If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 2 Cor 5:17
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Go to the source! Discover what the Bible says about …
These pages are designed to aid study or investigation for Christian discipleship through individual Bible study, Cell groups, Home groups, or meeting one to one. The questions could be used alone allowing each person to use their own Bible.
Introduction
In worship we give God the honour He is due. As we come to know Him, our worship of Him becomes more informed. As we experience His intervention in our lives to save us, our worship of Him comes from the heart.
In an age when everything and everyone is brought down to the same level, anything that is lifted up for worship becomes a target for criticism and ridicule - none less so than God himself. Yet the Lord, the creator of the Universe is worthy of worship.
Worship is most often expressed as singing, especially in community. (More on this)
Bible Zone
- A Psalmist Worships - Example of worship.
- Source Worship - We worship what we honour. We become what we worship.
- Where we Worship - We worship in our hearts in spirit and truth.
- Worship and Heart - Relationship between worship and how we invest our lives.
The Psalms are great places to find worship. Here is one of the few places where the psalmist uses the word worship to describe what is going on.
- What attitude is seen in worship?
- What is the basis for worship.
Psalm 95 :6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,
7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.
Psalm 115 gives us insights into the nature of worship as it answers the attacks of those who worship the idols of their age. So, although it is written in an age where the values are different from today, one can glean some insights into the difference between natural worship and the true worship of God.
In all cases the questions relate to the text immediately below.
(Psalm 115 Verse 1)
- What attributes of God bring the Psalm writer to worship?
- What do you value that can be attributed to God? For what reason?
Psalm 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
- What was questioned in the Psalm writer’s culture about God? (note: At that time all gods were statues that were physically present to worship)
- What is questioned in your culture?
2 Why let the nations say, "Where is their God?"
- How tied is God to people’s expectations?
- What expectations do we put on God?
3 Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.
- What characterised the objects of worship in the Psalm writer’s culture?
- What is things, people or activities are worshiped in our culture?
4 Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
- Whatever the characteristics of the idols, what is the outcome of worship?
- What will happen when we worship God?
5 They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see. 6 They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell. ... 8 And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.
- The Psalm writer ends with trust. Why are trust and worship linked?
- How does worship help us grow in trust?
- The Psalm writer invites others to join in worship. How could we invite others?
9 O Israel, trust the LORD! He is your helper and your shield.
How I found myself struggling with my desires for created things.
Many claim to have found the way to true worship. Jesus was asked about this and His response points not to the latest group of spiritual people, but to our hearts.
- How does Jesus describe true worship?
- Why do followers of Jesus want others to worship as they do?
John 4: 19 "Sir," the woman said, "you must be a prophet.20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,* where our ancestors worshiped?"
21 Jesus replied, "Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews.23 But the time is coming—indeed it's here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."
Jesus expresses worship a little differently. In Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus helps us understand where our hearts were attached, and the consequences.
- Jesus talks of what we invest in. Where do you invest time, money emotions?
- What happens to the investments that we make?
- Jesus talks about what we choose to look at or watch. What do you choose to look at or watch? How are you drawn to these things?
- Jesus talks about what we serve. How do you know what you serve? To what do you give power to drive you in your life?
- What is the connection between what we invest in, trust or serve and what we worship?
19 "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.
22 "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light.23 But when your eye is bad, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!
24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
WORSHIP - Focus on God
