

How Must We Worship? Implies there are also false worshippers “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. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Jn. 4:23-24 Implies there are also false worshippers

How Must We Worship? “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. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Jn. 4:23-24 If we do not worship in spirit and truth, God is not seeking our worship

God’s requirement, He will accept nothing else How Must We Worship? “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. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Jn. 4:23-24 God’s requirement, He will accept nothing else

How Must We Worship? Proper Motive, Attitude, and Heart “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. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Jn. 4:23-24 Jn. 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. Proper Motive, Attitude, and Heart Right Way, According to God’s Instruction

All these MUST be done in spirit and truth Jn. 4:24 Ways God Has Commanded We Worship Him in N.T. Preaching – Heb. 10:25; Acts 20:7 Prayer – 1 Thess. 5:17; 1 Tim. 2:1 Giving – 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:7 Singing – Heb. 2:12; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16 Lord’s Supper – 1 Cor. 11; Acts 20:7 All these MUST be done in spirit and truth Jn. 4:24 Quantifying the worship of the local church is a rather simple thing to do.  One needs to merely read the New Testament and find out exactly what acts of worship the Christians of that time engaged in.  If we are able to establish what God commanded the disciples to do, or to establish examples of them engaging in worship that was endorsed by God, we can then know what is constituted in God's divine commandments for congregational worship. When this is done, five acts of worship are revealed:

1. Preaching / Teaching In Spirit and Truth

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth N.T. churches assembled together to hear God’s Word proclaimed “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” Acts 2:42

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth N.T. churches assembled together to hear God’s Word proclaimed “on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together” Acts 20:7-8

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth N.T. churches assembled together to hear God’s Word proclaimed 1 Cor. 14:4,5,12,19, 23 “church” = assembly

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth God’s Word was read publically in the assembly (Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27; 1 Tim. 4:13)

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth Preach the Word – all the Word, only the Word “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” 2 Tim. 4:2

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth Preach the Word – all the Word, only the Word “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God” Acts 20:27

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth Preach the Word – all the Word, only the Word “speaking truth in love” Eph. 4:15

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Truth Remember the purpose of preaching is not to entertain, but to change (Acts 14:15), to save (1 Cor. 1:21), and to mature (Col. 1:23,28)

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Spirit Be Engaged in the Study of the Word (Bereans) “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” Acts 17:11

Preaching and Teaching Basics 1. Preaching / Teaching Preaching and Teaching Basics Spirit Apply God’s Word to Your Life “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Jas. 1:22 *Is there a command to obey? *Is there an error to avoid? *Is there a sin to forsake?   *Are there Christ-like attributes for me to implement in my lives

2. Prayer In Spirit and Truth

2. Prayer Truth Praying can be individual (Acts 16:25; Jas. 1:5; 5:13), or congregational (Acts 2:42; 16:16)

2. Prayer Pray to the Father through Jesus’ name Truth Pray to the Father through Jesus’ name “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” Jn. 14:13-14 Some misapply this verse, thinking that saying “in Jesus’ name” at the end of a prayer results in God’s always granting what is asked for. This is essentially treating the words “in Jesus’ name” as a magic formula. This is absolutely unbiblical. Praying in Jesus’ name means praying with His authority and asking God the Father to act upon our prayers because we come in the name of His Son, Jesus

2. Prayer Pray to the Father through Jesus’ name Truth Pray to the Father through Jesus’ name “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Jn. 14:6

2. Prayer Pray to the Father through Jesus’ name Truth Pray to the Father through Jesus’ name “ there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” 1 Tim. 2:5

2. Prayer According to God’s Will Truth According to God’s Will “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” Jn. 14:13-14

2. Prayer Spirit Do not pray with hypocrisy or to be seen of men (Matt. 6:5-6; Lk. 20:45-47)

2. Prayer Spirit Do not pray with self- righteousness (Lk. 18:10-14)

2. Prayer Spirit Be Engaged in the Prayers to God

Prayer Basics Confession: faith and sin (Heb. 13:15; Jas. 5:16) 5 dAdoration / Praise (Acts 4:24ff) Confession: faith and sin (Heb. 13:15; Jas. 5:16) Thanksgiving (Rom. 16:4; Col. 4:2-3; 1 Tim. 2:1) Supplication / Petition (Phil. 4:6; 1 Tim. 2:1) Intercession (1 Tim. 2:1)

3. Giving In Spirit and Truth

3. Giving Truth and Spirit The contribution was made on “1st day of the week” “concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper” 1 Cor. 16:1-2

3. Giving Truth and Spirit The contribution came from individual, free- will offerings, not sales or businesses (1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:7)

3. Giving Truth and Spirit evangelism (1 Cor. 9:6-14; 2 Cor. 11:8-9) The contribution was for the work of the local church evangelism (1 Cor. 9:6-14; 2 Cor. 11:8-9) benevolence (Acts 2:44- 45; etc.) edification (1 Tim. 5:17-18)

3. Giving Contribution Basics From 1 Corinthians 16:1-3… Prescribed – “as I gave order to the churches…” Patterned – “so you must do also…” Periodic – “upon the first day of the week…” Personal – “let each one of you…” Planned – “lay something aside…” Proportioned – “storing up as he may prosper…”

3. Giving Contribution Basics From 2 Corinthians 8-9… Graciously (8:1) - “the grace of God” Liberally (8:2-3) – “the riches of their liberality” Sacrificially (8:5) – “they gave their own selves” Sincerely (8:6-9) – “the sincerity also of your love” Readily (8:10-11) – “the readiness to will” Ably (8:11-12) – “out of your ability”

3. Giving Contribution Basics From 2 Corinthians 8-9… Wisely (8:16-24) – “take thought for things honorable” Bountifully (9:6) – “he that soweth bountifully” Purposefully (9:7) – “purposed in his heart” Cheerfully (9:7) – “God loves a cheerful giver” Thankfully (9:11-15) – “thanksgiving to God”

3. Giving Truth and Spirit Stingy giving Angry giving Forced giving Understand the different types of giving (2 Cor. 9:6-7): Stingy giving Angry giving Forced giving Cheerful giving

3. Giving Truth and Spirit Be Engaged When You Give to the Lord

Ways God Has Commanded We Worship Him in N.T. Preaching – Heb. 10:25; Acts 20:7 Prayer – 1 Thess. 5:17; 1 Tim. 2:1 Giving – 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:7 Singing – Heb. 2:12; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16 Lord’s Supper – 1 Cor. 11; Acts 20:7

How Must We Worship? “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. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Jn. 4:23-24

GOD’S SIMPLE PLAN FOR SALVATION Rev. 2:10 1 PET. 3:21 baptism JN. 12:42 confess LK. 13:3 UNTIL DEATH OBEDIENT repent JN. 6:29 believe ACTS 3:22 hear