The True Worshipper 2

[0:00] Thank you for choosing to listen to today's message by Reverend Dr. David Entry. We know you will be blessed as you seek and serve God. We believe that this message will stir up a desire for more of God even as you listen.

[0:13] Be blessed. Last Sunday evening, I spoke about the true worshipper and I want to pick it up. Today being Easter, Holy Week, Thursday, the night before Easter Friday.

[0:26] I would like to continue and pick it up on the subject of the true worshipper. The true worship. What is acceptable? Worship before God. The other time I said that worship is so important.

[0:42] Worship must be a priority. And I spoke about how worship is central. All right. So when you read the Old Testament, you realize how central or how dominant worshipping God was in the Old Testament.

[0:58] I spoke about how when God called them out of Egypt, the law, worship was the first feature that came in the Decalogue. Look, Exodus chapter 20.

[1:09] Worship was the first feature. And when it came to, he asked them to build a tabernacle, even in their settlement, how tribes were arranged. They arranged around the tabernacle so the tabernacle can be the center because worship was key.

[1:22] In fact, God told Moses, tell Pharaoh, let my people go so they can worship me. All right. So they were delivered. They were released to worship. Worship was so central in the appointment of their officers, soldiers or men of war, Levites and priests, men of war, 20 years and above.

[1:43] Levites, 25 years and above. Priests, because worship was so key to God, priests must require a certain level of maturity, 30 years and above. So and then when they were making the anointing oil for God, it had to give specific instructions for it to be set apart for the worship of God, the tabernacle.

[2:04] So worship was so central with how God dealt with his people, to the extent that in the Old Testament, the people were blessed when they worshipped God.

[2:17] And then they were punished when they didn't worship God. So when you study the history of God's people, you will notice that, in fact, the history of redemption or redemptive history is about worship.

[2:31] How people worship God and God bless them. When David was dedicating the temple in, I think, 1 Chronicles 29, David spoke about how you have blessed us and they dedicated the temple.

[2:43] Solomon was installed and things were going well. And then when you read Acts chapter 7, verse 41, it talks about when they didn't worship God. Acts chapter, let me read it.

[2:54] Acts 7, verse 41 talks about, thank you, Jesus. It says that, and they made a calf in those days, offered sacrifices to the idol and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

[3:11] And when you read down, verse 43, it says that, and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. Because of their false worship, God said, I'm going to carry you away beyond Babylon.

[3:25] And in Romans chapter 1, Bible says in verse 25, and they worshipped the creature instead of the creator. And made idols.

[3:36] Bible says that they formed Romans chapter 1, verse 25, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie. And worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator who is blessed forever.

[3:50] Amen. Verse 26 said, for this reason, the reason of bad worship. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. Because there are things they did with God, they didn't react very strongly.

[4:04] But when they undermined true worship or they entered into false worship, God gave them up. So, worship is so central in the scriptures.

[4:16] Central in the Old Testament. And in the New Testament, which I'll talk about a bit more today, is lifestyle worship. Which dominated every aspect of the Christian life, which was modeled in the New Testament.

[4:30] Alright, so the New Testament Christianity is actually an expression of worship to God through lifestyle. And what I found interesting is, even in eternity, when you read Revelations, Revelation is dominated by scenes of worship.

[4:51] In eternity, we are going to have the worshipping. So, Revelations chapter 4, Revelations chapter 5, Revelations chapter 11, Revelations chapter 15, Revelations chapter 19, Revelations chapter 22.

[5:03] When you read all these texts I've mentioned, Revelation chapter 4, Revelations chapter 5, Revelations chapter 11, Revelations chapter 15, Revelations chapter 19, Revelations chapter 22. You can tell, worship dominates in heaven or in our life after here.

[5:20] So, worship is so central and it's so key. And so, we can't afford to marginalize worship if we have to walk with God genuinely. So, I want to read John chapter 4.

[5:33] I want to take a bit longer. Take it from verse 5. There's a blessing in the reading of scripture. So, I just want you to adjust. If you have your Bibles with you, you can also join me in the reading of this scripture.

[5:45] John chapter 4, verse 5. So, excuse me. So, he came to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar. Near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

[5:56] Now, Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being weary from his journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

[6:06] A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, give me to drink. For his disciples have gone away into the city to buy food. Then, the woman of Samaria said to him, how is it that you, being Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?

[6:30] For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. I'll pause and just throw a bit of light, historic, speak about the history behind this.

[6:41] Now, the United Kingdom, which is both northern and southern kingdom of Israel, the whole of Israel. During the time of David, they had a united kingdom. Solomon presided or ruled over the united kingdom.

[6:56] But after his death, it became a divided kingdom. We had the northern kingdom, which is Israel. And the southern part became Judah, which is made up of Benjamin, the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin.

[7:15] So, all the ten tribes were in the north. So, it's called the northern tribe. And that became Israel. And because of their lack of worship, they had bad kings who led them into apostasy or into not worshiping God.

[7:29] So, they eventually went into slavery. Because when they didn't worship God in Israel, God punished them. So, they ended up in slavery and they went into extinction and never was able to come back.

[7:42] But when they went, when they were taken captive by Syria, they took, those who took them captive, took the best of the people in the land.

[7:53] Practically all the best. If you can do something for your good, you have something. They took the best and they left the ones that really were not that so agile, that so good, that so strong, that so unique.

[8:05] They left there and took all the best away. So, they left just a few people who were really not good enough. And the land was bare. So, foreigners, Gentiles, eventually moved in and settled there and lived with the people there.

[8:19] Intermarried and over some generations. They now thus became the Samaritans. So, there were no more original Jews. But there were Jews who had been left and they actually now worshipping or following false gods, different gods, idols, and married all kinds of Gentiles.

[8:36] So, even though some of them, even though they had Jewish blood, it was mixed race. So, the Samaritans were mixed race. And after some time, Judah, Judah himself or the southern tribe, which is Judah, they went into apostasy.

[8:50] They didn't worship God. And so, they were also captured and went into slavery. And then years later, towards the end of the Old Testament, Ezra and Nehemiah came to rebuild the wall and build a temple and rebuild the wall.

[9:05] They reconvened. But northern Israel, Israel never came back. But Judah, the Jews, Judah, where we got the Jews from, came back and built a temple.

[9:16] But when they came back, the Samaritans wanted to join them in building the wall, building the temple. But they said, no, no, no, no. That's where Sambalat and Tobiah come from. They said, no, no, you can't be part of what we are doing because you are not true Jews.

[9:27] So, Samaritans wanted acceptance with the Jews, but they never had acceptance. The Jews never accepted the Samaritans. So, Jews don't have dealings with the Samaritans. So, when it came to worship, they also felt, we can also worship in Jerusalem.

[9:40] Jews said, no, no, no, no, no. You can't worship in Jerusalem just for the Jews. We know God. But you Samaritans are mixed race and all kinds of stuff. So, you can't join us. So, they also went and built their own temple on the Mount.

[9:52] I think Mount Gerizim or something like that. They built their own temple. So, that is the history behind the Jews and the Samaritans. And the Jews didn't like the Samaritans so much that if they are going to the north, real north, they had to go around Samaria.

[10:08] Samaritans, it's named after the city Samaria. So, they had to go around Samaria because they would have to come into contact with the Samaritans. That's how bad. But Jesus was also going to the north.

[10:19] He came to Samaria. He chose to go to Samaria, which Jews didn't do. And he was tired. He sat by the well. So, that's the history behind it, the story behind it. So, the woman came to fetch water.

[10:31] And Jesus said, can you give me some water to drink? And the woman said to Jesus. I read it again. I pick it up again from verse 9. The woman of Samaria said to him, how is it that you, being a Jew, ask drink from me?

[10:46] A Samaritan woman? No. For Jews didn't have dealings with Samaritans. Did you see that? Now, Jesus answered to her and said, if you knew the gift of God and who it is who said to you, give me to drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living waters.

[11:02] The woman said to him, sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then do you get the living waters? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well and drank from it himself as well as his sons and his livestock?

[11:22] Jesus answered and said to her, whoever drinks of this water will test again. But whoever drinks of the water I shall give him will never test.

[11:34] But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into eternal or everlasting life. The woman said to him, sir, give me this water that I may not test nor come here to draw water.

[11:50] She didn't like going there to draw water because of some background, her background, particular background. She was almost like a half-breed hallot and everybody knew her.

[12:03] Jesus said to her, go and call your husband. And she asked Jesus for that. Give me this water so I don't have to come back. So, OK, you want my water? Go and call your husband and come here.

[12:15] The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, you have well said. You have well said I have no husband. For you have had five husbands and the one whom you now have is not your husband.

[12:30] In that you spoke truly. The one you are living. So, that means that living with a person doesn't make him your husband. Or living with a person doesn't make him your wife. Living with a person is not the same as living with a marriage or when you are married.

[12:44] So, this woman was living with a man. Now, living with a man. And he's not married to the man. She had already had five husbands. I think she had enough. She felt she had enough.

[12:54] Anyway. So, Jesus said, the one you are living with is not your husband. Verse 19. The woman said to him, sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Now, so the woman changed it to a religious because when she saw this man can read your mind or read your private life and speak about things in your life.

[13:11] She knew that this is a different person. So, she said, I perceive you are a prophet. If you are a prophet, let's talk about religious things. So, it's interesting. When she said, I perceive you a prophet, I thought she would have said that, can you help me to get a secure house?

[13:25] Can you help me to get a breakthrough in my life? Can you help me to get something? Can you help me? I want to. So, when she found out she's a prophet, I thought, which nowadays people do, they'll go to prophets to enhance their natural living.

[13:39] They'll go to men of God. That is what makes some aspects of modern day type of Christian approach or particularly certain type of charismatic approach a concern in the sense that it is human centered.

[13:56] It's built around what people are getting to enhance their natural and their living, their modern day current living. And sometimes it's a new term of even living for the times to come or living for eternity.

[14:13] So, the more we point people towards what they are getting from God to enhance their material living and life, the more we eclipse the purpose of God and the view of eternity.

[14:28] The early Christians lived with the view of eternity, with the view of the days ahead, with that view. So, it's very important. This woman, when she found out Jesus was a prophet, she dropped everything natural.

[14:41] She wanted water. She forgot about that. Dropped everything material and started talking about, guess what? Guess what? Worship. She said, ha, you are a prophet. Oh, my worship life.

[14:52] Jesus, it's interesting. Jesus didn't go to maybe a religious person. Jesus didn't go and meet a religious person. Jesus didn't go for somebody who may be a teacher in the scriptures, somebody who was maybe a priest, somebody who was a leader, somebody who was maybe a good person.

[15:12] Jesus went for someone who was almost a half-breed whore, prostitute. Someone who no one would even get interested in talking about spiritual or religious things with, or worship with.

[15:24] But Jesus went to her for the purpose of worship. Hallelujah. So, that means that it doesn't matter who you are and your background. Jesus will reach out to you if you are willing, if you have the interest.

[15:36] Jesus will reach out. He actually seeks you because naturally, men never seek God. It's God who seeks people. If you give human beings the opportunity, they will never seek God.

[15:49] That's why God always seeks us. True Christianity starts with God seeking us. True Christianity starts with God calling you, God reaching out to you.

[16:00] You see, and the Bible says that the woman said, sir, I perceive you a prophet. Our fathers worshiped. He brought the subject of worship.

[16:11] Our fathers worshiped on this mountain. And you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship. Even the Jews in the Jerusalem.

[16:21] Our fathers worshiped in this mountain. But you Jews are saying, Jerusalem is where the worship should be. Jesus, I like this. Jesus said to her, woman, believe me, the hour is coming.

[16:33] The hour is coming. What was that hour? That hour Jesus spoke about was the hour of his death, burial, and resurrection. So, it's the time after his resurrection was going to change everything about worship.

[16:48] In the Old Testament, they had a form. They had the shadow. Those who walk with God. They had the shadow, which was depicting and pointing to the original.

[16:59] They had the form, which was the figure, which was pointing to the original, which was going to be instituted after the resurrection of Jesus. That is why Christians celebrate Christians.

[17:12] True Christians or the Bible actually say we should remember Jesus in his death, not his birth. So, real Christian need to celebrate more, so as to speak.

[17:23] Their death, burial, and resurrection. They preached Christ crucified. They preached Christ resurrected. They never preached the birth of Christ. Because it is his death and resurrection that gave his human living its endorsement and authenticity.

[17:39] Romans 1.4 said, declared to be the son of God by power through the resurrection. So, it's the resurrection that endorsed him. He said, when Jesus resurrected, he said that you are my son.

[17:51] Today, I have begotten you. By the resurrection, he entered into a different level. His humanity was introduced into another level.

[18:05] So long as God was concerned. His humanity. That's why we are going to be like him when we see him. Hallelujah. But, he said, our father's worship of this mountain. And you, you said, Jerusalem.

[18:17] Verse 20, Jesus said, woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain. Now, I'm getting there. I've got just a few minutes. The time is coming when you will neither worship on this mountain, the mountain of Mount Gerazim, which you are talking about.

[18:34] Which you are talking about. You will neither worship on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem. Oh, so Jesus takes worship away from a place.

[18:46] Worship. Genuine worship. Acceptable worship. True worship. Is no more tied to a place. Hallelujah. It's no more tied to a building.

[18:58] It's no more so that we Christians, we don't wait to arrive at a place in order to worship. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So, not having corporate meetings does not undermine our worship and does not temper with our worship.

[19:15] If the worship, if the worshiper is a true worshiper. Hallelujah. He says that, watch this, watch this. Hallelujah. He says that, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem.

[19:29] So, it's neither this mountain nor in Jerusalem. It doesn't matter anymore. It's not tied to a place. Not in this mountain or in Jerusalem, worship the Father. Worship the Father. Remember, he said, the Father. Hallelujah.

[19:41] Then he says, you, that's talking about the Samaritans. You worship, you worship what you do not know. We know what we worship for salvation is of the Jews.

[19:54] In other words, the process of God in bringing people into him, redemptive history started with the Jews. So, God, in fact, God gave them the law, the commandments and started with them.

[20:08] So, he says, salvation is of the Jews. And he said, you worship what you know not. Right? In verse 22, you worship what you do not know. But we worship what we know.

[20:20] So, Jesus, listen to this very carefully, my brothers and sisters. Jesus actually hinges worship on knowledge. Not on feelings.

[20:33] Because it would have been interesting or it would have been different if he had said, you worship what you do not know. But we are the worshipers. But he said, we worship what we know. You worship what you do not know. So, there is a correlation between what you know and the quality of your worship.

[20:51] It is not necessarily tied to the place you go. Hallelujah. Quality, acceptable, genuine, truthful worship is not tied to the place you go.

[21:05] But it is enhanced. It is motivated. It is enriched by what you know about the true God.

[21:16] Hallelujah. In Acts, Jesus, I'm getting excited now. In Acts chapter 7, verse 26. Thank you, Jesus.

[21:27] No, 23. Acts chapter 7, verse 23. Verse 22 says that. Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious.

[21:40] For as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription to the unknown God.

[21:53] The next statement. Therefore, the one whom you worship without knowing him, I proclaim to you. The one whom you worship without knowing.

[22:05] The one who you can't have true worship. You only have shallow worship if you don't know God. And knowing God is not just, is different about, sorry, is different from knowing about God.

[22:18] You can know the stories in the Bible. You can even be a theological, you can have PhD in Christian theology or biblical, or you can have PhD in theology or biblical knowledge or Bible knowledge.

[22:32] And it doesn't mean you know God. That's the Pharisees. The Pharisees, the Bible says they were the teachers of the law. They were the scribes. And they come to Jesus with questions.

[22:43] And in fact, Nicodemus came to Jesus. He was a teacher. But he said, you're a teacher. You don't understand these things. So, just knowing the Bible is not the starting place of worship or true worship.

[22:56] Knowing the Bible or reading books. And some people say, you know, I have to be open-minded. An open-minded person is open to all kinds of things. A house without a country without borders.

[23:09] Everybody can come inside. Sometimes there must be boundaries and some things must be shut. Sometimes the attempt to be so-called open-minded ends up living a lot, especially when it comes to spiritual things, ends up leaving a lot of people confused.

[23:28] Watch this. You just look at someone or anybody you meet who said, I've tried this. I've tried this. I'm studying this. I've studied all the religions. They're always confused. I want to be open-minded.

[23:40] That's why you are that confused. Are you trying to say we are not supposed to know more? No. What I'm trying to say is we are supposed to know God. How would I know which one is the truth if I don't check out?

[23:51] Do you have the apparatus or do you have what the installation, what it takes to know? You actually get confused because there are bits of this that can sound convincing. The bits of this wonder can sound convincing.

[24:03] The bits of this wonder can sound convincing. He says that the time is coming and now is when the true worshiper shall worship the Father in truth and in spirit. Now, he says that you worship what you know not.

[24:14] But we worship what we know. Paul told Darius, the word who you worship without knowing, I want to declare him to you because it can never be true worship if you don't know God. So, he says that Jesus, back to what Jesus said.

[24:26] Jesus said in verse 23, but the hour is coming and now is when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father seeks such to worship him.

[24:38] God is a seeker. God is a seeker. The reason why Jesus came on earth is for him to come and call worshipers.

[24:50] To come and seek worshipers. So, God is a seeker. He comes for you. It's not necessarily the other way around. So, when someone thinks that I am choosing to go for God, no.

[25:02] Bible says in Philippians, it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. It is God, Philippians 2 verse 13, it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

[25:17] You cannot just unilaterally choose to do what can please God. God has to work it in you. I see God working something great in you. I see God working true worship in you. I see God working acceptable worship in you.

[25:29] In John chapter 6 verse 44, the Bible says that no one can come to the Father, can come to me, except the Father draws him. Except the Father draws him. I pray anyone in your family who you have been praying to come and know Christ.

[25:43] I pray that may God the Father draw them in the name of Jesus Christ. So, Jesus said that the Father seeks such to worship. Look at verse 24. Verse 24 says that God is the spirit and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.

[26:00] This is so loaded. God is the spirit. So, he kept speaking on the Father seeks to worship him. You worship the Father. So, the object, I probably will later on, if I get a chance, talk about the object of worship here.

[26:11] But, he said, the Father seeks to worship. He says that the time is coming now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For such seeks the Father to worship him.

[26:23] So, the point here is that, he said it's not about a place anymore. But, it's about a certain type of worship. True worship is always, watch this.

[26:35] Let me see. I wrote down a few things I want to say about true worship. Because, now, when you come into the New Testament and the Old Testament, the difference is that the Old Testament, they were allowed to worship based on locations.

[26:48] Because, the hour hasn't come. But, in the New Testament, with the church type, the church folks, our worship is not hinged or is not based on what's people or a place or a person.

[27:04] When I say a person, a human person, our worship is not based on a location or is not based on idols. We live in a world of idols. People idolize things.

[27:16] If they don't idolize a person, they don't idolize a system, they actually make idols. And, God always ends up invariably punishing idol worship or punishing false worship.

[27:30] Now, watch this. We Christians, Bible says that we worship in spirit and in truth. So, in this season of lockdown, if you are a true worshiper, it shouldn't affect your worship.

[27:42] Because, worship is not just corporate praise and corporate fellowship, which is essential. Alright? It is necessary.

[27:54] When you are a genuine Christian and a genuine believer, what happens is that you get so much joy with corporate worship. You always look forward for corporate worship.

[28:06] There's something about corporate worship which actually enriches the believer. It motivates the believer's private worship.

[28:17] It enriches and enhances and inspires our worship. So, corporate worship is important. But, in the absence of corporate worship, we have been called for personal worship.

[28:31] Personal and individual. For us to individually be able to give God an acceptable worship. So, as I said the other time, in the New Testament, acceptable worship is not based on a place.

[28:43] But, acceptable worship is more. It's a lifestyle. It's a lifestyle. So, in the last teachings, I spoke about how in Romans chapter 14, verse 18, the way you treat people is an acceptable worship.

[28:58] In the New Testament, an acceptable worship actually is when anything that a Christian does that God brands as righteousness is a form of true worship, acceptable worship.

[29:10] So, anything a Christian does that God brands or the scriptures and does as righteousness is an acceptable worship. Actually, in an acceptable worship, we worship the true God in an acceptable worship.

[29:27] We worship the true God in the form he has presented himself. So, what do we say in the form? God is a spirit. We worship him as a spirit. We don't worship him as an object.

[29:37] We don't pin worshiping God to an object you make. So, you have this object there. And so, that's God. No, God frowns on such worship.

[29:51] And then number two, in acceptable worship, we don't just, it's not just that we don't worship God. We worship God as the right form he has given himself to us.

[30:04] But number two, we also worship God in the acceptable form he has requested. That is so important. There are a lot of people who attempt to worship God their way.

[30:16] I mentioned it the other time. It makes it not a true worship. When you choose to worship God your own way, like Genesis, time will not permit me to read it.

[30:27] It's amazing. Genesis chapter 4, from verse 3 to 7. God said, in the process of time, Cain and Abel brought offerings to God. Cain brought offerings from his farm and his own staff.

[30:39] Abel brought offerings based on God's prescription. And Cain's worship was rejected. And Cain was not happy. And he envied his brother, or he eyed his brother. And God said, why are you upset?

[30:51] If you did what was right, verse 7, would you not be accepted? So, true worship brings acceptance. Acceptable worship is based on what God has defined, how God wants us to do.

[31:03] They knew what to do, but the God didn't do what he knew to do. Cain didn't because it was too much for him. He did what was easy. And so, and the same thing in Leviticus chapter 10, from verse 1 to 3.

[31:16] Very interesting text. It talks about Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron. Nadab and Abihu. They offered unto God strange fire.

[31:29] God said, why are you bringing this to me? I've told you, don't worship me this way. God killed them, verse 3. God killed them. In the Numbers chapter 3, verse 4. They died. Because why? They offered to God worship that they think God should need.

[31:42] God doesn't do that. God, true worship is to worship God and offer God the worship he asks, he demands, or the way he says we should worship. That is why true worship is so important.

[31:55] That is why true worship is enhanced by what we know, the truth we know about God from the scriptures. The truth we know about God from the scriptures.

[32:05] And thirdly, acceptable worship is based on attitude. It takes attitude. So, with the right attitude. Worshiping God, I spoke about when you worship the true God with the wrong attitude.

[32:20] You handle things that concern God as though it doesn't matter. You don't worship God with fear. When I say worshiping God, you don't handle the things of God with fear. You don't take God serious. Anything about God.

[32:30] I spoke about Malachi chapter 1. It says, when you want to give to God, you give what is not honorable. You don't treat anything about God with honor because it's secondary. It's just, it's not important to you.

[32:42] And that is a bad attitude that is not acceptable to God. I believe that since I gave my life to Christ, I became a Christian. Every aspect of my life has been governed by a genuine desire to see God on it.

[32:57] Every aspect of my life. And so, that means that true worship actually will affect, true worship is influenced or will affect actually your thoughts.

[33:08] What you think, what you say, and how you act. What you think, what you say, how you act will all reflect or is a goal to determine whether you are a true worshiper or not.

[33:26] If you are a true worshiper, a truthful and acceptable worship influence will affect what you think, how you think. The way you are. You know one knows what? That's what Jesus said. You can look at a woman lustfully.

[33:38] In the law, it is said, if you commit adultery, you have sinned. In Matthew chapter 5, verse 28, that was.

[33:48] But it said, I say to you, if you look at a woman to lust, you don't have to even do it. The thoughts, the way you are watching pornography. And it said, you don't have to have done it.

[34:01] Once you have accepted it and thought about it, it is different. So true worship takes. In fact, I heard one great man of God say something, bless me so much, about the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament requirements.

[34:15] He said, the Old Testament, the laws were 300, sorry, 613. 613 laws that God gave them. In the New Testament, it's about 1,003 or so. Huh? So it's more.

[34:26] The New Testament way of life is higher than the Old Testament way of life. Because the New Testament way of life takes worship from a place and from external into the spirit and the truth.

[34:39] So now coming back to the point I'm making. True worship, first of all, starts with redemption. Starts with being born again. Starts with salvation. Starts with being justified.

[34:50] Starts with being saved. Starts with regeneration. Once you are redeemed, you are redeemed to be a worshiper. Because he said, God seeks such.

[35:02] So when God calls you, when you become a Christian, you have become a Christian in order to be a true worshiper. And a true worshiper, or you have become a Christian to give God acceptable worship.

[35:15] And an acceptable worship is a lifestyle. It's not tied to a place. So you are not waiting to go to a place in order to worship or to start worship. In fact, who you are, how you behave, your entire lifestyle is bringing God worship.

[35:33] Now, I wrote something down about worship. Worship. Worship. To worship means you are ascribing to God that which you know to be true about him.

[35:46] To worship is true. So that's why what you know about God is important and it determines your worship. All right. It's important. But when we talk about dictionary definition of worship, the definition of worship is actually worship stems out from a word, old word, which is worth Skype.

[36:03] Worth Skype. And worth Skype is worth building or ascribing worth to an object or a person. So to worship somebody, it means that to ascribe or to give the person worth, to consider you are worthy, to give honor to somebody.

[36:21] And so to worship God, it means to give honor. So for you to be a true worshiper, that means that you are giving God honor, not just by an activity or through an event, even though those also matter.

[36:36] But fundamentally, it is true from your heart, in your thoughts, in the way you speak, in what you do, what you say, what you do, what you think are all given by your desire to actually see God on it.

[36:52] All right. So the desire to see God on it all times in any situation you find yourself under any circumstance, wherever you are, that desire, that governing desire to see God on it is what is called true worship.

[37:11] And it doesn't, it's not limited to a place, it's not defined, restricted. So you may not even have the chance to be in church, but guess what? Church is already in you.

[37:22] Hallelujah. I say you may not have the chance to be in church, but church is in you. A few months ago, I was preaching in church and I said, we don't, Christians don't go to church.

[37:36] We don't go to church. Oh, and people were thinking, wow, what do you mean? I say, yes, Christians don't go to church. We are the church. We are the church. You can't shut a church down for goodness sake.

[37:48] Hallelujah. Go to China and see. They are, they are being, they have not been allowed to worship, but guess what? They are true worshipers everywhere. They are true Christians everywhere.

[37:58] They are true worshipers. They are worshiping God. And so you can't shut down a church. Why? Because the church is a person. And even if you kill that person, there are other people who are already the church.

[38:09] And if you kill all of them, you can't kill all of them because Jesus said, I will build my church. Matthew chapter 16 verse 18. Hallelujah. Let me calm down. I'm getting very excited.

[38:20] I love the word of God. I'll build my church and the gates of hell cannot prevail against the church. You cannot stop a church. And we don't, we don't go to church as it were, you know, we, we, we, we go for God, our gatherings, but we are the church.

[38:34] So we're, that's why in the early, the early church, in the new Testament church, the first century church, they actually didn't have buildings really. When the church started, they didn't have buildings. Wherever they gathered, they go to a synagogue and preach and then they gathered in homes because they didn't have buildings.

[38:49] Not having a building doesn't mean you can't be a church. Not having a place. Some unbelievers are saying about the church, ha, now all these churches cannot meet. All these, and some, even some believers are thinking, oh, wow, it's going to affect the church.

[39:02] No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. It may affect some gatherings, but it will not affect true worshipers. Hallelujah. It will not affect true worshipers. Lockdown can't affect true worshiper, true worshiper.

[39:15] Because already, you see, worship, I like this. Worship is, goes deeper than singing, than corporate gathering.

[39:25] Worship is deeper. There's a songwriter who says that I bring you more than, when the music fades, all is stripped away and I simply come. Longing to bring something that's of worth. That will bless you.

[39:35] I bring you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what we have, we are required. There are a lot of people whose worship life is built around music, is built around singing.

[39:46] Singing is important. It's a way of expressing the truth in your heart. That is why in the old days, their songs and their hymns had a lot of ways.

[39:58] They sang their theology. They sang their conviction in God. They sang their belief in God. The deeper you know God, the more when the singing comes. And the singing, for instance, there is a song, I think, what a beautiful name.

[40:11] What a beautiful name. I think by Hillsong. There's a part of the song that says that you didn't want a heaven without us. So, Jesus, you brought heaven down.

[40:21] That bit blesses me because I have a certain insight about how Jesus brought heaven down so he can take us into heaven. It blesses me. When I hear that bit, it stares the deep appreciation I have for God for the work of redemption.

[40:37] And it makes me want to even sing it. I hope you are getting what I'm trying to say. And so, my depth, my level of insights and understanding and knowledge of God and who the true God is, actually becomes the core and the generator that inspires my worship.

[40:56] Worship cannot be artificially motivated by songs. You can't say, oh, let's play songs. Let's play some music so that people can worship and flow.

[41:07] No, worship is not based on singing. Worship is based on your knowledge of the true God, which is then expressed through your emotion by the singing.

[41:17] And so, it's not the emotions that determine your worship. It's what you know about God that determines your worship. Let me say it again. It's not your feelings that determine the quality of your worship. It's the quality of your knowledge of the true God that determines your worship.

[41:33] It determines the authenticity. It determines the quality. It determines the depth of your worship. Hallelujah. So, you have to seek to know God and then live your entire life to honor this God you have come to know.

[41:47] I wrote down a few things about worship and I want to bring it to your attention. As I said earlier on, number one, worship is, acceptable worship is, it begins with redemption.

[42:01] Those who are not born again can't give God acceptable worship. That's another topic for another time. Acceptable worship begins with being truly born again. When you are born again, that's when you can live a lifestyle of worship.

[42:14] Hallelujah. Those who are truly justified. Praise God. Then I also, so number one, that's number one. Number two, it's very important.

[42:26] Worship, we worship the God who is a spirit. I would have wanted to spend a bit of time of talking about we worship God who is a spirit. But then let's see. The third point is that worship is a way of life and God can be worshipped at all times, at all places, by all who love him.

[42:45] You can, so whether we have meeting, we don't have meeting, you can always worship God. In your bedroom. In your bedroom. In your restroom. In your restroom. At the restroom. In your kitchen.

[42:56] At the classroom. In the car. On the park. At work. You can always, because it's a lifetime. It worship. Hallelujah.

[43:06] I like that. Thank you, Jesus. We are not limited to arriving at a place in order to worship. Number four is true worship arises from a heart by anyone, from the heart by anyone who truly, who is truly God's redeemed.

[43:25] If God has saved you, then true worship can arise from your heart. The more, the more, the more truth we know about God, the more informed and enthusiastic our worship becomes.

[43:47] Hallelujah. It is, our worship is based on truth. It is not simply a matter of singing, as I said. It's not simply a matter of corporate praise.

[43:59] It's, it's not just saying, but it is living a life that demonstrates that you, you honor God. Right? So, it's not just saying, oh God, I love you.

[44:10] Oh God. No, but it's living a life that demonstrates that you respect God. That is true worship. That is acceptable. So, it's a lifetime. It's our entire life. True worship demonstrates that you live a life that brings honor to God.

[44:25] Personal commitment to bringing honor to God at all times, everywhere, in every circumstance, is what true worship is. It's a personal commitment to bring honor to God at all times, wherever you find it.

[44:38] In your family, at your work, when you are alone, when you feel like doing something, when nobody's there, no one can see you. True worship is a personal commitment to bring honor to God at all times, wherever you are.

[44:49] Even within that time. That's true worship. That's true worship. In your giving. In your caring for others. In your showing respect to others, especially leaders God has placed over you.

[45:01] In your honoring people, like your father, like your mother, like your spiritual leaders, like national leaders. In your honoring them.

[45:13] When you do all those things, it's aspects of your worship. Aspects, expressions of acceptable worship. In your serving others. In your winning souls. Even now that we are home.

[45:25] Sometimes you can talk to people on your phone. Talk to them about Christ. Send them messages about Christ. Share this message. Like this message. Let someone know that they have to encourage someone to listen to the message.

[45:38] It's my title. This is all aspects of worship. Doing something. When we come back to church. When we gather in church. What you are doing in church. How you are serving in church. These are all expressions of worship.

[45:49] So sometimes people may think that it's just singing praise and worship. That's worship. No. But the usher who is ushering. The one who is behind the sound. Controlling the sound. These are all expressions of worship.

[46:01] The one who is on the car park. Or the one who is doing security duties. These are all expressions of worship. It's a personal commitment to bring honor to God at all times. Under any separations.

[46:12] Anywhere. With your life. That is true worship. Hallelujah. And true worship. Demands obedience. Moses missed.

[46:24] He missed. Obedience to God. That's why he didn't make it to the promised land. Because when you don't give God true worship. You deny yourself. And deprive yourself the best of God. Moses didn't go to the promised land.

[46:36] Because of disobedience. Israel. Check through our scriptures. Because true worship. Is so important to God. And Jesus said. The time is coming. When the true worshipers.

[46:47] Shall worship the Father. In spirit. And in truth. Not on. Not at a particular place. But in spirit. And in truth. And in conclusion. I want to. I want to draw your attention.

[46:58] That God is a spirit. It's a spirit. The thing must emanate. From your heart. Deep from your spirit. When he said God. Is a spirit. That means that.

[47:09] You know. First of all. He said. Those who worship. Worship is not about where. Worship is about who. True worship. Genuine worship. Acceptable worship. Is not about where.

[47:20] It's about who. Who. Your focus is God. Not about your feelings. But God. Not about. Where you find yourself. Where you are.

[47:31] You can be left alone. In the desert. And still. Be a true worshiper. And give God. Acceptable worship. And. I will not want to fail. To say this. There is something.

[47:41] That it's like. One way. God has. One prescribed way. God has given us. Which makes. Which can always be. A constant form.

[47:52] Of expressing worship. It is always a constant form. Time will not permit me. Hebrews chapter. 13. Verse 15. 16. It talks about how. Giving. Always giving him.

[48:03] The fruit of our level. Which is praise. So. Praising God. Is. Always. A ready. Ready. Ready means. To give God worship. You can be by yourself.

[48:15] And praise God. And when we come together. For corporate praise. It's even amazing. It's so great. Jesus said. I'll praise you among the brethren. Hebrews chapter 2. You know. So. Praising God. You can be going.

[48:25] You can even be on. The sick bed. And still be praising God. From your heart. You can. You can be going through difficult times. Just by yourself. And so. You wipe your tears. And say. God.

[48:36] I still praise you. I still thank you. And you can even. That's when you can even enhance it. With some music. And just burst into. Giving God glory. And when we come together. And so. That.

[48:46] That act. Of giving God praise. Giving God honor. Giving him praise. And adoration. Is a time tested. Time defying. Act of worship.

[48:57] That. Cast across any time. Even when you don't have anybody to serve. Anything to do. Even when you are just. Bedridden. God forbid. You will not be bedridden. You can give God praise. You can give God praise.

[49:08] At all times. All right. Because God is a spirit. In those days. In Isaiah. Oh. In Jeremiah chapter 23. Verse 23. It's so nice. Can I. I think I'll read that one.

[49:19] Oh. I actually opened it. Praise God. Hallelujah. Ha ha ha ha. Hoo hoo hoo. I love the word of God. Oh. How sweet are your words to my taste. Jeremiah chapter 15. Verse 16. Said. I found your word.

[49:29] I did eat them. They were sweet to my taste. Jeremiah 23. Verse 23. Says that. I. This is God talking. I am a God at hand. Says the Lord. And not a God afar off.

[49:40] I am a God at hand. Not a God afar off. Wherever. You can't restrict me to a place. I'm a God at hand. Watch this. Look at verse 24. It says that. Can any. Can any hide himself.

[49:52] In secret place. That I shall not see him. Says the Lord. Do. Do not. I feel heaven and the earth. Said. I feel the whole heaven and the earth. Where can you go and I will find you.

[50:03] What can you do and hide from God. What can you do. What are you doing. Pastor. Your pastor will not see it. Your Christian brother will not see it. Your Christian sister will not see it. The church business will not see it.

[50:14] Others may not know. Your mother may not know. Your father may not know. But God said. I am a God at hand. Not a God afar off. What can you do and I will see. But the point is. Because God is a spirit. You can't restrict him.

[50:25] When you are not in church. It doesn't mean you can do anything at all. Because. When we close from church gathering. Christian gathering. Church fellowship. When you go. Back home. What you are doing.

[50:36] Defines how much you are worshipping God. Whether your worship is shallow. Your worship is superficial. Your worship is false. Which is hypocritical. Or your worship is superficial.

[50:48] What you do with your life. Even the things you are thinking about. Is a reflection of. How truthful. Your worship is. Hallelujah. That's why I said. Let the word of God dwell. In you. Richly.

[50:59] Hallelujah. It's amazing to hear God's word. Please let's be a true worshiper. You worship him in spirit and in truth. In those days. They were always worshipping idols. As I said earlier. Idols.

[51:10] Idols. You need this to worship God. You need this. You need to be in this place. You need to be in this place. You need to be in this place. Now everybody is home. I believe it's time for us to see the true worshippers. By the time we are coming back.

[51:20] We are reconvening. By the time the lockdown is over. Oh it's going to be amazing. People are going to come back with fire. Because their fire has not dwindled. Their fire has not abated. Their fire has not quenched.

[51:32] Because their true worshippers. When we gather. And their true worshippers. When they are alone. Their true worshippers. On the telephone. Prayer line. Their true worshippers. Reading their Bible. Privately. Building themselves.

[51:42] Their true worshippers. And watching what they are watching. Being mindful of the things they are watching. The comments they are. They are. Conversations they are engaging in. The kind of places.

[51:53] Or the kind of. Things they are exposing themselves to. The music. Being true worshippers. Be a true worshipper. And give God acceptable worship. As I said.

[52:03] Being a true worshipper. Is a lifestyle. Is a lifestyle. It's not about a meeting. It's not about an event. If your worship. Is based on. A place we go.

[52:15] If your worship. Is based on. An event. If your worship. Is based on. A meeting. Then it's not. It's a shallow worship.

[52:26] Potentially a false worship. It's not true worship. You can't worship God. Your style. Worship God. His way. That is true worship. And you don't worship God. Only when we meet.

[52:36] You worship God. When you are alone. Your worship. Is when you are alone. The way you think. The way you walk. The way you do your things. Your thoughts. Your words. Your actions.

[52:47] Are a reflection. Of how much. If you give God. Honor. And you seek. For God. To be honored. And exalted. And respected.

[52:58] In your thoughts. In your. Words. In your actions. Wherever you find yourself. Under what circumstance. You find yourself. Then you are. My darling. My brother.

[53:08] You are engaging. In pure. Acceptable. True worship. I believe. I'm talking to a true worshiper. May God help us all. To grow. In our knowledge of him. So we can always be true worshipers.

[53:20] Under any circumstance. You will not die. But you shall live. To declare. The works of the Lord. They just shall live. By faith. We walk by faith. And not by sight.

[53:30] They that know their God. They shall be strong. In doing this. We thank God. For using his servant. Reverend Dr. David Entry. To share this awesome word. If this message.

[53:41] Has blessed you in any way. Please spread the word. By sharing it. And send us an email. To amen. At karis.org Remember to stay connected. With us. On Facebook. Instagram.

[53:52] YouTube. And Twitter. For regular updates. On what God is doing here. At Karis Ministries. Stay blessed.