Corporate Worship get_app

Now we get to it – the part of worship that even an outsider would give as a definition to worship: the corporate, Sunday morning, worship service. Hey, it’s even in the title, so it must be worship, right? Much of our belief that we are “worshiping God” is bound up in showing up to the church service and thinking we’ve “done worship” because we’re there. If it were about just showing up and checking the box, many would be worshipping God.

Read Isaiah 29:12-14 (and Matthew 15:8-9).

• What is the problem with the worship that is happening here?
• Do you think it matters if our “hearts are far from God” when we come to church?
  (refer back to Day 2 on How We Worship)

It is a serious offense to God to come and go through the motions of worship but never really mean it. We need to take these corporate times of worship as serious and reverent moments when we pour our praises out together, with our hearts singularly focused on God. We know from reading Colossians 3:16-17 in our prior days that we come together to teach and admonish one another in wisdom and to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Those are details we should include for sure. But what does verse 16 say at the start? (Go ahead and read it again before going on.) We have to let God’s Word dwell richly in us! This is not a half-hearted effort we’re talking about. (Parents, this is a great time to emphasize why your kids need to sit still, listen, learn, and participate in worship – teach the seriousness of this gathering.)

Read 1 Corinthians 14:26.

• What is a primary reason given here to meet together? (build each other up)
• How much time do you take to build up the church body when you corporately worship?

Read Ephesians 4:1-6.

• How do we maintain the unity of Spirit when we come and meet together?
• What is listed in verses 4-6 that should unify us?

Do you see why it’s important to worship by ourselves and with our families at home? Our private worship and our family worship will then overflow into the corporate gathering and vice versa. We then, in unity of Spirit, are building each other up and teaching and encouraging spiritual health when we get together. It’s not a fellowship time, it’s a holy, worship time! Our focus becomes unified, and we can begin to understand in part why all of Heaven is united in bringing worship before God. The “practice for worship in Heaven” has begun! Join in!

Tomorrow when worship service happens, participate! Sing, pray, read the Word and give an offering both physical and spiritual to the Lord... and encourage the next person to join you.

Sing “Doxology” together as a family and pray a prayer of thanks that we can meet and worship God together corporately.