WHAT IS WORSHIP?

John 4:20-24

    Jesus said, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Matt. 4:10).

    All Christians believe that worship is important, but what does it mean?  What does worship include?  Is it just going to church?  Is it just reading the Scriptures?  Is it just saying a prayer?  Is it just singing a hymn?

    Well, originally worship was an offering to God, of self, talents and resources.  Jesus said, “If you are standing before the altar . . . offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there . . . Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God” (Matt. 5:23-24, nlb).

    But worship today has changed.  Now we attend services to get blessings instead of to be one.  Both are important.

    In fact, Jesus commanded us to do five things.  He said, "The first of all the commandments is . . . Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength . . . And the second commandment is . . . Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:29-31).

    Now, considering these five commandments, what form should our Church services take?  What programs should be emphasized?  What activities should be included?

    Let's ask ourselves how many Churches actually use this criteria in planning their ministry?  Have you ever been taught how to love God with your mind?  Have you ever been taught how to put your love of neighbor into practice?  Think about it.  How many hours do we waste sitting in church services that do nothing to inform us or inspire us?  Is this really worship?  Let's analyze these important commandments.

I.  First, Jesus said we must love God with all our hearts.

    Now, the original meaning of heart is feelings, emotions and core of being.  We can only love with feelings when we know someone.  We can know God by reading Scriptures that tell us about His attributes.  We can appreciate His promises and we can communicate through prayer.  David described such a relationship when he said, "My mouth shall  praise You . . . When I remember You upon my bed, and meditate on You in the night . . ." (Psa. 63:5b-6, amp);

    "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him sincerely and in truth" (Psa.  145:18, amp).

    The writer of Hebrews said, "Let us come near to God with a sincere heart . . ." (Heb. 10:22, edb).

    According to an Indian legend, at a certain age, each young man is taken into the forest, blindfolded and left alone.  He is required to sit on a stump all night until the sun comes up.

    Once he survives the night, he is a Man.  He cannot tell other people of this experience.  As one boy sat there he could hear all kinds of noises.  Beasts were all around him.  Maybe even some evil person would hurt him.  The wind blew, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold.  Finally, after a horrific night, the sun arose and he removed his blindfold.  It was only then that he saw his father sitting on a nearby stump.  He had been there the entire night.

    Likewise, we are never alone.  Even when we do not know it, our Father is near.

    Loving God with all our hearts means feeling His presence.

II.  Second, Jesus said we must love God with all our souls.

    The original meaning of soul is life, essence and spirit.  It's difficult to explain how to love with our soul; but when we say someone is a "kindred spirit," we're referring to an individual with similar concerns and values.  One who shares our hopes and dreams.  In order to love God with our soul we must identify with Him and desire what He desires.  David made such a spiritual commitment.  "Unto You, O Lord, do I bring my life" (Psa. 25:1, amp).

    Another Psalmist expressed it this way,  "My inner self thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psa. 42:2, amp).

    Jesus emphasized this aspect of worship.  "God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24, nlb).

    Once a man called Dr. Schuller on a radio talk show and protested, “Preacher, I’m an atheist.  I think you’re wrong!”  Dr. Schuller laughed and said, “You know, if ten seconds before I die, I got the message, ‘You fool!  There is no God.”  I would say, ‘Oh, but I’m still glad I lived the way I did.  If I had to do it all over again, I’d embrace the same faith.  I wouldn’t change a thing, because it has enriched my life.  I was able to live with hope instead of despair, with faith instead of fear, and with love instead of hatred.  I’m a much nicer guy than if I had never believed.  I wouldn’t change a thing, and that’s the truth.’”

    It’s a scientific rule that when something produces positive results, that something is real, whether you believe it or not!

    Loving God with all our soul means identifying with Him.

III.  Next, Jesus said we must love God with all our mind.

    The original meaning of mind is deep thought, understanding and imagination.  We can love God with our minds by learning, thinking and developing ideas.  We're to use reason and logic as well as faith.

    Solomon gave advice about this.  He said, "Cry out for wisdom.  Beg for understanding . . . Then you will understand what it means to respect the Lord.   Then you will begin to know God" (Prov. 2:2-5, edb);

    Hosea said, "My people will be destroyed because they have no knowledge . . . ” (Hosea 4:6a, edb).

    Paul said, "I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind . . ." (I Cor.  14:15b, edb).

    James said, "If any of you needs wisdom, you should ask God for it.  God . . . enjoys giving to all people, so God will give you wisdom" (James. 1:5, edb).

    We know so little about the universe; We know so little about human nature; We know so little about life.  A verse says,

    We have not yet arrived
    Without this growing notion,
    Our knowledge is a drop,
    Our ignorance is an ocean.

    Loving God with all our minds means thinking positive thoughts and using common sense.


IV.  Then, Jesus said we must love God with all our strength.

    The original meaning of strength is ability, energy and action.  In order to love God with our strength we must apply our faith in productive ways.  The writer of Ecclesiastes said, "Whatever work you do, do  your best . . ." (Ecc.  9:10a, edb).

    James stressed this type of worship when he said, "Do not merely listen to the word, . . . Do what it says" (James 1:22, niv);
    "What’s the use of saying you have faith if you don’t prove it by your actions? . . .” (James 2:14, nlb);

    John agreed with James.  He said, "Let us stop just saying we love each other; let us really show it by our actions" (I John 3:18).
    If Christ has said, “Fight for your faith!”

        We’d gladly volunteer.
    If he had said, “Debate your faith!”
        We’d say, “Amen!” and cheer.
    If he had said “Defend your faith!”
        That’s what we’d surely do.
    If he had said, “Go preach your faith!”
        We’d try to do that too.
    But Christ, instead, said, “Live your faith,
        And live so none can doubt.”
    At that we balk and quickly say,
        “No, Lord!  Just count me out!”
            —Maralene Wesner

    Loving God with all our strength means living our faith.

V.  Finally, Jesus added that we must love others as unselfishly as we love ourselves.

    The original meaning of loving others included concern, empathy and the offer of assistance.  To love others we must show respect.  We must give encouragement and we must treat others as we would want to be treated.

    Solomon said, "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it when it’s in your power to help them" (Prov. 3:27).
    Paul said, "As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people . . .” (Gal. 6:10, niv).

    As Christians it’s our purpose to receive God’s love and then channel it into the lives of those around us.  Jesus itemized specific ways of loving others.  He said, "I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.  I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’  I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” (Matt. 25:34-36; 40).

    So what is true worship?   Well, true worship is holistic!  It must involve all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  Jesus said, “You must worship the Lord your God; serve only him” (Luke 4:8).

    The word worship here means to love, honor and serve.  But it especially means to feel a closeness.  You can't really love someone you don't know.  Suppose you pick up the newspaper and read that a plane crashed in New Zealand and killed 150 people.  You say, "Too bad"; and eat your breakfast.  You don't weep for individuals you don't know.

    But, suppose there is a news bulletin:  "Four-year-old Janet Smith fell into an open well this morning.  Rescuers are responding to her cries for help."  For the next 24 hours you hear her name and see her face on TV.  Stories describe Janet and her family.  You begin to feel that you know this child.  Worry and grief begin to grow.  You love her because you are getting to know her.

    A leader of VBS told that ordinarily they used their mission money to support 200 children in a Baptist institution.  But, one year, when a little girl in their home town was sick and needed help, the offering was double.  The more  you know someone the more you love them.  In order to worship God, we must know Him!

    Several years ago, a Christian writer wrote, "When I was a young man, I spent a weekend at a new friend’s house.  The room across the hall from me was off limits.  Nobody was allowed in that room.  But, one night I happened to be awake, and thought I heard something.  I  quietly opened my door and peeked out.  I saw movement in that forbidden room.  I saw someone in bed.  It was a young man with the look of a totally deranged personality.  Kneeling by his side was the mother."

    The writer said, "I will never forget her words.  She was crying and saying, 'Son, I brought you into this world.  I gave you food.  I have loved you every day of your life.  And you still don't know me' "

    Does God say that to us?  Does He say, “I’ve created you.  I’ve given you blessings.  I’ve loved you all your life and you still don’t know me.  You see, God wants to have a relationship with us.  God wants us to love him with all our heart, our soul, our mind and our strength.  God wants us to know Him and that’s what true worship is all about.

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(WC1895)

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