Christian worship is different from any other worship in the world because our focus is upon what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross and in resurrection.
Worship is participating in the divine drama. We join in the story of God’s interactions with humanity throughout the ages. We want and need to experience God again in fresh ways. Worship is past, present, and future. We join with the people of God since the beginning of time to proclaim God’s faithfulness. We are part of the Body of Christ around world, all who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, singing His praises on His day, the Lord’s day. We will join the throngs around the throne of the Lamb and will someday shout, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain.”
1. Worship is the celebration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
a. We realize that we cannot exist without Jesus.
b. We were created for Him and through Him.
Colossians 1:15-20
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
2. When we worship Him, we become more like Him.
We become like that which we worship. If we worship things of this world, we will become like them. If we worship Jesus, we will become like Him.
3. If we worship Jesus Christ, then we are to live like Jesus.
Jesus really does make a different in our daily lives. Paul the Apostle wanted the Corinthian Christians to experience a fundamental change in how they lived. By developing the mind of Christ within them by listening to the Holy Spirit, they would find their relationships with one another would change. They would find themselves living differently in the pagan culture. As we become more like Christ, our lives will be changed. By worshiping the Lamb of God, we find ourselves being more effective as salt and light in the world around us. Worship can be seen in living faithfully in a world set against Christ
4. The Gospel urges us to share this news with others.
Worship is both a gathering and scattering. As we come together in common purpose, we find strength to go out to live out this purpose.
“Worship like the world depends on it.” Mark Labberton
The world around us is depending upon how well we worship God.
True worship reclarifies the purposes of God and our part in them. Faulty worship, which can happen among God’s people, leads to distorted mission. When our worship is not at its best, our mission in the world will not be at its best either.
5. The life of worship is the life of faith and obedience in response to the grace of God.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
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