WORSHIP AND PRAISE

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, ^f because he will save his people from their sins.” 22All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”  (which means “God with us”).

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi a from the east came to Jerusalem 2and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”Matthew 2

These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9They worship me in vain; Matthew 15:8

“Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17“I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” 19“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” 21Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” 25The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26Then Jesus told her, “I Am the Messiah!” John 4

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. 2Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” 3Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worshipand then we will come back to you.” Genesis 22

“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 3“You shall have no other gods before a me. 4“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, Exodus 20

David said to Nathan,“I have sinned against the Lord.” Nathan replied, “The Lord has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14But because by doing this you have shown utter contempt for a the Lord, the son born to you will die.” 15After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth b on the ground. 17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them. 18On the seventh day the child died. David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.” 20Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. II Sam 12

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted ^a by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’  ”5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ^c ” 7Jesus answered him, “It is so written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ^d ”8Again, 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.”10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’Matthew 4

But even if our gospel is [in some sense] hidden [behind a veil], it is hidden [only] to those who are perishing; 4among them the god of this world [Satan] has blinded the minds of the unbelieving to prevent them from seeing the illuminating light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. II Cor 4:4

Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36“Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.” 37Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.” 38Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.John 9

Let my people go that they may worship me. He recognized what God had done in his life. Do we? If so let us worship Him.

1. Worship Gives Us Direction.

When we worship, we see more clearly.

Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. 15But now bring me a harpist.” While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came on Elisha 16and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. 17For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. 19You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. II Kings 3

1. Worship Opens the Door Deliverance.

From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2When I was in trouble, LORD,I prayed to you, and you listened to me.From deep in the world of the dead, I begged for your help,and you answered my prayer. 3You threw me downto the bottom of the sea.The water was churning all around;I was completely covered by your mighty waves.  4I thought I was swept away from your sight,never again to see your holy temple.5I was almost drownedby the swirling waters that surrounded me.Seaweed had wrapped around my head.6I had sunk down deep below the mountains beneath the sea.I knew that forever, I would be a prisoner there.But, you, LORD God, rescued me from that pit.7When my life was slipping away, I remembered you—and in your holy temple you heard my prayer.9But with shouts of praise, (I will Worship)I will offer a sacrifice to you, my LORD.I will keep my promise,because you are the one with power to save. 10 The LORD commanded the fish to vomit up Jonah on the shore. And it did. Jonah 2

III. Worship Draws Us into The Presence of God.

Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. Isa 59:2

The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. 2He went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. II Chron 15:1-2

Therefore tell the people: This is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the LORD Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the LORD Almighty. Zec 1:3