Theme · liturgical
Worship
Worship begins with Abel's offering and runs through the patriarchal altars, the tabernacle liturgy, and Solomon's temple dedication. The Psalms supply the vocabulary of worship — praise, awe, gratitude, and surrender. The prophets warn that ritual without justice is an abomination; true worship demands a transformed life. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that authentic worship is in spirit and truth, not confined to any mountain or temple. Paul redefines worship as the presentation of one's whole life as a living sacrifice, and Revelation culminates in the unending worship of heaven.
Related doctrines
Passages expressing this theme
- 1Chr 16:29 — Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
- 1Chr 25:1 — Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the num
- 1Chr 29:10 — Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.
- 1Chr 29:14 — But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
- 1Chr 29:17 — I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy t
- 1Cor 13:1 — Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
- 1Cor 14:26 — How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
- 1Kgs 19:11 — And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the
- 1Thess 5:18 — In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
- 1Tim 1:17 — Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
- 2Chr 5:13 — It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and
- 2Chr 17:3 — And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;
- 2Chr 36:15 — And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place:
- 2Chr 36:16 — But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy.
- 2Cor 2:15 — For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
- 2Kgs 2:24 — And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.
- 2Kgs 5:15 — And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray t
- 2Sam 7:22 — Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
- 2Thess 2:4 — Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
- Acts 7:42 — Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of f
- Acts 16:14 — And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.
- Acts 16:25 — And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
- Acts 17:23 — For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
- Acts 17:25 — Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
- Amos 5:21 — I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.
The Church Fathers on Worship
What does "they were worshiping" mean? That is, of those preaching.
In contemplation, there is admiration, expansion, a transference and restoration of one's self. Hence, "after gazing on God, they could still eat and drink."
Worshiping and praying in the Spirit seem to me to be simply the Spirit presenting prayer and worship to himself.
The "worship in the Spirit" suggests the idea of the operation of our intelligence being carried on in the light, as may be learned from the words spoken to the woman of Samaria. Deceived as she was by the customs of her country into the belief that worship was local, our Lord, with the object of giving her better…
SERMON 13 OUR THANKSGIVING AND GOD'S GLORY Just as the sea is the ultimate source of wells and rivers, so Christ the Lord is the ultimate source of all virtue and knowledge. For who has power to endow us with virtues if not he who is the King of Glory? And what are we told in the canticle of Anna but that God…
"For the Father seeketh such to worship Him." If then He in times past sought such as these, He allowed to those others their way of worship, not willingly, but from condescension, and for this reason, that He might bring them in also. Who then are "the true worshipers"? Those who confine not their service by…