Four Expectations from Worship

In his book, When GOD Builds a Church, Bob Russell suggests there are four things we should legitimately expect from authentic worship. (1) A sense of God’s Presence. (2) A Conviction of our Sinfulness.  (3) A Joyful Reminder of God’s Grace.  (4) The Inspiration to Serve. While there may be other expectations, I can’t disagree with these four.

The Psalmist felt the presence of God in his worship.  He exclaimed and exhorted, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms” (Ps. 95:1-2). Surely we should expect to feel the awesome presence of God when we sing, pray and listen to His Word proclaimed. Truly, “He is in our midst.”

Like Isaiah, who came into God’s presence and said, “I am a man of unclean lips,”  we are reminded that we are all “undone.”  When we come to worship, we come with a sense of our need for God.  Our humanity.  Our frailty. Our feebleness.  Like Jeremiah we can affirm, “I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer 10:23).  We need God.  Worship reminds us how much.

But here’s the good news –God is the giver of grace. The apostle Paul penned, “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:7-8).  Every time we eat the supper and commune with Christ, we feel the goodness of God.  The delight of grace. The joy of reconciliation. Indeed, “by the grace of God I am what I am” (I Cor 15:10).

If through worship I experience God’s presence, am humbled by my sinfulness, and feel the joy of His grace, why wouldn’t I want to serve Him?  After speaking of our salvation by grace, Paul writes, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph 2:10).  God has shaped us for His service, not selfishness.  Worship ought to inspire us to greater ministry.  Enter to Worship—Leave to Serve” is still a fitting motto for all Christians.

Today, as we gather in our local fellowships around the world, may we receive and share these four blessings of worship.

   —Ken Weliever, The Preacherman