True Worship, Part 3

Worship is so important that it is that for which God seeks God makes an effort to gain worshipers.

In fact, it is the most important activity that man can be in the worship of God, not there at all. Just not ready to worship God the way he deserves in the way he desires.

On days like that. What should you do. How can you put your focus back on Christ and his worship only something you're supposed to do in a church setting. Find the answers to those questions today on grace to you as John MacArthur continues his practical and challenging study called true worship. And now with the lesson. Here's John Knisley have called our attention to John chapter 4, we have focused on the most important passage in the New Testament on worship and to begin with we just been highlighting one major point and that is the importance of worship that point is not extraneous to this text.

It is in fact inherent in it. If you notice the end of verse 23, it says the father Sica such to worship him. Worship is so important that it is that for which God seeks God makes an effort to gain worshipers. In fact, it is the most important activity that man can be involved, the worship of God that we been talking are already about the importance of worship.

I suggested to you that there are four reasons why it's important and I want to review the ones recovered and then go on. First of all, worship is important because Scripture is so dominated by it, no matter where you turn in the Scripture you find that worship is enjoined, worship is instructed. It's all over the Scripture. For example, Exodus chapter 20, where the first of all, the 10 Commandments reflect the law of God is a call to worship in Matthew 22 where the Lord Jesus Christ was confronted about what is the first commandment. He responded with a commandment of worship.

We talked about the tabernacle and the temple being symbols to identify the importance of worship in the midst of God's people. We talked about the patriarchs who build altars to worship God that goes as far back as even Cain and Abel and then we went to the New Testament, and we examined Romans 12 one and two in first Peter 25 and looking at those two scriptures we saw that we are as Christians call to spiritual worship which is acceptable to God.

Spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God, so all away from chains of the church. Anybody was ever identity identified himself with the Saints of God has been called a worship has been made a worshiper. So first of all, then we say worship is important because of the fact that it still dominates the life and times of Scripture. Secondly, worship is important because destiny is marked by worship is not only a scriptural issue is an issue of destiny how a person worships is indicative of their eternal destiny and you remember that we said there are two kinds of worship unacceptable and acceptable, and one who worships unacceptably is rejected by God, one who worships unacceptably is received by God.

Now I also told you that there are four kinds of unacceptable worship. We looked at that first there is the worship of false gods. Unacceptable. There is the worship of the true God in the wrong form reducing God to an idol. And then there is the worship of the true God in a self-styled manner. And then there is the worship of the true God in a wrong attitude.

All of those are unacceptable to worship a false god to worship the true God in a wrong form to worship the true God is self-styled manner or to worship the true God in a wrong attitude. All those wrong. Now let me talk about acceptable worship and this is what I want you to think with me, especially your destiny is determined by acceptable worship your marked out as a believer by acceptable worship. The goal of salvation is to create true worshipers and I think as I alluded to in one of my earlier messages that some 24 verse 3 to 6 is perhaps the most lovely Old Testament picture of an acceptable worship. It says, who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place who has a right to go into God's presence who has a right to come to God who has a right to draw near. He who hath clean hands are the pure heart.

You can go there let your washed and he was not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, he shall receive the blessing from the Lord in righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of them that seek you the truth seekers are those with pure hearts clean hands, honest motives, the pure, the righteous and holy. How can you become like to be redeemed, so redemption then is to create true worshipers will worship acceptably to God want to pick it up from Hebrews 1228. The writer of Hebrews says it we receive a kingdom which cannot be moved.

Unlike the earth which was shaken illustration point here is the shaking of Mount Sinai, but he says we have a kingdom that can't be moved or shaken. Therefore let us have grace by which we may serve God and the word service will true up from which we get liturgy it means to worship.

So let us have grace by which we may worship God acceptably marked that word that's the word whereafter acceptable worship acceptable worship. Let us have grace by which roommates server worship God. Acceptable and then he lists to G thinks with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire. If you are worship God. There will be deep in your heart a balance between reverence and fear. Reverence is positive in the sense it affirms the value of the worth of God.

Fear is negative, it affirms the judgment chastening punishing consuming fire of verse 29 and sold the true worshiper worships out of reverence for God and out of fear of God, and those are essential. We are then to worship God acceptably. That is the command of verse 20. If we have been redeemed. We are the true worshipers and is true worshipers. We must worship acceptably limits at this point I believe if your true worshiper. You will, but not all the time and not always as fully as you watch because there still that sin that is in us right, but a true Christian is a true worship but we don't always, always worship as truly as we ought to worship or is consistently and so we are called here to worship God acceptably with positive affirmation of who he is, in all his glory, and a negative affirmation of the factories a consuming fire.

We have reason to fear if we don't worship him, except so acceptable worship is what he asks of his people know what is it me, what does that mean I follow because I was sure he would turn your Bible. Romans 14 and I want you to state clearly in mind with what were saying. Now for the next five or 10 minutes because it's all gonna wrap up in a couple of statements or to make a big difference.

So follow along carefully in your Scriptures. If you can't turn fast enough to listen. Write them down.

Romans 1418 says this for he that in these things serves Christ is acceptable to God, what things well this whole chapter is all about not making a weaker brother stumble not grieving her brother not destroying a brother not using your liberty to cause himself to stumble and he says this is you serve Christ in these areas.

That's acceptable worship so worshipers the role as a matter of how we treat our fellow believers. Yet how we treat our fellow believers as a matter worship as a matter of worship. That's a matter of glorifying God and honoring God delegate chapter 15 verse 60 Romans 1516 and Paul is thanking God. Of course, for the grace to call them into the ministry and then he makes amazing amazing state. He says that I've been ministering the gospel of God. Why Paul, in order that watch this, the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable now that is the language of sacrifice that is the language of worship and he says I am offering the Gentiles as an offering to God that is acceptable what you mean. This winning someone to Jesus Christ is acceptable worship. Also, his converts as offerings given to God, which were acceptable to God, what a beautiful way to see evangelism your gaining a soul you can offer to God as an active holy, acceptable worship so worshipers treat Christians and worshipers winning non-Christians. Philippians 418. Philippians 418, and Paul writes Philippians in part to thank the Philippians for a gift of money which they sent him. He was so glad the Senate because it was such an act of love. But he says in verse 18.

I have everything I abound I am full I have received from a calf or died is the things which were sent from you. And when they came to me they were an owner have a sweet smell and sacrifice, acceptable, well pleasing to God. I love he says your gift of money your gift to meet my need was before God a sacrifice acceptable but brought to his nostrils, the sweet smell was worship is giving money to meet needs as worship. That's right, it's giving your wrist resources to others supporting the saints in the work of the church in the ministry of Christ. That's worship the listen carefully.

Romans 14 how you treat fellow Christians. Romans 15 the winning of non-Christians. Philippians 4 giving to meet needs worship center worship sharing some of those three things, worship sharing with others sharing with others.

Your love sharing with others. The gospel sharing with other your resources as worship, go to Ephesians 510 Ephesians 510, and here's another very very important text. It says this proving what is acceptable unto the Lord not here again we have the language of sacrifice where the language of offerings. We have the language of worship and what is the issue here. Verse eight walk as children of light, so that there may be the fruit of light. Watch this goodness, righteousness manifesting what is acceptable and that's what he say when your life has goodness, righteousness and truth then you are acceptable so worship a true offering to God's righteousness, goodness, truth, that's personal holiness, personal virtue, not turn again to Philippians chapter 1 verse 11 and let me show you another Scripture Philippians 111 being filled with the fruits of righteousness. There we are. The same concept. Again, righteousness, and the fruits of righteousness through Christ which are on to the glory and praise of God. Again we see the same thing we saw in Ephesians 510 that righteousness, holiness, goodness, godliness is worship that is acceptable. That is acceptable and just to sum it up.

First Timothy 23. First Timothy 23 which says, for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. What is the end of verse two quiet and peaceable life lived in all godliness and honesty.

The decedent godliness and honesty, righteousness, goodness, holiness that's worship was I give you three scriptures that showed worship sharing with others. I just gave you three scriptures that showed worship is related to our own holiness, our own righteousness, our own goodness that's worship that's worship is how you live every day of your life.

Worship is a way of living, a way of living.not only manifests a personal holiness in a personal righteousness but extends that in the love of the brethren in the proclamation to the lost and the freeing of all of our resources to meet needs. That's worship. Let me give you the suitable word all finally climaxes in Hebrews 13, Hebrews 13 verse 15 and it says by you. I love that that's by Jesus Christ mission in verse 12 by Jesus Christ last offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Now that is really the climaxes and it that is praising and glorifying with our lips and thanking God continually, that is worship and that's what we do, we come together we sing and we praise God with our hearts and our lips and we say thanks verse 60 but to do good and to share. Forget not, for with such sacrifices God is what will please you get listen to me. God wants you to come here and worship. He wants you to be here to praise his name to glorify his name to say thanks to him, but he does not want you to forget that worship is a way of life in which you do good and it was to share with others see it. These two verses sum up all that I've been saying listen very carefully to what I said if you think that you can live anywhere you want in walking the Sunday morning and worship your dead wrong.

You can't do that because worship does not occur in a vacuum. It's a way of life. May I add this, you also need Sunday to stimulate the rest of the week. That's right. It says in Hebrews chapter 10 let us draw near to God and then it says listen carefully, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, why because we can come together to stimulate one another to what love sharing and good works.

That's righteousness you have to have them out there in the world in order worship and you have to be stimulated to them in the worship in order to live them out there in the world to see the cycle not you're not in the cycle somewhere. You better get in. See how to get in. Confess your sins start right now you say well I met so many problems in the Christian life. I seem to be in what I think.

I think it's all basically come down to 231.

They're not worshiping six days a week with the worshiping life or not worshiping one day a week with the assembly of the saints.

You need both worship is essential is essential.

As I said, first of all because it wastes it dominate Scripture and secondly because it's a matter of destiny. We give you 30 worship is essential because it is the major theme of the universe.

The major theme of the universe. The major theme of the ages.

The major theme of eternity went out of an evil created and put on this world.

They worship God and walk the talk of God in the cool of the day they worshiped and glorified his his holy name in the fall came because they would worship anymore. That's right, Eve chose to worship whom bullet you worship St. Adam chose to worship whom he answers a cease worshiping God, they fell. The first division among men came to treating enable why the division came over the way they worshiped one brought acceptable one unacceptable offering and if you look at the future look at Revelation chapter 4. You'll find that history consummates and worship. Revelation 410. Get a glimpse of the future glory of the Lord coming to set up his kingdom. The four and 20 elders fell down before him, that is, seated on the throne and worship him forever and ever cast their crowns before the throne, saying, thou art worthy art she worship is the theme of heaven. Chapter 5 verse 14 and the four living creatures said amen and the 412 the 20 elders fell down and worshiped him deliverance forever and ever listen to the last two verse 10 of chapter 19 and I fell at his feet. The feet of an angel of an angel who spoke to John. I fell at his feet to worship and he sent them to me, see thou do it not.

I am thy fellow servant of thy brother, and that have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God. Would you underline those two worship God. Chapter 22 verse eight John again and his vision was so amazed and he fell down in verse eight to worship the angel again and the same thing happen the Angels to see thou do it not.

I'm thy fellow servant of thy brother, the prophets, and of them keep the words of this book, worship God underline it again.

That beloved is the everlasting gospel that is the message from eternity to eternity that God has to give worship me worship me. That is the theme of eternity. The theme of redemptive history. Worship the true and living in glorious God so Scripture calls us to worship. Destiny calls us to worship eternity calls us to worship and just in case somebody might fall through the cracks and think you don't need to worship you one more before. The reason why it's important worship Christ commanded Christ commanded it. Matthew 410. He said this and summed it all up, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he said it to seek and in so saying swept into that command every being ever created all responsible to worship God you worship God as a way of life. That's what he's asking if you find it difficult to worship the Lord. When you come on Sunday.

It is because the music is in right it is a because there's too much noise in the auditorium when you come in.

It isn't because you had the hassle for a parking place, not here. If you can't worship it isn't because you got distracted.

If you can't worship it's because you're not in the flow. See everything there is calls for worship. Everything, everything Scripture calls for worship. Destiny calls for worship, eternity calls for worship Christ calls for worship.

The Angels of said worship God worship God, but it can't happen once a week. It's a way of life.

That's John MacArthur wrapping up today's lesson on true worship that's the title to study here on grace to you John, you said today that worship is supposed to be a lifestyle the first time I heard you teach this series decades ago. That was the statement that just sort of rocked my world view, and yet it was immediately obvious to me that this is a biblical concept because Scripture says whatever you do in word or deed, do it, to the glory of God. But I know people struggle with this because it's not obvious how to do that hi County worship God at a football game and how can we worship God in everything we do.

Well, I think you look at life through God colored glasses so that you CME a football game. You could say I see the beauty of your creation. I see the wonder of the human creation that you've made. You may be looking into the faces of 20,000 people, and you would say as well.

II know some of these people know you and many of these people don't know you and everything is related to God. You see common grace.

You see people happy enjoying life, enjoying relationships, enjoying each other enjoying the entertainment is going on the field eating things that they enjoy eating you. You're just in my case I'm just saying God you've given so much common grace. These people are thrilled or excited their exuberant there running through the gamut of emotions there in relationships with each other there enjoying the beauty of your creation. That's worship you, you to everything that you see everything you look at you see through God colored eyes at the same time you use these sadness in all of that because you know these people are making the most of the, the common grace, but most of them ignoring saving grace said I think worship just views the world from the perspective of God and at that point, your worship is balanced in the sense that you are saying thank you Lord for the ability to enjoy this. Thank you for your common grace to all these people.

Thank you for the richness of life, but all Lord help us to be faithful proclaiming the gospel so those who don't believe can hear and you never are more faithful as a worshiper than when you're presenting the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That's the highest act of worship.

Why because the apostle Paul said this to the Corinthians. He said I preached to add more voices to those who praise God.

In other words, you everybody he spoke to about the gospel was somebody he could add to the hallelujah chorus praising the Lord forever in heaven. So work for the Lord is really worship for the Lord. Worship offered to him. Thank you, John, and friend. If you're benefiting from this study. Maybe your better understanding how to glorify God in every area of your life. We'd love to hear about it when you have time to jot a note and send it our way. You can email us at letters@gty.org that's letters@tty.org or drop a letter in the mail to Grace to you. Box 4000 panorama city, CA 91412 and be sure to visit our website TTY.org where you'll find numerous ways to take in John MacArthur's verse by verse teaching you can listen to radio broadcast, you've missed grace to you.

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I'm Phil Johnson. Keep in mind, grace to you.

Television airs this Sunday on DirecTV channel 378 or check your local listings for channel and times and be here next week when John looks at the key to acceptable worship and how to make worship a greater priority for you and your family. It's another half hour of unleashing God's true one verse at a time by grace to you