Theology of the Church, Mentor's Guide, MG03

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T H E O L O G Y O F T H E C H U R C H

establishment of his house (2 Chron. 7.5). What is so amazing is that no one was to come before the presence of God without offering to him something to be sacrificed on his behalf. God deserves our best, highest, and most important offerings, and above our gifts and things, he deserves our very selves. We are to offer to him our highest praise, not merely during those times when we are most refreshed and most able, but even during the times of deepest hardship and greatest trial. Our God is impervious to change; he is worthy to be worshiped however things are going in our lives and ministries. Exalted high above all creation, he is the Lord God, deserving of our best and most focused energies, out best songs, our liveliest dancing, our greatest service, our most aggressive response. The Church at worship always provides to God a sacrifice fitting to his holiness and worthy of his acknowledgment. He is truly worthy to be worshiped, to be offered our praise. Habakkuk the prophet illumines the way for us in terms of offering to God the sacrifice of praise: Hab. 3.17-19 - Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, [18] yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. [19] God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.

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Let us, therefore, heed the words of the writer to the Hebrews:

Heb. 13.15 - Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

After reciting and/or singing the Nicene Creed (located in the Appendix), pray the following prayer: Eternal God, our Father, God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, You alone are worthy of all praise, and as such, You require that we give You honor and glory and praise. We approach You in the name of Your beloved Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ, asking that You grant us the power of the Spirit in order to glorify You with our whole hearts in joyful worship in all of our meetings, in all our relationships, in all our actions, and in all our ministries. Receive all that we say and do as an acceptable sacrifice offered to You as the Lord our God, worthy of praise and glory, in Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Nicene Creed and Prayer