Worshiping God - Part III

Yesterday, we studied the third lesson in our series about "Worshiping God."  We saw how our worship service to God is different from the many forms of entertainment that exist today.  Our worship to God is not and should never be for our own glorification, enjoyment or entertainment.  We also discussed how our worship to God could be acceptable or unacceptable to Him, depending on whether we are following what He requires from us or not. 

Enjoy the notes from our discussion.

March 12, 2012

Worshiping God – Part III

Opening Question: What is the latest concert, show or movie you went to watch and how did you like it?

Relaxation is an important part of our lives and sometimes we chose to relax by seeking entertainment, in the form of watching a concert, a TV show, a movie, going to the opera, etc.  These are places where we usually sit and expect others to entertain us.  We are not going anything, other than enjoying the show.  We have paid a ticket and expect to get something for what we have paid.

What does the Bible tell us about the worship service and the church?

1.         Worshiping God is not entertainment

Many people complain that church is boring or that they do not get anything out of it.  It is important to remember what are the purposes and the reasons of one going to church. 

We do not go there to entertain ourselves.  We go there to worship God, to sing praises to him, to pray and talk to him, to learn more about how to be closer to him, to encourage our brothers and our sisters. 

Worshiping God does not mean sitting back and expecting others to do everything, to relax and to enjoy the show.  There are no spectators in the church.  There is no clapping and applauding in the church, cheering for the preacher or the person who leads the prayer.  The worship service is done to praise God, in an environment or reverence and solemnity toward our God.

We are at church to give to God, to be active, in listening, in participating, in singing, in giving, in encouraging.

In Galatians 1:10, we read: 10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

In our worship service, we are trying to please God and we should carry out our worship service in the way that is pleasing to Him.  As we have studied in our previous lessons, there is a certain way of doing things right, in accordance with the word of God and that is what we should always try to do.

This doesn’t mean that what we do in the worship service does not matter.  The lesson should be understandable and relevant to the members.  It should be Biblical and have a value for them.  The singing should be on key, so that everyone can follow, and of a song that people know or can learn.  The prayer should be loud so everyone can hear and they can say ‘Amen’ at the end of it.  However, everything is done to praise God and to worship Him and Him alone, not to entertain or please men.

Why can’t worshiping God be entertaining to men?

2.         Worshiping God could be acceptable or unacceptable

As we have seen in other lessons, Cain and Abel both worshipped God, but one of them did it in a way that was not acceptable.  This means that there is a right way and a wrong way of worshipping God.

Unless we want to be rejected like Cain, we should try to learn the right way and to worship God in the way in which He has commanded us.  Otherwise, regardless of how much effort we put in our worship service, it will in vain and unacceptable to God.

Jesus himself said that people worshiped him in vain.  What do we read in Mark 7:7: 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.’

What were this people doing that was wrong?  They were not teaching what God had taught, but were replacing His word with their own rules.  This was not acceptable to God and Jesus said that the worship of these people was in vain or useless.

This verse underlines the importance of always following the word of God and the word of God alone.  Regardless of what people teach and say, regardless of how beautiful their ideas may sound, regardless of what we think can be better or more beautiful or more meaningful or more entertaining, God has set up in place a model for our worship.  If we are to worship God so that He can accept our worship, then we should worship Him in the right, correct way that He has shown us.

What is this correct way God has shown us?  How and when did He show it to us?  This is something we are going to discuss in our next lessons.

Conclusions

Worshiping God is not for our entertaining.  When we come together to worship God, there are no spectators.  We are not in church to be entertained, to relax and to enjoy ourselves.  We are in church to worship God in spirit and in truth, in the right way He was shown us, so that our worship service will be pleasing and acceptable to Him.