WORSHIP NOTES
Volume 8, No. 5 (May 2013)
1. GUIDING PRINCIPLES OF WORSHIP IN THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
a. Exclusive worship
Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘you shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.'” (4:10)
b. Sincere worship
“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” (6:7)
c. Priority worship
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (6:33)
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.” (10:37)
d. Confident worship
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (11:28-30)
e. Declaratory worship
“Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name. . . . Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.” (6:9,13)
And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” (14:33)
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (16:16)
f. Self-sacrificial worship
“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (16:25)
g. Humble worship
“Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (18:4)
“Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” (23:12)
h. Heart worship
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far away from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” (15:8-9)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (23:25-28)
i. Lavish worship
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. (26:6-7)
j. Submissive worship
And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.” (26:39)
k. Responsive worship
But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. (9:8)
And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, ‘You are certainly God’s Son!’” (14:33)