On vacation, I noticed a trend among many churches to craft worship experiences that please or woo as many people as possible—even to the point of entertainment. Also, I’ve heard Christians say things like, “The worship service really didn’t feel worshipful.” Typical reasons for this include: the style of worship music wasn’t quite right (contemporary songs vs. hymns), the pastor’s sermon didn’t meet my needs, the delivery was off, or the pastor left me feeling guilty when I came to be uplifted.
The Holy Bible is clear on God’s desire for worship: “But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.”(John 4:23). From this verse, the primary purpose of worship is to bring praise, glory, and honor to God. He alone is worthy of our reverence and praise. He is our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer—our worship should acknowledge Him as the great “I am.” Worship should revolve around self-centered concerns.
Also, we are called to worship God “in spirit and truth.” To worship God “in spirit” is not just “going through the motions.” Rather, worship must come from the heart. Both the Old and NT teach, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Deut 6:5 and Matt 22:37). Our spirit should be fully engaged through our heart, soul, and mind as we worship God. “In truth” means we should desire to know and correctly understand God’s word, which gives us true understanding of who we are, who God is, and how we are to interact with our neighbors. Worshipping God means that we fully set our minds on God.
Lest we forget: worship is for God, not for our “experience.” Let’s prepare to worship Him in truth and in spirit!
Joel Jundt
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