Worship

[Beloved Servant]

What does it mean to worship the Lord?
Is it the last 10 minutes at the end of a Sunday service?

To me, I'm learning that true worship is living unto the Lord with each step, action and breath.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9:  :thumbsup:

[Nathan]

Well, the pattern established by God through Moses was before we could even enter into the outer court of the tabernacle, we had to pass through Judah.  Judah was the tribe assigned to set their camp at the east gate, the only gate leading into the outer court of the temple.  The definition of Judah literally means "praise".  'I will enter his gates with THANKSGIVING in my heart, I will enter his courts WITH PRAISE. . ." 

For me, praise leads to worship.  Praise is celebrating and singing "about" the awesome nature of God. Worship is giving that praise directly "to" God.  Worship is more intimate and personal.  Praise comes from my head, worship comes from my heart.  Both are given willingly to the Father.

In the spirit of worship, songs of praise and worship are birthed from within us.  I was working on the job this past Saturday and as I'm on the production line, a song sprung up from within my spirit.  We have computers on the lines with email access, I didn't have a pen or paper to write it out so I emailed it to myself so that when I went to break, I could open it back up and tweak it out.  Sunday morning, it was added to our collection of songs in our worship through which God has directly inspired as well.


THE COMING OF THE FIRE

LET US PREPARE THE ATMOSPHERE
FOR WHAT'S ABOUT TO TRANSPIRE
LETS ANTICIPATE TO CELEBRATE
OUR GOD IS LIFTING US HIGHER
HIS KINGDOM HAS COME
HIS WILL HAS BEEN DONE
THIS IS HIS DESIRE
LET US PREPARE THE ATMOSHPERE 
FOR THE COMING OF THE FIRE


LET THERE LIGHT, LET THERE BE LIFE
LET THERE BE LOVE,  REMOVE ALL STRIFE
LET THERE BE PRAISE, LET ALL VOICES RAISE
BECAUSE OF HIS BREATH WE'VE OVERCOME DEATH
AND THE POWER OF THE GRAVE


IT'S NOT ABOUT A DOOM AND GLOOM
THEY SAY IS YET TO COME
IT'S RESURRECTION FROM DEATH TO LIFE,
A SONG NO MAN HAS SUNG
YOU CAN NOT LIVE LIFE
IN THE LIGHT OF HIS LOVE
THROUGH FEAR OF HELL AND MIRE
LET US PREPARE THE ATMOSPHERE
FOR THE COMING OF THE FIRE

[Beloved Servant]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cel_O-qy0i0

allelliah

[Pierac]

Worship


If we may let our Lord and King have the final word.  Jesus plainly states, "the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be his worshipers. God is spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24).  Who does Jesus declare are the "true worshipers"? He insists, "the true worshipers shall worship the Father" If we would be amongst the true worshipers we must be with Jesus worshiping this Father.   The worshipper of the One God, the Father, as Jesus' own affirmation that he is the true worshipper.

This is the biblical pattern throughout. The so-called Lord's prayer, the model prayer, teaches us to "pray in this way: our Father who art in heaven"(Matt. 6:9). This pattern of prayer and worship prescribed by our Lord Jesus is followed and sanctioned by every example given in Scripture. See the following:

"Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom.15:5-6).

" For this reason I bow my knees before the Father," (Eph 3:14) 

" giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, "  (Eph 5:20) 

" We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, " ( Col 1:3 )

"giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light." (Col 1:12)

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father "through" him." (Col 3:17) 

This list is by no means exhaustive. But it is sufficient to show that we are, with our Lord Jesus, to worship and pray to the Father. This is the usual pattern of prayer and worship in the New Testament. They prayed to the one God through the name or authority of Jesus Christ. 

Let's review our Father's own directive to the Angels concerning Jesus the son of God: "and let all the Angels of God worship him"   To all of this there is a very simple solution.  Once again it comes back to a failure to understand biblical culture; a failure to read the Bible through Hebrew eyes. In the Old Testament in main Hebrew word for worship is shachah.  It occurs about 170 times but the surprising thing is that only about half of this number relate to the worship of God as God. This fact is hidden in our English translations.  The translators prefer to say "bow down to" or "revere" when shachah  refers to homage paid to noble persons, whether Angels or men, but say "worship" when God is the object. This is a false distinction the original texts does not support. Here are just a view examples:

Lot "worshiped" the two strangers who looked like normal travelers as they entered
Sodom (Gen. 19:1).

Abraham "worshipped" the Gentile leaders of the land where he lived (Gen. 23:7).

Jacob "worshipped" his older brother Esau (Gen. 33:3).

Joseph's brothers "worshipped" him (Gen. 43:26).

Ruth "worshipped" Boaz (Ruth 2:10).

David "worshipped" Jonathan (1 Sam.  20:41).

David "worshipped" King Saul (1 Sam.  24:8).

Mephibosheth fell on his face and "worshipped" David (2 Sam.  9:6).

Abigail "worshipped" David the outlaw (1 Sam 25:23, 41).

The whole congregation "worshipped" the King (1 Chron.  9:20).

These are just a few instances of the many that could be cited to show the reluctance of the translators to consistently translate shachah as "worship" when worship of important persons was obviously a common feature of Hebrew culture.  In Scripture worship is offered to God and to men. There is no special word in the Old Testament for "worship" reserved exclusively for God. But there is a reluctance to translate this one-word consistently.  If you looked up your English translations of the above verses you will find that you do not use the "w" word. They prefer to say "bowed down" or "revered" or "pay homage to" instead of "worshiped." This inconsistency of translation has created the false impression that only God can be worshiped.

So then, how do we explain this in light of the clear command that we are to worship God the Father alone as both the first commandment and Jesus himself command?  Is this a contradiction after all?  No way.  The answer is that whenever men "worshiped" other men it was a relative worship.  In most of the examples above it is clear that the ones worshiped were God's representatives. Once again we are back to the principle of Jewish agency. The Israelites had no difficulty in offering this proportional or relative worship to the ones who came in Gods Name, with God's message.  It is obvious that the first commandment "You must not bow yourself down [shachah] to them nor serve them" is not a prohibition against a relative worship of those worthy of it. If this was the case then obviously all these Old Testament godly men and women sinned greatly.  God even promises a coming day when He will make our enemies "to come and worship at your feet, and to know that I have loved you" (Rev. 3:9). Such worship of the Saints at God's degree is clearly a relative and proportional worship.  It is perfectly legitimate to give honor to whom honor is due.  This is why many Jews felt no impropriety in "worshiping" Jesus in the Gospels because they recognized him as a prophet of God, or the Messiah sent from God. But it is preposterous to think these good people believe Jesus was Jehovah God just because they worshiped him. When they saw and heard the mighty works of Jesus they glorified God through him (Matt.  9:8; 11:27; 28:18; Luke 7:16; 9:11; 10:22). This fits the whole will of the New Testament teaching that it is God the Father who is to receive glory through His son Jesus (Eph. 1:3, 6, 12; 1 Pet.  1:3;  Heb. 13:15, etc.). Christ's exaltation is the means to a higher end. For through him all worship is ultimately directed to God and Father.

To worship him (Jesus) as Lord Messiah is thus a divinely pleasing but subordinate or relative worship.  It is instructive to read that in the coming Kingdom the Lord Jesus will orchestrate the worship of his brethren in the ultimate praise of his Father.  He will "proclaim" the Name of God to his "brothers" and he will "in the mist of the congregation singing your praise" (Heb.  2:12).  There, in that glorious Kingdom, Jesus Christ will continue to be a joyful worshiper of God his absolutely. All other divinely appointed worship is homage to persons who are not God himself. Jesus is among those worthy of such worship for he is worshiped as the one Messiah, God's supreme son and agent.

Jesus knew the prophecy: "Worship the Lord with reverence, and do homage to the Son" (Ps. 2: 11-12).  Jesus knew God his Father had decreed "Let all the Angels of God worship him" (Psalms 97:7).  Jesus knew that the angelic messengers of Jehovah had in the past received relative worship from God-pleasing men and women.  Jesus knew that of the one true God could be addressed as though they were God.  And Jesus knew he was the Son and ultimately agent of God, so how much greater his destiny!  As the "only begotten Son" whom the father had "sealed" and commissioned he knew that whoever honored him honored the Father also. This was his Father's decree (Psalms 2:11-12; 97:7).

Psalms 2:11-12 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Psalms 97:7  All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!

2Co 4:4 the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

Now back to Thomas' worship of the risen Jesus as "My Lord and my God"

This is why Jesus did not rebuke Thomas when he fell at his feet and worshiped the risen Lord.  Not because Jesus knew himself to be Jehovah God and this fact had finally dawned on Thomas.  Rather, it was homage it proffered to Jesus as God's ordained Messiah. Jesus can be worshiped as the Lord Messiah.  In fact, this is clearly what the writer John means by reporting this incident, for the very next two verses say that these things "have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31).  To say that Thomas was worshiping Jesus as Almighty God is to directly contradict John's own stated purpose for writing his whole Gospel.  When Thomas fell at Jesus' feet and worshiped him, Thomas was at last recognizing that the resurrected Jesus was the long promised Lord Messiah.  Thomas' language it was steeped in Old Testament concepts.

Remember when David stepped out of the cave and call to King Saul, "My Lord and my King" (1 Sam. 24:9)?  In the same way King Messiah is to be worshiped and adored by his bride: "Then the King will desire your beauty; because he is your Lord, bow down to him" (Ps.45:11).  Thomas' language is in the same Hebrew tradition.  He means the same thing.  Thomas is addressing the rightful king of Israel, the now risen and victorious Lord.  We just have to think like first century Jews steeped in their Old Testament prophets!  "A Savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord" (Luke 2:11).  The wise men believe the infant Jesus was the King of Israel they brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to worship him: "Where is the one who has been born King of the Jews?  We saw his star in the East and have come to worship him They bowed down and worshiped him" (Matt.  2:2, 11).  "God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36).  Worship is offered to Jesus because he is the Messiah, the Son of God, the King of Israel.  We have already seen that in Jewish understanding, the word "God" can refer to one who represents the Almighty God (Exodus 7:1, etc.).  The King of Israel could be called "god" because he represented God to the people.  Thomas knew the Old Testament prophecies that the Messiah was to be called "god" for he was to represent Jehovah perfectly.  Thomas' worship was that of a Jew deeply grounded in the Old Testament faith that God is one Jehovah and that the Messiah is also called  "god" in a relative and royal rather than an absolute sense.  Psalm 45:7 says of the Messiah, "You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of joy above your fellows."

Evidently this anointed one has a God above him: Jehovah is God.  Come to think of it, isn't this what Jesus himself said just a few verses before he received Thomas' worship?  "Stop clinging to me: for I have not yet ascended to the father; but go to my brethren, and say to them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God'" (John 20:17).

Exalted in heaven right now Jesus still calls the Lord God Almighty "my God" and "my Father" (Rev. 3:2, 5, 12).  The Lord God is still called "his God and Father" (Rev. 1:6).  In the Revelation there is always "our God" and "His Christ" (Rev. 12:10; 20:6) or "the Lord God, the Almighty, and the lamb" (Rev. 6:16; 21:22; 21:1, 3).  Yes, in good Hebrew understanding, Thomas' worship preserves this Biblical distinction:

Lord and Messiah = Lord and king= Lord and god

Jesus' creed is that his Father is "the only true God" and that he himself is the Messiah whom that one God has commissioned.  He defines this knowledge as "eternal life." (John 17:3). In all matters because on that great and unique day in the age to come, "Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus the Messiah is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:10-11).  The worship we give to our glorious Lord Jesus Christ is worship that is ultimately given to his God and our God, to his Father and our Father.



Difficult biblical data for most to accept, indeed!
Peace,
Paul

[Nathan]

Am I understanding you correctly then in the impication that we are to worship only God as in the Father?  Even though Jesus stated that if we've seen him, we've seen the Father because he and the Father are one???

[Beloved Servant]

huh?
Ok, you defined the word, but that was not exactly what I was trying to convey.

My walk has led me to know worship as a nature, a lifestyle if you will, not a set apart time here and there during the day or week or year.

Yea, whew, that was a whirlwind.
But your message led me question John 1:1;
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

[Pierac]

Am I understanding you correctly then in the impication that we are to worship only God as in the Father?  Even though Jesus stated that if we've seen him, we've seen the Father because he and the Father are one???

He and the Father are one? ... One what?

John 17:22  "The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one;

Yep, one as in the apostles were to be one! Not one being, but one in mind and Spirit!

1 Corinthians 2:16: "But we have the mind of Christ."

Philippians 2:2: "Complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing."

1 Peter 4:1: "Therefore, since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourself with the same attitude, for whoever suffers in the flesh has broken with sin, so as not to spend what remains of one's life on human desires, but on the will of God."

Philippians 2:5: "Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus."

One indeed!

1 Corinthians 7:17:
"But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit."

In other words, whoever unites himself with the Lord is one with him in mind, mind-set, attitude, thinking, or in purpose, which are all synonymous.

Paul

[Nathan]

I wasn't questioning whether or not we're to be one, my question was in our worship, was this implying, the long post you originally put out, was "that" implying that we're to worship only the Father?

And for me, it's not just one mind, but one God.  One Lord, One Spirit, One body.  There is no specific one "what".  The answer to that is "Yes".  There is one "I Am"  There is one Yesterday, Today, and Forever".  One "that which Is, Was, and Is To Come."

I know that may sound "hyper-spiritual" to some, but we really can't put limits on who God is anymore than we can put limits on what God is one as.

Is a magic marker square or round?  The answer is the same . . ."yes".  It all depends on what dimension you're choosing to look at.

[Beloved Servant]

To worship the Lord is to live for Him.
A call to worship at the end of a prayer service is trite and insulting to the Everlasting Creator.
We either worship the Lord or we worship Adam and its offspring.
There is one true worship, one true Spirit and that is Christ.
To "praise" Him during the last ten minutes is milk for the babes
but they so often burp it out before they even get home to argue about lunch.
Pathetic.
True worship is 24/7/365; Not I but Christ.

[micah7:9]

I wasn't questioning whether or not we're to be one, my question was in our worship, was this implying, the long post you originally put out, was "that" implying that we're to worship only the Father?

And for me, it's not just one mind, but one God.  One Lord, One Spirit, One body.  There is no specific one "what".  The answer to that is "Yes".  There is one "I Am"  There is one Yesterday, Today, and Forever".  One "that which Is, Was, and Is To Come."

I know that may sound "hyper-spiritual" to some, but we really can't put limits on who God is anymore than we can put limits on what God is one as.

Is a magic marker square or round?  The answer is the same . . ."yes".  It all depends on what dimension you're choosing to look at.

:thumbsup:

[micah7:9]

I have come to understand and reason that to worship is to become humble within myself. The only status that makes me one of His children is to understand that without Him i am nothing, i can do nothing, that it was Jesus who pay the ransome, and that it is Christ in me the Hope of Glory. Coming to know this keeps me humble and in a hungering state to worship my God Lord and King, i am blessed with this knowledge... the NEED to worship.

[micah7:9]

G4352
προσκυνέω
proskuneō
Thayer Definition:
1) to kiss the hand to (towards) one, in token of reverence
2) among the Orientals, especially the Persians, to fall upon the knees and touch the ground with the forehead as an expression of profound reverence
3) in the NT by kneeling or prostration to do homage (to one) or make obeisance, whether in order to express respect or to make supplication3a) used of homage shown to men and beings of superior rank
Strongs   G4352
προσκυνέω
proskuneō
pros-koo-neh'-o
From G4314 and probably a derivative of G2965 (meaning to kiss, like a dog licking his master's hand); to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): - worship.

We would do well to put this into practice  in Spirit and Truth.

[Cardinal]

 :cloud9: Amen.....one of the most profound spiritual experiences of my life was when I prostrated myself in worship, all alone, me and my God. Blessings...