Published on 08/11/2008

Friday, we found that worship is loving God in every way a human can: heart, soul, mind, and strength. By these standards, worship is not performance, whether by the pastor or other worship leaders.

We continue our Questions of the Faith series with a discussion on worship. Friday, we found that worship is loving God in every way a human can: heart, soul, mind, and strength. By these standards, worship is not performance, whether by the pastor or other worship leaders. God has called us to help you worship God, but the attenders are the performers. Don't evaluate worship today by the preacher's performance, but by yours.

Worship is not entertainment. It is to be exciting and encouraging, but we are not in the entertainment business. Worship leaders do not exist to impress the congregation as their audience. Rather, the congregation is present to impress God.

Worship is not therapy. God helps us as we worship him, but our first purpose is to express our love for him. Interestingly, we get far more out of worship when we come not for us but for him. When we worship for his sake more than our own.

Worship is not evangelism. Evangelism results from worship, as people see Christ in our joy. But God doesn't evaluate worship by how many public decisions are made at the front of the church. He measures our worship by how many hearts adore him all across the church. Worship is not about us. It is about loving God, every service and every day.

God made us for worship. This is why we were created. It's why he gave us free will—so we could choose to worship him. Love must be a choice. God made us to make this choice. Nothing else fulfills us. Augustine was right: "Our hearts are restless until they rest in him."

God empowers us when we worship. When did God empower Isaiah to go for him? Daniel to face the lions? The first Christians to witness at Pentecost? When did God shake the doorposts in Jerusalem and the prison bars in Philippi? When did Jesus reveal his heavenly splendor to John on Patmos? In worship. The power to serve God is found in worshipping God. If you want God's power for your life and purpose, you must worship God every day. That's how he empowers us.

And God deserves our worship. We love him because he first loved us (1 John 4:10). He created and redeemed us, and made us a place in his perfect heaven forever. He watched his Son die on our cross, to save our souls and purchase our salvation. He gave everything for us. He deserves our worship.

When did he last receive yours?