What is Worship and Why We Do It?

Taken from Pastor Roger Sermon Series The Worshiping Church at SSBC. 

Every heart is a worshiping heart and we were created to God.  That worship was defiled at the Fall which idolatry has its beginning by not giving the Creator His rightful due.  

We must understand what does it mean to worship.  It is defined  by the thoughts and action are habitually devoted to an object that you consider of worth, trust and invest. Worship is that process in which we make God first in our lives in response of what He has done for us.  It begins with an action of God moving in our hearts drawing us near to Him.

Practically speaking worship is conversation between God and human beings, a dialogue that should go on continually in the life of the believer.  Worship is also giving to God. It is a practice for a lifetime of giving to God the sacrifices He asks. Worship is loving and worshiping Him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving our neighbor as ourselves. 

Worship is structured around the Gospel message and is not about ourselves rather it is to honor God.  When the service ends, we should not ask "What did I get out of the service?' but "How did I do in honoring the Lord in worship."

In summary,  worship is a response initiated by God to bestow honor and praise to His name for what He has done. It is not dormant but is active in the life of the believer. Worship is not focused on man, but on the Gospel. It is directed to God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit as well as love toward one another.