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.