On with the study...

So I am loving our Wednesday night study on Worship. In our first week, we talked about what worship is. I love this quote: "In worship the church gathers to celebrate God's saving deeds. Through this celebration, God continually brings to the worshiper the benefit of His saving deeds - the forgiveness of sin and the healin gof life, which flows from the saving and healing death and ressurection of Jesus Christ.



Last week we talked about our covenant relationship with God. The covenant he made with Isreal and such. But we also discussed the covenant with God and the church. Unlike many of the covenants with God in the OT the stipulation was that "I will be your God and you will be My people"... the only difference today is that we now have Jesus Christ.



Isreal was never able to keep their commitment... what Jesus does for us we can not do for ourselves. He keeps his agreement. He fulfills the covenant. And in HIS absolute obedience He establishes for us an eternal relationship with God.



This week was about an Offering of Praise... the concept of sacrifice in worship. In the OT, people delt with sin through the sacrifice of animals. Today, our sacrifice was Jesus; the once and for all sacrifice of sin.



So let's think for a moment, if Jesus sacrifice was ALL of Himself, how much should our sacrifice be in worship to Him? When we worship and offer praise... are we coming with our hands empty or are they full of sacrifice. How much did it "cost" us to go to church and to enter before the throne of God? We come to worship Jesus for that once and for all sacrifice... but what are we offering Him back? Aren't we to bring in the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving?... yes we are.

So... what does it cost YOU to worship the ONE who gave everything? Are we coming empty handed to always be "filled"? Or are we coming to lay our "everything"? Just a thought.