Spiritual Growth
The Marks of Spiritual Growth – Worshiping God
June 4, 2006

Oh come let us worship the LORD; For we are His people, the flock that He shepherds.
Psalm 95

Why do we worship God?

• Everyone is a worshiper.

• Worship of God begins the Ten Commandments.

• Worship is the ultimate priority.

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. Psalm 27:4

• Worship brings glory to God.

• We worship in order for God to reveal more of Himself to us.

• To become like the one we worship.

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. 2 Corinthians 3:18

• We are redeemed to worship.

Salvation is God seeking worshipers.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. John 4:23

o All who were redeemed by Jesus worshipped Him.

o All of heaven will be consumed with worship. (Revelation 4:8-11 and 5:11-14)

o Worship is not optional.

Jesus said to him, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. Matthew 4:10


What is worship?

• Worship defined.

o Rendering (ascribing) to God the honor that is due Him. Stephen Charnock
o Honor and adoration directed to God. John MacArthur
o God “wants to cultivate within us the adoration and admiration of which He is worthy. He wants us to be astonished at the inconceivable elevation and magnitude and splendor of Almighty God.” A.W. Tozer

• Worship as a way of life.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1



• Worship as a specific activity.

o Praising Him for who He is.
o Thanking Him for what He does.
o The Psalmist combines praise and thanksgiving:

Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever and His faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalm 100:4-5


How do we worship?

• God commands that we worship in a way that He approves and that pleases Him.

• We must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23 above)

o Worshiping in spirit.

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men. Matthew 15:8-9

o Worshiping in truth.

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18

o A marriage between the mind and the emotions.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:16

o Not associated with a place. (Private and corporate worship)

• We must always come to God through Christ.

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15

• We must worship with hearts free from cherished sin.

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. Psalm 66:18

o “To cherish a sin is to hold on to some sinful disposition or course of action we know is wrong.” Jerry Bridges

o The difference between struggling with sin and cherishing it.

• The act of worship.

o Falling down in humility and confession.

You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are [a] a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:16-17

o Casting our crowns before Him (anything that calls attention to ourselves).

o Come let us worship the Lord!