CRUCIAL ELEMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE WORSHIP
1 CHRON. 16: 29
1. INTRODUCTION. TO LEAVE CERTAIN ELEMENTS OUT OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS CAN HAVE AN AFFECT ON THE OUTCOME OF THAT PRODUCT WHICH CHANGES THE DYNAMICS OF THAT PRODUCT. IF YOU LEAVE SUGAR OR SWEETENERS OUT OF A CAKE, IT CHANGES THE DYNAMIC OF THE TASTE OF THAT CAKE. IF CERTAIN ELEMENTS WERE TO BE LEFT OUT OF OUR MEDICATIONS, IT CHANGES THE DYNAMIC OF THOSE MEDICATIONS, THEREBY RENDERING THEM INEFFECTIVE. TO LEAVE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OUT OF A REQUIRED CLASS CAN CAUSE ONE TO HAVE TO REPEAT THAT CLASS. YES, MY BROTHERS AND MY SISTERS, LEAVING CERTAIN CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OUT OF CERTAIN PRODUCTS CAN CHEAPEN, WEAKEN, AND EVEN CONSEQUENTLY NULLIFY THE DYNAMICS AND THE OUTCOME OF THE PRODUCT. AND SO IT IS WITH OUR WORSHIP OF GOD. WHEN CRUCIAL ELEMENTS ARE LEFT OUT OF WORSHIP, WORSHIP CEASES TO BE WORSHIP. AND SO, I JUST STOPPED BY TO ENLIGHTEN OUR INTELLIGENCE ABOUT THE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE WORSHIP.
2. THE TEXT. DAVID GIVES THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL A PRESCRIPTION FOR WORSHIP.
a) IF THERE WAS ANYONE WHO KNEW ABOUT THE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE WORSHIP, IT WAS DAVID.
b) DAVID, ISRAEL’S GREAT KING.
c) DAVID, THE GIANT KILLER.
d) DAVID, THE MASTER MUSICIAN.
e) YES, DAVID, THE ADULTERER AND MURDERER.
f) YES, DAVID, A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART, KNEW HOW TO EFFECTIVELY WORSHIP GOD.
g) IN ORDER TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE TEXT, YOU NEED TO READ THE CHAPTER IN ITS ENTIRETY.
3. SAD BUT TRUE! THERE ARE MANY WHO POPULATE THE PEWS SUNDAY AFTER SUNDAY WHO DO NOT HAVE A GENUINE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH THE LORD.
a) THERE ARE MANY WHO COME TO CHURCH SAD AND LEAVE THE SAME WAY.
b) THERE ARE THOSE WHO ENTER INTO THE SANCTUARY ANGRY, AND LEAVE THE SAME WAY.
c) MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHEN WE HAVE A GENUINE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE WITH GOD, WE SHOULD LEAVE BETTER THAN WE CAME.
d) NOW, LET ME SAY THAT WORSHIP DOES NOT BEGIN IN THE CHURCH, BUT SHOULD BEGIN IN OUR HOMES WHEN WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING.
e) IF THE ONLY TIME A PERSON CAN WORSHIP GOD IS IN THE CHURCH, THAT’S NOT GENUINE WORSHIP.
f) IF IT TAKES THE ORGAN, THE DRUMS, AND THE SINGING TO MOVE YOU, THAT’S NOT WORSHIP; THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT.
g) AND MANY COME TO BE ENTERTAINED WITHOUT WORSHIPING GOD.
4. WORSHIP. THE WORD WORSHIP COMES FROM THE ANGLO-SAXON WORD THAT MEANS, HONOR, WORTHY, REVERENCE, AND TO PAY HOMAGE TO.
a) IT CAN RELATE TO A PERSON, PLACE, OR THING.
b) BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THIS MESSAGE, WE WILL DEAL WITH WORSHIP AS IT RELATES TO GOD.
c) NONE OF US ARE BORN KNOWING HOW TO WORSHIP GOD; THEREFORE, WE MUST BE TAUGHT.
d) HOWEVER, I MUST SAY WITH STRONG CONVICTION THAT MANY HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TO WORSHIP GOD IN A WAY THAT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE OR PLEASING TO GOD.
e) THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO A MAN, BUT THE END THEREOF ARE THE WAYS OF DEATH.
f) THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT WE MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH!
g) THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARE NOT WORSHIPING HIM IN SPIRIT OR IN TRUTH!
h) SO, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I JUST WANT TO ENHANCE OUR COGNITIVE AWARENESS OF THE CRUCIAL ELEMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE WORSHIP.
5. THE ELEMENTS. RELATIONSHIP. IF THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, THERE CAN BE NO WORSHIP OF GOD.
a) ATTITUDE. WE MUST MAKE SURE AND VERY SURE THAT OUR ATTITUDE IS RIGHT WHEN WE WORSHIP GOD…
b) REVERENCE. TO REVERENCE GOD, IS TO BE IN AWE OF HIM…
c) SACRIFICE. WE CANNOT TRULY WORSHIP IF WE DO NOT SACRIFICE OURSELVES TO GOD. JESUS SAYS IN LUKE 9:23, “AND HE SAID TO THEM ALL, IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, AND FOLLOW ME.”
d) PRAISE. IF OUR WORSHIP DOES NOT INCLUDE PRAISE, THEN IT’S JUST PERFORMANCE…
e) GLORY AND HONOR. ALL THAT WE DO IN WORSHIP SHOULD BE FOR THE GLORY AND HONOR OF OUR GOD.
f) REFLECTION. WE MUST REMEMBER THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US, IS DOING FOR US, AND WILL DO FOR US. THEREFORE, WE MUST THINK.
g) THANKSGIVING. WHEN WE THINK, WE SHOULD BE MOVED TO THANK…
6. 4 POINTS/CONCLUSION/GENUINE WORSHIP WILL PRODUCE…
a) ONE, JOY…
b) TWO, PEACE…
c) THREE, A SOUND MIND…2 TIM. 1:7, “FOR GOD HATH NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND MIND.”
d) FOUR, SINGING…
e) SO, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, LET US WORSHIP GOD BECAUSE HE IS WORTHY.
• WHO ELSE BUT GOD…
• HANG THE STARS IN THEIR SILVERY SOCKETS
• COULD PUT THE WETNESS IN THE RAIN
• GIVE HEAT TO THE SUN
• COULD STEP OUT ON THE PLATFORM OF NOTHING AND CREATE EVERYTHING
• COULD CAUSE A BUSH TO BURN, BUT NOT BE CONSUMED
• CAN MAKE THE LIGHTENING DANCE ACROSS THE BOSOM OF THE SKY IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE
• CAN PAINT A YELLOW MOONLIGHT SKY ON THE CANVAS OF DARKNESS
• CAN FORM MAN OUT OF THE DUST OF THE GROUND, AND BREATHE IN HIS NOSTRIL THE BREATH OF LIFE AND MAN BECAME A LIVING SOUL
• COULD BECOME HIS OWN FATHER AND HIS OWN SON ALL AT THE SAME TIME
• COULD WRAP HIMSELF IN HUMAN FLESH, HANG OUT ON THE CROSS…
• HE’S WORTHY…
