Wired for Worship: The Heart of Worship
Copyright:South Bay Community Church
Sermon Reflections: Wired for Worship: The Heart of Worship
Date: 3 March 2024
Speaker: Lead Pastor Tammy Long
Sermon Text: John 4:19-24
Sermon Reflections: Wired for Worship: The Heart of Worship
Date: 3 March 2024
Speaker: Lead Pastor Tammy Long
Sermon Text: John 4:19-24
Sermon Preamble
We are beginning a mini-series, “Wired for Worship” that highlights worship leading up to Resurrection Sunday when we will apply in transformed ways worship, praise, and celebrations of God. The heart of worshipping God is all about Jesus, but often we are distracted during worship. Since we are multi-sensory beings and our attention spans are shrinking, we may start worshipping God, but then we lose focus. External distractions during our worship together can include whether you like the music or the sermon. Internal distractions when trying to worship can include not feeling well or not in the best of moods. Our minds can be distracted from worship because we sing words to a song like we are on autopilot without feeling the meaning, or our mind is high jacked by whatever other concerns we have. When watching online, the distractions can grow exponentially thinking about undone chores instead of focusing on God during the time set aside for worship. When Jesus related with a Samaritan woman in John 4:19-25, Jesus taught new ways on where, how, and who for worship. Jesus taught lessons on where to worship. Worship can occur anywhere and at any time. It is not about a particular place, time, or building, but about intentional spiritual practices. Jesus taught lessons on how to worship. True worship is done in both spirit and truth. Unless there is passion for God, there is no worship in spirit. Jesus taught lessons on the worthiness of who to worship. Unless we have knowledge of God, there is no worship in truth. The more we get to know God, then the more we love God. This deepens our worship and glorifies God. God reveals self through creation, God’s Word, and Jesus. Understanding some attributes of God is crucial in stirring in your spirit a heart of worship. God is love. God is holy. God is faithful. God is just. God is omnipotent. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent. God is sovereign. God is merciful. God is good. God is gracious. Grasping what worship really is all about and engaging in worship as a spiritual practice could be life changing and transformational both for us personally, and for us as we worship as a church.
The Samaritan woman in John 4 asked Jesus about a dispute between Samaritans and Jews on worship
The Samaritan woman was ostracized by her community due to the nature of her past and present relationships. Because of this, it was her custom to travel alone in the heat of the day and to draw water from the community well. On this day, she meets Jesus, and Jesus asks her for a drink of water. This was unorthodox for two reasons. First, there was a law that men were not to speak directly to a woman in public. Second, although distant relatives, Jews and Samaritans did not speak to each other. But in typical Jesus style, He defied the norms; He crossed cultural and gender boundaries by acknowledging and respecting her. He asked for a drink of water, and they had a conversation. Right before where our passage begins today, Jesus shocks her by sharing very specific details about her past. It is information that Jesus couldn’t have known except through divine insight. “Sir, the woman said, ‘you must be a prophet’” (John 4:19).
Perhaps, to take the spotlight off the situation or because of an interest in spiritual things, the woman changed the subject and began talking about worship. “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?” (John 4:20). The Samaritan woman is referring to the feud that had been going on between the Samaritans and the Jews for centuries. They only had the first five books of what we know as the Old Testament and believed they preserved the original Mosaic tradition. Samaritans also had their own religious system and their own worship site on Mount Gerizim (See Deuteronomy Chapters 12 and 27 and online at https://www.gotquestions.org/mount-Gerizim.html). The Samaritans considered the Jerusalem temple to be illegitimate. The Samaritan woman is asking Jesus who is correct about this dispute on the place of worship?
Jesus introduced a new worship paradigm that the days of arguing over where to worship are over
“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” (John 4:21). Whether the place of worship is Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem doesn’t matter. Worshipping God is not to be tied to a specific place or a religious space.
At one time, God’s house was literally God’s abode. God’s presence would abide with the people, and God’s glory would at times fill the temple. Practices done by the priests, forms, and rituals were essential and the known way for the people to worship and connect with God.
But Jesus is announcing a new reality and a new realm. In this new reality, God can be worshipped anywhere, at any time, and at any place. This is not big news to us today; it’s been over 2000 years since this became the norm. But it was a huge shift for this Samaritan woman and the original hearers of Jesus’ words.
What is worship? It flows from the heart of love for God that acknowledges worthiness to be worshipped
In the church world, people have different ideas of what is worship. Some see worship as singing, or being in church, or lifting our hands, or praying. All of these can be expressions or experiences of worship. But worship is about a posture, a perspective, an attitude. The word worship is derived from “worth-ship.” Worth-ship means to give someone or something the highest honor and importance above anything and everything else.
Worship acknowledges devotion, commitment, passion, adoration, esteem, and ascribing glory with the deepest affection. We worship that which we value and love. True worship flows from a heart of love. Jesus affirmed this point, “7you hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain . . .’” (Matthew 15:7-9).
Worship is about love for God that flows from the heart, the core of our being where our spirit resides. God is a Spirit, so worshipping God in spirit happens when the heart of our spirit, a heart with passion and adoration for God, communes with the Spirit of God. This communion with God in honor, reverence, devotion, and awe is heart to heart and spirit to Spirit. Our hearts can light up in connection with God’s heart because we are wired for worship.
The connection with God heart to heart truly lights up when we worship in spirit and in truth
“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.” (John 4:22-24). Worship is not mindless or only about emotion and passion. True worship is worship that is properly formed and informed. Worship is aligned and based on the truths we know about God from God’s Word, from understanding the truth of who God is and our relationship to God.
We are fully dependent on God every minute of every day. Even those who don’t know God are dependent on God’s grace for every breath they take, every morning they open their eyes, and every provision they enjoy.
In sharing this new way of worship Jesus has presented a beautiful interconnection between spirit and truth. Both spirit and truth are necessary for true worship to occur. One writer put it this way: “Spirit without truth leads to a shallow, overly emotional experience, that could be compared to a high. As soon as the emotion is over, when the fervor cools, the worship ends. Truth without spirit can result in a dry, passionless encounter that can easily lead to a form of joyless legalism.”
In other words, true worship requires both spirit and truth, a sincere heart of love in our spirit, and an understanding of truth informed by scripture and what God has revealed about God and us. What that looks like will vary from person to person. Some express a passion for God in exuberance and boisterous expression. Others express passion for God, in quiet reverence or tears. Worship can be expressed as celebration and exalted praise, or it can be in humble deference, or on knees in repentance. In true worship, all of these expressions flow from a heart of love and are directly connected to our understanding of who God is and who we are. Unless there is passion for God, there is no worship in spirit. Unless we have knowledge of God, there is no worship in truth. Both are essential if we are going to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Jesus referenced a new who to worship, that was not familiar to the Samaritan woman
Jesus said, “You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews” (John 4:21). Upon first read, this could sound divisive, argumentative, you versus us language. But actually, Jesus is noting something significant not fanning friction. The truth is, the Samaritans had a desire to worship. The faithful were faithful to Mt. Gerizim, but their worship was misdirected because their understanding of God was incomplete.
From the schism centuries earlier, remember that the only scriptures the Samaritans had were the first five books of our Old Testament. They did not have the rest of the Old Testament to learn more about God, God’s way, worship, or about the prophecies about the Messiah coming through the lineage of the Jews.
Jesus’ point is that the Samaritans did not really know who they were worshipping. As sincere as perhaps they were, their worship was misdirected and misguided. This can be true for us, as well. We can have false narratives, misunderstandings, and assumptions about God that impede our worship. Jesus is inviting us to worship anywhere, anytime and anyplace. Jesus is teaching us to worship in spirit and in truth with a heart full of love based on the truth of God. Therefore, Jesus directs us to have some knowledge of the God we are worshipping.
Love for God comes from knowing God
Love for God comes from knowing God. When we begin to see God in all of God’s beauty, splendor, majesty, and all God has done for us, how can we not love God? The more we get to know God, the more we love God. The more we love God, the deeper our worship. The deeper our worship, the more God is glorified for God alone is worthy.
God reveals self through creation, through God’s Word, and through Jesus.
Through creation, God’s Word, and Jesus, we can begin to know God. We will never know God fully. At best, we are scratching a tiny part of the surface. We do know something about who God is through God’s attributes and character traits that we discover through creation, God’s Word, and Jesus.
Understanding the attributes of God is critical to how we respond in worship and deepen our love
Let's review an introduction to the attributes of God, not for what God does for us, but rather for whom God is:
God is love
Recognizing God’s unconditional love for us fuels our worship with gratitude and devotion. We grasp the depth of God’s love, exemplified in the sacrifice of God’s Son Jesus Christ while we were still sinners. Our hearts are moved to worship God with all that we are.
God is Holy
We become aware of God’s purity and perfection. We are drawn into worship with a deep sense of humility and a desire to live in a way that honors God’s holiness. God in holiness is mindful of us!
God is Faithful
God is faithful and unchanging. This provides a foundation for our worship. In the midst of life’s uncertainties, we can worship God with trust and confidence. We know that God is always with us and for us. God will never fail us or forsake us.
God is Just
God is a God of justice. God sees all and judges with righteousness and fairness. We recognize God’s just nature. Our worship becomes a cry for God’s justice to prevail in our world. God’s justice challenges us to act justly in our lives. Standing against injustice is an act of worship to our Just God.
God is Omnipotent
God’s omnipotence is God’s all powerful attribute that gives us a sense of security and awe. When we understand that nothing is impossible for God, it empowers our worship to be filled with faith and expectancy. When we worship God Almighty, we surrender our limitations and embrace God’s power at work in and through our lives.
God is Omniscient
God’s omniscience means that God is all knowing that assures us that God understands our every thought, need, and circumstance. Worshiping God who knows us intimately transforms our worship into a personal dialogue where we can bare our souls with full confidence that God comprehends us fully and loves us unconditionally.
God is Omnipresent
The omnipresence of God means that God is everywhere at all times. This truth brings comfort and encourages us to worship without restraint. We know that God is always with us, ready to meet us in worship wherever we are. God’s constant presence invites us into a continuous state of worship, acknowledging God in every moment of our lives.
God is Sovereign
God’s sovereignty reminds us that God is in ultimate control of all things. This attribute leads us into a worship that is submissive and trusting, acknowledging God’s authority over our lives. Worshiping the Sovereign Lord means laying down our plans and desires at God’s feet and trusting in God’s perfect will and timing.
God is Merciful
God’s mercy is one of God’s most tender attributes. It reflects God’s compassion and kindness towards us. Understanding God’s merciful nature leads us to a worship that is filled with thanksgiving and relief. We serve a God who forgives and heals. Our response to God’s mercy should be one of humility, a willingness to extend mercy to others, and mirror God’s compassion in our lives.
God is Good
Because of God’s love, the goodness of God is at the center of all God’s attributes. God is inherently good, and everything God does is an expression of God’s goodness. This reassures us in our worship because we know that we serve a God who is the epitome (ideal) of everything good. God’s plans for us are always for our good and God’s glory.
God is Gracious
The grace of God is love given freely, not because of anything we have done to earn it. This attribute leads us into worship, especially in communion worship, that is overwhelmed by gratitude and awe. We grasp the depth of God’s grace, given to us through Jesus Christ. Our worship becomes a heartfelt response of love and the only response we can offer to God’s incredible gift of salvation and life.
Big picture
Jesus’ death and resurrection make it possible for us to sing “Amazing Grace” and worship God in spirit and in truth. In this mini-series of messages on “Wired to Worship,” we point towards transformation in worship as an intentional spiritual practice by Easter Resurrection weekend.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDING FAMILY GROUPS
Sermon Preamble
-When have you had to pray that you are sorry for the distractions during the time you set aside to be focused on God in worship? Why?
The Samaritan woman in John 4 asked Jesus about a dispute between Samaritans and Jews on worship
-Are there some groups of people that you refuse to communicate with that are different than you culturally, racially, by nationality, or by belief systems? Which barriers are caused by society or caused by internal prejudices you may have? In what ways does Jesus model for you overcoming these barriers between humans?
Jesus introduced a new worship paradigm that the days of arguing over where to worship are over
-What are your feelings and attitudes that true worship of God can take place any place and at any time? Have you insisted that worshipping God can only take place at certain times and places? Why?
What is worship? It flows from the heart of love for God that acknowledges worthiness to be worshipped
-In what ways can worship be rote repetition or what Jesus calls honoring “with their lips,” but not from a heart of love that acknowledges God’s worthiness to be worshipped?
The connection with God heart to heart truly lights up when we worship in spirit and in truth
-Why does worship wired in the connection with God heart to heart and spirit to spirit require worship in spirit and in truth?
Jesus referenced a new who to worship, that was not familiar to the Samaritan woman
-Have you become aware of any false notions about God? How might they have impeded your worship in truth? -What is an appropriate prayer that any false notions about God, for which you have no awareness, not impede your true worship of God?
Love for God comes from knowing God
-Why does knowing God transform us into loving God more, then deepening our worship and glorifying God?
Understanding the attributes of God is critical to how we respond in worship and deepen our love
-What attribute(s) stirs in your spirit a heart of worship? Over the next few days, you are invited to meditate on the truth of that attribute of God.
We are beginning a mini-series, “Wired for Worship” that highlights worship leading up to Resurrection Sunday when we will apply in transformed ways worship, praise, and celebrations of God. The heart of worshipping God is all about Jesus, but often we are distracted during worship. Since we are multi-sensory beings and our attention spans are shrinking, we may start worshipping God, but then we lose focus. External distractions during our worship together can include whether you like the music or the sermon. Internal distractions when trying to worship can include not feeling well or not in the best of moods. Our minds can be distracted from worship because we sing words to a song like we are on autopilot without feeling the meaning, or our mind is high jacked by whatever other concerns we have. When watching online, the distractions can grow exponentially thinking about undone chores instead of focusing on God during the time set aside for worship. When Jesus related with a Samaritan woman in John 4:19-25, Jesus taught new ways on where, how, and who for worship. Jesus taught lessons on where to worship. Worship can occur anywhere and at any time. It is not about a particular place, time, or building, but about intentional spiritual practices. Jesus taught lessons on how to worship. True worship is done in both spirit and truth. Unless there is passion for God, there is no worship in spirit. Jesus taught lessons on the worthiness of who to worship. Unless we have knowledge of God, there is no worship in truth. The more we get to know God, then the more we love God. This deepens our worship and glorifies God. God reveals self through creation, God’s Word, and Jesus. Understanding some attributes of God is crucial in stirring in your spirit a heart of worship. God is love. God is holy. God is faithful. God is just. God is omnipotent. God is omniscient. God is omnipresent. God is sovereign. God is merciful. God is good. God is gracious. Grasping what worship really is all about and engaging in worship as a spiritual practice could be life changing and transformational both for us personally, and for us as we worship as a church.
The Samaritan woman in John 4 asked Jesus about a dispute between Samaritans and Jews on worship
The Samaritan woman was ostracized by her community due to the nature of her past and present relationships. Because of this, it was her custom to travel alone in the heat of the day and to draw water from the community well. On this day, she meets Jesus, and Jesus asks her for a drink of water. This was unorthodox for two reasons. First, there was a law that men were not to speak directly to a woman in public. Second, although distant relatives, Jews and Samaritans did not speak to each other. But in typical Jesus style, He defied the norms; He crossed cultural and gender boundaries by acknowledging and respecting her. He asked for a drink of water, and they had a conversation. Right before where our passage begins today, Jesus shocks her by sharing very specific details about her past. It is information that Jesus couldn’t have known except through divine insight. “Sir, the woman said, ‘you must be a prophet’” (John 4:19).
Perhaps, to take the spotlight off the situation or because of an interest in spiritual things, the woman changed the subject and began talking about worship. “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?” (John 4:20). The Samaritan woman is referring to the feud that had been going on between the Samaritans and the Jews for centuries. They only had the first five books of what we know as the Old Testament and believed they preserved the original Mosaic tradition. Samaritans also had their own religious system and their own worship site on Mount Gerizim (See Deuteronomy Chapters 12 and 27 and online at https://www.gotquestions.org/mount-Gerizim.html). The Samaritans considered the Jerusalem temple to be illegitimate. The Samaritan woman is asking Jesus who is correct about this dispute on the place of worship?
Jesus introduced a new worship paradigm that the days of arguing over where to worship are over
“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” (John 4:21). Whether the place of worship is Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem doesn’t matter. Worshipping God is not to be tied to a specific place or a religious space.
At one time, God’s house was literally God’s abode. God’s presence would abide with the people, and God’s glory would at times fill the temple. Practices done by the priests, forms, and rituals were essential and the known way for the people to worship and connect with God.
But Jesus is announcing a new reality and a new realm. In this new reality, God can be worshipped anywhere, at any time, and at any place. This is not big news to us today; it’s been over 2000 years since this became the norm. But it was a huge shift for this Samaritan woman and the original hearers of Jesus’ words.
What is worship? It flows from the heart of love for God that acknowledges worthiness to be worshipped
In the church world, people have different ideas of what is worship. Some see worship as singing, or being in church, or lifting our hands, or praying. All of these can be expressions or experiences of worship. But worship is about a posture, a perspective, an attitude. The word worship is derived from “worth-ship.” Worth-ship means to give someone or something the highest honor and importance above anything and everything else.
Worship acknowledges devotion, commitment, passion, adoration, esteem, and ascribing glory with the deepest affection. We worship that which we value and love. True worship flows from a heart of love. Jesus affirmed this point, “7you hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8 ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain . . .’” (Matthew 15:7-9).
Worship is about love for God that flows from the heart, the core of our being where our spirit resides. God is a Spirit, so worshipping God in spirit happens when the heart of our spirit, a heart with passion and adoration for God, communes with the Spirit of God. This communion with God in honor, reverence, devotion, and awe is heart to heart and spirit to Spirit. Our hearts can light up in connection with God’s heart because we are wired for worship.
The connection with God heart to heart truly lights up when we worship in spirit and in truth
“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.” (John 4:22-24). Worship is not mindless or only about emotion and passion. True worship is worship that is properly formed and informed. Worship is aligned and based on the truths we know about God from God’s Word, from understanding the truth of who God is and our relationship to God.
We are fully dependent on God every minute of every day. Even those who don’t know God are dependent on God’s grace for every breath they take, every morning they open their eyes, and every provision they enjoy.
In sharing this new way of worship Jesus has presented a beautiful interconnection between spirit and truth. Both spirit and truth are necessary for true worship to occur. One writer put it this way: “Spirit without truth leads to a shallow, overly emotional experience, that could be compared to a high. As soon as the emotion is over, when the fervor cools, the worship ends. Truth without spirit can result in a dry, passionless encounter that can easily lead to a form of joyless legalism.”
In other words, true worship requires both spirit and truth, a sincere heart of love in our spirit, and an understanding of truth informed by scripture and what God has revealed about God and us. What that looks like will vary from person to person. Some express a passion for God in exuberance and boisterous expression. Others express passion for God, in quiet reverence or tears. Worship can be expressed as celebration and exalted praise, or it can be in humble deference, or on knees in repentance. In true worship, all of these expressions flow from a heart of love and are directly connected to our understanding of who God is and who we are. Unless there is passion for God, there is no worship in spirit. Unless we have knowledge of God, there is no worship in truth. Both are essential if we are going to worship God in spirit and in truth.
Jesus referenced a new who to worship, that was not familiar to the Samaritan woman
Jesus said, “You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews” (John 4:21). Upon first read, this could sound divisive, argumentative, you versus us language. But actually, Jesus is noting something significant not fanning friction. The truth is, the Samaritans had a desire to worship. The faithful were faithful to Mt. Gerizim, but their worship was misdirected because their understanding of God was incomplete.
From the schism centuries earlier, remember that the only scriptures the Samaritans had were the first five books of our Old Testament. They did not have the rest of the Old Testament to learn more about God, God’s way, worship, or about the prophecies about the Messiah coming through the lineage of the Jews.
Jesus’ point is that the Samaritans did not really know who they were worshipping. As sincere as perhaps they were, their worship was misdirected and misguided. This can be true for us, as well. We can have false narratives, misunderstandings, and assumptions about God that impede our worship. Jesus is inviting us to worship anywhere, anytime and anyplace. Jesus is teaching us to worship in spirit and in truth with a heart full of love based on the truth of God. Therefore, Jesus directs us to have some knowledge of the God we are worshipping.
Love for God comes from knowing God
Love for God comes from knowing God. When we begin to see God in all of God’s beauty, splendor, majesty, and all God has done for us, how can we not love God? The more we get to know God, the more we love God. The more we love God, the deeper our worship. The deeper our worship, the more God is glorified for God alone is worthy.
God reveals self through creation, through God’s Word, and through Jesus.
Through creation, God’s Word, and Jesus, we can begin to know God. We will never know God fully. At best, we are scratching a tiny part of the surface. We do know something about who God is through God’s attributes and character traits that we discover through creation, God’s Word, and Jesus.
Understanding the attributes of God is critical to how we respond in worship and deepen our love
Let's review an introduction to the attributes of God, not for what God does for us, but rather for whom God is:
God is love
Recognizing God’s unconditional love for us fuels our worship with gratitude and devotion. We grasp the depth of God’s love, exemplified in the sacrifice of God’s Son Jesus Christ while we were still sinners. Our hearts are moved to worship God with all that we are.
God is Holy
We become aware of God’s purity and perfection. We are drawn into worship with a deep sense of humility and a desire to live in a way that honors God’s holiness. God in holiness is mindful of us!
God is Faithful
God is faithful and unchanging. This provides a foundation for our worship. In the midst of life’s uncertainties, we can worship God with trust and confidence. We know that God is always with us and for us. God will never fail us or forsake us.
God is Just
God is a God of justice. God sees all and judges with righteousness and fairness. We recognize God’s just nature. Our worship becomes a cry for God’s justice to prevail in our world. God’s justice challenges us to act justly in our lives. Standing against injustice is an act of worship to our Just God.
God is Omnipotent
God’s omnipotence is God’s all powerful attribute that gives us a sense of security and awe. When we understand that nothing is impossible for God, it empowers our worship to be filled with faith and expectancy. When we worship God Almighty, we surrender our limitations and embrace God’s power at work in and through our lives.
God is Omniscient
God’s omniscience means that God is all knowing that assures us that God understands our every thought, need, and circumstance. Worshiping God who knows us intimately transforms our worship into a personal dialogue where we can bare our souls with full confidence that God comprehends us fully and loves us unconditionally.
God is Omnipresent
The omnipresence of God means that God is everywhere at all times. This truth brings comfort and encourages us to worship without restraint. We know that God is always with us, ready to meet us in worship wherever we are. God’s constant presence invites us into a continuous state of worship, acknowledging God in every moment of our lives.
God is Sovereign
God’s sovereignty reminds us that God is in ultimate control of all things. This attribute leads us into a worship that is submissive and trusting, acknowledging God’s authority over our lives. Worshiping the Sovereign Lord means laying down our plans and desires at God’s feet and trusting in God’s perfect will and timing.
God is Merciful
God’s mercy is one of God’s most tender attributes. It reflects God’s compassion and kindness towards us. Understanding God’s merciful nature leads us to a worship that is filled with thanksgiving and relief. We serve a God who forgives and heals. Our response to God’s mercy should be one of humility, a willingness to extend mercy to others, and mirror God’s compassion in our lives.
God is Good
Because of God’s love, the goodness of God is at the center of all God’s attributes. God is inherently good, and everything God does is an expression of God’s goodness. This reassures us in our worship because we know that we serve a God who is the epitome (ideal) of everything good. God’s plans for us are always for our good and God’s glory.
God is Gracious
The grace of God is love given freely, not because of anything we have done to earn it. This attribute leads us into worship, especially in communion worship, that is overwhelmed by gratitude and awe. We grasp the depth of God’s grace, given to us through Jesus Christ. Our worship becomes a heartfelt response of love and the only response we can offer to God’s incredible gift of salvation and life.
Big picture
Jesus’ death and resurrection make it possible for us to sing “Amazing Grace” and worship God in spirit and in truth. In this mini-series of messages on “Wired to Worship,” we point towards transformation in worship as an intentional spiritual practice by Easter Resurrection weekend.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDING FAMILY GROUPS
Sermon Preamble
-When have you had to pray that you are sorry for the distractions during the time you set aside to be focused on God in worship? Why?
The Samaritan woman in John 4 asked Jesus about a dispute between Samaritans and Jews on worship
-Are there some groups of people that you refuse to communicate with that are different than you culturally, racially, by nationality, or by belief systems? Which barriers are caused by society or caused by internal prejudices you may have? In what ways does Jesus model for you overcoming these barriers between humans?
Jesus introduced a new worship paradigm that the days of arguing over where to worship are over
-What are your feelings and attitudes that true worship of God can take place any place and at any time? Have you insisted that worshipping God can only take place at certain times and places? Why?
What is worship? It flows from the heart of love for God that acknowledges worthiness to be worshipped
-In what ways can worship be rote repetition or what Jesus calls honoring “with their lips,” but not from a heart of love that acknowledges God’s worthiness to be worshipped?
The connection with God heart to heart truly lights up when we worship in spirit and in truth
-Why does worship wired in the connection with God heart to heart and spirit to spirit require worship in spirit and in truth?
Jesus referenced a new who to worship, that was not familiar to the Samaritan woman
-Have you become aware of any false notions about God? How might they have impeded your worship in truth? -What is an appropriate prayer that any false notions about God, for which you have no awareness, not impede your true worship of God?
Love for God comes from knowing God
-Why does knowing God transform us into loving God more, then deepening our worship and glorifying God?
Understanding the attributes of God is critical to how we respond in worship and deepen our love
-What attribute(s) stirs in your spirit a heart of worship? Over the next few days, you are invited to meditate on the truth of that attribute of God.
Posted in Wired for Worship
Tagged with worship, distract, John 4, Samaritan, where worship, Spirit, truth, Matthew 15:7-9, love, glory, reveal, holy, faithful, just, justice, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign, mercy, good, grace
Tagged with worship, distract, John 4, Samaritan, where worship, Spirit, truth, Matthew 15:7-9, love, glory, reveal, holy, faithful, just, justice, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, sovereign, mercy, good, grace
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March
April
2023
January
February
March
May
June
November
2022
April
May
Finding God in Our Feelings: Facing Shame (Lite)Finding God in our Feelings: Facing Shame (Expanded)Finding God In Our Feelings: Facing Grief (Expanded)Finding God in our Feelings: Facing Anger & What lies beneathFinding God in Our Feelings - Facing LonelinessFinding God in Our Feelings - Embracing JoyFinding God in Our Feelings - Embracing Joy (Lite)
June
July
Courageous Conversations - By the BookCourageous Conversations: Racial Reconciliation (Lite)Courageous Conversations - Racial Reconciliation- ExpandedCourageous Conversations - Dear God, Are you Pro-life or Pro-choice? (Expanded)Courageous Conversations - Love Comes First (Expanded)Courageous Conversations: Love Comes First (Lite)
September
October
November
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