The Skinny on Worship

Worship

Amos 5:21–23 ESV

21 “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. 22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. 23 Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

Amos 4:12–13 ESV

12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!” 13 For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

What if God hates your worship?

The Israelites did everything right in worship.

Yet God still hated their worship.

Why?

John 4:23 ESV

23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

Christian worship is the children of God coming together to glorify and praise the creator of the universe; God. In todays society, worship can be a topic of confusion, division, and frustration. Churches and denominations are fighting over the correct way to worship but people have lost sight of the most important detail when it comes to worship. The truth is that worship may look different depending on the cultural, denominational, and/or theological context but this does not mean that any one church is right or wrong in the way they worship. The form of worship can change but the foundation of worship must remain the same. If the church becomes too focused on the way it worships it can loose sight of what truly matters. It can become a service that is dedicated to facilitating individual preferences, wants, or desires. This service is self-centered and a contradiction of the purpose of worship. When we come to worship we don’t simply enter into a particular building with the churches name on it; we enter the throne room of God and offer up our praises at His feet. This can be done through the singing of songs, reading of scripture, responsive readings, individual and corporate prayer, dancing, painting, chanting, the Eucharist, and the list goes on and on and on but the foundation always remains the same. We offer up all of these things to the Lord of lords with the purpose of glorifying and praising his name. Worship can also happen outside of a church building. It can happen anywhere as long as we enter into the throne room of God with the purpose of truly worshiping God.

God hates our worship when we are insincere.

God hates when we go through the motions.

God wants us to worship with all of our heart.

When we worship we come into the throne room of God.

Hebrews 10:11–25 ESV

11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

God wants us to worship with confidence in HIS sacrifice and redemption.

God wants us to be sincere.

God wants us to have full assurance.

God wants us to worship more than just Sundays.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

God hates our worship when our worship and lives don’t match.

Amos 5:11–13 ESV

11 Therefore because you trample on the poor and you exact taxes of grain from him, you have built houses of hewn stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. 12 For I know how many are your transgressions and how great are your sins— you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. 13 Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time.

God wants your life to be an act of worship.