Worship – Keeping Our Hearts Focused

Listen to Todays Sermon then to begin digging deeper do the following lesson: 

1)  The Psalms teach us a great deal about worshipping God.  Read each of the following passages from the book of Psalms, and list what it says or teaches you about 1) different kinds of worship activities; 2) different worship attitudes; and  3) different places we can worship.  Psalms 5:7; 22:22; 27:4; 29:2; 35:18; 42:4; 63:1-2; 95:6; 107:31-32; 149:1.

2)  What does the New Testament teach us about worship in the following passages:  Matthew 18:19-20; John
4:23-24; 1 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Peter 2:5; Acts 20:7-8; Luke 24:50-53; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Ephesians 5:18-20; Colossians 3:15-17? How can you integrate those into your life?

3)  Where and when can we worship?  When do you worship?  Should we worship alone? Together? As a family? When you come on Sunday, what do you expect? What do you hope will happen? Is your worship, whether it is on Sunday or everyday, more about you and how you feel - or more about God and who He is?  Does that need to change?  In what ways?
For many people Sundays are for family and football.  Gone are the days when nearly everyone you knew went to church on Sunday morning. Granted, many went simply because they were supposed to, not because they longed for God. Their community pressured them into going.  It is easy for us to have our worship experience shaped by our culture. To have our hearts and our motives shaped by the attitudes and principles of our world. This morning we are reminded that worship, whether it is on Tuesday night with family or Friday afternoon alone or Sunday morning with others, worship is all about the God of glory.

 
Todays Scripture:

(2 Kings 17:24-41 NIV)  "The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath and Sepharvaim and settled them in the towns of Samaria to replace the Israelites. They took over Samaria and lived in its towns. 25 When they first lived there, they did not worship the LORD; so he sent lions among them and they killed some of the people. 26 It was reported to the king of Assyria: "The people you deported and resettled in the towns of Samaria do not know what the god of that country requires. He has sent lions among them, which are killing them off, because the people do not know what he requires."

27 Then the king of Assyria gave this order: "Have one of the priests you took captive from Samaria go back to live there and teach the people what the god of the land requires." 28 So one of the priests who had been exiled from Samaria came to live in Bethel and taught them how to worship the LORD. 29 Nevertheless, each national group made its own gods in the several towns where they settled, and set them up in the shrines the people of Samaria had made at the high places. 30 The men from Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men from Cuthah made Nergal, and the men from Hamath made Ashima; 31 the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire as sacrifices to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They worshiped the LORD, but they also appointed all sorts of their own people to officiate for them as priests in the shrines at the high places. 33 They worshiped the LORD, but they also served their own gods in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been brought. 34 To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the LORD nor adhere to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the LORD gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel.

35 When the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: "Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. 36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful to keep the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods. 38 Do not forget the covenant I have made with you, and do not worship other gods. 39 Rather, worship the LORD your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies." 40 They would not listen, however, but persisted in their former practices. 41 Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their fathers did."

(Matthew 4:8-11 NIV)  "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me." 10 Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'" 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him."

Played: 7 | Download | Duration: 00:35:29