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Week 3 Sermon Questions For Groups

January 17, 2016

Introduction:

Worship is a huge thing. We look forward to worship every week. Have you ever wondered if we’re more concerned about what worship does for us and less concerned with the object of our worship?  It seems like it’s more about what we get, not what we give. It’s like buying a Christmas gift and keeping it for ourselves. Worship is all about giving our lives to God again. Worship is not about us at all. It’s about Him.

Something To Talk About:

  1. Worship is a Lifestyle: Some Christians have the idea that worship is only possible in the sanctuary of a church, that it consists only of flowery phrases pouring forth spontaneously from the mouth, and that it takes place only when beautiful warm feelings “flood the soul.” It is so much more than that. It is a lifestyle. Worship is the acknowledgement of Who God is and what God does, directed to God Himself. Worship is the sum total of living as a Christian. What does worship lifestyle look like? The answer would be that we get up in the morning and we get our hearts fixed on Christ. We go to Him and renew our satisfaction in Him through His word. And then we enter the day seeking to express and increase that satisfaction in all that God is for us in Jesus. Our worship should not be confined to times and places; it should be the spirit of our lives.
  2. Worship is a Walk: It is walk of obedience: The real act of worship was found in the words “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) That simple phrase shows us the greatest act of worship anyone can ever give: obedience. Jesus himself told us to be obedient before he modeled obedience to us. He says in John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Keeping His commandment means obeying him. The other part of our walk is humility. When we humble ourselves before the Lord, it is an act of worship. When we strive for humility, it is not about us; it’s about Him. Because when we humble ourselves to become mindful that we need God even for our next breath, we glorify God with every breath we take and every thought that fills our minds.  A Voice In The Wilderness: Worship is born, created and learned in the wilderness. In Psalm 63, David desired to worship the Lord even though he had been cut off from access to the sanctuary in Jerusalem. He thirsts for the Lord in the wilderness, and trusting in the Lord’s protection. Psalm 63:1: “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”  There will be times when we too are in the wilderness. Even in the wilderness, God has not forgotten about us, He remains faithful. Even in those situations the memory of His love and faithfulness should produce worship.

Questions:

  1. What does worship mean to you?  What have you learned over the years about worship?
  2. Read Romans 12:1-2: What do you understand “living sacrifice” to mean? What does verse 2 of the passage add to your understanding of true worship?
  3. In your own words, what is the difference between attending worship and living in worship?
  4. Worship is born, created and learned in the wilderness. Agree or disagree?
  5. What other character traits go together with humility?
  6. How do I exhibit humility in my daily life? What can I do to develop a better attitude of humility? What is stopping me from being more humble? 

Take One Thing Home with You

There are many different ways people worship. Some are loud and expressive, while others are quiet and solemn. Some kneel, some stand, some dance, others just sit. Some sing praise songs, others sing hymns, others chant. Some take Communion every week, others once a month, or even less often. Some worship in beautiful church buildings, others in storefronts, others in homes. 

But what makes worship right or wrong is not whether you sit, stand or kneel. When a woman asked Jesus about different ways of worshiping, Jesus replied, “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.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Worshiping “in spirit” means that you mean it; that you’re worshiping inside out, not just going through the motions. Worshiping “in truth” means that you’re being truthful with your words and thoughts that you bring to worship; you’re not trying to put on a religious act to impress someone.

Worship is our response, both personal and corporate, to God for who He is, and what He has done; expressed in and by the things we say and the way we live. It is the response of the whole being—heart, soul, mind, strength—to beholding God’s glory.