It was one of those worship services in which everything fell perfectly into place. The music, sermon, and other elements of the liturgy formed in beautiful symmetry, impressing those in attendance.
Then prior to the benediction, the pastor stood and made some summary comments, prefaced by the question, “Did you enjoy today’s worship?” I found the query to be the equivalent of sticking a pin into a birthday balloon. Cringing, I sensed that at the foundation of my discomfort were differing definitions as to what constitutes worship.
Worship is a lifestyle
Genesis 22 has often been preached and taught from the perspective of exercising faith. Abraham, in this chapter, also teaches us what constitutes worship; and this is, in part, seen against the backdrop of his life experiences and shortcomings. He occasionally struggled in his walk with God (Gen. 16:4; 20:2), sometimes failing to recognize that God has a visionary plan and can fully implement it (Gen. 17:18, 19).
Before Abraham and Isaac journeyed to the land of Moriah, it became obvious that Abraham had grown; and his subsequent actions were more than acts of worship—his life itself served as an example of worship. Before he could do something, he had to experience something. Encountering the God of the impossible (Gen. 21:2) empowered his close connection with God—so close that hearing what would seem a strange command to most (Gen. 22:2) was an invitation to glorify God through his commitment and eventual actions.
Worship is an Activity
Abraham told the two young men who accompanied Isaac and himself that he and his son were going to engage in worship (Gen. 22:5). Without question, what constitutes worship in this story includes various activities. However, the key to understanding the focus of worship lies in Abraham’s response to Isaac when he inquires about the lamb (Gen. 22:7). “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering” (Gen. 22:8, KJV). Although we collectively offer sacrifices of praise to God in His sanctuary, God Himself is the ultimate Sacrifice who also has provided the reasons throughout the week to praise Him.
Remembering that God is the Prompter of our praises should keep us mindful that when we come before His presence, the overarching aim of the worship service is not quality in praying, singing, or preaching—although we should plan and prepare to honor God through every element of the liturgy. Ultimately, we gather together because the Lamb has provided Himself as the Sacrifice that gives us salvation. Everything we do in His house is for the true Audience—God and God alone. Every sentiment in our prayers, every lyric in our songs, every idea in our sermons should be Bible based and Christ centered.
But such can occur only when we approach worship as a 24/7 lifestyle. A dichotomous life that separates holy living on the seventh day of the week from the holy standard expected of us the other six days results in vain Christianity.
Worship is an outreach
I wonder what Abraham and Isaac sounded and looked like while sharing their story when they returned from Moriah. Did they speak so quickly they stumbled over their words? Were their faces aglow? The outgrowth of the events of Genesis 22 (continuation of the bloodline) has created a narrative repeatedly alluded to—pointing not to the patriarchs themselves but rather to the God of those patriarchs and His kingdom (Acts 3:13; Luke 13:28).
When people attend Sabbath School and the divine worship hour, they are looking for more than inspiration and answers to life’s questions. They even seek more than fellowship. They want to see people in whom the presence of Christ makes a difference. They don’t merely want to hear a testimony about God’s power. They want to see that same testimony. Children of God who display the principles of God’s kingdom through their lives of daily worship provide the greatest outreach to those who wish to join God’s church.
The challenge to pastors and worship leaders
Whether real or imagined, some pastors and worship leaders feel constant pressure to design and implement more creative, innovative, and engaging worship experiences. The most effective times of divine worship continue to be those that place a primacy on exalting Christ in every phase—regardless of creativity or innovation.
We must always remember that worship is not about the preacher, musicians, or children’s storyteller. Neither is the principle function of the offertory to raise funds for local church operations, nor should someone render a Scripture reading just because this has become tradition. Instead, one of the greatest challenges pastors face is to encourage people to live consecrated lives throughout the week and to cel-ebrate—when we assemble together each Sabbath—all He has done for us during the previous six days.
