April 27, 2025 | Ptr Peter Tanchi
Is worship a religious activity, attending church, your posture while singing? Worship is more than that; it has to do with the heart. Whether we like it or not, we will WORSHIP something or someone– the only difference is who we give our worship too. Anything that takes the place of God in your life becomes an idol. The “test of loss” is a way to check this:
- Presence and Time: What do you find yourself enjoying so much that the hours seem to pass in an instant?
- Worries and Concerns: What situation or potential loss causes you the greatest anxiety?
- Conflict and Choices: What do you naturally choose to invest your money, time, or energy in, even when it’s challenging?
What loss will make your life “meaningless”? That is what you worship!
How we worship God today reflects how we will do in eternity. WORSHIP is “our proper response to who God is, what He has done, and our trust in what He will continue to do”. Worship is God-centered. Our relationship with God may be problematic if we are not excited about worshipping Him.
We are not to have other gods (Exodus 20:3-5). It is possible that people “worship” other things apart from God with “idols in their hearts” (Ezekiel 14:3). The Israelites had a distorted view of worship, going after idols other nations worshipped (2 Kings 17:15-17, 33). They mixed different religious beliefs and traditions (syncretism), leading to their downfall.
Jesus taught about worship, too. He defined what true worshipers are – the object of worship is God, and worship is done in spirit and truth – from the heart and based on who He truly is (John 4:23-24). Jesus rebuked hypocrites who were engaged in false worship – doing things out of tradition, not for the Lord (Mark 7:6-8). Remember, wrong worship is not acceptable to God (Isaiah 1:13,15).
Psalm 100 is the only psalm described as a “Psalm of Thanksgiving”. What do we learn from this psalm?
1) RECOGNIZE WHO GOD IS AND RESPOND WHOLEHEARTEDLY
Psalm 100 starts with a command to “shout joyfully to the Lord”. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd -Jones said, “the worship of God should be the most joyous, exuberant, liberating thing that a man can do”. We can joyfully do this if we remember that we come to worship God, not people.
In 2 Samuel 6, David had brought the ark of God back to his city and was dancing with all his might. Michal, daughter of Saul and David’s wife, despised him when she saw David dancing. But David knew what God has done, and he wanted to recognize who God is and give his whole worship to Him. In turn, Michal never had a child with David.
After Peter healed a lame man, the man was “walking and leaping and praising God” (Acts 3:8). When you are touched by God, you will never be the same.
2) EXPRESSED IN SERVICE
“SERVE” the LORD with gladness (Psalm 100:2). The Hebrew word AVODAH is translated as work, service, or worship. When you give your life to God, we offer our bodies as a “living and holy sacrifice” to God (Romans 12:1). Paul instructs believers to “do your work heartily”, knowing that we are doing it for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24). Anything we do, when done for God, is an act of worship – it is God whom we serve! “There are no neutral people. We all live in service to something or someone–either self, or sin, or God” (John Piper). Joshua serves as an example for this, who made a choice, for himself and his family, to “serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15). Service is beyond serving in ministry – it is about doing things for the Lord, whether at work, or even with your personal passions.
“All true worship is a response to the self-revelation of God in Christ and Scripture and arises from our reflection on who He is and what He has done” (John Stott). Psalm 50:1 has a rebuke for those who think about who God is based on their own perception. When we worship God, we must not picture Him however we want to but based on His revealed character to us. God is love, God is just, God is righteous and holy, and ultimately, there is no other god apart from God.
We’re commanded to know the LORD as God, our Creator, and that we belong to Him (Psalm 100:3). Jesus described Himself as the GOOD SHEPHERD (John 10:11,14). Worship is anchored on the truth – that God was willing to reach out to us through Jesus Christ, and in turn, we are expected to hear Him, know Him, and follow Him as He is the only One capable of giving us eternal life (John 10:27-28). We must take time to meditate and study His Word and obey Him completely.
4) LIVE IN THANKSGIVING
Worship is done publicly, as well as done in private (vv. 4-5). We are commanded to enter His courts – and worship God publicly (implicated). We do this when we “make known His deeds among the peoples” (Psalm 105:1) and praising the Lord is done in the “company of the upright and in the assembly” (Psalm 11:1). Public worship was practiced even in the New Testament (Acts 2:46-47). We should talk about God and His goodness!
The reason for our worship is specified: “For the LORD is good, His lovingkindness is everlasting, and His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:5). Do we talk about what God has done for us in front of other people? We must testify about God’s goodness, especially when we go through life’s challenges. We will be able to give thanks to God all the time if we have truly experienced these things. A life of worship is not once a week only – it has to be habitual, our way of life. Get REAL in our worship – exalt God for who He is!