Worship (Part 2)

There is an idea today that the main reason we come to church to worship is to "get something out of the service", rather than going to church to give our worship to God. That's the reason so many people are going from church to church looking for something to satisfy them or make them feel good about themselves. When the emphasis is not on the proper object of worship, God, they will never be satisfied.  

People want to "do their own thing" in the worship of the church.  What the Bible has to say about worship for many people is of little consequence as long as they are happy and feel good.  Yet we must be concerned with what God says on how He is to be worshipped instead of what we might want to offer Him as worship. As I said this morning, worship is about pleasing and honoring Him, not about us feeling good about ourselves.

In our age everything is designed to appeal to our emotions and to entertain us.  

Our pleasure driven society gives little thought about pleasing God in their worship, but to how it makes them feel.  Many have forgotten that our worship service is to bring glory and honor to God, and not to entertain or emphasize ourselves. That's why Psalm 100 is so important concerning worship because in these 5 verses we find the truth about why we worship, how we should worship, and most importantly about how we should not worship.

(1)  Worship should never be just a spectator event. 

Psalm 100:1, 2 "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

Sadly, the emphasis is how can the worship service be made more entertaining to people to draw a crowd and please themselves and not God. In worship we must be the participants, not just observers. 

(2) Worship to God should never be to please men.

Psalm 100:3 " Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."

Worship is God-centered not man-centered.  When our worship is to please God instead of ourselves, then and only then will our worship be much more meaningful, spiritually uplifting, and acceptable to God.

(3) Worship should never be about reaching an emotional high.

Psalm 100:4 " Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

When people seek an "emotional high" from worship and don’t get it, they are disappointed and start blaming the song service, the preacher, or something or somebody else.  

(4) Worship should never be offered without commitment.

Psalm 100:5 " For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."

Worshipping Christ as our crucified Savior requires more than just a personal commitment. It requires a complete change of our lifestyle and a willingness to do all that He says.