Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Responding to God in Worship

I got a question from a friend about being asked to speak on "Responding to God in Worship". I thought I'd share my response here. I told him that I would start with:

a) we respond to God through worship because it is our created purpose
b) worship is not a narrow window involving music in corporate gatherings, although good, there is a greater purpose in worship
c) worship is ultimately what pleases God most; and obedience is what He enjoys that more than anything else we can bring

  • Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.(1 Samuel 15:22)
  • Old Testament worship including offering and sacrifices. God makes it clear here that He truly delights in obedience.
d) with obedience as the chief criteria for worship, then everything we do, (work, fun, music, worship as we normally define it, reaching out to someone in need, sharing Jesus, resisting temptation) can fall under the umbrella of worship

What would you say to someone on the topic of response to God in worship?