The Way of a Worshipper – Week 1

THE WAY OF A WORSHIPER

Elder Latrice Gardner – Facilitator

Lesson 1 – In View of God’s Mercy

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will. ~ Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

Everybody worships something. Worship is God’s idea. He wired it into our DNA- we´re all worshipers.

1. You can tell what a person worships by the way he .
2. Worship: to or declare worth

The discovery of God’s worth to us starts with a discovery of our .

“We love him, because he first loved us.” ~ 1 John 4:19 (NKJV)

God is always precious; he initiates everything- including our relationship with him. Adam didn’t look for God. God came looking for Adam, calling him out of his hiding place and into a relationship. If God had not come looking for Adam, and if God had not come looking for us- our worship would be hopeless.

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of him?” ~ Psalm 8:3-4a (NIV)

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. ¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. ¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” ~ Luke 15:11-24

Prodigal: extravagantly , lavishly

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! ~ 1 John 3:1 (NIV)

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” ~ Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)

Our heavenly Father loves us, not because of what we can do for him, but because of who we are—his sons and daughters, in whom he takes great delight. And he rejoices over us with singing.

Closing Thoughts: We know what we are worth to our prodigal Father; What is our Father worth to you?

Homework: Meditate on You Know My Name by Tasha Cobb and for 6 days write to the Father how delightful and amazed you are for His mercy that is given to you.