THE RESULTS OF GENUINE WORSHIP

2 Chronicles 5:11-14

Because God is worthy of worship and seeks to be worshiped, everything in our worship services should be designed and carried out not to call attention to ourselves or bring glory to ourselves, but to call attention to God and to cause people to think about Him.
“Then the priests left the Holy Place. All the priests who were present had purified themselves, whether or not they were on duty that day. And the Levites who were musicians – Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun, and all their sons and brothers – were dressed in fine linen robes and stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, harps, and lyres. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words:
‘He is so good! His love endures forever!’
At that moment a cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their work because the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God.”

What are the results of genuine worship?

I. WE DELIGHT IN GOD
God created us not only to glorify Him but also to enjoy Him and delight in His excellence. We probably delight in God more fully in worship than in any other activity in this life. Worship is an end in itself because we glorify God by enjoying Him forever. Which means we make the joy of worship our goal. It is precisely in confessing our frustrated, hopeless condition without Him that we honor Him. A patient is not greater than his doctor because he longs to be made well. A child is not greater than his father when he wants the fun of playing together with him. Do not presume that when you come to God you come to give rather than get. The only approach to God in worship is the humble approach because it is the only one that comes with empty hands. We must acknowledge that He alone can satisfy the heart’s longing to be happy. Worship is an end in itself because we glorify God by enjoying Him forever.
“You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” Psalm 16:11.

II. GOD DELIGHTS IN US
When God first made the universe, He looked on all of it with delight, and saw that “it was very good” Genesis 1:31.
God takes special delight in human beings whom He has created and redeemed.
“Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for a child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on my hand” Isaiah 49:15-16.
God delights in our brokenness. Asaph, one of the writers of psalms, after experiencing depression and discouragement said, “Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever” Psalm 73:25-26.
“O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water” Psalm 63:1.
God is not unresponsive to the deep longing of our soul. He comes and lifts the load of sin and fills our heart with gladness and gratitude.
“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!” Psalm 30:11-12.

III. WE DRAW NEAR TO GOD

A. Worship in the Old Covenant:
“The sacrifices under the old system were repeated again and again, year after year, but they were never able to provide perfect cleansing for those who came to worship. If they could have provided perfect cleansing, the sacrifices would have stopped, for the worshipers would have been purified once for all time, and their feelings of guilt would have disappeared. But just the opposite happened. Those yearly sacrifices reminded them of their sins year after year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” Hebrews 10:1-4.

B. Worship in the New Covenant:
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. This is the new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s people, let us go right into the presence of God, with true hearts fully trusting him. For our evil consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water” Hebrews 10:19-22.

1. We have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus. It is a confidence of free and open access to God based on the unique sacrifice of Jesus.

2. We have a great High Priest over the house of God. Our Great High Priest makes it possible for us to draw near to God together and to share the hope of living for ever in His presence.

IV. GOD DRAWS NEAR TO US
“Come near to God and he will come near to you…” James 4:8.
In the Parable of the Prodigal Son, the father waited for the coming home of his son. In fact, every day he stood on the door with eyes on the road hoping that his son would come back. And when his son came back home, while he was still a long distance away, he ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.
When we come to Him with all humility, He will come to us.

V. GOD MINISTERS TO US
In worship, we ourselves are built up and edified. When we worship God, He meets with us and directly ministers to us, strengthening our faith, intensifying our awareness of His presence, and granting refreshments to our spirits.
“Let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it” Hebrews 4:16.

VI. UNBELIEVERS KNOW THEY ARE IN GOD’S PRESENCE
Worship is a powerful witness to unbelievers. The atmosphere is electrifying. They feel it. They can sense it. But they cannot explain what it is. They just know that God is present in the midst of His people.

HOW CAN WE ENTER INTO GENUINE WORSHIP?
1. Pray that the Holy Spirit will enable us to worship rightly.
2. See God as He is and then respond to His presence.
“Offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire” Hebrews 12:28-29.
3. Prepare for worship.
4. Make right any interpersonal relationship.
“So if you are standing before the altar in the Temple, offering a sacrifice to God, and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there beside the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God” Matthew 5:23-24.
5. Everything should be done in an orderly way.

WHAT MAKES GOD SMILE

Genesis 6

The smile of God is the goal of your life.
Since pleasing God is the first purpose of your life, your most important task is to discover how to do that.
The Bible gives us a clear example of a life that gives pleasure to God. The man’s name was Noah.
In Noah’s day, the entire world had become morally bankrupt. Everyone lived for their own pleasure, not God’s. God couldn’t find anyone on earth interested in pleasing Him, so He was grieved and regretted making man. God became so disgusted with the human race that He considered wiping it out. But there was one man who made God smile.

“Now the Lord observed the extent of the people’s wickedness, and he saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them. It broke his heart. And the Lord said, ‘I will completely wipe out this human race that I have created. Yes, and I will destroy all the animals and birds, too. I am sorry I ever made them.’ But Noah found favor with the Lord.
This is the history of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless man living on earth at the time. He consistently followed God’s will and enjoyed a close relationship with him” Genesis 6:5-9.

Because Noah brought pleasure to God, you and I are alive today. From his life we learn what makes God smile.

I. GOD SMILES WHEN WE LOVE HIM SUPREMELY
Noah loved God more than anything else in the world, even when no one else did.
“Noah consistently followed God’s will and enjoyed a close relationship with Him” Genesis 6:9.
That is what God wants from us: relationship! It’s the most astounding truth in the universe – that our Creator wants to have a relationship with us. God made you to love you, and He longs for you to love Him back.
“I don’t want your sacrifices – I want your love; I don’t want your offerings – I want you to know me” Hosea 6:6.
Illus: A scene from the film Notting Hill – “I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her.”
God deeply loves you and desires your love in return. He longs for you to know Him and spend time with Him. That is why learning to love God and be loved by Him should be the greatest objective of our life.

II. GOD SMILES WHEN WE TRUST HIM COMPLETELY
“By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn’t see, and acted on what he was told….As a result, Noah became intimate with God” Hebrews 11:7.
God commanded Noah to build an ark because He’s going to send a worldwide flood. God wanted to save the family of Noah and the animal population.
There were 3 problems:
• Noah had never seen rain, because prior to the Flood, God irrigated the earth from the ground up.
• Noah lived hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean.
• There was the problem of gathering all the animals and caring for them.

But Noah didn’t complain or make excuses. He trusted God completely. Trusting God completely means having faith that He knows what is best for our life. We expect Him to keep His promises, help us with problems, and do the impossible when necessary.
It took Noah 120 years to build the ark.
In what areas of your life do you need to trust God completely? Trusting is an act of worship.
“Without faith it is impossible to please God” Hebrews 11:6.

III. GOD SMILES WHEN WE OBEY HIM WHOLEHEARTEDLY
God gave very detailed instructions as to the size, shape, and materials of the ark as well as the different numbers of animals to be brought on board.
The size of the ark is equivalent to 20 college basketball courts, its height – 4-storey building.
“So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him” Genesis 6:22.
That is wholeheartedness.
Noah obeyed God wholeheartedly. He didn’t say, “Yes, Lord” tapos binago ‘yong plano nang kaunti dahil mahirap. He didn’t also say, “Yes, Lord” tapos hindi niya ginawa dahil wala namang ulan.
Often we try to offer God partial obedience. We choose the commands we obey. That is not wholeheartedness.

IV. GOD SMILES WHEN WE PRAISE AND THANK HIM CONTINUALLY
Few things feel better than receiving a heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God smiles when we express our adoration and gratitude to Him.
Noah’s first act after surviving the Flood was to express his thanks to God by offering a sacrifice.
“Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and sacrificed burnt offerings on it” Genesis 8:20.
Illus: magpapaprayer …… pagkatapos makuha ang answer hindi na marunong magpasalamat. Sasabihin ‘Ako na gud ni!’
“What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? Psalm 116:12.
By giving our tithes and offerings.
“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” 2 Corinthians 9:12.

V. GOD SMILES WHEN WE USE OUR ABILITIES
After the Flood, God gave these simple instructions: “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth…. Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.”
God said, “It’s time to get on with your life! Do the things I designed humans to do.”
You may feel that the only time God is pleased with you is when you’re doing “spiritual” activities. And you may think God is unconcerned about the other parts of your life. Actually, God enjoys watching every detail of your life, whether you are working, playing, resting, or eating.
You can wash dishes, repair a machine, sell a product, etc. for the glory of God.
God intentionally gifted us differently for His enjoyment. You don’t bring glory or pleasure to God by hiding your abilities or trying to be someone else. You only bring Him enjoyment by being you. Anytime you reject any part of yourself, you are rejecting God’s wisdom and sovereignty in creating you.
“You have no right to argue with your Creator. You are merely a clay pot shaped by a potter. The clay doesn’t ask, ‘Why did you make me this way?’” Isaiah 45:9.

Is pleasing God your deepest desire? If yes, then…
• Love Him supremely
• Trust Him completely
• Obey Him wholeheartedly
• Praise and thank Him continually
• Use your abilities

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF GENUINE WORSHIP

John 12:1-8


We enjoy flattery….
Flattery is not genuine….
We can’t flatter God….

“Six days before the Passover ceremonies began, Jesus arrived in Bethlehem, the home of Lazarus – the man he had raised from the dead. A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus sat at the table with him. Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with fragrance.
But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples – the one who would betray him – said, “That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor – he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples’ funds, and he often took some for his own use.
Jesus replied, ‘Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer.’”

This is a very short narrative. And when you read it, it’s just that: a narrative. But when you try to read between the lines, the teaching is very profound. It teaches about worship – the characteristics of a genuine worship.

I. GENUINE WORSHIP IS A DECISION
“Then Mary took…” v.3.
Worship is a decision. It is not automatic. It is a choice amidst many choices. For others, it is not always an easy choice. To choose between evil and good is easy. But to choose between good and best is difficult (like between WC and USG meeting, WC between group study, CG between research sa Internet, Efest/LDI between NSTP, etc.).
Being present in a worship service is not enough. That is only for the sake of check attendance. Participate in worship. Immerse yourself in the presence of God. Lay down everything at the feet of Jesus. And say, like what Moses said, “Lord, I will not go unless You bless me.”
Decide that regardless of the weather, of your busyness, you will worship. Decide that regardless of who is leading the worship, who is preaching, you will worship. Worship is a decision.
“Praise the Lord, I tell myself; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, I tell myself, and never forget the good things he does for me” Psalm 103:1-2.
II. GENUINE WORSHIP IS A COSTLY SACRIFICE
“Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it…” v.3.
Nard was a fragrant ointment imported from the mountains of India. Thus it was very expensive. The amount Mary used was worth a year’s wages. Nard was used to anoint kings.
The perfume was probably the most valuable possession Mary had. But she gave it to Jesus. What Mary did is an example of genuine worship. She didn’t count the cost. She willingly gave the best she had to Jesus. It was, in fact, an extravagant worship.
David said, “I will not offer anything unto the Lord that cost me nothing” 2 Samuel 24:24.
“…let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise…” Hebrews 13:15.
Genuine worship involves sacrifice – time, money, energy.

III. GENUINE WORSHIP IS FORGETTING SELF
“Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it and wiped his feet with her hair” v.3.
The perfume was supposed to be poured on the head. But Mary poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped it with her hair. It was an act of humility with so much love. Mary didn’t care about her reputation. All she cared about was to do this for her beloved Savior and Lord. She was focused. She was determined.
Worship is like that. We cannot enter into genuine worship when we are full of self. Worship involves forgetting self.
John the Baptist said, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” John 3:30.
In worship we do not care what people say. We move out of our comfort zones to be able to enter into genuine worship.
Biblical worship involves the body, the spirit, the heart, the intellect, and the emotions. Worship expressions illustrated in the Bible include…
• Lively and joyous singing involving all worshipers,
• Spontaneous and verbal praises from those present in worship,
• Humble kneeling or lying prostrate before the Lord,
• Hands upraised and stretched forth in worship, and
• Hands clapping in tempo with music and as applause expressed to God.

Psalm 98:4 reminds us to “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song and music.” Joyful sounds ringing forth in worship may take on many forms – including applause, laughter, praise, and singing. And all of these forms express our reverence for God.
There are worshipers who choose to remain indifferent as expressive worship occurs around them. They will never experience the true freedom in worship.

IV. GENUINE WORSHIP IS CONTAGIOUS
“And the house was filled with fragrance” v.3.
Bad smell and good smell are both spatial.
Sars is contagious. As well as chicken pox, flu, tuberculosis, and many others. Expose yourself to people who have these communicable diseases and the probability is high that you will get them.
Genuine worship is also contagious. When people are truly worshiping the Lord, and there is joyful singing and shouting and dancing, even unbelievers can sense the mighty presence of God. The atmosphere becomes electric. The fragrance of worship will fill the place.

V. GENUINE WORSHIP DISPLEASES THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS
“But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples – the one who would betray him – said, “That perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor – he was a thief who was in charge of the disciples’ funds, and he often took some for his own use” v.4-5.
The spectators in worship will always accuse the participators of being OA. There are always people who resist spontaneous, expressive, and joy-filled worship.
When David became king of Israel, one of his objectives was to bring the ark of God into Jerusalem. The ark of God symbolizes the very presence of God. As they were marching… “David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly tunic. So David and all Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with much shouting and blowing of trumpets. But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him” 2 Samuel 6:14-16.
There will always be Michal. As a result of her rejection, Michal had to face another kind of music – barrenness (2 Samuel 6:23).
Expressiveness in worship will always displease the self-righteous.

VI. GENUINE WORSHIP BRINGS GOD PLEASURE
“Jesus replied, ‘Leave her alone. She did it in preparation for my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer.’”
Jesus enjoyed the fragrance of the perfume. He rebuked Judas for making those unnecessary comments.
God delights in genuine worship.


How can we enter into genuine worship?

1. Decide to worship God regardless. Focus on God.
2. Be ready to make a sacrifice – time, money, energy.
3. Forget about self.
4. Don’t mind others.