Jesus’ Teaching About Worship

Scripture:  Romans 12:1-2 - I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  

Habakkuk 3:18-19 - Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.

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

We are to worship God in spirit and in truth through Jesus Christ based on the truth of His Word.  Real worship is more than just singing songs.  Real worship involves what Romans 12:1-2 says – your body is living sacrifice.  We are to  reverence, honor Him and give Him worth/ glory. The life of worship is a focused life of prayer.  In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus told Peter  to “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you.  For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak” (Mark 14:38 NLT).  Jesus also taught that true/authentic worship flows from a heart filled with love for Almighty God.  Quoting from Isaiah, He said “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away.”  Their worship is a farce, for they replace God’s commands with their own man-made teachings (Mark 7:7 NLT).  

Jesus’ sermon on the Mount is filled with lessons about worship.  Some of the lessons are as follows:  God blesses worshipers (Matthew 5:3-12).  Worshipers are the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16).  Worshiping is worthless without obeying God’s commands (Matthew 5:17-20, 7:21-27).  He taught lessons about anger and worship (Matthews 5:21-26).  Our thoughts matter (Matthew 5:27-30).  The Lord’s prayer offers wonderful insight into worship.  It shows us that prayer is an act of worship.  

Jesus taught about worship by the way He lived His life!  He perfectly completed and fulfilled the will of the Father – facing all of the temptations we face but without sin (Acts 4:15).  From Bible Study we learned that in chapter one of Habakkuk, he was worried and cried out to God.  In chapter two, he was silenced after he heard from God.  In chapter three of Habakkuk, he praised/worshipped God!  Even though his situation didn’t change, he had a new perspective and more faith.  The just shall live by faith.  Therefore, Habakkuk had peace as he worshipped God!  Habakkuk 3:18-19 says “ Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet6, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places.”  

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father:  Thank You for strengthening me and allowing me to see things according to Your perspective when I worship, praise and pray to You.  You deserve all of the glory, honor, and praise!  All this I pray in Jesus’ name.  Amen.

(by Marsha Williams)