True Worship

Mountainview Family,   

What we value, we worship…   This has been one of the key statements for our current message series, Captured. As I have continued to think about worship, I’ve gone back to read about the one person in the Old Testament who is known as a true worshiper, King David. He’s the author of many of the chapters (actually songs meant to be accompanied by instruments) that make up the Book of Psalms. David understood the importance of abiding in God. He had a close, personal relationship with God. That’s why God chose him to be king.

  …He [God] raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said,  “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.”

Acts 13:22 ESV    

For the next couple of weeks, I want to use our Friday emails to challenge us with something from David’s life that will help us to be true worshipers. Worshiping God is much more than saying and doing the right things, or hanging with the right people. These things help, but real worship is about our hearts being captured by God.

You probably know that David’s life was a mess. Do you remember 2 Samuel 12, when God sent a prophet called Nathan to visit King David? He had committed adultery with Bathsheba. And it wasn’t just the adultery, no, there were more bad decisions on top of that…including murder! Obviously, these decisions didn’t honor God. They didn’t bring Him any glory. They certainly weren’t true worship. Nathan had to confront and rebuke David, calling him out on the whole sordid mess. How did David respond? By chopping off Nathan’s head or throwing him in the dungeon? No, David came to God in worship. He sought God’s mercy, love, and grace.    

Maybe you’re like me, sometimes our lives are a mess, too… We struggle, we sin, and we stumble and fall. Our bad decisions are anything but worshipful. But here’s some good news. If King David can receive forgiveness, so can you, so can I. We have a God who loves us. He proves His love through His mercy and grace. Our hearts should be overwhelmed with gratitude and thanksgiving. This is what should motivate us toward worship, meaningful worship, and true worship.  

It was through this mess that David wrote one of his most beautiful and touching Psalms. Consider this…    

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love;  according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.  Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin!

Psalm 51:1-2 ESV  

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12 ESV  

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.  For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;  you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;  a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 51:15-17 ESV     

Broken? Yes, being broken is foundational to everything, especially our worship. A broken heart is the opposite of a hard heart, a stubborn spirit… Broken means we recognize that we have a deep need for God. Broken means we are constantly in search of His presence and giving glory to Him from our hearts. Being a true follower of Jesus means being broken and contrite. We never get over the need to be broken in life on earth.   

We can see Jesus’ love for broken things in the Gospels. Do you remember the woman who broke the bottle of expensive perfume at Jesus' feet and then proceeded to anoint Him? Do you remember when Jesus, at The Last Supper, took the bread and broke it as a representation of His broken body?   

God loves to heal a broken heart, to cleanse a broken heart, to restore a broken heart. The Holy Spirit loves to reside in a broken heart. It is because of who God is that we worship from the heart. He wants sincerity, not ritual. He desires sacrifice, not lip service.   

Praise God! Praise God! I am broken, and I will worship because of what He can do with this broken heart.    I hope you will join us at 9:00 or 10:40 am this Sunday, either in person or online. We will continue our Captured series.   

Grace & Truth, 

Pastor Tom