Worship is sacrifice. Letting go of what means the most to you.
Genesis 22:4-6 “On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from a distance. And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there; and we will worship, and we will return to you.” Then Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.”
Worship is an encounter with the living God.
Exodus 3:1-6 ““Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burned up?” And Yahweh saw that he turned aside to look, so God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near here. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.”
Worship is reserved for God alone.
Exodus 34:14 ““—for you shall not worship any other god, for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God—”
Worship is giving God the glory due to only Him.
Psalms 29:1-2 ““Ascribe to Yahweh, O sons of the mighty, Ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. Ascribe to Yahweh the glory of His name; Worship Yahweh in the splendor of holiness.”
We CAN worship because Christ died for us.
Hebrews 10:1-10 ““For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me; In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure. “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come, In the scroll of the book it is written of Me, To do Your will, O God.’ ” After saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have not desired, nor have You taken pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the Law), then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second. By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”
We SHOULD worship with reverence for God.
Hebrews 12:28-29 ““Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.”
When we draw near to God, he draws near to us.
James 4:8-9 ““Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and cry. Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom.”
Psalms 34:18 “Yahweh is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit.”
