Jesus once said, "For the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him." (John 4:23) This scripture tells us that God seeks us out to worship Him and furthermore that God promises to meet us in worship. Gathering together as God's people in worship is God's idea, not ours. Gathering together as God's people in worship is focused on
God not on us. David Peterson has written, "...the worship of the living and true God is essentially an engagement with God on the terms that God proposes and in the way that God alone makes possible." The purpose of people coming together on Sunday mornings or other times to worship at a church building is to encounter the living God made known to us through the witness and power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
There are five words for "worship" in the scriptures, which may help us to find corporate worship more meaningful. (1) In Nehemiah 8:5-6, it uses the word "worship" to mean prostrating oneself before the Lord or humbly bowing down or stooping in the presence of God. (2) The word that is mostly used for "worship" in the New Testament means to do reverence with a sense of affection, such as when the Magi bring their gifts to the Christ Child. (3) Mostly used in the Old Testament, the word for "worship" which means the work of the priests and Levites in corporate worship. (4) A word for "worship" mentioned several times in the New Testament is where we derive the word "liturgy," which means the work of the people of God. This is not passive, but we offer ourselves--our songs, our prayers, our offerings--to God. (5) The final word for "worship" refers to our participation. Acts 2 is a good example of this where the worshipers have an emotional, spiritual, symbolic, practical and ongoing response to the Word of God.
Next time you head to worship on Sunday, prepare yourselves to encounter the living God. Remember that Jesus promised us, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Matthew 18:20) Next time you head to worship on Sunday, prepare yourselves to offer your all to God.
God not on us. David Peterson has written, "...the worship of the living and true God is essentially an engagement with God on the terms that God proposes and in the way that God alone makes possible." The purpose of people coming together on Sunday mornings or other times to worship at a church building is to encounter the living God made known to us through the witness and power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit
There are five words for "worship" in the scriptures, which may help us to find corporate worship more meaningful. (1) In Nehemiah 8:5-6, it uses the word "worship" to mean prostrating oneself before the Lord or humbly bowing down or stooping in the presence of God. (2) The word that is mostly used for "worship" in the New Testament means to do reverence with a sense of affection, such as when the Magi bring their gifts to the Christ Child. (3) Mostly used in the Old Testament, the word for "worship" which means the work of the priests and Levites in corporate worship. (4) A word for "worship" mentioned several times in the New Testament is where we derive the word "liturgy," which means the work of the people of God. This is not passive, but we offer ourselves--our songs, our prayers, our offerings--to God. (5) The final word for "worship" refers to our participation. Acts 2 is a good example of this where the worshipers have an emotional, spiritual, symbolic, practical and ongoing response to the Word of God.
Next time you head to worship on Sunday, prepare yourselves to encounter the living God. Remember that Jesus promised us, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." (Matthew 18:20) Next time you head to worship on Sunday, prepare yourselves to offer your all to God.
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