1. The Heart of Worship Micah 6:6-8
Graeme Sterne
2009

2. I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about You
I’m coming back to the heart of worship And it’s all about You. It’s all about you Jesus. I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it, ‘Cos it’s all about you. It’s all about You Jesus

3. Outward expressions of Worship
Singing, music, celebrating Psalm 100
Bowing down to the ground Psalm 95:6
Praying – privately Matthew 6:6
- raising hands I Timothy 2:8
Fasting Matt. 6:16-18
Obedience Rom. 12:1,2
Meditating on the word of God Deut. 17:
Giving money II Cor. 8:5

4. These are outward actions that come from something much deeper
The heart of worship is
surrender
Hosea 6:6
Micah 6:8

5. True worship happens when we surrender to God
Yielding to the Spirit
Following Christ
Being a disciple
Going ‘all out’ for God
Sanctification
Letting go

6. When God gets a hold of your life he does not want to trim a branch here and there. He wants the whole tree – all of it! C.S. Lewis

7. Paradoxes in Christianity
Slaves are free people
If we lose our life we gain it
If we try to hold onto our life we lose it
If we give we will receive
Surrender is a noble thing to do

8. Barriers that block total surrender
Fear – of letting go
Pride – don’t want to admit I need help
Ignorance – don’t know what it involves

9. Barrier 1: Fear of letting go
We want to keep control
We are scared of what surrender might mean
We know in our heads that we should trust God but our feelings pull in another direction

10. Perfect love casts out fear…
Never lets us out of His sight
Cares about every detail of our lives
Gives us capacity to enjoy things
Turns all things for good
Has gone to prepare a place for us
Is patient with us
Helps us with our burdens

11. Barrier 2: Pride Self sufficient e.g. Rich young ruler
Rebellious spirit e.g. Isaiah 30:15
Think we know best e.g. Prov. 3:5,6,7
Unwilling to learn e.g. Proverbs 9:12

12. Barrier 3: Ignorance Surrender is not: Passive resignation
Giving up rational thinking
Repressing our personality
Entering a spiritual existence and leaving this life behind

13. Surrender is: Best demonstrated in obedience
e.g. Peter in the fishing boat
Reacting to a challenge with prayer
e.g. David & Goliath, Daniel, Mary, Hannah
Letting God do His work
e.g. Abraham, Rebecca, Saul, Mary
Reflected in relationships
e.g. Jesus in the garden, Mary and Martha

14. The blessings of surrender
Peace Isaiah 30:15
Freedom John 8:32
Power Romans 8:5-11
“The greatness of a man’s power is in the measure of his surrender”
William Booth (Founder of the Salvation Army)

15. We cannot fulfill God’s purposes for our life while focusing on our own plans