Worship: A Lifestyle of Surrender and Faith
Summary
In today's gathering, we celebrated the profound act of baptism, witnessing Mia Hupp and Jacob Craig publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ. This act of obedience is a powerful testament to their identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and it serves as an encouragement for others who have yet to take this step. Baptism is not just a ritual; it is a declaration of faith and a commitment to walk in newness of life.
Our focus today is on the essence of worship, as illustrated in John chapter 4, where Jesus converses with a Samaritan woman at the well. This passage reveals that true worship transcends physical locations and rituals. Jesus teaches that worship is not confined to a specific place, like the temple in Jerusalem, but is a matter of spirit and truth. Worship is a lifestyle, a continuous act of surrender and devotion to God, not limited to Sunday services or specific acts.
True worship requires flexibility in where we worship, focusing on who we worship, and faithfulness in how we worship. Jesus emphasizes that God seeks worshipers who worship in spirit and truth, highlighting the importance of a genuine relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Worship is not about external expressions or personal preferences; it is about aligning our hearts with God's truth and living a life that reflects His glory.
The heart of worship is surrender. It involves offering our lives as living sacrifices, dedicating our time, talents, and treasures to God. Worship is a 24/7 activity, an ongoing expression of our love and devotion to God. As we live out our faith, we become a testimony to others, drawing them to the truth of the gospel.
Key Takeaways:
- Baptism as a Declaration of Faith: Baptism is a public declaration of one's faith in Jesus Christ, symbolizing the believer's identification with His death, burial, and resurrection. It is an act of obedience and a step towards living a new life in Christ. [00:00]
- Worship Beyond Location: True worship is not confined to a specific place or ritual. It is a matter of spirit and truth, transcending physical locations and focusing on a genuine relationship with God. Worship is a lifestyle, not an event. [46:34]
- The Essence of Worship: Worship is about who we worship, not how or where. It requires a focus on God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and aligning our hearts with His truth. True worship is spiritual and scriptural, rooted in a relationship with Jesus. [55:30]
- Surrender as Worship: The heart of worship is surrender, offering our lives as living sacrifices to God. This involves dedicating our time, talents, and treasures to His service, living a life that reflects His glory and draws others to Him. [58:53]
- Worship as a Lifestyle: Worship is a continuous act of devotion, not limited to Sunday services. It is a 24/7 activity, an ongoing expression of our love for God. As we live out our faith, we become a testimony to others, leading them to the truth of the gospel. [01:11:17]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:30] - Baptism Celebration
- [03:00] - Opening Prayer
- [05:00] - Introduction to Worship
- [08:00] - The Heart of Worship
- [12:00] - Worship Beyond Music
- [15:00] - True Worshipers
- [20:00] - Worship in Spirit and Truth
- [25:00] - The Role of the Church
- [30:00] - Personal Worship
- [35:00] - Worship as Surrender
- [40:00] - Living a Life of Worship
- [45:00] - Invitation to Faith
- [50:00] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- John 4:19-26
- Romans 12:1
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Observation Questions:
1. What significant barriers did Jesus cross to speak with the Samaritan woman, and why was this interaction important? [55:30]
2. How does Jesus redefine the concept of worship in His conversation with the Samaritan woman? [46:34]
3. What does Romans 12:1 suggest about the nature of worship and how it should be expressed in our lives?
4. How did the pastor describe the essence of worship beyond music and rituals? [49:33]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. Why does Jesus emphasize worshiping "in spirit and truth," and what does this mean for believers today? [55:30]
2. How does the concept of worship as a lifestyle challenge traditional views of worship as a Sunday-only activity? [58:53]
3. In what ways does the pastor suggest that worship should be a continuous act of devotion? [01:11:17]
4. How does the pastor's story about the church that removed music for a month illustrate the true essence of worship? [49:33]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current understanding of worship. How can you incorporate worship into your daily life beyond Sunday services? [58:53]
2. Consider the barriers you might face in worshiping God in spirit and truth. What steps can you take to overcome these barriers? [55:30]
3. Identify one area of your life where you can offer your time, talents, or treasures as a living sacrifice to God this week. How will you do this? [01:11:17]
4. Think about a time when you focused more on the external aspects of worship (like music or location) rather than the heart of worship. How can you shift your focus to align more with God's desire for true worship? [49:33]
5. How can you be a testimony to others through your lifestyle of worship? Identify one specific action you can take this week to reflect God's glory in your daily interactions. [58:53]
6. Reflect on the pastor's statement that worship is about who we worship, not how or where. How can this perspective change the way you approach worship in your personal life? [55:30]
7. Consider the pastor's challenge to come to church with worship in your heart. What practical steps can you take to prepare your heart for worship before attending a service? [55:30]
Devotional
Day 1: Baptism as a Public Declaration of Faith
Baptism is a profound act of obedience and a public declaration of faith in Jesus Christ. It symbolizes the believer's identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, marking a significant step in their spiritual journey. This act is not merely a ritual but a powerful testament to one's commitment to live a new life in Christ. As Mia Hupp and Jacob Craig demonstrated, baptism serves as an encouragement for others who have yet to take this step, inviting them to embrace the transformative power of faith. [00:00]
Colossians 2:12 (ESV): "Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead."
Reflection: Who in your life might be encouraged by your public declaration of faith, and how can you share your baptism story with them today?
Day 2: Worship Transcends Physical Locations
True worship is not confined to a specific place or ritual; it is a matter of spirit and truth. Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well reveals that worship transcends physical locations, focusing instead on a genuine relationship with God. Worship is a lifestyle, a continuous act of surrender and devotion to God, not limited to Sunday services or specific acts. This understanding challenges us to embrace worship as an integral part of our daily lives, wherever we are. [46:34]
John 4:23-24 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: How can you incorporate worship into your daily routine, regardless of your physical location or circumstances?
Day 3: The Essence of Worship is Focused on God
Worship is about who we worship, not how or where. It requires a focus on God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and aligning our hearts with His truth. True worship is spiritual and scriptural, rooted in a relationship with Jesus. This essence of worship calls us to look beyond external expressions or personal preferences and to seek a deeper connection with God, allowing His truth to guide our lives. [55:30]
Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV): "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."
Reflection: What personal preferences or external expressions might be distracting you from focusing on God during worship, and how can you realign your heart with His truth?
Day 4: Surrender as the Heart of Worship
The heart of worship is surrender, offering our lives as living sacrifices to God. This involves dedicating our time, talents, and treasures to His service, living a life that reflects His glory and draws others to Him. Worship is a 24/7 activity, an ongoing expression of our love and devotion to God. As we live out our faith, we become a testimony to others, leading them to the truth of the gospel. [58:53]
Romans 12:1 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 5: Worship as a Continuous Lifestyle
Worship is a continuous act of devotion, not limited to Sunday services. It is a 24/7 activity, an ongoing expression of our love for God. As we live out our faith, we become a testimony to others, leading them to the truth of the gospel. This understanding of worship challenges us to integrate our faith into every aspect of our lives, allowing our actions and attitudes to reflect God's glory. [01:11:17]
1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV): "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
Reflection: In what ways can you make worship a continuous lifestyle, ensuring that your actions and attitudes reflect God's glory throughout the week?
Quotes
Good morning, church family. It's so good to hear everybody fellowshipping and chatting, and I hate to break it up, but break it up. What a wonderful way to start our service today, baptism. I love every Sunday, but I love the third Sunday of every month because that's the week that we schedule our baptisms. With me this morning, we have two candidates for baptism. The first, Miss Mia Hupp. [00:00:57] (26 seconds)
Mia is coming forward today to publicly identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And identify with his church as well. So, Mia, have you come to a place where you've asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? And in accordance to the commandments of Christ, I baptize you, my sister, in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit. [00:01:24] (22 seconds)
Heavenly Father, we give you praise and thanks for this time. I thank you, God, for the love that you've demonstrated for us at Calvary's Cross, and I thank you for the love that you demonstrated through an empty tomb that tells the world that we serve a risen Savior and not a dead man. Lord, we thank you for your Holy Spirit. [00:02:43] (16 seconds)
And God, I thank you for the love that you've demonstrated for us at Calvary's Cross, and I give you praise and thanks for me and for Jacob and their testimonies today, publicly identifying with your death, burial, and resurrection through baptism. I pray that it would be an example to those here today who have said yes to Jesus, but have yet to take this step of obedience, Lord, that they would see the importance of it and the necessity of it in their lives, God. [00:03:23] (22 seconds)
We want to build one another up. But that's corporate worship. But what Jesus is talking about is individual worship. Everywhere that you go, you take Jesus with you. Remember that. Remember that before you go to that place that you shouldn't go, before you enter that website that you shouldn't enter. [00:54:45] (21 seconds)
As a child of God, we are the house and the temple of God, and wherever we go, we take the Lord with us. That's something that when I finally realized that, it changed the way I looked at life. It truly did. My grandmother used to say, boy, what you're doing right now, is that what you want to be doing when the Lord comes back? [00:55:12] (23 seconds)
But I think about that a lot. I think about that lesson. And do you know what this means? You don't come to church, you don't come to church, to worship. You should come to church with worship. I said that last week. And you should leave here with worship in your heart. You ought to come in here worshiping, and you ought to leave here worshiping. [00:55:32] (17 seconds)
So we're actually told that God is looking for those who will worship him the way he wants to be worshiped. There was an old French proverb that says a good meal ought to begin with hunger, because I think what he means is it's very difficult to enjoy a meal. If you're not hungry, but my father used to say, when you're hungry, everything tastes good. And he means that. When you develop a hunger, you want the best. [00:56:55] (28 seconds)
See, God is not just looking for worshipers. He is looking for true worshipers. Now, what that tells us is if there is true worshipers, then there are false worshipers. If there is true worship, there has to be false worship. So what is true worship? Well, true worship is a matter of worshiping the right God. [00:57:11] (20 seconds)
Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship the Father. Now, that raises a question. Whose Father is to be worshiped? Well, the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, what I'm going to say is going to be extremely intolerant to some people. It's definitely going to be politically correct. But if the God you worship is not the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you are not worshiping God. [00:57:28] (22 seconds)
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