Worship and Celebration

John 4:23-24
"...Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers
will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Worship is the practice of our reverence and adoration of God. As a rule, corporate worship is a communal event that exercises our conscious respect for and total attention to the contiguous presence of God. In essence, this engagement is spirituality at its best. As we contemplate His Greatness, we fill our hearts and minds with the wonders of his creation, grace, and love. Although a ceremonial worship to God may induce feelings of joy and well-being, that is not the reason we 'go to church'. The event serves to present my being to God. That is not always a "feel good" experience.

Apart from God, worshipping Him is impossible. We cannot understand that which created us. Without Him, we are incapable of sufficiently surrendering our lives. Our worship leader is God Himself. It is a unified chorus of hearts surrendering to God's spirit as it blows in and through his body. A significant session of worship will serve to humble us and is so powerful, it induces change in our behavior and thought. God enjoys our joyful response.

Christianity is not a sad religion. It is not a religion of tragedy and suffering. There is giving and unselfishness. We are friends. We care about each other. We have found a way to rise above the chaos and turmoil of the world. Christianity is the victory over all things that cause suffering and failure. The significance of the execution and resurrection of Jesus is enormous, and we are the beneficiaries! Worship is the response. In worship, God is the beneficiary-- He is the audience!

We serve a Great God! We serve the creator of the Universe! In worship, we find ourselves celebrating, praising, lamenting, repenting, confessing, and serving one another-- all to His glory!