Getting it StraightWhat being a Christian is all about• Believer • Worshipper • Follower (Disciple)• Giver (Sharer) • Belonger • Reconciler

Questions to ask ourselves• Information or Transformation?• Knowledge or Practice?• “That’s good to know” or “How does this

apply to me?”• If it doesn’t apply: why and what am I going

to do about it?• If is does apply: What more do I need to do

about this?• Spiritual maturity is a journey not a

destination“You foolish Galatians…” – Galatians 3:1 (NIVUK)“You have lost your first love” – Revelation 2:4 (NIVUK)“Add to your faith, in increasing measure,Goodness | Knowledge | Self-control | Perseverance | Godliness | Mutual affection | Love – 2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIVUK)

Everybody worships!• We’re created to worship – part of DNA• Not reserved for Christians

Beliebers

Worship affects everything• Informs and Reinforces our Choices• Values• Spending• Thoughts• Words• Actions • We have a choice – worship the Creator or

what has been created

Worship affects everything• Created in His image involves loving

relationships and service• 2 problems

• Selfishness• Self-esteem

• Worship is about who we are and how we live• Don’t ask: “When do we worship?” or “With

what degree of intensity do we worship?”• Ask “Whom or what do we worship?”

Love God with all that we are and haveLove other people as much as we love ourselves- Luke 10:27 (NIVUK)

Worship and Christian Worship

• We were not created to worship God• We were not created for worship• We are created worshippers – it’s who

we are!

“…the devil took (Jesus) to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ‘All this I will give You,’ he said, ‘if You will bow down and worship me.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”’Matthew 4:8-10 (NIVUK)

Christian Worship is a continuum

• Not time limited• Not place specific• Not constrained by service structure or

people “Liturgy” – work to be done/an agreement to

perform/completion of a service• We should focus on what worship is

rather than what worship does• Worship is not part of Christian living –

it’s the whole thing!“Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become” – Harold Best

Christian Worship is whole life“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will” – Romans 12:1-2 (NIVUK)The Message“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him”

Christian Worship is“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to his name; worship the Lord in the splendour of his holiness”– Psalm 29:2(NIVUK)“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” – John 4:23-24 (NIVUK)

It’s the heart that counts“These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught”

– Mark 7:6-7 from Isaiah 29:13 NIVUK)