Fairfield Church :: Kingston
Doctrine Slots
Short, pithy summaries of hot topics, contemporary issues
and Christian thought are posted here.
What is Worship?
Written by Andy Towner
Date added: 11/2005
Ever used a word without knowing exactly what it means?
Ever heard a word used in a way that minimises its meaning?
Both these things happen with ‘worship’ – “time of worship”, “worship leader”…
3 words the Bible uses…
a) Worship is submission to God (proskunew)
Worship = homage, adoration, submission, meek surrender
“bowed his head and bent over to the LORD” (Gen 24:26-8)
“come let us bend over and bow down kneel before the LORD our Maker”(Ps 95:6)
“An unbeliever will bow down and surrender” (1Cor 14:24-5)
Like meeting a great person, acknowledging their status and authority
b) Worship is service of God (douleu/ew)
Worship = service, work, ministry to/for God
“The LORD you God you shall fear, him you shall serve” (Deut 6:13)
“revere the LORD and serve him in sincerity and faithfulness” (Josh 24)
“you cannot serve God and wealth” (Matt 6:24)
Like working for a king or serving a master
c) Worship is respect for God (sebomai, fobeomai)
Worship = respect, fear, reverence, awe
“one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1)
“fear God and keep his commandments the whole duty of man” (Eccles 12:13)
“a certain woman a fearer of God” (Acts 16:14)
Like obedience in both ceremonial and everyday acts
What is worship?
Worship is...
...submission to God
...service of God
...and respect for God
What does this mean for us?
Worship is submission to, service of, and respect for God
So…
Submit constantly - Everything we do should be worship
Serve God committedly - Everything we do should be worship
Honour God continuously - Everything we do should be worship
Prayer = worship;
Resisting temptation = worship;
Listening to a sermon rightly = worship;
Wise use of money = worship;
Singing could be worship… So: “time of worship” – every time should be; singing no different. Or: “worship leader” – is Jesus, and a musician is no more a worship leader than the person who preaches or prays or organises the coffee rota…
Because worship is much bigger than any of those individual things, and all of the whole of our lives should be worship.