Worship
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 12:28
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,…" (NIV)
WORSHIP DEFINED:
1) PROSKUNEO to make obeisance, do reverence to (from pros, towards, and kuneoµ, to kiss), is the most frequent word rendered to worship. It is used of an act of homage or reverence to God, e.g., Matt. 4:10; John 4:21-24.
2) LATREUO to serve, to render religious service or homage, is translated to worship in Phil. 3:3, "(who) worship (by the Spirit of God)," R.V., A.V., "(which) worship (God in the spirit)"; the R.V. renders it to serve. We get the English word "liturgy" (lit. acts of service) from this Greek word. The liturgy is the structure of the worship service.
TYPES OF WORSHIP:
1) Old Testament worship
A) Emphasis on Temple ritual and service (Heb. bôdâ ) In the OT there are instances of individual worship (Gn. 24:26f.; Ex. 33:9-34:8). But the emphasis is upon worship in the congregation (Ps. 42:4; 1 Ch. 29:20). In tabernacle and Temple worship ritual was prominent. Apart from the daily morning and evening sacrifices, the celebration of Passover and the observance of the Day of Atonement would be highlights in the Jewish religious calendar. This highly-developed public worship offered in the tabernacle and Temple is a far cry from earlier times when the Patriarchs believed that the Lord could be worshipped wherever he had chosen to reveal himself. But that public worship in the Temple was a spiritual reality is clear from the fact that when the sanctuary was destroyed, and the exiles found themselves in Babylon, worship remained a necessity, and to meet this need the synagogue service, consisting of (1) the ShemaÔ, (2) prayers, (3) Scripture readings and (4) exposition, was ‘created’. But later in the second Temple the daily services, the sabbath, the annual festivals and fasts, and the praises of the hymn-book (book of Psalms) of this second Temple ensured that worship remained a vital factor in Jewish national life.
2) New Testament worship
A) Early Christian Worship: In the NT ‘worship’ still means primarily ‘bow down’ but the word also translates Greek terms signifying service or piety. However, the external form of worship differs radically from that of the OT. Since the death of Christ constituted the perfect sacrifice, no more sacrifices were needed (Heb. 9:11-12, 24-26). Indeed, the entire institution of Temple, priesthood, sacrifice, and cleansing ritual became obsolete. Rather, the church itself, that is, all the believers, was at once temple and priesthood, inhabited by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:21-22; 1 Pet. 2:9).
As a result, Christian worship was internal rather than external. Only three rituals are known from the NT: baptism, communion, and the laying on of hands. The first day of the week was a favorite day for Christian assembly (Acts 20:7; cf. 1 Cor. 16:2), though early Christians met daily (Acts 2:46). At these meetings, there would be teaching, exhortation, singing, praying, prophesying, reading letters, and the ‘breaking of bread’ (probably communion; Acts 2:42, 46; 15:30; 1 Cor. 14:26; Col. 4:16). Above all, Christian worship was characterized by great joy and thanksgiving (cf. 1 Thess. 5:16-18).
3) True worship (John 4:23-24)
A) spiritual in nature-Rom.12:1-2
1) Prayer
2) Praise
3) Singing
4) Fasting
5) Tongues
6) Holy living
7) Thanksgiving
8) Centered on Christ
4) False worship (Matt.15:1-9)
A) Carnal in nature-Col.2:16-23
1) Ritual
2) Form
3) Tradition
4) Hypocrisy-Isaiah58:3-14, Mal.1:6-14
5) Pride in a works-based worship
5) Orderly worship ( 1Cor. 14:26-33)
A) Order not absence-vs.39-40
1) Speak to edify-vs.26
2) Speak one at a time-vs.27
3) Speak to be accurate-vs.29-31
4) Speak in love-vs.32-33, 1Cor.12:30-13:8