Story Time:
So I grew up in the Assemblies of God. That’s a charismatic “fellowship” so I have seen all sorts of things when it came to worship. Now there is one moment in particular that stuck with me.

Alexis and I were with a former church at a worship night. While we were there people were worshiping in different ways as it was a charismatic movement and because of that we saw all sorts of stuff. And while we were there there was one person during the time of worship that brought out flags which listen I’m not trying to doggone flag people but if that’s you that’s cool that’s just not me. And she began to dance with him and throw them and then all of a sudden she just threw one up in the air almost hit the ceiling came back down and she would continue to dance and then about every two minutes or so she would do this and it was super distracted because I just watch the flag go up and watch flag come back down. Eventually she was politely asked to stop because it was becoming a distraction. And at the end of the day no matter what our heart behind the action is our worship should never distract from the majesty of God.

During this event it made me ask a simple question: what does true worship look like?

Over the last few weeks we have been diving deep with practical steps to take so you can have the structure you need to have a successful life within the kingdom of God.

We talked about:
The Foundation
The Support Network
The Family Unit
The Blue Print

This week we are going to talk about the Structure of Worship. Worship is often times made into a singular moment of a church service. But worship is so much more. Worship is the understanding the truth of who God is, acknowledging that truth, and doing everything you can to allow that truth to Guide you. So today the simple truth of the sermon is this:

Worship isn’t a moment it’s a lifestyle.

In order to make it a lifestyle there has to be an expectation of it.

Is there is an expectation of worship in your life?

Genesis3:8-9 ESV
“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?””

What we can gather here is a few things:
Adam and Eve knew the sound of God approaching. Why is that? Because they expected to walk with him each day. God was expecting to walk with Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve hid themselves because of the separation from God

There was an expectation of relationship which leads to a lifestyle of worship. They expected to encounter God and God expected to encounter them. When we come into the kingdom there is an expectation of searching out God and meeting with him. When we come into the kingdom it was his goodness that drew us to repentance and so the basis of our relationship with God is an understating of his Goodness. What will keep us away from that is when we allow the enemy to put a false idol in front of us such as money, food, stress, anxiety, lust. All of these things bring separation while the goodness of God beckons us to draw near.

Condemnation brings separation while conviction brings education.

The spirit of God will always educate us on how we need to draw close to God.

If relationship is the structure of worship that means the primary value we must acknowledge above all else is God.

Craig Groeschel says it this way:
“God is your one and your spouse is your two.”

We cannot have the foundation to life correct if we aren’t putting God where he deserves I. Every aspect of our life.

That means with in the context of Sunday morning worship it is all of His people coming together to acknowledge his rightful place as one body in unity. But we have the tendency to chase a feeling or look of worship and we begin to idolize the act of worship rather than worship the only one worthy of worship.

In order to worship him we need to understand what worship isn’t. So let’s talk about 3 myths of worship.

The 3 myths of worship:
Worship is about a feeling - “I just didn’t feel God this morning.”
- Just because you get goose bumps doesn’t mean it’s God. An emotional experience is a sad place holder for a God experience.

Worship is about the music - “If they would’ve played this song then I really could’ve experienced God”
- It’s just not my style, I don’t know this one, I don’t like this band
- Make sure you are using music as a catalyst to focus on him, don’t make the music the priority.

Worship is about you. - “I couldn’t worship this morning because I have all of this going on.”
- I don’t mean you make it about yourself but if you spend more time talking about what you need from Him rather than who is you’re doing it wrong.

John 4:16-24

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

What is worship?

Worship isn’t a moment its a lifestyle.

One of the things Jason, Brandon, and I talked a lot about through out the freedom curriculum that has become a staple in my life is that in every choice we can make it is boiled down to choosing between sin and faithfulness. They are both constantly running at us and we have to choose.

One of the greatest acts of worship we have is in those moments is choosing faithfulness. Choosing to die to yourself to love the Lord. But it is hard to do that if we don’t have a deeper understanding of God and His ways.

I believe that in order to have a genuine understanding of what worship is we need to understand the three keys of worship:
The Who
The Why
The How

1. Who do we worship
We worship God the father who made a way with his son.
We worship Jesus who is the lamb that was slain and worthy to open the scroll.

Revelation5:1-10 ESV
“Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.””

The firm foundation. The rock of salvation. Jehovah jirah, jehovah nissi, and so many more titles.

He is the very foundation in which we build upon so when the storms of life come we won’t be shaken.

2. Why do we worship
We worship because God made a way when there wasn’t one for us.
The base miracle: God creating sacrifice so we don’t have to experience the curse of death. His blood has made us new, whole, and redeemed!
Because the Holy Spirit has illuminated the truth of who God is

3. How do we worship
We worship through surrender: being honest with God. Understanding where we are worship things that are not him.

Through truth: serving, tithing, connecting, being developed.
When we are in Christ all that is true about him becomes true about you.
Pride keeps us from understanding. The only antidote to pride is the truth of Who God is.

Through new understanding (spirit). We are made into a new creation. But we have to choose God over the things of the world.

Matthew19:16-22 ESV
“And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

The structure of worship challenge:
The first 15:
5 min of worship
5 min of prayer
5 min of Bible time

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you through this message?