The Call to Worship

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What is Worship

John 4:7-26

“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

 

                  What does it mean to worship?  When we go to church, we do so expecting to join the rest of the community of God’s people in worshiping God.  However, often our worship is misguided.  When we worship, we focus on the type of music and the way the music affects us.  We want dynamic, uplifting music that excites us emotionally.  We feel we have not worshipped if a dynamic band does not conduct the music with an uplifting and exciting style.  This places the focus of worship on the worship team and their abilities.  But is that what worship is all about?  Is worship to be defined by and equated with dynamic music?  Or is worship much deeper?

                  When Jesus encountered the women at the well, the discussion quickly turned from the need for water and the nature of water to the place and style of worship.  For the woman, the focus of worship was on the location and where the worship was conducted.  While we do not debate the location, we get into endless debates concerning the style of worship:  Is it contemporary or traditional?  Are we to sing choruses or hymns?  Is worship dynamic with a full band or contemplative with an organ or piano?  We want music that gets us excited and moves us emotionally.

                  Instead of engaging in debates about the style and place of worship,  Jesus redirects our attention to a more profound focus.  Worship is not about the style of music or the emotions it evokes.  Instead, worship is rooted in 'spirit and truth.' With his arrival, Jesus brings about a complete reorientation of worship. Worship is no longer tied to a specific location, as it was with the temple. It is now grounded in a person, in Christ.  The hour Jesus refers to is his death, resurrection, and exaltation.  Instead of worshiping at a temple, we are now to worship God through the person of Christ, who has removed the veil of sin that separated us from God and made access to God possible.  

                  Second, worship is no longer conducted through outward rituals and sacrifices, but now it is conducted through our inward spirit.  Jesus affirms God is spirit.  In contrast to humanity, God is invisible.  For us to see God, God has to reveal himself to us in a way that we can perceive.  He made this possible through the incarnation of Christ. Because God is Spirit we must worship Him through the person of Christ and in the power and work of the Holy Spirit. Worship is more than just music; it is a personal response to the living God in which we acknowledge Him and His character.  It begins with submission to Christ and a relationship with Christ that makes it possible for us to have access to God.  

                  Third, worship must be in truth; that is, it must conform to God’s revealed truth, both in the scriptures and in the person of Christ, who came to give us the fullest understanding of God and His truth. Worship is the acknowledgment of the truthfulness of God’s word and living in conformity with it. It is grounded in obedience to His word. Worship becomes offensive to God when offered from a rebellious heart. 

                  We are misguided when we start with and center our worship upon the type of music and how it moves us.   Worship starts with a heart of surrender and obedience to God and the acknowledgment of His divine character as revealed through the person of Christ.  Worship is not an emotion but an act of the will.  Worship is not about music but our recognition of His supremacy in our lives and character. If we focus on God and responding to Him, we can worship Him equally, with a single person leading us in a hymn or a dynamic band singing the latest worship songs.  If you are frustrated by the music, start by looking at your heart instead of looking at the worship leader.  The problem may not be with the musician being off-key but your heart being off-key.  Worship begins with obedience and surrender rather than the page number of the song.

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