What is worship?

Worship FAQs, part 1 – What is worship?

A good of definition of worship is showing how much something is worth to you. We are constantly worshiping as we make decisions about how to spend our time and money, how to use our talents and abilities, and where to put the focus of our minds and priorities. God commands us to show in our every action and decision that he is worth more to us than anything else in all creation. This is our daily “worth-ship, and we carry it out as we put God first in our conversations with others, our planning of our weekends, our budgeting of our bank accounts, our regular reading of our Bibles, our raising of our children, and our choices for entertainment. Jesus reminds us, “You cannot serve both God and money [or any other created thing]” (Matthew 6:24). Because of sin, we daily worship many created things more than our Creator. But because of God’s rich grace and mercy in Christ Jesus, God forgives our sinful worship of created things, cleanses our daily worship of our Creator and Redeemer, and grants us power to improve our daily worship.

So then, if worship takes place every day—indeed every moment— of our lives, then what makes worship services so special? We often call them by the nickname “worship,” and they are indeed an extension of the worship that takes place in our daily lives. But worship services are also unique and special in many ways.

Worship services connect us directly with the only source of power and strength that helps us improve our daily worship—the Gospel—along with the Law of God, which leads us to treasure that Gospel. We are “not ashamed of the Gospel, because it [and it alone] is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). In worship services, that life-giving Gospel permeates the Scripture lessons and Sacraments, is explained and applied in the sermon and liturgy, and is responded to in the music and prayers. In worship services, special encouragement is passed among the worshipers as we are reminded that we are part of a vast family of believers, many of whom are already enjoying eternity with Jesus, and all of whom will gather together around Christ’s throne very soon for the ultimate worship experience. In worship services, we are reminded of Christ’s resurrection and his promise to take us to be with him. In worship services, God brings us the closest to Heaven that we can possibly get while on Earth.

So, look forward to worship services as God uses them to strengthen each of us for our daily life of worship!