response – uSeminary

Lesson 5 Never-Ending Worship

LESSON 5: NEVER-ENDING WORSHIP
MAIN IDEA: Our worship invites God’s presence, His presence brings increased revelation, and we respond with never-ending worship.

Worship is critical to our lives here on planet Earth, and worship is our destiny throughout all eternity. Throughout our study together, we have seen example after example of God’s people responding to Him with worship. And their worship invited the presence of God — their lives were changed forever.

We also have been given a clear picture of our never-ending worship around the throne of God in heaven. The cycle of worship begins with our response, and it is indeed never-ending. As we’ve learned, worship is continual in heaven as the angels and elders cry out day and night.

There is no shortage of God’s presence in heaven, and the worship never stops. Imagining Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem gave us just a small glimpse of what our eternity will hold. Our response will be worship — the kind of unrestrained worship offered by the crowd gathered on the dusty road outside the city of Jerusalem.

As we saw in the last class, Jesus went to Jerusalem to fulfill His destiny right in the midst of his followers, including the Seventy, and they could not keep silent. They had devoted their lives to Jesus, they had seen Him do mighty deeds through their own obedience, and they had the personal assurance of spending eternity with God. They had every reason to worship the King — and so do we! Never-ending worship was their destiny, and it is ours as well.

We have a lot in common with the Seventy. They were ordinary people who had taken the opportunity to spend time with the Savior, to believe and receive His words of life, and to reach out to those around them who needed to know that the Savior was near. Although Jesus is no longer physically with us, He has provided the Holy Spirit who resides in us and teaches us all things:

The anointing you received from Him remains in you, and you don’t need anyone to teach you. Instead, His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie; just as it has taught you, remain in Him. 1 John 2:27

Like the Seventy, we have been given a mission. Jesus has called us to go forth into our neighborhoods, schools, churches, and workplaces to declare that the Kingdom is near and available. His Holy Spirit empowers us to speak words of love and healing and deliverance to those in need:

This is how we have come to know love: He laid down His life for us. We should also lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need but shuts off his compassion from him — how can God’s love reside in him? Little children, we must not love in word or speech, but in deed and truth. 1 John 3:16-18

Just like the Seventy, we can fulfill our mission by choosing to spend time in God’s presence, respond to His revelation, and make a place of meeting as we worship Him. God’s amazing love for us makes it all possible. The cycle of worship is never-ending: He loves us; we respond; He inhabits our response; and we worship even more! God is waiting right now for us, even as we complete this study.

Each of the four living creatures had six wings; they were covered with eyes around and inside. Day and night they never stop, saying: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God, the Almighty, who was, who is, and who is coming. Revelation 4:8

Blowing to the Box
When I think of “instruments of praise,” I’m reminded of an analogy I heard many, many years ago — one that tells about being a band parent, which brings to mind the many band competitions Teresa and I have endured.

We have been band parents ever since my son, Lee, was able to pick up a horn and play. That means that I’ve been to countless band contests — those all-day events where you are guaranteed to sit in the bleachers somewhere and watch as many as 50 or 60 bands perform their halftime shows for the judges in the press box.

Frankly, it’s a fairly boring way to spend a Saturday — that is, until your band takes the field! At that point, it doesn’t matter that you have heard the song a thousand times; the “band parent within” takes over! You may know every note and every step that is coming, but your response cannot be restrained.

As the song comes to its conclusion, the band turns toward you; and in one final moment, they start what is known as “blowing to the box.” Every band director teaches the same message: this is the moment where you blow your instrument with all your heart, soul, and strength. No matter what instrument you play, as you face the press box, it’s time to put your very best performance on the line. Lift your head, blow a little harder, and play a little louder! It’s time to let them hear all you have to give!

And though we band parents have experienced this moment countless times, there we are again: standing on the bleachers, waving our arms in the air, and screaming at the top of our lungs as our children “blow to the box”!

The Israelites who were present in Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great rejoicing, while the Levites and priests sang to the LORD every day, accompanied by the LORD’s instruments of praise. 2 Chronicles 30:21, NIV

As a worshiper, the message is clear: when we turn our attention to the One we worship, our worship expression and experience is totally dependent on where we see our Father seated. If He is in the press box, carefully judging our performance (and our lives) because it is His job to see if we meet some performance standard, then we will approach our Father with caution and fear.

But if we see Him as the Father who has climbed to the top of the bleachers to get a better view of His dear child — as a Father who waves His arms and screams His support with all His strength to let us know that He loves us and is there for us — then nothing and no one can keep us from experiencing God at that very moment.

Worshiping God in response to who He is and what He has done is a privilege that we simply cannot ignore. We were made for worship, and even now God is waiting for us to respond.

Our God is truly the King of all kings and the Lord of all lords. His name is Jesus, and He’s waiting for our response to His revelation! Worship while you wait. Worship while you are under the weight of circumstances. Worship when He seems near and when He seems so far away. Your name is written in the book of heaven; and when this life is over, you will be worshiping Him day and night for eternity. Now that’s something to celebrate!

You see, worship really is the key to experiencing God. He’s ready when you are.

Do you feel you are more prepared to worship God completely since you’ve participated in this course? What are some ways you will worship now that you didn’t before?

Points to Ponder
• When we experience God in worship, we are empowered to serve Him — and worship Him more.
• Experiencing God in worship requires time and sacrifice.
• Experiencing God in worship requires us to trust and obey and keep our focus on Jesus.
• God shows up when His people immerse themselves in worship!
• Our worship invites God’s presence; His presence brings increased revelation; and we respond with never-ending worship.

LESSON 5 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

No part of this course may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing by the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed in writing to LifeWay Press®; One LifeWay Plaza; Nashville, TN 37234-0175.

ISBN: 978-1-4158-6609-2 Item number 005170866

Dewey Decimal Classification Number: 264 Subject Heading: WORSHIP \ SPIRITUAL LIFE

Scriptures marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Leadership and Adult Publishing LifeWay Church Resources One LifeWay Plaza Nashville, TN 37234-0175

Lesson 5 Freedom in Worship

LESSON 5: FREEDOM IN WORSHIP
MAIN IDEA: God wants us to worship Him with all our heart and soul

I shared the story of a serious trial Teresa and I faced along life’s journey. I’m sure you have your own stories to tell, for we all face tests and trials on a regular basis. Tests and trials are just a part of the process of life. The issue is not the type or magnitude of any one trial we face, but our response to every test. God’s Word gives us real hope and real direction as we respond. Consider again this passage from the Book of James:

Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing. Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. James 1:2-5

God really is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, as Hebrews 11:6 tells us. He is the author of our salvation and our hope. Every moment we spend in His presence and in the written Word strengthens the hope that has been deposited in us as believers. And as hope increases — as we are filled with a hope that will never disappoint — we can function as the body of Christ was designed to function: glorifying God with our response of worship.

Worshiping Fully and Freely
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have no limitations as you respond to God? I have. My desire for unhindered worship in my own life continues to grow as I understand more and more about who God is and what He has already done in my life. Experiencing the intervention of God in the cancer trial that Teresa and I shared brought us to a greater freedom in worship. When God met us at the throne of grace and intervened on our behalf, our only reasonable response was — and is and always will be — worship!

Whether we are worshiping corporately or privately, our response to God should be biblically based and unhindered. Yet within these two general parameters, we all have socially and culturally familiar elements in our worship. Our childhood training and the worship we have experienced throughout our lives often dictate how freely we respond to God.

Some members of the body cry out loudly or prostrate themselves on the floor. Some wave flags and banners of adulation and praise, while others sing hymns or worship choruses or gather quietly in solemn assembly. The style of worship, the volume of worship, and the elements of worship are not the issue. The issue is that each believer must raise his or her own unhindered expression of worship to the King of kings in response to what He alone has done.

God made each member of His body, and He wants to hear our heartfelt expressions of praise. He wants us to worship with all our heart — without reservation! When I think of that kind of worship, I think of Miss Bessie.

Worshiping Without Reservation
In the video for this class, you heard the story of Miss Bessie, a woman in my home church who lost her voice but not her ability to worship! She kept right on praising God from the front pew until she went to be with the Lord.

It’s not hard for me to picture her as a part of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as He proceeded toward Calvary. She would have been standing and waving her arms, uttering whatever sound she could make to proclaim the greatness of her King Jesus. That’s the kind of worship the disciples who witnessed Jesus’ descent into Jerusalem demonstrated:

He came near the path down the Mount of Olives, and the whole crowd of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the miracles they had seen: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!” Luke 19:37-38

That same Jesus is present with us right now. He went to the cross at Calvary and has overcome sin and death once and for all — for all of us. Our response must be unhindered worship!

The Bible is full of specific activities of worship. In the following list, which worship activity have you have witnessed? Which have you experienced personally? Finally, which are you longing to experience as you respond to God’s revelation?
• Kneeling/bowing (2 Chron. 29:29; Luke 22:41; Acts 20:36)
• Singing (Ps. 100:2; 147; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16)
• Praying (Matt. 6:9-13; Acts 1:14; 4:31; 1 Thess. 5:16-17)
• Shouting (Ps. 95:1-2; 98:4; Zech. 9:9)
• Clapping (Ps. 47:1; 98:4,8; Isa. 55:12)
• Prostrating (Deut. 9:18; Josh. 5:14; 1 Kings 18:39; Rev. 1:17)
• Raising hands (2 Chron. 6:13; Ps. 63:4; 1 Tim. 2:8)
• Dancing (2 Sam. 6:14; Ps. 30:11; 149:3)
• Playing instruments (1 Chron. 15:16; Ps. 98:5-6; 150)
• Meditating/listening (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 77:12; 81:13; 119:15; Phil. 4:8)
• Giving (Isa. 58:7; Mal. 3:10; 2 Cor. 9:7-8)
• Serving (Ps. 100:2a; Matt. 20:25-28; Acts 20:18-19; Rom. 12:1)
• Taking communion (Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23-26)
• Fasting (Neh. 1:4; Esth. 4:3; Isa. 58; Dan. 9:3; Joel 2:12)

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Write a prayer of surrender, asking God to set you free from whatever is keeping you from worshiping fully and freely.

Points to Ponder
• Responding to God’s revelation in a manner that is pleasing to Him involves service and surrender.
• A lifestyle of worship is essential if we are to overcome in order to ”become.”
• Worship strengthens the Word in us.
• Worshiping God while we are waiting for Him to act opens a place for Him to intervene.
• God wants us to worship Him with all our heart and soul.

Resources used for this class:
• “Praise the Lord,” Brown Bannister and Mike Hudson. © 1978 Word Music LLC. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
• “Bow the Knee,” Chris Machen and Mike Harland. © 1999 Centergetic Music (ASCAP) (Admin. by Words and Music Copyright Administration). All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Lesson 4 Worshiping While We Wait

LESSON 4: WORSHIPING WHILE WE WAIT
MAIN IDEA: Worshiping God while we are waiting for Him to act opens a place for Him to intervene.

We were made for relationship with God. He came down to us and met us at our point of need for a Savior. He has chosen to dwell in and among us through His Holy Spirit. Our worship makes a place for His enthronement in our midst.

We have seen God wants us to respond to His love by worshiping Him even in the midst of the battles, struggles, and problems we face in life, making a place for Him to intervene. Sometimes His intervention is immediate, as it was for King Jehoshaphat and the Israelites, and sometimes we have to allow “patience [to] have its perfect work” (Jas. 1:4, NKJV) as we wait expectantly for God to step into our difficult circumstances:

From time to time we all must make a decision: What will we do while we wait on the Lord? You may be facing some very serious issues in your life right now. And frankly, it’s difficult to feel like worshiping God at times. As you may remember, my wife, Teresa, and I learned a great deal about God’s grace through her battle with cancer — and we learned about worshiping in the midst of our hardships, as well.

I remember the day we got the cancer diagnosis like it was yesterday. The results of the biopsy weren’t good. Jim Futral, pastor of the church we were serving in Jackson, Mississippi, was with us. I looked at Jim with tears in my eyes. Teresa had breast cancer, and it was the aggressive kind.

I left Jim for a few moments and walked out into the hall, not knowing what to do next. I would be the one to tell Teresa when she woke up, and likely the one to tell the kids. It was a very difficult moment to say the least. As I walked through the hall, I began to hear in my head the lyrics of a song I had written with a dear friend just a few weeks earlier:
Bow the knee. Trust the heart of your Father.
When the answer goes beyond what you can see, Bow the knee.

Bow the knee.
Lift your eyes toward heaven.
And believe the One who holds eternity.
When you don’t understand the purpose of His plan.
In the presence of your King, bow the knee!

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had begun to worship God in the midst of our difficulties — to worship while we were “under the weight” of the problem. Is there a song that has affected you in a time of tragedy or turmoil?

When Teresa woke up and saw my face, she immediately knew the results of the biopsy. Sadly, my brokenness revealed my lack of faith at that moment. I was a mess, but Teresa spoke very clearly: “So God must know that our faith is strong enough to handle a trial like this.” Teresa had a revelation of who God is and what He had done in her life, and she wasn’t about to let go!

As the days went by, we had to make many decisions about medical options and the surgeries that would come. But the best decision we made, right in the midst of the most difficult problem we ever tried to navigate, was to trust God. We decided to worship while we waited and while we were “under the weight” of the problem. We didn’t always feel like worshiping, for sure, but with the loving support of the body of Christ, we walked the journey before us and received mercy at the very throne of God’s grace.

We found out that God is indeed a good God who loves us with an everlasting love. As we worshiped, we were reaching out to our loving heavenly Father who can change hearts, minds, and circumstances. The process began with Him, but we were required to respond. We learned firsthand that worship should always be our response to God’s revelation.

Teresa was right; our faith had grown to the point that we could handle this extreme test. With the loving support of our family and church family, we walked through the surgeries with confidence and faith in our truly great God — regardless of the outcome. As we worshiped, He once again proved Himself worthy of our praise. And 10 years later, we are still worshiping God for who He is and what He has done!

As we honor God’s Word, presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice, God does indeed respond to our expression of worship. The cycle is set in motion:
• We are all part of the fallen human race in need of redemption.
• God responded to our need and showed His love for us in Christ Jesus.
• We respond to God’s love through sacrificial living and worship.
• God responds to our worship with His presence.
• And when the King is present, all things are possible!

What problems, small are large, are you currently facing? Life these problems or needs to the Lord in prayer. For example: Lord, You already know about my need for _________________. And I’m coming to the throne of grace once again to receive mercy in my time of need. I need You! Repeat this process for the entire list, putting a check beside each item as you do this.

Now, pray this prayer, personalizing it with your own words: Lord Jesus, I have lifted these specific needs to You, and I’m asking You for answers and solutions to each one. I acknowledge You as Lord over my life, and I trust You — and You alone — as my Savior. I will worship You while I wait for your intervention. Amen.

Now, dear saint of the living God, set aside all else and lift your voice in worship! You have just invited the King of kings to intervene in your situations. He will never forsake you. Worship Him now — and throughout the time you are “under the weight” of these issues. He has promised to be present with you as you worship. Remember, when He is present, all things are possible!

We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses … Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. Hebrews 4:15-16

LESSON 4 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?

Lesson 1 Our Response: Service and Surrender

LESSON 1: OUR RESPONSE: SERVICE AND SURRENDER
MAIN IDEA: Responding to God’s revelation in a manner that is pleasing to Him involves service and surrender.

As we have seen so far in our study, God is love and His grace abounds toward us every day. Through Jesus Christ, the sacrificial Lamb of God, we are able to enter God’s presence and receive from the very throne of grace. What’s more, God continues to reveal Himself and His efforts on our behalf every day.

It is up to us to respond and worship God for who He is and what He has done. But what should that response look like? How can we respond to God’s revelation in a manner that is pleasing to Him?

Service: Love in Action
As we have seen, God’s love for us is everlasting. In expressing His love for us through the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, God was being true to His nature:

“God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son.” John 3:16

God is love, and God made us in His image. Our response to God’s love should be to love in return — to love God and to love one another. We love because He first loved us, for all things begin in Him:

From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it). Romans 11:36, AMP

Still, we must respond — we must put our love into action! Love without action is similar to faith without works, it’s dead. Our love should look like the love we read about in 1 Corinthians 13, and it should result in service and good deeds. Spend a few minutes reading 1 John 3:16-19 to learn more about God’s love. How can you show others the love of Jesus?

In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself. James 2:17

Complete Surrender
As we have discussed, Jesus gave us the ultimate example of surrendering to the plans and purposes of God. He really did choose to walk the road to Calvary and take the weight of our sins upon His guiltless body. God mercifully sacrificed real, unblemished flesh and blood in order to make a way for us to enter His presence. Jesus, the Lamb of God, paid the complete and total price for our freedom, and our response of worship is likewise costly:

I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Romans 12:1, AMP

We’ve considered that our response to God’s love is to express love, which requires action. We are to serve others in tangible ways. Even so, our words and actions are not enough. Our tithes and offerings are not enough. There is only one thing that makes our service appropriate and sufficient: complete surrender.

Totally surrendering our hearts and our lives to God — that is our reasonable, rational, intelligent response. Responding to God in this way requires surrender in every area of our lives: laying down our desires (if they are different from God’s) and taking up God’s desires every moment of every day.

Our lives really can become a living sacrifice, often in the most practical ways. Many times what we see as sacrifice is really God’s way of moving us toward our destiny. I was introduced to that truth as a teenager.

Sacrifice Is a Choice
Sports are important to most young boys and girls. Whether they are good at a particular sport isn’t always the issue. Just being on the team — being included and having an identity — is a big deal, particularly in the teenage years.

I grew up playing baseball and playing guitar. And frankly, I loved both activities. I guess I was born for a stage of some kind! I’m pretty sure I was great at both baseball and music … well, at least my mom and dad thought I was.

When I was a sophomore at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, my baseball career was in full bloom — and so was my music career. Until that year, both interests had coincided very well, but that was about to change. I can see now that God’s call on my life has always been music ministry, but at that time I really wanted to do both music and baseball. My two passions, however, were about to have a head-on collision.

Our baseball team had a makeup game one day that simply had to be played on Sunday morning. That was very unusual, but Jacksonville State was in town and there was simply no other time for the game to be played.

I was committed to lead worship that morning at the church I attended. I had pitched the entire game the day before, so I knew my role with the baseball team on that particular day was to sit in the bullpen and cheer for our team. Since there really was no chance that I would play on Sunday, I figured I was good to go — break out the hymnals and warm up the choir!

Unfortunately, my coach didn’t see things the same way. He wanted me to be at the game. I felt that both baseball and music ministry were crucial to me, but the fact was that something had to take a back seat. I didn’t realize it at the time, but God was working through my circumstances; and I was about to make a major adjustment in my life.

As I prayed about the situation, I just couldn’t find any peace about leaving 125 folks without a worship leader on Sunday morning. Trust me, I tried to find a way around the predicament, but it finally came down to a decision: something had to be sacrificed, and the time was now.

As I led worship that morning, I was so encouraged to see two familiar but unexpected faces in the congregation sitting close to my mom and dad. The parents of the pitcher for Jacksonville State — the starting pitcher in the game being played that morning — had heard about my decision, and they chose to join me in worship while their own son played the game! I honestly don’t remember who won the game that day, but I clearly see now that God won the battle for my heart and my life.

Years later, I happened to be listening to the radio as I drove through Mississippi. My old coach at Delta State was being interviewed as he was being inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. I had always assumed that I let him down that day, and that thought left me with such an empty feeling. But there he was on the radio years later talking about his former players, including me! He told the audience that I was a minister and one of the finest young men he had ever coached. God reached out through that radio and gave me closure that day. Through my tears of appreciation, I realized that what had been a sacrifice in my mind on that special Sunday morning turned out to be the launching pad that God had planned for the rest of my life.

We all have found ourselves at similar crossroads in life — possibly laying down something that we want to have or to do in order to follow the “still small voice” of the Spirit. But more often, complete surrender means surrendering our hearts, our thoughts, and our reactions to the daily issues of life to God’s direction. It isn’t always easy to exchange our lives for His, but the rewards are indeed great when we do. As Jesus said,

“Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me will find it.” Matthew 16:25

What do you think it means to “present your members as a living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1)? What is one practical way you can present yourself to God as such a sacrifice?

Jesus has already made the supreme sacrifice of real flesh and blood on our behalf. Yet we must choose to surrender or yield our own unredeemed bodies as instruments of righteousness, rather than instruments of our own selfish desires.

A Renewed Mind — The First Step
You can present your body as a living sacrifice, but that process starts with a re-born spirit and a mind that is continually being transformed or renewed by the Word of God:

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

Ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil excess, humbly receive the implanted word, which is able to save you. James 1:21

As born-again believers, we have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us to guide and direct us, but we must train our minds and our bodies to respond to His direction in every situation. This training process begins with renewing of our minds — reprogramming our thought life — which can happen only as we mediate on God’s Word. This process takes time — a lifetime, in fact — but the result is a life that is good and acceptable to God.

What are three things you thought about as you woke up this morning. Now compare your thoughts of this morning with the directions of Philippians 4:8: Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.

The Word of God is the only thing that can renew our minds, and it will contradict our typical thought life regularly. The key is found in preferring God’s Word to our own thoughts, and this a conscious decision on our part — often minute by minute. But God’s thoughts really are higher and better than ours!

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.” This is the LORD’s declaration. “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

It takes revelation and a renewed mind to fully appreciate all that God is and has done in our lives. As we make a conscious decision to train our minds to align with His thoughts and His words of life, we are ready to adopt a lifestyle of worship.

LESSON 1 REVIEW
• What statement or Scripture you read in this lesson was most meaningful?
• Reword the statement or Scripture into a prayer of response.
• What does God want you to do in response to this lesson?