Majesty
Pre-Game Warm-Up
Cairo, Egypt, a place where, even in recent years, Christians have been scoffed, mocked and even martyred, isn’t perhaps the place you’d picture some of the sweetest, most intimate multinational worship ever offered up to the God of Isaac, Jacob and His Son Jesus Christ! But to my pleasure and surprise, it was one of the closest glimpses of heaven my eyes and ears have ever seen. For several days, I had the humble privilege of being able to train 450 leaders from a dozen Middle Eastern and African nations in “the shadow of the great pyramids” in a retreat and conference center just outside Cairo. From ages 17-65, these leaders from Jordan, Israel, Palestine, Qatar, Algeria and other Arab states gathered to praise, worship and strategically plan the pursuit of “the Great Commission” in their homelands. Many had become followers of Christ from dreams in their sleep where Jesus appeared to them. (I’ve actually heard many reports of this from various diversified sources throughout the Muslim world in recent years.)
The people’s eyes were sparkling with the love of Christ. Their eyes were literally dancing with the joy of Christ’s fresh love. Many of them, in the more hostile Muslim nations, risk their lives and the security of their families to outwardly proclaim the name of Jesus and evangelize in His name.
My favorite part of the conference in Egypt was the worship. The richness and majesty and awe that filled their hearts and filled the air was … well, it was heavenly.
Funny thing about it was I couldn’t understand a word they sang, but I comprehended every note. Their music was pristine. Nothing but reverent worship proceeded from their lips. My friends from South Africa, Haiti, Central and South America, India, Pakistan, Southeast Asia and other remote nations experience similar encounters. They sing because they love. They love because they live. They live because they sing.
Worship is as close to heaven as it gets this side of Jesus’ return and the reunion of the saints. Worship is an encounter with God. It is a response to His love. Worship results in pressing yourself up to the divine mold of Christ. You have to walk away changed. If you don’t walk away changed, you haven’t encountered God
My wife is absolutely “the best of the best” to me. She loves to dig in God’s Word like the prospectors dug into the California mountains in the gold rush days of the 1840’s. I love standing by her in church because she sings with all her heart. Guess what! She’s tone deaf. She can’t carry a note! Can’t even get close! She got kicked out of sixth grade choir and was dispatched to the library! But it doesn’t deter her for a second! Debbie-Jo doesn’t sing to impress men. She sings to God.
Worship doesn’t wait for perfect pitch, a beautiful sanctuary or perfect people. All that is required is a sincere and humble heart, the welcoming of the work of Christ that leads you to the throne of grace and the Spirit of the living God. You can close your eyes and enter any second, any minute, any hour or any day.
Understanding Worship
Mark these Key Words: God Jesus Worship
Old Testament Viewpoint
Psalms, 145:1-7 I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wonderful works, I will meditate. Men shall speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness. They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.
New Testament Viewpoint
Romans 12:1-2; Revelation 5:11-14
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Revelation 5:11-14
Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen“ and the elders fell down and worshiped.
OBSERVATION: What is God saying?
1) Describe worship according to Psalm 145.
2) List all the terms that refer to God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit in these passages.
3) What attributes of God do you see in these passages that cause you to stand in reverence and awe?
4) In the Revelation passage, John sees God’s future kingdom after it has been established in all its fullness.
Write in your own words what he sees in his vision.
5) Describe the depth and magnitude of worship in the glorified age to come.
PERSONAL OBSERVATIONS:
What else of significance do you see God saying in this passage?
APPLICATION:
How does this passage relate to me today? What changes does it bring to my life?
LOCKER ROOM:
What does it mean to be a godly person? How do you want to get there?
Memory Verse: Romans 12:1-2
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
My Prayers
A Adoration: Father, today I praise You for…
C Confession: Father, please forgive me for…
T Thanksgiving: Father, today I’m thankful for…
S Supplication: Father, the people & things that I wish to pray for today are…
