Dear Church,
I want to continue the theme I touched on yesterday, worship. While worship encompasses every aspect of our lives, today I want to focus on ‘corporate worship’, the collective singing of God’s people when we gather.
We don’t want to be a church that is just enthusiastically expressive, where the focus is more on pursuing experiences and emotionalism than on Jesus Himself. Some of us have seen or been part of charismatic churches where worship was driven by excessive emotion and wild movements, yet it had little effect on practical Christian living. At the same time, we don’t want to swing to the other extreme, where we sing profoundly biblical lyrics, yet our hearts remain disengaged, and our worship lacks any visible expression of devotion.
So, the first question isn’t, “What do we want?” but rather, “What does God want?” What do the Scriptures say about our worship? What pleases God? While we all have personal preferences and different church backgrounds, our ‘gold standard’ must be God’s Word.
1. Worship Must Be in Spirit and Truth
Jesus made it clear when speaking to the Samaritan woman in John 4:23-24:“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
Worship that pleases God is both Holy Spirit-filled and anchored in truth (as opposed to falsehood). It is not just about emotions, nor is it merely about correct theology, it is about a heart surrendered to God in both passion and understanding.
2. Worship Involves Our Whole Being
In Psalm 63:4, David declares: “I will praise You as long as I live, and in Your name, I will lift up my hands.”
In Romans 12:1, Paul writes: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your true and proper worship.”
God desires worship that engages our whole being, heart, soul, mind, and body. Worship is not meant to be passive; it is an act of surrender and devotion. This is why Scripture speaks of lifting hands (Psalm 134:2), bowing in reverence (Psalm 95:6), singing with joy (Psalm 100:2), and even dancing before the Lord (Psalm 149:3). True worship is not just inward belief; it is an outward expression of an inward reality.
3. Worship Should Lead to Obedience and Transformation
One of the greatest dangers in worship is when we sing with our lips but not our hearts. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Matthew 15:8, saying: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”
God does not desire empty rituals but authentic devotion. Worship that pleases Him is not just an event on Sunday, it shapes how we live on Mondays and every day of life. This is why in Amos 5:23-24, God tells Israel: “Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” Worship should lead us to greater love for God and others, deeper obedience, and a transformed life.
4. Worship Centers on Christ and the Gospel
In Revelation, we get a glimpse of heaven’s worship: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12).
The focus of worship is not on us, not on our feelings, our preferences, or our performance, but on Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slain for our sins. Every song we sing, every prayer we lift, and every act of worship should exalt Jesus and remind us of the gospel.
So, What Does this Mean for us?
- Worship should be both passionate and biblical.
- Worship should engage our hearts, minds, and bodies.
- Worship should lead to transformation and obedience.
- Worship should be centered on Jesus, not us.
Let us be a church that worships in spirit and in truth, a people whose worship is not about seeking a feeling or performance but about exalting Christ with all that we are.
Be encouraged,
Mathews