God's Design for the Church: To Worship (Psalm 95:1-7a)

Series: God's Design for the Church

Sermon: To Worship

Scripture: Psalm 95:1-7a

Date: October 20, 2019

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord!  Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.  For the Lord is the great God, and the great King above all gods.  In His hand are the deep places of the earth; the heights of the hills are His also.  The sea is His, for He made it; and His hands formed the dry land.  Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.  For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.  (Psalm 95:1-7a)

Biblical worship is the full-life response - head, heart, and hands - to who God is and what He has done.

The use of the word worship in the Hebrew is the verb "sharjah" which means "to bow down, to prostrate oneself" or to "lay flat on the ground"

"The smile of God is the goal of your life."  -Rick Warren

Let's see three things about worship that pleases God:

1. God is pleased with truthful worship
   • Psalm 95:2
   • John 4:23-24
2. God is pleased with transparent worship
   • Psalm 95:1-2
   • John 4:23-24
   • 1 Samuel 16:7b
   • "God smiles when we love Him supremely.  God smiles when we trust Him completely.  God smiles when we obey Him wholeheartedly.  God smiles when we praise and thank Him continually.  God smiles when we use our abilities."  -Rich Warren
   • The heart of worship is surrender.
   • Transparent worship is not just about being real about where you are but also about being where you want to be.
3. God is pleased with thoughtful worship
   • Psalm 95:3
   • Did God get anything out of church today?  Did He get anything out of my worship and your worship?
   • Everything you do out of love for Jesus is worship.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Is God getting anything out of my worship today?