What is Worship?

Have you ever left a Sunday service and felt empty? Have you ever felt as though you were just going through the motions during a worship service? You are not alone, and you are right to be concerned. Jesus had no patience with those who were not intimately involved in their worship.

“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

‘This people honors Me with their lips,

But their heart is far away from Me."

Matthew 15:7-8

The symptom of heartless worship is a sign of a deeper malady namely, misunderstanding what worship is. Worship is not just a Sunday morning experience, although Sunday may well be a time of worship. Worship is not something that is worked up through music or other stirring skits or speeches. Most pagans can work themselves up into a frenzy and come away convinced that they have communed with a diety, but have they? So… what is worship? Unfortunately when most Christians answer this question they equate worship with good soul-stirring music. This definition of worship is wrong but is held by the majority of the evangelistic world. Why do I say that? Well, in most churches what does a worship leader do?

• Does he lead in corporate prayer? No.
• Does he expound the scriptures? No.
• Does he direct a testimony time? No.

All he does is lead the congregation in singing and music. If a man is called a worship leader and all he does is lead in the singing and music ministries what then are we saying about worship?

It also seems by our use of the word that we generally limit worship to something done on Sunday. Most of us go to church to worship. Unfortunately if worship is the reason we go to church it can breed within us a selfish outlook towards church. We go to church wanting to receive something (like good American consumers), namely a worship experience and our church had better deliver the goods or we will move on to a more “spirit filled church.” Am I denying that worship is an important part of going to church? Not at all, but as we will see worship is a vital part of every day of our lives not just Sunday. Christians are by definition people who worship.

“for we are the true circumcision,

who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus

and put no confidence in the flesh,”

Philippians 3:3

Christians get out of bed to worship, eat breakfast to worship, go to work to worship, every moment of every day is an opportunity to worship, so naturally they will worship at church. In everything they do Christians glorify God, giving Him the pre-eminence in their lives, showing Him and the world His infinite worth, thereby worshipping Him.

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do,

do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 10:31

The problem with limiting our “worship” to Sunday is that Monday through Saturday we live as though God need not be acknowledged through worship. We do not meditate on His word, we do not pray with out ceasing and with fervency, and we do not witness to those around us. Is it any wonder that our “worship” on Sunday seems hollow? You see, in order to worship on Sunday we need to be worshipping God during the week by making ourselves living sacrifices.

I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God,

to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice,
acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this world,

but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2

It is interesting to note that worship is not mentioned as a reason that the early church gathered. The church is mentioned as gathering for very specific reasons.

• To spur one another on to love and good works.

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope
without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
and let us consider how to stimulate one another
to love and good deeds,
not forsaking our own assembling together,
as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another;
and all the more, as you see the day drawing near."
Hebrews 10:23-25

" Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
And there are varieties of ministries,
and the same Lord. And there are varieties of effects,
but the same God who works all things in all persons.
But to each one is given
the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."
1 Corinthians 12:4-7

• To be equipped by the pastor/teachers for the work of the ministry.

"And they were continually devoting themselves
to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:42

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets,
and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service,
to the building up of the body of Christ;
until we all attain to the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a mature man, to the measure of the stature
which belongs to the fulness of Christ."
Ephesians 4:11-13

• To fellowship around the Lord’s Table and for a time of prayer.

And they were continually devoting themselves
to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Acts 2:42

But what about those verses that speak of awe and wonder and praise, where do they fit in? They (awe, wonder, and praise) fit in when they come, not by great and moving music, or the skills of a fantastic worship leader, but in response to obedience to God’s commands.

"And they were continually devoting themselves
to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe;
and many wonders and signs
were taking place through the apostles.
And all those who had believed were together,
and had all things in common; and they began
selling their property and possessions,
and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need.
And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple,
and breaking bread from house to house,
they were taking their meals together with gladness
and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people.
And the Lord was adding to their number day by day
those who were being saved."
Acts 2:42-47

As you can see in the early church, worship was a byproduct of their obedient lives, and of devoting themselves to teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, prayer, having all things in common, and having a sincerity of heart. Can you understand now why your worship might seem hollow? You can do something about it. Do you desire to worship God? Then seek Him with all your heart 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Seek and you will find. You will find your heart ready and able to praise a God whom you have loved all week. Let us offer God our very best at all times.

A son honors his father, and a servant his master.
Then if I am a father, where is My honor?
And if I am a master, where is My respect?’
says the Lord of hosts to you,
O priests who despise My name. But you say,
‘How have we despised Thy name?’
“You are presenting defiled food upon My altar.
But you say, ‘How have we defiled Thee?’
In that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is to be despised.’
“But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil?
And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil?
Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you?
Or would he receive you kindly?” says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 1:6-8

"Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.
For the word of the Lord is upright;
And all His work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord."
Psalm 33:1-5