The Ultimate Priority (On Worship), John MacArthur, Jr.

Idolatry begins with the mind. When we think of God we shouldn’t visualize anything, for nothing could properly represent in our finite minds His infinite glory.

Four Wrong Ways to Worship:

1. Wrong God
2. Wrong way
3. Wrong attitude
4. Self-styled manner

Worship is a way of life. It cannot be isolated. (Romans 12:1-2)

“Praise is the boiling over of a hot heart.” (p. 13)

“Worship is honor and adoration directed to God.” (p. 14)

Three dimensions of proper worship:

1. Outward
   1. Giving/serving
   2. Our lives à Other’s lives
   3. Romans 14:18
   4. Romans 15:16
   5. Philippians 4:18
   6. Inward
      1. Doing good
      2. Our lives
      3. Ephesians 5:8-10
      4. 1 Timothy 2:2-3
      5. Upward
         1. Praising God
         2. Our lives à God
         3. Hebrews 13:15-16

Hebrews 11: Priorities – Worship, Walk, Work; Abel, Enoch, Noah

Age/Maturity:

–          Solider at 20 (Numbers 1:3)

–          Worker in Tabernacle at 25 (Numbers 8:24)

–          Priest to lead worship at 30 (Numbers 4:3)

Sine qua non

Worship is the objective of redemption. You cannot be a true worshipper apart from redemption.

Philippians 3:3 – The mark of a Christian is to truly worship God in the spirit.

Without a vision of God’s holiness, true worship is impossible.

“Worship is life lived in the presence of an infinitely righteous and omnipresent God by one utterly aware of His holiness and consequently overwhelmed by his own unholiness.” (P. 79)

Truth is at the heart of true worship.

“Worship is our innermost being responding with praise for all that God is, through our attitudes, actions, thoughts, and words, based on the truth of God as He has revealed Himself.” (P. 127)

Contentment testifies to the wisdom and sovereignty of God. Discontentment is rebellion.

“Worship: To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, and to devote the will to the purpose of God.” – William Temple (p. 147)

“Worship is all that we are, reacting rightly to all that He is.” (p. 147)

The Ultimate Priority (on Worship), by John MacArthur Jr.