What is worship?

Psalm 42  As the deer pants after the water brooks, so pants my soul after Thee, O God.   My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.  When shall I come and appear before Him?   I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept the holy day.

When are Christians to worship?

1 Whenever the church assembles.

Hebrews 10: 25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:

2 On the first day of the week.  (Every week has a first day.)

Acts 20: 7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them,..

1 Corinthians 16: 2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

What are the five (5) acts of worship, authorized by God?

1 Singing

Ephesians 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

2 Prayer

Acts 20: 36  When Paul had spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all.

Acts 21: 5  And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed.

3 Giving

Romans 15: 26  It pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.

1 Corinthians 16: 1  Concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

2 Corinthians 9: 6  But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7  Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver.

4 The Lord's Supper

1 Corinthians 11: 23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. 27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29  For he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

5 Preaching of the word of God

Acts 20: 7  Upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

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Who makes the rules of worship?   God or man?

The example of Cain. 

Genesis 4: 4  The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering, but unto Cain and to his offering he had no respect.

(Abel worshipped as God told him to do, and was accepted.

Cain attempted to worship in a way to please himself, and was not accepted.)

The example of Nadab and Abihu

Leviticus 10:1  Nadab and Abihu took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He commanded them not. 2  And there went out fire from the Lord, and it devoured them, and they died before the Lord. 3  Then Moses said unto Aaron, "This is what the Lord spoke, saying, "I will be sanctified in them that come near me, and before all the people I will be glorified."

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Qualities of true worship:

John 4: 23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. 24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Worship in truth

John 17:17 Jesus said that God's word is truth.

(So, we are to worship God according to His word (the New Testament.  We are to do the things He has told us to do exactly; not adding or taking away from His word.  Man-made doctrines are untrue, vain, and are not accepted by God.)

Matthew 15: 9  Jesus said, "In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Worship in spirit

Mark 12: 30  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. This is the first commandment.

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If you have a question about Christian worship, please contact me.  I would be happy to assist you in your study of God's holy word.

Shane Hoover, Minister

Greeneville Church of Christ