SN - notes from 4/24/10 - the pure worship conference.
SN 4/24/10 pwc
pure worship 2010
“adoration”
What is adoration?
adoration: although the word does not appear in English biblical translations, it represents aspects of worship which are very prominent in the Bible.
I. Etymology.
The word is derived from Latin adorare = (1) “to speak to,” (2) “to beseech,” “entreat,” (3) “to do homage,” “to worship”; from the Latin, os (oris), mouth.
So it’s primarily a verbal form of worship.
What is worship?
Biblically, worship has several facets:
Latreia - with an emphasis on works and actions of worship (with semblances toward old school temple worship) - adoration in action
Romans 12:1 - Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship (latreia).
Thusia - to sacrifice
Eph. 5:2 - …and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.
In context to thusia, we can:
1. worship through the sacrifice of our bodies - Rom. 12:1
2. worship through the sacrifice of our praise Heb. 13:15
3. worship through the sacrifice of our good works
Heb. 13:16
4. worship through the sacrifice of our thanksgiving
Jonah 2:9
Proskuneo - “to kiss the hand, bow down before, show obeisance, to worship.”
Matt. 2:11 - And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down , and worshipped (proskuneo) him…
This speaks of the heart of our worship - the core idea - our love for Jesus motivates us to kiss Him
Shacah - “bow down, crouch, fall down, humbly beseech, do obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship.”
Matthew 4:9-10 - You shall worship (shacah) the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.
This speaks if our position in worship - one of humility since we have what we do not deserve.
What else is biblical worship about?
1. We know it’s commanded by God (Commandment 3) – “in vain” refers to the value or worth of a thing. “He died in vain” – means his death was not worth it.
In Old English, “worship” incorporates 2 words – weorth and scipe = worth (worthiness) and ship (quality) basically. To take the Lord’s name in vain is to declare it unworthy based on your words and/or deeds.
2. We know it is to be directed solely to God.
(Consider when Christ repels Satan’s insulting proposal with the words, “It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve,” - Mt. 4:10)
3. We know it can be easily misdirected from God (see the 1st and 2nd com’s, see Revelation 19:10 where John tries to worship the angel, see were Cornelius tries to worship Peter (Acts 10:25), see where the early church tried to follow men not
Jesus (1 Co. 1:12), see Lucifer who went from worship leader to desiring to be the object of worship, etc.)
4. We know it’s sought by God -
John 4:20 - “You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth” – John 4:20)
5. We know it’s far more than what we sing or say -
Matt. 15:8 - “These people worship me in vain; they honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
6. We know it should be a lifestyle that should attract others to God –
Acts 2:46-47 - So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
And perhaps most importantly…
7. We know worship is only successful and sustained if it is centered on and fueled by a love for Jesus based on all that He’s done for us on the cross – see Rev. 5:12
that was my intro :)
The scene in Rev. 5
A scroll with 7 seals on it could not be opened by anyone or anything on heaven or on earth.
This scroll is likely, “God’s will, his final settlement of the affairs of the universe.” (Barclay) - generally under Roman law, only wills were sealed with 7 seals, each from a witness to the validity of the will.
Jesus, looking like a Lamb who was slain, is the only one worthy to take and open it.
Why? Because He has redeemed mankind from the sin that tainted all people and the whole world at large.
This eternal redemption results in the largest worship procession in the history of the heaven and earth - angels and the church side by side all directing their praise toward Jesus, all because He is our REDEEMER.
Adoration and pure worship stem from a simple understanding that Jesus loves you - He is your Redeemer, your Expiation, your Propitiation, your Regeneration, your Sanctification, your Salvation, and especially your Abba.
APPLICATIONS
1. Destroy any idol in your life.
2. Focus (or refocus) on Jesus.
