Recently I was told about a person who visited a certain congregation. She only visited one time and never returned. About a month later, one of the church members saw the visitor and invited her to come back to services again. The visitor’s response was “the worship service was just not what I was looking for.” I want for us to take a moment and examine this response.
First we must realize, although we should get something out of worship, we are the participates of Worship and not the audience. Many ‘churches’ treat worship like it is a concert where to those watching it looks more like an audition for American Idol than a Worship service. Nowhere in the New Testament does it command or give an example of Worship being a spectator sport. We must realize that God is the audience and we are the participates who are there, in Worship, to please Him.
Secondly, if God is the audience and we are the participants, shouldn’t we striving to Worship Him the way He wants to be Worshipped. Jesus stated that “the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23-24. Did you catch that, God is seeking and demanding that we Worship Him according to the truth and in the right spirit (or attitude).
So where does one go to find out if he/she is worshipping God in the truth. Again, the words of Jesus praying to the Father state “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth,” John 17:17. One must search the scriptures, the New Testament scriptures to find out how God wants to be worshipped! Here are just a few verses that might help us all to study – Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16-17; 1 Timothy 2:8; Acts 20:6-7; 2 Timothy 4:2. There are many others that the printed page will not allow me the space to discuss.
At the Rabun County Church of Christ, we strive to follow God’s Holy Word when it comes to every aspect of our spiritual lives including how we Worship Him. I want to invite you to come and see us on Sunday as our only aim is to please God and not to please the world. What you will find is a group of imperfect people doing their very best to follow God’s commands as found in the Bible. Be our guest this Sunday and join us as we try to please God in Worship and in our daily lives.