Without Jesus, the world around us is going to forever stand in opposition to true worship of God. But that doesn’t mean the world doesn’t worship! The subject of worship is ultimately the question of what governors our hearts?
Conclusions:
- Everyone worships
– Worship is your expression of devotion
– Worship is a way of life
– You will worship that which you love - The world will demand worship
- Refusing to worship as the world requires will result in hatred
Christian Distinctives
- Worship is comprehensive
- God alone is to be worshipped
- Failing to worship the one true God will result in complete dysfunction and ultimate destruction
Application: How do I keep from being saturated by worldly worship?
- Recognition – What/Who are you encouraged to “kneel” for?
- Resistance – How are you prepared for opposition?
- Replacement – Where should the worship of Jesus be more evident?
Deuteronomy 25:17-19
“Remember what the Amalekites did to you along the way when you came out of Egypt. When you were weary and worn out, they met you on your journey and attacked all who were lagging behind; they had no fear of God. When the Lord your God gives you rest from all the enemies around you in the land he is giving you to possess as an inheritance, you shall blot out the name of Amalek from under heaven. Do not forget!”
Matthew 16:24-25
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
Matthew 23:1-4
“Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.”
Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
John 15:18-25
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.'”
Romans 12:1
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
Colossians 3:23-24
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
Deuteronomy 6:5
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
Deuteronomy 6:13-14
“Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.”