Home |    The EXW Study |    Church Jobs |    Free Newsletter |    Worship Music |    Forums    
Experiencing Worship
 
EXW >  Worship Leaders
Search:

   
Related Links
 


Planning Weekend Experiences

The Run

Microphones in Worship

The Complete Worship Service

Change the Focus

Awesome

Hiring Help

Saturday Night Live?

What's Your Reason?

Our Passion and Pursuit

Worship - Sermon Series
Worship Leaders
by EXW Staff
December 11, 2005




by Craig Simonian


But WHY? Why should we worship God? Why should we “come”, “sing”, “shout”?
- David answers this in verse 3: Because the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods. (“for” typically means “because”)
- We worship God simply b/c He is God… b/c He is who He is… the great God, the One who made us, who knit you together in your mother’s womb… because He is our King.
- Vs 4 says that He has created the seas and formed the dry land… that God is the Creator and Sustainer
o If Jesus took His hand off the universe, it would all fall apart.

Whereas verses 1-5 are an Invitation to Celebration, verses 6-7 are an Invitation to Adoration.
- while thanksgiving is worshipping God for what He has done, adoration is worshipping Him for who He is.
- “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”
- At the heart of what David is saying here expresses what we said last week… that we come to that place of worship when we see who we are against the backdrop of God’s unending goodness, love, and grace.
- He is our God… we are under His care… we aren’t an end unto ourselves… He created us… and He cares for us.

In Luke 7:36 we read of a woman, perhaps Mary Magdalene, entered the house of a Pharisee who had invited Jesus over for a meal.
- known as a prostitute, this woman came right up to Jesus and began weeping, wiping His feet dry with her hair while covering his feet with expensive perfume.
- The Pharisee said to Jesus, “What are you doing? How could you let this trash touch you?” “Do you know where she got the money to buy that perfume?”

Already, I am struck by several things.
- First… The Pharisees, as well as the disciples, didn’t want her in Jesus’ presence… Because of her sin, her reputation, what she looked like, the Pharisees didn’t want her to get near Jesus.
- Second… though the world saw her as trash, Jesus still loved her and was moved by her heart… and knowing her sincerity and her brokenness, He allowed her to continue.
- I share this point b/c like Jesus, we need to be the kind of church that welcomes people like that prostitute… the people who live and who look different from us.
o What would you do if two men walked into this church holding hands… yet; you could see that they were sincerely seeking the Lord?
o Would Jesus welcome them? o What if a kid with purple hair walked in with body piercing all over his body? Would we welcome him?
- Vineyard in England… Met in bar… homeless woman in subway playing guitar for coins… his worship leader?
- My point is that as God is an inviting God… calling us into His presence… so we need to be a welcoming/inviting church… not accepting the lifestyles of some that may come… but loving them nonetheless… allowing God to use us to lead them into relationship and intimacy with Him.

Back to my main point… that this woman expressed more worship and adoration for Jesus than all the Pharisees and disciples in that room put together.
- WHY? Because she understood exactly what and who she was… and she understood who Jesus was. And the net result was that she fell to her feet, began to weep, and covered Jesus feet with perfume that cost her about everything she earned that year.
- “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…”
- WHY? BECAUSE HE IS OUR GOD
- Her need for Jesus and her understanding of whom Jesus was caused her to throw herself into worship.
When Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord on His throne. In Isaiah 6:5, his only response was to cry out “I am a sinful man.”

Continue >>>


Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  Next




 
 Printable Version
 Email this Page to a Friend  Add Your Opinion


Latest Discussion:
  • out of tune vocals & leadership issues
  • Who's leading?
  • Hi I am New to the Worship forum
  • my CD is out
  • my new worship CD is out
  • More Stories:
  • Unity in Worship
  • Worship: Not Where, But How
  • Riding the Lightning
  • Lay It Aside
  • A Life of Praise
  • What Little Children!?
  • Why Your Church Should Be Producing Videos


  • User Opinions:

      

    Be the first to add your opinion about this article.
    Click HERE Now!


     Add Your Opinion  

    Associate Pastor to Youth and Families
    Location: CA
    Other

    Gold Star Listing Music Minister in Japan for mostly American Military Congregation
    Location: other
    Church of the Nazarene

    Music Director
    Location: NY
    Presbyterian - PCUSA

    Assistant Pastor
    Location: MO
    Non-Denominational

    Minister of Music Ministries
    Location: GA
    United Methodist

    Gold Star Listing Senior Pastor
    Location: NC
    Baptist - SBC

    Gold Star Listing Worship Leader
    Location: OR
    Other

    Praise Team Director
    Location: MO
    Presbyterian - PCUSA

    Worship/Music Leader
    Location: OH
    Other

    Campus Pastor
    Location: CA
    Presbyterian - PCUSA





    More From ExperiencingWorship.com:

    Worship Articles
  • Unity in Worship
  • A Life of Praise
  • Slingshot Group
  • Behind the Praise
  • There Is Hope
  • Worship – Healing for the Nations
  • The Joy of Praise
  • Sound & Video
  • Riding the Lightning
  • The Console Switch
  • Hearing Test
  • How Loud is your Church?
  • Can You Hear It?
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Invest in People
  • Women in Worship
  • Lay It Aside
  • Center Full Living
  • Let’s Just Praise the Lord
  • Getting Rid of the Clutter
  • Consistency Please!
  • Step By Step
  • Following Christ
  • Book Reviews
  • The Practice of Praise
  • Living Worship
  • Extravagant Worship
  • The Unquenchable Worshipper
  • The Ragamuffin Gospel
  • The Dynamics of Corporate Worship
  • The Complete Worship Service
  • Music Reviews
  • Everyone Overcome
  • Shane and Shane - Pages
  • Sanctus Real's - We Need Each Other
  • See the Morning
  • A Greater Song
  • East of the River
  • First Ever Soul Survivor
  • Devotionals
  • Worship: Not Where, But How
  • Oxymoron
  • Encouraged to Praise
  • Sing What You Mean
  • A Sweet Sacrifice
  • Worship - A Verb
  • Shout for Joy?

  • Experiencing Worship, The Study
    Used by churches all over the world to help teach worship, the Experiencing Worship study can help your worship team too. Your team will learn why we worship and gain a better understanding of how to worship. One user said..."Your 5 week study course has made a tremendous impact on my life in the study of worship... I would like to express my thanks for a well written study course that leads into a higher realm of praise and worship."

    Order the study today!

    The Paul Langford Project
    This is the debut album by EXW friend Paul Langford. Paul is a Chicago based singer, arranger, keyboardist, producer and conductor. Paul has a career that spans 14 years. Paul's work includes arranging for groups like GLAD, Voices of Liberty, VoiceTrek, The Chicago based "Caroling Party" and Day of Discovery Singers. His arranging has appeared on recordings side by side with greats like Gene Puerling and David Maddux, and he has sung with Don Shelton, Bonnie Herman and Bob Bowker, among others.

    Order the Project today!




    Advertise | Contact Us Chistian Jobs | Church Jobs | PDA Blast! | Gadgets | Blackberry | about EXW
     EXW | Worship Studies | Music | Drama Copyright © 2001-2007 by C. M. Press, LLC.