28 Dec Becoming Worshipers

Becoming Worshipers Overview

In this powerful Christmas sermon, Pastor explores the profound difference between praise and worship, teaching how believers can move beyond simply asking God for things to truly recognizing who He is. Drawing from the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve walked with God in perfect communion, the message reveals that God desires worshipers who honor Him for His character, not just His blessings. The sermon connects beautifully to Christmas, showing how Jesus came as Emmanuel – God with us – to destroy the fear that keeps us from entering God’s presence. Through the story of the Samaritan woman at the well and the birth of Christ in Bethlehem, we learn that true worship happens in spirit and truth. Fear, described as an ‘ever-present attendant’ since the fall, is overcome when we desire God more than our comfort zones. The Christmas story demonstrates God’s perfect timing and His gentle approach – coming as a vulnerable baby rather than a demanding judge, showing His love and grace to draw us into intimate relationship with Him.

Becoming Worshipers Outline

• 0:00 – Introduction: Praise vs Worship: Defining the difference between praising God for what He does and worshiping Him for who He is
• 3:00 – Original Design: Walking with God: How Adam and Eve related to God before the fall, needing nothing but recognizing His glory
• 6:00 – The Problem of Fear: How fear entered through the fall and becomes an ever-present barrier to worship
• 8:00 – God’s Perfect Timing: Israel’s 400 years of waiting and God sending Jesus at the fullness of time
• 12:00 – The Woman at the Well: Jesus revealing true worship in spirit and truth to a wounded Samaritan woman
• 16:00 – The Christmas Story: Angels announcing Jesus’ birth and the message ‘Do not be afraid’
• 20:00 – Emmanuel: God With Us: How Jesus came gently as a baby to show God’s true nature and overcome fear

Scripture References

Psalm 100:4, Psalm 150:2, Psalm 90:1-2, Galatians 4:4-5, John 4:19-24, John 4:25-26, Luke 2:4-14, Hebrews 2:15

Key Takeaways

• Praise recognizes what God has done and can do, while worship honors who God truly is in His character and nature.
• Fear is an ever-present barrier that keeps us from entering God’s presence, but Jesus came to destroy its power over our lives.
• God desires worshipers who relate to Him beyond their needs and circumstances, just as Adam and Eve did before the fall.
• True worship happens in spirit and truth, regardless of location or external circumstances.
• Jesus came at the perfect time as Emmanuel – God with us – to show His gentle, loving nature rather than appearing as a judge.
• When our desire for God exceeds our fear, we can become true worshipers who experience His presence and peace.
• Christmas demonstrates God’s approach of coming near to us in the most non-threatening way possible – as a vulnerable baby.

Becoming Worshipers Notes

This transformative sermon on becoming worshipers reveals the profound difference between approaching God for what He can do versus who He is. Pastor begins by distinguishing praise from worship – praise involves recognizing God’s mighty acts and expressing gratitude, as commanded in Psalm 100:4 to enter His gates with thanksgiving and courts with praise. However, worship transcends blessings to focus purely on God’s character and nature, humbling ourselves before His majesty.The original design for humanity’s relationship with God is beautifully illustrated through Adam and Eve’s experience in the Garden of Eden. Before the fall, they lacked nothing and simply walked with God in the cool of the day, recognizing His glory without any requests or petitions. This represents God’s desire for intimate fellowship based on His identity rather than our needs.The fall introduced fear as an ‘ever-present attendant’ that now accompanies every person throughout life. This Hebrew concept of fear explains why many believers feel uncomfortable when God’s presence intensifies during worship – fear creates barriers to intimacy with God. Jesus came specifically to destroy this bondage of fear that holds people captive throughout their lifetimes.The sermon powerfully connects to Christmas through Israel’s 400-year wait under Roman oppression. Despite their complaints about God’s timing, He sent Jesus at the ‘fullness of time’ – the exact perfect moment when conditions were optimal for the Messiah’s mission. Born in Bethlehem, meaning ‘house of bread’ or ‘place of feeding,’ Jesus came as the Bread of Life to satisfy humanity’s deepest hunger.The encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well demonstrates true worship in action. Despite her wounded past and social rejection, her desire for God overcame her fear. Jesus revealed that genuine worship happens ‘in spirit and truth,’ independent of location or circumstances. This woman’s hunger for authentic relationship with God prompted Jesus to reveal His identity as the Messiah.The Christmas narrative in Luke 2 repeatedly emphasizes God’s gentle approach to overcoming human fear. Angels consistently proclaimed ‘Do not be afraid’ to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. Jesus was born in a stone manger – the same type of carved stone used for feeding animals, grinding grain into bread, and burying the dead. This symbolism powerfully represents Jesus as the Bread of Life who would die for our sins to remove fear’s barrier between God and humanity.God’s strategy for overcoming human fear involved becoming one of us. Just as a wild rabbit would flee from human approach despite our good intentions to help, humanity runs from God due to fear. By becoming man while remaining God, Jesus demonstrated divine love, kindness, and grace in a non-threatening way, inviting us to open our arms and receive His abundant life.

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