Why Do We Worship God? (Spanish)

Psalm 100 NBLA

Aclamen con júbilo al Señor, toda la tierra. 2 Sirvan al Señor con alegría; Vengan ante Él con cánticos de júbilo. 3 Sepan que Él, el Señor, es Dios; Él nos hizo, y no nosotros a nosotros mismos; Pueblo Suyo somos y ovejas de Su prado. (V4-5) Entren por Sus puertas con acción de gracias, y a Sus atrios con alabanza. Denle gracias, bendigan Su nombre. 5 Porque el Señor es bueno; Para siempre es Su misericordia, y Su fidelidad por todas las generaciones.

Good afternoon, Church. (Explain break from 1 Corinthians.) Today we will be in Psalm 100, and the title for today’s sermon is: “Why Do We Worship God?”

Beloved, Psalm 100 is probably one of the most familiar psalms used as a call to worship. Many of us have heard these words at the beginning of a service: “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness. Enter His gates with thanksgiving.”

And that makes sense, because every Sunday when we gather, one of the first things we do together is worship. We sing. We pray. We declare who God is and what He has done.

But this afternoon, I want us to slow down and ask a very simple question: Why? Why do we worship God? Why do we sing every Sunday? Why are we called to come before Him with joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and praise?

Most of us know what it is like to ask the question, “Why?” Children ask this all the time. I remember when I was younger, there were moments when I wanted to stay at a friend’s house, and my mom would say, “No.” And like most children, my immediate response was, “Why?” She would give me a reason, and I would ask again, “But why?” And eventually, she would give the answer many of us have heard or given: “Because I said so.”

Behind that repeated question is something true about us. We want to know the reason.

And Psalm 100 gives us both the commands and the reasons. It calls us to worship, but it does not leave worship unexplained. So this afternoon, the psalmist will answer our question by giving us seven commands and three reasons.

So let’s begin where the psalm begins.

I. Aclamen

Psalm 100:1 NBLA

Aclamen con júbilo al Señor, toda la tierra.

When we hear the word “shout,” we may think of someone yelling because they are angry or frustrated. However that is not the kind of shout the psalmist has in mind. This is a shout of joy.

The word carries the idea of a loud cry, a triumphant sound — even the kind of sound used as a battle cry, a victory shout, or a blast from a horn. It is unmistakable. It is not hidden. It is not embarrassed. It is a public, audible, joyful response to the greatness of God.

I remember last year when some of the women from our church went to a conference in Indianapolis. Kristy went with Fernanda and Eliani, and because AJ could not go, I offered to stay with him. One of my responsibilities was to take him to his soccer game. After his game, we were walking out when I realized JD was there with his daughter Jada. So I told AJ, “Come on, let’s go watch Jada play.”

And when we got there, before I could *see* JD, I *heard* JD. Why? Because JD was shouting at the top of his lungs: “Jada, kick the ball! Go! Go!” JD was not whispering. He was not casually observing. His attention was fixed on the field. Why? Because what was happening in front of him mattered to him.

JD’s shout was the shout of a father encouraging his daughter. But in Psalm 100, the shout is different. This is the shout of *worship* — the sound of a heart that recognizes the greatness of God and cannot remain silent.

And the psalmist begins here because worship is meant to awaken the whole person.

1. La adoración no es simplemente algo que pensamos en silencio o sentimos en el interior. Surge del corazón y sale de la boca.

This does not mean everyone expresses worship in exactly the same way. But it does mean that biblical worship is not cold, lifeless, or indifferent. When the people of God see the worth of God, there ought to be a joyful sound.

And notice — the command is not simply “Shout.” It is “Shout *joyfully*.” There is shouting that comes from anger, from panic, from fear. But this is a shout that comes from joy.

This matters, because every Sunday we are not merely singing songs to fill space in the service. We are responding to the Lord. We are declaring that He is worthy.

2. La adoración no es música de fondo para la vida cristiana. La adoración es el clamor gozoso de un pueblo que conoce a su Dios.

And the call is not small. The psalmist says, “all the earth.” This is bigger than Israel, bigger than one congregation, one culture, one nation, or one generation. The God we worship is not a local deity. He is the Lord of all the earth.

This is where the gospel helps us see the beauty of this command. Through Christ, God is gathering worshipers from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue. People who were far off are being brought near. People who were dead in sin are being made alive. People who once worshiped idols are now lifting their voices to the true and living God.

So when the church sings, we are joining the choir of the redeemed — giving a joyful shout to the Lord who has saved us. Not because God needs noise. Not because louder automatically means holier. But because the Lord is worthy of joyful praise.

II. Sirvan

Psalm 100:2 NBLA

Sirvan al Señor con alegría;

The second imperative moves from the *sound* of worship to the *life* of worship.

3. La adoración no es solo algo que hacemos con nuestra boca; es algo que hacemos con nuestra vida.

The word “serve” carries the idea of work, labor, and giving oneself to a task. It is active. It is costly. It involves our time, our strength, our gifts, and our obedience. The Lord is not only worthy of our songs; He is worthy of our service.

And notice *who* we serve: “Serve the Lord.” Yes, we serve our families, the church, our neighbors, those in need. But ultimately, our service is unto the Lord.

We need to remember that, because people will not always notice. People will not always say thank you. Sometimes our service will be misunderstood or taken for granted. Sometimes serving will become tiring and costly. But when we remember that we are serving the Lord, our service is lifted above the response of people.

This is why the psalmist says, “Serve the Lord with jubilation.” Not with bitterness or resentment. Not merely with religious duty. But with gladness.

That does not mean serving the Lord will always be easy. But it does mean that the spirit of Christian service should be shaped by joy. Why? Because we are not serving a harsh master. We are serving the Lord who made us, who shepherds us, and who served us first.

Jesus said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” So when we serve the Lord with gladness, we are not trying to earn His love. We are responding to the love we have already received in Christ.

Serve the Lord with your life, your gifts, your home, your obedience. But do not serve Him as though He is a burden.

4. El servicio cristiano no es un pago que ofrecemos para ganar el favor de Dios; es la respuesta gozosa de un pueblo que ya ha recibido Su gracia.

III. Vengan

Psalm 100:2 NBLA

Vengan ante Él con cánticos de júbilo.

So far, we have been told to shout and to serve. Now we are told to come. This presents worship not only as a command, but as an *invitation*.

And notice —

5. La invitación no es venir a un edificio, a un programa o a una tradición religiosa. El salmista dice: "Venid ante Él".

We need to feel the weight of that, because coming before God is no small thing. The Bible is, in many ways, the story of God making a way for sinful people to dwell in His presence.

In the garden, humanity enjoyed the presence of God. But sin brought separation. After the fall, sinners could not simply stroll casually into the presence of a holy God. *(Moses, burning bush.)* That is why, in the Old Testament, the sacrificial system mattered. The sacrifices, the priesthood, the tabernacle, the altar, the blood — all of it taught the people that access to God required atonement. A way had to be opened for sinners to come near.

And yet, Psalm 100 says, “Come before Him with *rejoicing*.” Not come terrified. Not come hiding. Not come pretending. Not come because you have made yourself worthy. Come with rejoicing.

How can sinners come before a holy God with rejoicing? Because Christ has opened the way. By His blood, He has made atonement for our sin. Through His death and resurrection, He has brought us near. When Jesus died, the veil was torn from top to bottom, declaring that the way into the presence of God had been opened.

Hebrews 4:16 NBLA

Por tanto, acerquémonos con confianza al trono de la gracia para que recibamos misericordia, y hallemos gracia para la ayuda oportuna.

We do not come because we are worthy in ourselves. We come because Christ is worthy. We do not come because we have cleaned ourselves up enough. We come because Christ has washed us by His blood.

Every time we gather, remember what is actually happening. We are not merely walking into a room or attending a service. By grace, through Christ, we are coming before the Lord — with rejoicing, because the blood of Christ has opened the door that sin had closed.

IV. SEPAN

Psalm 100:3 NBLA

Sepan que Él, el Señor, es Dios; Él nos hizo, y no nosotros a nosotros mismos; Pueblo Suyo somos y ovejas de Su prado.

Beloved, this verse may be the theological center of the entire psalm.

We have been told to shout, to serve, to come. But now the psalmist says, “Know.” If you are going to shout rightly, serve rightly, and come rightly, you must *know* rightly. Why? Because right theology produces right doxology. A right understanding of who God is will produce the right response to who He is.

6. La adoración gozosa no proviene de la emoción vacía; la adoración gozosa proviene de conocer al Señor.La adoración gozosa no proviene de la emoción vacía; la adoración gozosa proviene de al Señor.

And this knowledge is not less than information, but it is far more than information. The psalmist is calling us to know the Lord truly, personally, covenantally, and relationally.

Jeremiah 9:23–24 NBLA

Así dice el Señor: No se gloríe el sabio de su sabiduría, Ni se gloríe el poderoso de su poder, Ni el rico se gloríe de su riqueza; (V24) Pero si alguien se gloría, gloríese de esto: De que me entiende y me conoce, Pues Yo soy el Señor que hago misericordia, Derecho y justicia en la tierra, Porque en estas cosas me complazco, declara el Señor.

This is theological knowledge that leads to relational trust.

7. Es conocer quién es Dios de tal manera que el corazón es fortalecido, la mente es renovada y la adoración comienza a elevarse.

And this matters because there will be moments in life when worship will not feel easy. Suffering, death, illness, disappointment, and confusion will knock at the door. And in those moments, if worship is only built on how we feel, it will collapse when our feelings collapse. If worship is only built on our circumstances, it will rise and fall with our circumstances.

But if our worship is built on the knowledge of who God is, then even when our circumstances shake, our souls can remain anchored. Why? Because our circumstances do not change His nature.

So what does the psalmist tell us to know?

8. Reconoced que el Señor mismo es Dios

The Lord is supreme. He is sovereign. He is not one God among many. He alone is God. The world may treat God as optional, but Psalm 100 does not. The psalmist does not say, “Know that the Lord is helpful,” or “Know that the Lord is inspiring.” He says, “Know that the Lord Himself is God.”

9. Reconoced que Él nos hizo

“It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.” We are not self-created. We are not self-owned. We did not speak ourselves into existence. We did not give ourselves breath. Our lives are not accidents. Our bodies, our minds, our gifts, our days, our purpose — all of it comes from Him.

This confronts one of the deepest lies of our age: “I belong to myself.” Psalm 100 says, “No, you do not. He made you.” And if He made us, then He has the right to define us, to command us, to receive our worship.

For the believer, this truth goes even deeper.

We belong to Him not only because He created us, but because Christ purchased us.

We are not only His by creation, but also through redemption.

10. Reconoced que somos Su pueblo

“We are His people.” This is covenant language. God has claimed a people for Himself. He has set His love upon them. He has called them His own.

1 Peter 2:9 NBLA

Pero ustedes son linaje escogido, real sacerdocio, nación santa, pueblo adquirido para posesión de Dios, a fin de que anuncien las virtudes de Aquel que los llamó de las tinieblas a Su luz admirable.

We do not belong to ourselves. We belong to God. Worship is not the response of spiritual strangers trying to impress God. Worship is the response of sons and daughters who have been claimed by grace.

11. Reconoced que somos las ovejas de Su prado

This shows us not only God’s authority, but His care. He is not only Creator and King; He is Shepherd. And if He is Shepherd, then He feeds, leads, protects, restores, and keeps His people.

In the fullness of Scripture, we see this most clearly in Christ. Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd.” And the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Our Shepherd has not only led us; He has died for us. He has not only fed us; He has rescued us from sin and death.

Do you see why this command to know is so important?

12. La verdadera adoración no comienza con nuestras emociones. La verdadera adoración comienza con la revelación.

God reveals who He is, and His people respond:

We **shout** because we know He is God.

We **serve** because we know He made us with a purpose.

We **come** because we know we are His people, adopted by grace.

We **rejoice** because we know we are the sheep of His pasture.

True worship is produced by our knowledge of the Lord.

V. Entren

Psalm 100:4 NBLA

Entren por Sus puertas con acción de gracias, y a Sus atrios con alabanza. Denle gracias, bendigan Su nombre.

This fifth imperative presents worship as a grateful approach. The imagery is temple-like: gates and courts. It is the picture of God’s people coming into the place of worship, entering the presence of the Lord with thanksgiving and praise.

Notice — thanksgiving is not treated here as a casual feeling. It is the *posture* with which God’s people enter His presence. We do not enter carelessly. We do not enter thoughtlessly. We enter remembering.

And what do we remember? We remember what the psalmist has just told us to know. We remember that the Lord is God. We remember that He made us. We remember that we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. And when that knowledge fills our hearts, thanksgiving inevitably begins to rise.

This is why, in Psalm 73, the psalmist says he almost stumbled when he looked at the prosperity of the wicked. His heart was troubled. But then he says, “Until I entered His sanctuary.” Something happened when he entered the place of worship. His perspective was restored.

That is what worship does.

13. La adoración reorienta el corazón y nos enseña a recordar lo que es verdadero cuando la vida nos ha hecho olvidar.

So enter remembering. Enter with gratitude. Enter with praise.

VI. Den y Bendigan

Psalm 100:4 NBLA

Denle gracias, bendigan Su nombre.

If entering His gates with thanksgiving shows us the *posture* of worship, then giving thanks and blessing His name shows us the *overflow* of worship.

14. La persona que está llena del conocimiento de Dios, arraigada en el carácter de Dios y consciente de las obras de Dios no viene ante el Señor vacía de alabanza.

He does not come merely to receive something from God. He comes with something to give — thanksgiving, gratitude, praise, honor, blessing.

To give thanks is to actively acknowledge the goodness and grace of God. It is not passive. It is spoken, declared, and offered back to Him.

And then the psalmist says, “Bless His name.” To bless the name of the Lord means to speak well of Him, to honor Him, to revere Him, to praise Him for who He is.

15. Esto lleva la acción de gracias más allá de simplemente agradecer a Dios por lo que Él da, a bendecir a Dios por quién Él es.

Immature thanksgiving says, “God, thank You because things went my way.” Mature thanksgiving says, “God, I bless Your name because even when things do not go my way, You are still good, You are still merciful, and You are still faithful.”

And that is exactly where the psalmist takes us next.

VII. Tres Razones Para Adorar a Dios

Psalm 100:5 NBLA

Porque el Señor es bueno; Para siempre es Su misericordia, y Su fidelidad por todas las generaciones.

Verse 5 begins with the word “*For*.” And in doing so it provides the answer to the question we asked at the start of the sermon. Why do we worship God?

16. El Señor es bueno

Beloved, we need to know this because one of the first things we question when life hits us hard is the goodness of God. When suffering knocks at the door, when prayers seem unanswered, when loss enters our lives, when things do not go according to our plans, one of the first questions that rises in the human heart is: Is God really good?

Often, that question takes root because pain has made us forget what Scripture has already revealed about God’s nature. The God of the Bible is good. He is not good sometimes. He is not good only when life is easy. He is not good only when we understand what He is doing.

17. La bondad no es simplemente algo que Dios hace; la bondad pertenece a quién Dios es.

Psalm 84:11 NBLA

Porque sol y escudo es el Señor Dios; Gracia y gloria da el Señor; Nada bueno niega a los que andan en integridad.

The Lord is a sun — He gives light, warmth, life, and guidance. The Lord is a shield — He protects, guards, and defends His people. And because He is good, He does not withhold what is truly good from those who belong to Him.

The Lord is good in His holiness, in His mercy, in His justice, in His patience, in His sovereignty, in His wisdom, in His promises, in His purposes. His character is good. His ways are good. His will is good.

Romans 12:2 NBLA

Y no se adapten a este mundo, sino transfórmense mediante la renovación de su mente, para que verifiquen cuál es la voluntad de Dios: lo que es bueno y aceptable y perfecto.

The will of God is not cruel. The will of God is not careless. His will is good, acceptable, and perfect because He Himself is good.

That does not mean everything that happens to us feels good. Scripture does not call us to pretend that pain is not painful or grief is not grief. But Scripture teaches us that even when life is not good, God is still good.

And where did we see His goodness most clearly? At the cross. At the cross, God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us. At the cross, God’s goodness did not avoid our brokenness; it entered into it. God’s goodness met our sin, our guilt, our shame, and our need.

If we ever doubt the goodness of God, we must look again at Christ crucified and risen. There we see that God is not against His people — He is for His people. So why do we worship? We worship because the Lord is good — not because every circumstance is good, not because every prayer has been answered the way we wanted, but because the Lord Himself is good, and His goodness does not change when our circumstances do.

18. Su Misericordia es para siempre

Beloved, God’s loving covenant toward His people does not have an expiration date. His mercy does not run out. His steadfast love does not weaken with time.

We need to hear this, because we need mercy every day. We need mercy when we are weak, when we fail, when we are tired, when our hearts are heavy.

But Psalm 100 tells us that the mercy we need is not running out. Lamentations 3 says that His mercies are new every morning. We do not need to store up mercy as though God might run out tomorrow. The mercy we need for today is provided by His grace, and when tomorrow comes, His mercy will be there too.

And we see this mercy most clearly at the cross. When Jesus cried, “It is finished,” He declared that the work of redemption was complete. Sin had been atoned for. The debt had been paid. Mercy had triumphed through the sacrifice of His Son.

19. La misericordia de Dios hacia Su pueblo no es frágil porque está fundamentada en la obra consumada de Cristo.

The mercy that saves us is the mercy that keeps us.

The mercy that forgives us is the mercy that carries us.

And one day, that same mercy will bring us all the way home, where we will be delivered not only from the penalty and power of sin, but from the very presence of sin. We worship because His mercy is everlasting.

20. Su Fidelidad continua por todas las Generaciones

When we read the Bible, we are not reading stories about a God who *used to be* faithful. We are reading the testimony of the God who has always been faithful and who continues to be faithful today.

We you see His faithfulness toward Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David, Israel, the prophets, the apostles, Peter, and Paul. And through church history, generation after generation.

Know that the same God who was faithful to them promises to be faithful to us. And if the Lord tarries, He will be faithful to our children and to our children’s children. Psalm 100 tells us His faithfulness is not limited to the past.

Revelation 1 speaks of Him as the One “who is and who was and who is to come,” and then it describes Him as “the faithful witness,” and then it adds — to Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood.”

So whenever you forget His faithfulness, run to the cross. And there you will see that the promise God made in Genesis 3, He kept. Christ came. Sin has been paid for. Death has been defeated. Redemption has been accomplished. For the cross is the clearest proof that God keeps His promises.

Now tell me, beloved — if this is not enough for us to shout, what is? If this is not enough for us to serve, what is? If this is not enough for us to come with rejoicing, enter with thanksgiving, give thanks, and bless His name, what is?

He is good. His mercy is everlasting. His faithfulness continues to all generations. Therefore, we worship.

Everything in this world fades. Strength fades. Beauty fades. Money fades. Health fades. Human promises fade. But the mercy of the Lord does not fade, and His faithfulness does not die with one generation. He is good. He is merciful. He is faithful forever.