What is worship?

After informally studying theology for many years, I began to realize that I knew little about how the church puts it into practice, so I decided to investigate it this Lent. Looking into what worship services are, seemed like the logical first step, so the first question I asked was “What does worship consist of?”, or, "What do we do during worship?" The answer I found is that worship is where Christians gather together and the gospel is proclaimed (Mark 16:15), the Bible is read, and what it says/means it taught (1 Timothy 4:13); sinners are baptize (Matthew 28:16-20), take communion (1 Cor. 10:16-17), confess our sins, pray for one another (James 5:16), sing hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16), and encourage and stir up fellow Christians (Hebrews 10:24-25). I also learned that, from the above list, the mark of the true Church is where the Law and Gospel are proclaimed in purity and where the sacraments are rightly administered (AC VII; Psalm 149:1).

Now that I knew what happens during worship, I asked, “Why? What is the purpose?” To begin to better understand what worship is, I looked at some common misconceptions and tried to explain what worship is not. Former LC-MS president, Dr. A.L. Barry wrote, “When we are gathered for worship, we are not contemplating some far-off Christ or meditating on abstract concepts, or pondering various principles for living. Neither are we in church to be amused or entertained. Neither are we there to offer God anything.” Indeed, we have nothing of value that we can offer God, since all that we have is from Him. All that we say, pray, or sing during worship is simply repeating back what God has already told us.

So, now that I knew what the purpose of church service is not, “What is it?” As Dr. Barry wrote, “The main purpose of worship is to receive God’s gifts.” What are those gifts? Dr. Barry continues by writing that doing the things we do during service, “is how our Lord gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation.” That is why it is a divine service, because God serves us. Not only that, but when we gather together, God is there with us to personally give us those gifts (Matthew 18:20). What a wonderful and joyous opportunity for us! What, then, should our attitude be during worship? Thankfulness, reverence, and awe (Hebrews 12:28). Every Sunday, when we come to church we receive those most amazing gifts from God Himself!

"Faith lets God be God & humans be human. It accepts God's claim on our lives. It lets God do his proper work & be the Giver that he is." -Kolb