Worship

Course: The Higher Calling to Worship

Introductory Lesson 1 (Outline)

Lesson Title: The Life of Worship

Theme: The Christian life is a life of worship

Text: John 4:24 'God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.'

Introduction: Every area of the Christian life is associated with worship.

· Walk in love - sweet smelling fragrance (worship) Ephesians 5:2.

· Present your bodies as a living sacrifice (worship). Romans 12:1

· Go up to worship: We choose Jerusalem or the Dead Sea

Introductory Story: The hardest trials have produced the highest worship.

• The book of Psalms is the great book of worship but much of the worship is born out of difficult trials.

· H.G.Spafford wrote the hymn ‘it is well with my soul’ after experiencing two major disasters in his life. (1) He was financially ruined by the Chicago fire of 1874. (2) His four daughters drowned when their ship collided crossing the Atlantic.

Exposition:

1. Worship is the heart of the Christian life (John 4:24).

· Worship is the most essential part of an effective Christian life. Without worship the Christian life becomes mundane and unattractive to others.

2. Worship is born out of our relationship with the Lord (Ephesians 3:17).

· The heights that we reach in worship will always depend upon the closeness of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Worship must be in spirit and in truth, (John 4:23).

· Worship involves the very innermost part of our being. True worship includes the thoughts and desires of the heart.

4. Effective ministry in the body of Christ must always be worship, (John 21:15-17).

· Ministry to others flows out of worship that is rooted in love for Christ.

5. Our worship will determine how we will enter into heaven, (2 Peter 1:10-11).

· Illustration: Olympic Games - the athlete brings honour to the nation.

6. There is no higher calling than the call to worship, (Psalm 27:4).

· The prayer of the worshipper is 'that I might know Christ', (Philippians 3:10).

Conclusion:

1) The aim of the worshipper is to glorify the Lord in all things and at all times.

2) The heights reached in worship are determined by our relationship with the Lord.

3) Worship involves every area of our lives including our innermost thoughts.

4) When duty or ambition motivates our ministry it is not worship.

5) How we enter heaven depends on our love for the Lord.

6) A worshipper must have one desire 'to know Christ'.

Full Lesson

Course Index

Textbook - The Higher Calling to Worship