By Michael Van Patter
What is worship anyway? It's become almost a buzzword in our culture. There are hundreds of "worship" CDs, books on worship, conferences for worship, worship leaders, worship choirs, worship bands, even "worship concerts". So what is it all about? I'd like to dig into the scriptures and explore the topic in several articles. This issue, I'll present to you how the Bible teaches that worship is a lifestyle. In the following parts, we'll talk about worship as evangelism and our vision for worship at Christ Community. So let's get started!
The scripture is very clear that worship is a lifestyle, not an event. It is not a certain Sunday morning ritual or fifteen minutes of song, but instead a daily living out our lives to honor Christ. In I Corinthians 10:31, Paul writes:
This is our purpose as believers and the common call on each of our lives. Wherever we go, whatever we do, whoever we are with, we are at every moment commanded to worship! Jesus taught us to shake the idea that worshiping Him is confined to a certain place when He talked to a Samaritan woman in John chapter 4, saying, "...a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem." He saw through our tendencies to put God in a box, wrapping it up neatly and tying the bow of comfort and tradition tightly around it. He knew our weakness and taught us that what was pleasing to God was not at all about us. I Timothy 4:3-5 reads,
"[Some] forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."
Again, we see God's desire for us to worship Him in all of life. This time, it's clear that we glorify Him as we are satisfied by Him, a concept called by some theologians "Christian Hedonism". The Word is very clear in teaching Who is worthy of our devotion and worship. Psalm 115:1-11 describes the futility of giving homage to gods of wood and stone (or perhaps in our lives, gods of money or self-image) and, in contrast, the security of worshiping the one true God. Our Jealous Lover desires the affections and devotion of His bride, the church, and would do anything "yes, even give His very life" to protect that relationship. As we live our lives, may we take each step in reverent and fervent worship of our worthy God (Psalm 5:7). A final verse from Romans 12:
"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God" this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:1-2