The Pathway to True Worship

A pure, clear and deep theology naturally leads people into worship!!! (2x)

Those who go to church, read the Bible, sooner or later realize that the most natural position of creation before God is worship! God is worthy of our adoration and worship!

We also understand that worship must be sincere, real and in the best possible way, therefore, it must be prepared!

The question, then, is this: what will help us reach that worship?

Many will say that reading Psalms helps and prepares us for worship!

Children – what is worship? It is to honor, to adore and to praise God by acknowledging his worthiness! Some say that worship is the recognition, appreciation and proclamation of someone being great (in relation to God, this is the recognition, appreciation and proclamation of the infinite value of God above everything else).

If so, then you need to prepare for this.

There are 15 songs of ascent (Ps. 120-134… Ps. 122)

Friends, if you were invited to a birthday – you need to say a wish… many had graduations – commencement… must be honest, but you have to appreciate and encourage the one whose birthday you celebrate… You must prepare!

That’s why, in John 4:23-24 – Jesus says that the true worship takes place in spirit and in truth! The inner world of a person is prepared, emotions, desires, and the work of the Spirit of God inside a person, and also, the mind is prepare, which must know the truth of who God is!

This is what Paul does, here in Rom. 11. We are climbing to the theological summit of the book of Romans, and perhaps in whole NT – (vv. 33-36)! This is the pinnacle of theology! 11 chapters, the apostle Paul explains God’s plan of salvation, and God’s wisdom. This naturally leads readers toward worship! 

  The very last steps toward worship… everything suddenly is revealed, everything falls into place. The picture that Paul paints here suddenly is complete here with one stroke!

Read Romans 11:25-32

To lead people to natural worship (which is very applicable to our life), he summarizes everything that has been said before, in three qualities of God that naturally lead a person toward worship! 3 qualities of God that lead people to natural, or better, true worship!

I. God’s Sovereignty (vv. 25-26a)

(v. 25) – the mystery? – the inclusion of the gentiles in salvation! How? By grace… sounds unfair!

Gentiles are saved because Israel is rejected, but at the end, Israel is saved as well!

“Lest you be wise in your own sight” – no self-exaltation, or not to take pride in!

Example: – a place in a lifeboat, and not your birthday presents.

(v. 26a) – all Israel will be saved… How? Isaiah 59:20 quote: Salvation is based on their faith and not their keeping of the law. In other words, Israel’s salvation in the future will not be associated with Judaism, but with their living faith in the Messiah (Zech. 12:10)!! Verse 23 says the same – they will stop being in disbelief in relation to Messiah! 

When faced with such authority, there are two possible reactions: 1) prideful opposition (Pharaoh), or 2) humble worship of God (Nebuchadnezzar).

Human nature resists the omnipotence of God! Because of the pride that has been within us since the day of the Fall, we are at war with the idea that we are accountable and subject to God!

II. God’s Faithfulness (vv. 26b-29)

(v. 26b) – faithfulness of God’s Word!

(v. 27) – faithfulness of God’s promises (Gen. 15:5-6, 18; 17:1-4, 7, 19)

(v. 28) – enemies (Luke 19:9-19) – the people rejected their Messiah! (Matt. 8:11-12)

– the election (Duet. 7:6) – God does not give in order to take something back.

God’s faithfulness is the basis for a very serious worship. The most serious, the most profound, the most sincere, the most magnificent, the most sacrificial worship in the Bible happened once… Where and when? On the mount on which the future Temple would be built.

Why was Abraham so dedicated to worshipping God? He loved God! Why did he love God? God gave him a promise at 75 years old, and until he was 100 years old, he waited and waited… he was not disappointed in God, but in contrast, when God fulfilled the promise, he was ready to make that promise!

(Heb. 11:17-18) – because God fulfilled the promise!!!

III. God’s Mercy (vv. 30-32)

In order to fully reveal His mercy, God planned 4 stages of work with the nations.

(v. 30) – disobedience of the Gentiles (Gen. 15:13-16)

(vv. 30-31) – Israel’s disobedience (Acts 28:24-28)

(vv. 30-31) – mercy to the Gentiles

(v. 31) – mercy to Israel

(v. 32) – What for? Israel and the Gentiles will receive mercy!

(9:16) – to show God’s mercy. When this hsappens, there is nothing to boast about.

(Jer. 9:23-24) – we boast not in wisdom, strength or wealth, but in the knowledge of God who has mercy!

The person who was shown mercy in the Bible…

I know that the early manuscripts do not have this story, but there is a strong theory that this is a story from the oral tradition, and it contains one of the vivid illustrations of Christ showing mercy – a woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11) – the most terrible moment, when everyone left without throwing a stone because they were not without sin, and there was only Jesus Christ who could throw a stone at her with no problem, because he was the only one who was without sin; He was able rightfully stone her… but says, “go, and sin no more – mercy! How did she feel?

How did the city of Nineveh feel when God took his wrath away and did not destroy them? (Jonah 3:10-4:2, 11)

How did the prodigal son feel when his father received him back? (Luke 15:20)

Conclusion: I know that after such a call to worship, many of you will be disappointed that we have no songs after the sermon… you just have to go home…

But is singing the only way to worship? No! This is a very good and useful too to praise God, but not the only one!

(Heb. 13:15-16) – sacrifice (both in the first and the second case)! These two verses are united by worship! We can worship god both in singing (which is common) and through the good deeds (works of mercy). On Sundays, we study the doctrine, so that we are part of the mercy ministry throughout the week!