WORSHIP IS DECLARING THE WORTH AND GREATNESS OF GOD
1. THE ANGELS WORSHIPED BY SINGING
"There were some shepherds in that part of the country who were spending the night in the fields, taking care of their flocks. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them, 'Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Savior was born—Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God: 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!'" Luke 2:8-14 (GNB)
Action Plan: Check out these episodes of Doable Discipleship that dive deep into some of your favorite Christmas carols (featuring special performances by the Saddleback Worship Team). Listen and sing along!Joy to the World.Hark the Herald Angels Sing.O Holy Night.
2. THE SHEPHERDS WORSHIPED BY SHARING THE GOOD NEWS.
"When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.' So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen [Jesus], they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them . . . The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." Luke 2:15-20 (NIV)
Action Plan: Make a bullet point list of what you've seen, heard, and experienced in your life with Christ. Memorize these in conversational styles so you'll always be ready to share this Good News with others.
WORSHIPED BY GIVING
"After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, 'Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.' When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 'In Bethlehem in Judea,' they replied . . . [The wise men] went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of frankincense and of myrrh." Matthew 2:1-11 (NIV)
— GOLD REPRESENTED JESUS' ROYALTY
(see 2 Chronicles 9:1,9,14,24)— FRANKINCENSE REPRESENTED JESUS' DIVINITY
(see Exodus 30:8; 1 Kings 9:25; 2 Chronicles 2:4; Malachi 1:11)— MYRRH REPRESENTED JESUS' HUMANITY
(see John 19:39-40)
- FIRST THEY OFFERED THEMSELVES
THEN THEY OFFERED THEIR GIFTS
"These people claim to worship me, but their words are meaningless, and their hearts are somewhere else. Their religion is nothing but human rules and traditions, which they have simply memorized." Isaiah 29:13 (GNB)
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30 (NIV)
- WHAT GOD WANTS MOST FROM ME IN WORSHIP IS ME
Action Plan: Start each day this week directing your heart toward God. Pray, read the Bible, play worship music, whatever you need to do to start the day pointing your heart toward God.
Doable Discipleship: This week's special episode of Doable Discipleship features a reading of the Christmas Story by Pastor Buddy Owens. New episodes release every Tuesday. To listen, click here.
Talk It Over: Have you ever discussed the weekend message in your small group? Talk It Over provides weekly small group discussion questions as a way to bring the weekend message into your small group. To view this week's Talk It Over, click here
