PREPARING FOR CORPORATE WORSHIP

It is important to prepare to participate regularly in corporate worship.

-God made this clear in the giving of the law in Exodus 19. God called the people to prepare personally for a corporate encounter with Him (Exodus 19:10-11).

-In Exodus 40, God dictated 34 verses to tell Moses how to prepare the tabernacle for corporate worship. Moses followed these instructions exactly.

-In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul admonishes Believers to learn how to behave ourselves in the House of the Lord.

-The book of Hebrews warns: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Solomon admonished:

Keep your foot [give your mind to what you are doing] when you go [as Jacob to sacred Bethel] to the house of God. For to draw near to hear and obey is better than to give the sacrifice of fools [carelessly, irreverently] too ignorant to know that they are doing evil. (Ecclesiastes 5:1, TAB )

What Solomon was saying is that one should be prepared for corporate worship when they go to God’s house. What you are doing is important, and you should be serious about it.

Here are some guidelines to prepare for corporate worship.

-Personal preparation. Worship does not start when you enter the church building. Prepare your heart for corporate worship by worshipping throughout the week. Ask God to forgive your sins and prepare you to enter His presence on the day of worship.

-Pre-service preparation. Learn from the Jews who observe Sabbath from sundown the evening before. Your activities the night before and morning of the day you attend corporate worship services will affect your worship either positively or negatively. Don’t stay up so late the night before that you are too tired to worship passionately. As you travel to service, begin to praise God or listen to worship music. The period of time between your arrival at church and the start of the worship service is also crucial. How you interact with other church members can affect your worship.

-The worship service.

-Arrive on time—or even ahead of time! Worship is not a musical prelude to the sermon to provide time for you to straggle in late. That is disrespectful to others and, more importantly, to God. Treat the worship service as an appointment with God—which it is. Would you be late if you were called before the throne?

-Begin with an attitude of expectancy, believing for an awesome worship experience.

The very fact that you have assembled with other Believers is in itself an act of worship because you are showing that God has worth by giving Him your time and attention.

-Tune out any distractions going on around you such as late arrivers, a crying child, other members of the congregation, etc. Focus on God.

-Participate in thanksgiving and praise which lead you to enter God’s presence. Know that you can enter His presence boldly to worship because of the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:16). Do not worship halfheartedly. Participate passionately with all of your might. Think about how people respond at sporting events or concerts. We are not talking about the rowdiness of these events, but the passionate participation: People stand to their feet, they sing, they clap, and they shout.

-Follow the direction of those who are leading the congregation in worship, while yet remaining open to the moving of the Holy Spirit in your own response.

-Give regularly. Bring your tithes and offerings. Giving is part of worship.

-Listen attentively to the Word of God and be prepared to respond.

-Pray during corporate prayer, as prayer is a vital part of worship.

Remember that the true test of worship is not what happens at church, but How does it affect your home life, your conduct on the job, your behavior, and your attitudes? Does your worship make a difference in the way you live?