Zion Evangelical & Reformed Church

Worship Matters. Worship matters to God. Worship matters to you. The importance of worship cannot be overstated.

Often, we allow personal distractions to get in the way. Our busy schedules & vacations prevent us from attending worship services. Our self-centeredness, prioritizing youth over church, or other factors inhibit what we were actually made for: a completely fulfilling, purpose-accomplishing life in the presence of the Triune God in worship.

Sometimes we go to church, but we don’t worship.
We sing songs, but we don’t worship.
We listen to sermons, but we don’t worship.
We serve in a ministry area—but don’t worship.

All of these things are elements of worship, but we can fail to miss the importance of worship.

6 Reasons For The Importance of Worship:

1.  Worships Involves Surrender of Our Lives

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
Rom 12:1

You are not your own: you were made by a Maker, you’ve been bought by a Redeemer. The most fulfilling life we can find in this galaxy is a life surrendered to Christ. Life is better when you give it away, and worship gives us opportunity to surrender our time, our finances, and our future to Jesus.

2.  Worship Is Putting Our Focus on Him

Psalm 115:1
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.

True worship is based on the desire to honor God. It requires a personal revelation of God as found in the Scriptures. Worship is not based on my likes or dislikes. It is not based on my personal preferences or priorities. It is a focus on Him.

3.  Worship Involves ‘Getting Out of the Way’

Psalm 73:2, 17
But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly slipped… until I went into the sanctuary of God…

We have to learn to remove our worries, our opinion, our questions and ourselves—so we can worship with appropriate honor. It’s letting go. Sometimes, we get in the way of our own experience of genuine worship. Life’s cares seem to drown out our affection for Jesus, and Satan swoops down to steal away Gospel truth. The Psalmist reminds us we go back to God’s sanctuary to worship with the family of God!

4.  Worship Involves Personal Sacrifice

Praise can be easier when times are good or we have had the big victory. It requires a sacrifice of our own feelings and fears so we can give Him the focus He deserves. David refused to give anything to God that didn’t cost Him anything, and our worship should be our sacrifice to our glorious God. The best news of all? Our sacrifice of praise is in response to – and by faith in – the greater Sacrifice God has given for us in Jesus Christ!

Hebrews 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.

5.  We Must Worship in the Face of Pain & Loss

King David demonstrated what it means to worship in the face of loss and pain. His baby died. He prayed and prayed, but the baby died. I can’t imagine the pain that would come from the loss of a child. The loss of loved ones is too great to bear.

After the baby died, the Bible tells us—

Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped.
2 Sam 12:20

It is so important that in times of pain and loss, we move toward God rather than ‘away’ from Him. David showed us that we have to say, “I feel so much pain, I’m in agony, but I’m going to go toward God because I need Him more now than ever.”

Job 1:21
And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”

6.  Worship Is Celebrating Who God Is and What He Has Done

Psalm 100:1 – 5
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth!
Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into His presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His Name! For the LORD is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.

_{Image credit of BNG. Article inspired by Church Leaders.}