Podcasts / Devotionals

“You Can’t Force Worship” / Monday Podcast Ep. 204

March 2, 2020

Off-Stage Worship
Worship is a response

My story / What I thought worship was and what I know now isn’t. What I’m still learning today…

 

1. WORSHIP is not an image

 

Psalms 97:7 (NIV)

All who worship images are put to shame, those who boast in idols— worship him, all you gods! so even the very things that are idolized, will bow down and worship God

 

You WORSHIP what you do not know….All that you thought was worship, probably wasn’t

 

Worship is not hyped, worked up, or forced, worship is relationship and deep felowship with God

 

Worship is a response to who God is through ScriptureWe are to know God and to know Who we worship

 

We are not to worship in the way we think we know, but what the Bible says by replacing the old man, and putting on the new…John 4:22 (NIV)

 

You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.

 

The nation of Israel is God’s chosen people. This was the line which God chose to produce Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Romans 9:4–5). The truths of God’s prophets came through this nation. Other people, such as the Samaritans, were not given this full level of revelation. They were allowed to see the same creation as all other people (Revelation chapter 1), but they did not “know” God as the Israelites did. This did not leave them incapable of knowing anything about God, but it did mean there was a limit to what they could understand. Jesus is in the process of correcting the Samaritan woman’s concept of God.

 

Unlike Nicodemus, this woman was uneducated, poor, disrespected, outcast, and living in sin. And yet, those who worship God in spirit and truth are His: He wants those people to worship Him. This will be an incredibly uplifting message for a woman beaten up and thrown aside by the world.

 

Verses 23 and 24 will put this new perspective into clear terms. This section of John shows how Jesus’ life on earth was meant to complete the old, imperfect, and temporary means of reconciliation with God. Jesus came as the new sacrifice for sin (John 1:29), replacing the old ways of atonement (John 2:6–9), with His body the new temple (John 2:19–21), bringing a new birth (John 3:1–7), a new and living water (John 4:11).

 

2. WORSHIP involves your whole-self – not half. In my story…I lived a fake life

 

Romans 12:1 (NIV)Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

 

Paul urges us to recognize that God has shown us enormous mercy, described in detail earlier in this letter. The hymn in the previous four verses made it clear that God owes us nothing. Instead of death, though, He has given us life and purpose in Christ. He has forgiven our sins and shared with us the riches of His glory. We deserved none of that. How should we respond? Paul writes that as the Jewish people offered killed animals as sacrifices to God, Christian should instead offer ourselves, our bodies, to Him as living sacrifices. In other words, the only rational response to God’s mercy in giving us eternal life is to give Him our lives as a sacrifice to use for His purposes right now. 

 

3. WORSHIP is sincere

Hebrews 10:22 (NIV)let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.This passage is a point of encouragement, following a long explanation. The writer of Hebrews has completed his description of how the new covenant is superior to the old covenant. This was supported using many Old Testament Scriptures, as well as other convincing arguments.

 

Given all of this support, Christians have every reason to be confident and courageous in living out their faith.At the same time, this knowledge of Christ should inspire us to take full advantage of the benefits offered for those who are saved. Earlier, it was pointed out that old covenant animal sacrifice could not change a person from the inside. That blood was ceremonial, but it did not truly clean the conscience. Animal sacrifice only reminded us that our sin remained (Hebrews 10:1–4). Under the new covenant, Christians can truly experience a release of guilt. And, in order to live the life to which we are called, we should set aside feelings of guilt, since all of our sins are truly forgiven.The old covenant placed great emphasis on ceremonial cleanliness. Priests and other worshippers had to follow certain washing rituals in order to communicate with God (Exodus 30:18–21).

 

Here, the writer of Hebrews implies that even though we are forgiven, we ought to make our own effort to be “washed” when we “draw near” to God. This is similar to the idea expressed in verses such as 1 John 1:9 and 1 Thessalonians 4:7–8: that we ought to separate ourselves from sinful behaviors and attitudes as part of our fellowship with God (1 John 1:5–10).
Worship Team Training
Further Reading / Bonus Content
Loader Loading...
EAD Logo Taking too long?
Reload Reload document
| Open Open in new tab
Author Bio

Branon Dempsey

Branon Dempsey is the founder and CEO of Worship Team Training and Worship Team Training University WTTU.co He has over twenty years of leading worship and teaching worship theology, music and songwriting for churches ranging from 500 to 5,000 members. He has had the opportunity to train and study worship at Maranatha! Music as well as some of the most well-known churches in the country, including Coast Hills Church, and Saddleback Church, where Rick Warren is pastor. Branon Dempsey holds an M.Div in Worship Theology and Worship Arts, along with a Bachelors of Music in Composition and Performance, along with an emphasis in worship leader training by Maranatha and Integrity Music. Branon is a devotional writer for Bible.com Youversion and selling author / teacher with Faithlife (Logos Bibles) for worship teaching and training material. WTTU exists to help individuals understand their personality, their learning style and their spiritual maturity, which, in turn, helps the individuals sharpen their quality development and gain the needed confidence to reach the upward call of God in Christ Jesus Ephesians 2:10 and Philippians 3:14. Follow Branon: @BranonDempsey @worshiptt

More Devotional Episodes

Worship Team Training® University Members

WATCH VIDEOS

by:

Free Plan, Podcasts / Devotionals

March 14, 2021

🙌 #BeforeTheWorshipBegins | “Worship As One”

Continue Reading

by:

Podcasts / Devotionals

March 8, 2021

Even The Faithful Get Tired” | PODCAST Ep. 232

Continue Reading

by:

Free Plan, Podcasts / Devotionals

March 7, 2021

🙌 #BEFORETHEWORSHIPBEGINS | Quality Time

Continue Reading
PREVIOUS POSTSPage 1 of 53NO NEW POSTS

Members Get More

Events Below

Transform Your Ministry

A. Branon’s Te...

This is a test from the emergency broadcast system – this is only a test! While it is easy for any ministry to become its ow...

By WTTU
12
July

Song Rotation That H...

By WTTU
8
October

Jared Anderson &#822...

By WTTU
11
March

“Abandon The S...

By WTTU
12
February

Rich Kirkpatrick | K...

By WTTU
4
February

Easy Christmas Acous...

By WTTU
15
December

Making Vocal Space 1...

By WTTU
11
December

Events Page

Coming Soon To Worship Team Training® University

SEE CALENDAR
<div class="miss-shortcode"><p class="title">Oops!! Something's Missing</p><p class="desc">These categories not exist anymore: Weekly Shows, Devotionals</p></div>
12

July

2022

A. Branon’s Test New Blog 12-3-21

Band, Events-posts 0

14

March

2021

🙌 #BeforeTheWorshipBegins | “Worship As One”

Events-posts 0

11

March

2021

Jared Anderson “Restoring The Voice”

Thursday Show 0

11

March

2021

Jared Anderson “Restoring The Voice”

Events-posts 0