True Worship

Rey Aguas 03 June
As a believer who have received Jesus Christ the Lord is continually unfolding the reality of God in our life more and more as he sustains our spirit to draw life in Him to be able to respond to that truth.
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Scriptures:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1)

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (John 4:23)

Reflections:

In both of these passages it's truly clear that God demands not just worship but true worship. Paul understood this as he used the words in Romans 12:1 "I appeal to you"

1. Worship in Truth.

In one of John Piper's book he says there "Bring your experience of worship into conformity with what is true about God." It is only possible through Jesus as what was discussed last Sunday by Pastor Yun.

If you really know me, you will know  my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him. (John 14:7)

The key or foundation of our worship is based on our view of God and the truth about God must be aligned in what Jesus is representing. That is why Jesus says there "You must really know me" because we can't worship God with a false view of who He really is.

In 2 Samuel 6 when the Ark is being brought to Jerusalem David was dancing in celebration. It's evident that David saw God as his most valuable treasure more than anything, more that his stature as a king. He is worshiping this way because he really knew God and in his Spirit he wrote in Psalms 103.

2. Worship in Spirit

Praise the Lord , my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. (Psalms 103:1)
His Spirit is authentically awakened and moved by the truth of God in his life. In John 3:6 as discussed by sir Philip last Monday.

Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit  gives birth to spirit.
John 3:6 NIV

By His spirit our spirit is being awakened or revived to be responsive to the truth of God as Jesus revealed it to us. Without that new birth by the spirit the worship is dead or in Jesus described in Matthew 15:8-9.

This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;  in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. (Matthew 15:8-9)

This was addressed to the Pharisees despite knowing truths about God are spiritually incapable of responding to that truth because their Spirit is dead.

3. Jesus the Center

That is why Jesus is central to worship because a person could not really know the truth about God and cannot be of Spirit without Him. To further understand this we have to look back on the story of the Samaritan woman. When she encountered Jesus in her life at the time she did not understand how monumental that moment was for her.

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship. (John 4:20)

She was focused elsewhere. That is why Jesus is trying to get her attention to what is happening "here and now". Last Sunday pastor Yun repeatedly implying the essence of this words for that Samaritan woman, for us to be encountered by a God and a Savior because at that moment Jesus Christ is letting the Samaritan woman to know the truth about God through Him as He revive her Spirit to respond to what is happening in front of her.

As a believer who have received Jesus Christ the Lord is continually unfolding the reality of God in our life more and more as he sustains our spirit to draw life in Him to be able to respond to that truth. Its happening moment by moment and that is what makes worship truly a lifestyle as what was shared to us by Bro. Jaime. Let every moment of our life be a worship to our father through Jesus who is enabling us.





Photo by: Jaime Legaspino