Why Worship Works (Part 2)
[ Preached by Pastor Kenneth Chin at Acts Church Malaysia on 5 April 2020 ]
This message was pre-recorded as an online worship service during the Movement Control Order issued by the government to curb the spread of the COVID-19.
In Part 1, we explored three points of why worship works – we were made to worship, worship is a magnet to human beings, and worship draws the presence of God. Here in Part 2, we will study another three points, which are:
WORSHIP IS THE ONLY THING THAT CONTINUES FROM EARTH INTO ETERNITY
Read | Revelations 4
v10-11 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
As believers, we love to preach the Word of God, do good works, and watch signs and wonders. Sadly, all these will cease one day as the only thing that will remain in Heaven is worship. Therefore, worship should be the first and foremost thing in our lives today.
Reading Revelations 4, we do not notice any evangelism activities or church services taking place. Worship, on the other hand, is happening day and night before the One who sat on the throne.
GOD MOVES IN WORSHIP
Sometimes, we believe that God will move through long prayers and fasting, which are indeed powerful. But even these are included in ways to worship God too! And when we worship, the power of God is released because God responds to worship.
Read | Acts 16:25-34
v30 And he (the jailer) brought them (Paul and Silas) out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
This was mentioned in Why Worship Works Part 1, that even in the darkest dungeons, in what depicts hopelessness, worship is still relevant. Paul and Silas worshipped in their prison cell, and then a great earthquake followed – with chains fell loose and prison doors opened.
This miracle caused a keeper of the prison to draw his sword at the judgment of a prison break. Paul and Silas halt the suicide attempt, assuring the jailer that the prisoners had not escaped.
It was at that point that hope was not found outside the walls but from within the prison.
The presence of God began to move because of the worship of two men. And the story had a happy ending – the jailer and his family said yes to Jesus and the whole household rejoiced in salvation. Was there a plan for evangelism? As important as it is, in that story, God didn’t move through evangelism but worship.
THE GREATEST KING WAS ALSO THE STRONGEST WORSHIPPER
The greatest king that ever lived in God’s eyes is none other than King David. Acts 15:16 reveals that it is his tabernacle that God desires to rebuild. Before David was king, even when nobody was looking, David started writing Psalms. He was often with his harp, amongst his sheep, and worshipped the Lord in his secret place.
When Prophet Samuel came to Jesse’s household in search to anoint one of his sons as king, Prophet Samuel was so impressed with Jesse’s eldest. He exclaimed, “Surely, this is the Lord’s chosen.” But that wasn’t the case.
David, who wasn’t there when the prophet came, was forgotten by men that day. But God spoke to Prophet Samuel that He chose David as commander of His people because He has found Himself a worshipper, a man after His own heart.
Read | 1 Samuel 13:14
But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.
It seems to me that authority goes hand-in-hand with worship and adoration. We can see it repeated in Matthew 28, Jesus is also a worshipper and He is given authority.
Read | Matthew 28:16-18
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
When we become worshippers, we will experience more and more the authority of God in and through our lives, and God will bless us with the authority that we need to live a victorious life.
#decadeoflegacy2030
Written by Steven Soon
Edited by Hailey Chung
