Song Numbers 1

Reverence For God 2

Reverence – a deeply respectful feeling of fear, wonder, and admiration toward God. It is deep religious devotion toward God – shown by one who carries out his duties toward God with great zeal and enthusiasm 3

Ps. 89:7 [7] God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him 4

Heb. 12:28-29 [28] Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: [29] For our God is a consuming fire 5

I. Ps. 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God” 6

Respect for God We should develop a deep respect for God when we think of His power and His wonderful nature “His love, benevolence, kindness, holiness, justice, mercy, and forgiveness could not have been invented by man.” 7

Love for God Love is due to God for Who He is and what He does 1 Jn. 4:19 [19] We love him, because he first loved us. 8

Gen. 1:26-28 [26] And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 9

[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. [28] And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 10

2 Pet. 1:3 [3] According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life (spiritual life) and godliness, (Christian conduct necessary to maintain spiritual life) through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue 11

II. Our reverence for God should be demonstrated in our worship 12

Preparation for worship Begins before the time for assembly Good nights sleep Lessons prepared Heart in the right place 13

Gathering together for worship “One should arrive for worship—not in a fit of haste—with worldly concerns dominating one’s thoughts, but with spiritual matters uppermost in one’s mind.” (Gary W. Summers) 14

Before the worship begins As the time approaches we need to meditate upon the worship we are preparing to offer to God 15

During the worship We need to enter into worship with a desire to do all things so that God is well pleased Mt. 18:20 [20] For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them 16

Mt. 26:29 [29] But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom 17

Heb. 2:12 [12] Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 18

Teach & admonish one another by participating in the singing Col. 3:16-17 [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. [17] And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 19

Bow reverently for the prayer – listen carefully – make the prayer your own by saying “amen” 1 Tim. 2:8 [8] I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting 20

Eat the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner 1 Cor. 11:27-29 [27] Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. [28] But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. [29] For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 21

Purpose in heart to give as prospered and to do it cheerfully 1 Cor. 16:2 [2] Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 22

2 Cor. 9:6-7 [6] But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. [7] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 23

Listen attentively to the preaching of God’s word Neh. 8:8 [8] So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. 24

III. Our reverence for God should be demonstrated in our daily lives 25

We must put God before all other activities Mt. 6:24 [24] No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon 26

Mt. 6:33 [33] But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 27

In our speech – we cannot speak and act like the world during the week and expect God to accept our “reverence” on the first day of the week 28

In our treatment of others – “Our reverence for God ought to be reflected in the way we treat one another, since we have all been made in His image and bought by His blood.” 29

We must reverence God in our dress and conduct We must show reverence for God in our homes One is a Christian at home as much as he is in a period of Bible study or worship with the local church 30

We should also have times of daily reverence – in which we study and call on the name of our God in prayer We must ever reverence the name of God, of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit --- far too many in the world use these names in a vulgar and irreverent manner 31

References: (1) Reverence, by Gary W. Summers, Beacon – Vol. 31#7 (2) Article – Reverence for God, by Terry J. Kee (3) Reverence for God, Rod Rutherford, /Download/ReverenceforGod.pdf 32