Worship Is ....

WORSHIP IS ….

PSALM 96

There was a little boy riding in the car with his mother and they were just talking and having a good time together talking about just anything that came into their heads and the little boy asked his mother a question. He asked, how high have you ever counted before mom? Well the mom thought for a minute and said that she really couldn’t remember just counting before. Then she asked her son if he had ever counted just to see how much he could count. He said sure, all the time. She then asked well how high he had counted. He said 8,397. She asked how he could remember that so well. He said that it was easy because that’s when church was over.

. In survey after survey about why people don’t go to church, the number one reason they give is that church is boring.

. Have you ever heard of oxymoron’s ? they are phrases or words that when you put them together they seem to contradict each other.

. Let me give you some examples.

. Jumbo Shrimp, Plastic Silverware, Extended Deadline, Doubting Believers, Honest Crook, Free With Purchase, Gourmet Hamburger, Evaporated Milk.

. All of those words when used together contradict one another.

. This morning, I want to share one more oxymoron with you.

. Boring worship.

. Folks, true worship is any thing but boring.

. The very essence of what worship is does not allow us to be bored if we come before the Lord to truly worship.

. When we come before the God of the universe and accept who He is then we can’t help but worship Him.

. Many come to a worship service expecting to be led to worship instead of coming with a heart of gratitude and love for God that automatically and perpetually has them in a state of worship .

. We should be coming to publicly express what they have been doing all week long.

. When we come together in the sanctuarary we are here to publicly proclaim our love and adoration for God.

. It seems that over the past 20 years or so there has been many issues with the way churches conduct their worship services.

. There have been more church break ups and splits in what has been termed worship wars.

. Why are we singing this type of song or why do we do this or why do we do that . This is different and I don’t like it.

. If truth be known, most of these wars are started with the word I. It’s all about me and what I want or what I prefer.

. This morning, lets look at what king David wrote about worship.

. psalm 96

. 1Sing a new song to the LORD!

Let the whole earth sing to the LORD!

2Sing to the LORD; praise his name.

Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.

3Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.

Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.

4Great is the LORD! He is most worthy of praise!

He is to be feared above all gods.

5The gods of other nations are mere idols,

but the LORD made the heavens!

6Honor and majesty surround him;

strength and beauty fill his sanctuary.

7O nations of the world, recognize the LORD;

recognize that the LORD is glorious and strong.

8Give to the LORD the glory he deserves!

Bring your offering and come into his courts.

9Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor.

Let all the earth tremble before him.

10Tell all the nations, “The LORD reigns!”

The world stands firm and cannot be shaken.

He will judge all peoples fairly.

11Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice!

Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!

12Let the fields and their crops burst out with joy!

Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise

13before the LORD, for he is coming!

He is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with justice,

and the nations with his truth.

. The first thing that we see here is that we are to EXALT HIS NAME.

. Vs 1-2a say: 1Sing a new song to the LORD!

Let the whole earth sing to the LORD!

2Sing to the LORD; praise his name.

. Notice here that we are encouraged to sing three times here in these first two verses..

. Singing and music has always been a way of rejoicing and exalting and worshipping God.

. Since the creation, singing has been a part of worshiping God.

. In Job 38 4-7 we see this. God is talking to Job and He says: Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?