The Heart Of Worship 

Summary: The Woman with the Alabaster Jar illustrates the HEART of Worship.

SCRIPTURE READING: Luke 7:36-39

INTRODUCTION: the story behind “The Heart of Worship” in particular is a

personal reminder that, “I’m just a little songwriter—and a pretty foolish one at
that!” says Matt Redman.

 The song dates back to the late 1990s,

 born from a period of apathy within Matt’s home church, Soul Survivor, in
Watford, England.
 Despite the country’s overall contribution to the current worship revival,
Redman’s congregation was struggling to find meaning in its musical
outpouring at the time.

“There was a dynamic missing, so the pastor did a pretty brave thing,” he recalls.
“He decided to get rid of the sound system and band for a season, and we gathered
together with just our voices.

His point was that we’d lost our way in worship, and the way to get back to the
heart would be to strip everything away.”

Reminding his church family to be producers in worship, not just consumers, the
pastor, Mike Pilavachi, asked, “When you come through the doors on a Sunday,
what are you bringing as your offering to God?”

GOD minister healing, deliverance and most of all, may He renewed us today

Let us be reminded that God Almighty Christian Church exists to glorify Christ
through - Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, and Outreach

1. Surrendering your life for God’s Pleasure (Worship)

2. Connecting with God’s Family (Fellowship)
 3. Growing to be like Christ (Discipleship)
4. Developing your Shape to serve others (Ministry)
5. Sharing your life mission Every day (Evangelism)

This morning we’re talking about: WORSHIP.

Now when some people hear the word WORSHIP, they think of the singing part of
a church service. But the truth is that worship is far more than singing some songs.

In fact, every part o f a church service is an act of worship.

 We are worshipping when we read scripture,

 give our offering,
 when we pray,
 take time to greet each other,
 listen to preaching of the Word,
 take the Lord’s Supper ---

in fact, the entire service is an act of worship.

And worship is more than a “Worship Service.”

Everything that happens before and after the service is also an act of worship.
Everything we do ---and everything we are --- can be offered to the Lord as an act
of worship.

When it comes to Worship, the HEART of the matter is a matter of the HEART.

In fact, this morning I’m using the word H-E-A-R-T as an acrostic.

Hopefully this will help us remember what worship is all about.

H - stands for Humility

In the TEXT we read this morning, Simon the Pharisee invited Jesus and other
religious leaders to his home for a fancy banquet.

Maritess 1: Simon the Leper is sometimes identified with Simon the Pharisee
Martha’s husband (see Shimon ben Gamliel), who is mentioned in the Gospel of
Luke as the host of a meal during which the feet of Jesus are anointed by a penitent
woman.
 Everything was going as expected until Mar, Martha’s sister went in weeping,
kneeled down and poured out the most expensive perfume called spikenard.

Maritess 2: The perfume mentioned in Mark 14:3-9, derived from a short plant,
Nardostachys jatamansi, that grows in the grows in the Himalayas of Nepal, China,
and India. It is still used in a variety of traditional Indian medicines. The value of
the nard ("spikenard") was more than 300 denarii. .

Trivia 3: in season 15 of the “Pawnshop Stars” an expert quoted to Rick Harrison

that a 1 denarii’s worth was $ 150,000.00x 300 = 45,000,000 that’s expensive.

Mary - horror of horrors --- she made a spectacle of herself by sobbing, broke the
alabaster spilling perfume onYASHUAH’ feet and then wiping his feet with her
hair.

Mary shows what true worship… an “Extravagant Worship”, and what true
HUMILITY looks like.

This was the reason why she was criticized and scorned by a room full of Religious
Leaders.

When your in love, you wouldn’t care about your own reputation. Tama ho ba?

In this text, she focused on YAHSHUAH so completely that she seemed unaware
that anyone else was in the room.

Meanwhile, One of the disciples (Judas – c.f. john 12:4) condemned the woman’s
behavior. Talaga naman, bat ang mga Hudas eh hinayang na hinayang

There’s a clear lesson for us here. Pride is the primary hindrance to Worship but
true and contrite worship pwede ko ba sabihing “Sky is the limit”?

 Pride will cause us to be consumed with thoughts of self.

 Am I comfortable?
 Do I look good to the people around us?
 Is everything up to my standards?

If we hope to have a true Heart of Worship we must enter ELOHIM’s presence with
a Humble Heart.
E - stands for Emotion

Luke 7:38 describes the Mary’s worship this way: And as she stood behind him at
his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears … This woman did not
hold back a genuine --- and visible --- emotion.

 And how did Simon the Pharisee who was a leper before, react to this display?
 Was he sympathetic?
 Was he impressed?

No, Simon forgot about his former estate!

 Why would Jesus allow such a display?

 What was the real lesson?

There is a lesson here for any of us who tend to be put-off by the way others
worship. We need to realize that someone may be crying their eyes out … and truly
be worshipping God. On the other hand, someone may be sitting still and quiet …
and still be worshiping in their heart. Or a person may be clapping and dancing …
with a heart full of true worship.

The lesson is: Don’t judge the worship of others by appearance.

In fact, why judge the worship of others at all?

It is far better to look into your own heart. Turn your own heart and mind toward
YAHOVAH and give true, unfettered (di naka gapos) worship to Him.

HUNGER MAKES FOR A GOOD MEAL

The French have a proverb, which states, “A good meal ought to begin with
hunger.” It is hard to enjoy a meal when you are not yet hungry. But, when you are
hungry, anything tastes good.

If we approach the presence of YAHOVAH with a hunger to be satisfied, we will

be satisfied every time.

Effective worship begins with a hunger for YAHOVAH.

You don’t need to manufacture emotion in order to “look” worshipful. True
worship is Biblically founded.

Pwede po magtanong? Sino dito ang ngayon lang nagbukas ng bible?

Read your Bible pray everytime, pray all the time and you’ll grow grow grow.

A - stands for Adoration

Here’s the key to understand these seemingly contradicting account from the
synoptic gospel

Trivia 4: do you know that there are only three synoptic gospels? Matthew, Mark
and Luke? And John is Revelatory account ?

And ‫ יהושע‬answering, said to him, “Shim‛on, I have somewhat to

say to you.” And he said, “Teacher, say it.” “A certain creditor had
two debtors. The one owed five hundred denariia, and the other
fifty. Footnote: aRoman monetary unit. “And when they were
unable to repay, he forgave them both. Which of them, then, shall
love him more?” And Shim‛on answering, said, “I suppose the one
whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly
judged.” And turning to the woman He said to Shim‛on, “Do you
see this woman? I came into your house – you gave Me no water
for My feet, but she has wetted My feet with her tears and wiped
them with the hair of her head. “You gave Me no kiss, but she has
not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. “You did not
anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume.
“Therefore I say to you, her many sins have been forgiven, because
she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, he loves little.”
And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” And those
who were sitting at the table with Him began to say among
themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” And He said to
the woman, “Your belief has saved you. Go in peace.”
(Luk 7:40-50)
First of all, she went out of her way looking for YASHUAH. She gave
extravagantly. And as soon as she saw Jesus, she fell at His feet and poured out her
adoration.

Kanina, nasabi ko po ang halaga ng pabango sa alabastro.

Trivia 5 – Spikenard blooms once a year, at ang oil nito ay nabubuo sa gitna ng
snow storm, sa pinaka matarik na bahagi ng mt. Everest the same reason why this is
so expensive. Talk about the peril of harvesting the rarest flower (during
YASHUAH’s time)

Yet Mary displayed a selfless adoration.

But Jesus Himself spoke up for this woman. In fact, he used simple language so that
even a sophisticated Pharisee could figure it out. In a Skidmore paraphrase, He said:
You did not give me even common courtesy when I came into your home, but this
woman has not stopped pouring out her adoration.

Truth Untold: if I may make my commentary, the reason why Mary was in a
Hurry to enter the room, break the alabaster and worship? Mary poured the perfume
not only to anoint YASHUAH thus preparing for His burial. She poured it out as a
thanksgiving offering for Simon (her bro in law) for Simon was healed of leprosy
v.s 41 -42 clue 100 denarii and 50 denarii.

Law about uncleanness stipulated in Leviticus 13-14

Proper observation:
 pwede po ba makisalamuha ang mga leper? No
 Pwede po ba magpa banquet ang leper? No
 Bakit anong occasion at way handaan? Kase Malaya na silang lahat sa
karumihan
 At yung komento na “if He only knew who it was touching Him…at yung
pagiging sinner? Ayon sa Word of God plague and diseases are fruit of being
sinful.
Then he gave the zinger: Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven--
for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little. Luke 7:47

The woman understood her role to offer a sacrificial worship.

True worship requires an attitude of sincere REPENTANCE.

R - stands for Repentance

The Woman did not try to deny that she was, indeed, a sinner. In fact, it is likely
that her tears were related for her and her love ones.

Meanwhile, look at what Judas with the conniving pharisee was thinking to
himself: "If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what
kind of woman she is--that she is a sinner."

Ang taong hangal ay hindi nakakaalam; ni nauunawa man ito ng

mangmang. Pagka ang masama ay lumilitaw na parang damo, at
pagka gumiginhawa ang lahat na manggagawa ng kasamaan; ay
upang mangalipol sila magpakailan man:
(Psa 92:6-7)
The Pharisee had the Messiah --- the Son of the Living God --- sitting right there at
his own table. But far from seeing his own need for forgiveness, all he could think
is: she is a sinner. Talagang Phar – I - see

We cannot offer true worship until we first acknowledge our own sin.

In John 4:23 Jesus explained what kind of worship the Father seeks. He said, A
time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father
in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

In order to Worship God, we need to admit the truth –

 about who God is --- and about who WE are.

True worship requires honest repentance.

Otherwise we are lying to ourselves, and to God --- and our hearts are still far
removed from him.
T- stands for Thanksgiving

The Woman was forgiven much. And out of a heart of thanksgiving, she gave
much.

How much ulit iyung 30 denarii ngayon?

We need to understand that true worship come at a cost.

Have you ever given anything lavishly from a full heart of thanksgiving?

Illustration: the boy and the offering plate. The 20 pesos trip to singapore

True worship brings revelation of who

CONCLUSION:

 “Praise is not a “happy-clappy” song. Praise is not the fast songs before the
nice, slow worship songs.
 Praise is a declaration, a victory cry, proclaiming faith to stand firm in the
place God has given you.
 Praise is a proclamation that the Enemy’s intent to plunder you will not rock
you.
 Praise declares that you will not be moved by the Enemy’s attempt to snatch
you away.
 If you need to have the Enemy flee from your life, then you need to praise
your pathway to victory!

As I finish this sermon, I want to request Annie and Callev to join me here as
we declare “Asfor me and my house”