Worship as a Lifestyle #2 Psalm 100 What does “worship” mean? From Anglo-Saxon: “worthship”, “worthiness” – to acknowledge the worth of someone/thing, giving the honour, respect, adoration, praise that it deserves. Hebrew has two words: “to bow down” AND “to serve”

Deuteronomy 5 v8, 9 (KJV) 8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: Deuteronomy 8 v19 (GNB) 19 Never forget the Lord your God or turn to other gods to worship and serve them. If you do, then I warn you today that you will certainly be destroyed.

This idea is repeated in the NT: Romans 12 verses 1, 2 So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer. (GNB) which is your reasonable service. (KJV) this is your spiritual act of worship. (NIV) That's the most sensible way to serve God. (CEV) Worship services AND Services of worship We worship what we value and love the most We invest in it, work for it, commit our time and money to it, sacrifice for it.

Worship is to be the God-centred orientation of my life honouring God in everything I am & do living to please God in every aspect of my life

All people that on earth do dwell, sing to the Lord with cheerful voice. Him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell; come ye before him and rejoice. Know that the Lord is God indeed; without our aid he did us make; we are his folk, he doth us feed, and for his sheep he doth us take. O enter then his gates with praise; approach with joy his courts unto; praise, laud, and bless his name always, for it is seemly so to do. For why! the Lord our God is good; his mercy is forever sure; his truth at all times firmly stood, and shall from age to age endure.

Can you think of your favourite lines or phrases from songs & hymns? Did e’er such love and sorrow meet or thorns compose so rich a crown. Issac Watts Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. Hands that flung stars into space, To cruel nails surrendered. Graham Kendrick

What are the reasons/motives for worship? Is God egotistical to want our worship? “We are here to be worshippers first and workers second. We take a convert and immediately make a worker out of him. God never meant it to be so. God meant that a convert should learn to be a worshipper and after that learn to be a worker. The work done by a worshipper will have eternity in it.” (A.W. Tozer) In 1961, Tozer also said, “Worship is the missing jewel of the evangelical church.” In what ways do you like to express your worship?

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