Verbs

Identify the verb in the following sentence:

Ulysses jumped out of the green airplane.

It's jumped, right? Imagine that you are Ulysses, preparing to jump out of this green airplane, many thousands of feet 'bove the Icelandic landscape. You have to actually take action to jump. Neither you nor our new friend Ulysses can only think or talk about jumping; you both have to actually jump.

Verbs require action. That's what a verb is - an action word.

Try, now, to identify the verbs in this sentence, from Hebrews 12:

Διὸ  βασιλείαν  ἀσάλευτον  παραλαμβάνοντες  ἔχωμεν  χάριν,  δι’   ἧς  λατρεύωμεν εὐαρέστως  τῷ  Θεῷ,  μετὰ  εὐλαβείας  καὶ  δέους·  καὶ  γὰρ  ὁ  Θεὸς  ἡμῶν  πῦρ  καταναλίσκον. 

["Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.”]

The one we shall focus on is the Greek word latreuo (λατρεύω), pronounced "la-true-oh" which means worship. Though, not so fast my friend, the definition does not stop there. It also means service.

It's used again here in Luke 4, as Satan tempts Jesus in the wilderness. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:

καὶ  ἀποκριθεὶς  ὁ  Ἰησοῦς  εἶπεν  αὐτῷ  Γέγραπται  Προσκυνήσεις Κύριον  τὸν  Θεόν  σου»  καὶ  αὐτῷ  μόνῳ  λατρεύσεις. 

 [Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’”]

Worship, our worship of God, is an action. If we truly believe in God, we cannot simply say it with talk. Our worship of our God must be evident in our actions.

As 1 John 3:18 says, "Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."

We must love one another! We must actively show the love we have for one another and for God. As the great theologians DC Talk proclaim, "Luv is a verb." In their song, they communicate concerning the very necessary need of loving with actions and not just our words. Thus, as we worship, we must also serve. Serve one another, serve the Lord, and worship in both word and deed.


And we continue on in His Majesty's Service, who lives forevermore.


P.S.
For your enjoyment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRfFuhrdGKM