Rhapsody of Realities TeeVo
Pastor Chris Oyakhilome PhD
Sunday, December 2nd, 2018,
WHAT’S WORSHIP?
(The Difference Between Praise And Worship)
TO THE BIBLE
John 4:24 AMPC
“God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality).
*LET’S TALK*
A young guy once asked me, “How come the Bible says in Psalm 150:6, “Let everything that has breath praise God, yet my puppy can’t praise and worship God as I do?” In my explanation to him, I said animals don’t have spirits and can’t worship God in spirit, as only humans can. God is a spirit; therefore, we can only worship Him and relate to Him from, and with, our spirits. This means not every living thing can worship Him.
There’s a clear difference between praise and worship. Praise requires no consciousness, but worship does. When you praise God, you thank Him and extol His majesty. However, in worship, much more than extolling Him, there’s a communion and relationship. It’s a drinking together—a special kind of recognition between the “blesser” and the blessed, the greater and the lesser. The greater one receives the lesser one to His place. This is only possible with humans.
That’s why, for instance, we’re not permitted to worship angels. Though they’re great and powerful, God, in Christ Jesus, has raised us to the place of His Son, who’s higher than angels. We’re one with Christ, who’s greater than angels, and we’re therefore higher than angels. This is what the Bible teaches. As He (Jesus) is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).
We’re joint-heirs with Him: *“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…”* (Romans 8:16-17). This doesn’t make us co-equal with Him, but it describes our inseparable union with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17). He’s the head, and we’re His body (Colossians 1:18). We’re in union with the Father. Glory to God!
GO DEEPER
Ephesians 2:6-7; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 John 1:3
PRAY
Dear Father, thank you for the awesome privilege of being called into fellowship with you. My life is a manifestation of your wisdom, power, and glory. I live from the mountaintop, because I’ve been brought into oneness with Christ; seated together with Him in the realms of glory, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
DAILY BIBLE READING
ONE YEAR
1 John 3:11-24, Ezekiel 13-15
TWO YEAR
John 17:1-10, 2 Chronicles 5-6
ACT
It’s time to put to work the Word you’ve just learnt: raise your hands and worship the Lord right now.