Worship, huh! What is it good for?

Worship . . . 

Was the worship good at church this week?

Before you answer that the band was in tune, or that the worship leader's hair was messy, or that they sang your favourite song, or that there wasn't enough hymns, or the prayers were too long, or that you felt the Spirit, stop. You are confused. Worship isn't good if you liked it. Worship isn't for your benefit, sorry. Worship is supposed to be for God.

So did God like the worship this week? Was it reverent? (Heb 12:28) Were you silent before him? (Ecc 5:1-2)  Did you set things right with your brother beforehand? (Matt 5:23-24) Was it an expression of the wisdom of God in his saving plan to bless all the nations? (Isaiah 56:5-7, Rev 7:9-11)

Or did you try and use it as a church growth tool, to attract the masses with the show, forgetting that our job is to worship, and Christ is the one who will build his church? (Matt 16:13-18)

Did the worship reflect the character and kindness of God: was it inclusive, loving, and humble just like him? Or did it reflect the idol of the market, flashy, competitive, image conscious, entertaining, and with no space for the weak?

Was worship this week a work of the people of God as they declared the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9), or did you just watch someone else do it on your behalf?

Oh, and I nearly forgot to ask. Did you remember that the worship that pleases God is not about making you feel good about yourself but about justice and mercy for others? (Hos 6:6, Isa 58:6, Amos 5:21-24) Or are you still worrying about how the band played that new Hillsongs number and it wasn't quite like it is on the CD?

Was the worship good at church this week?