Why Worship Is Our Primary Responsibility

This is a 4-part series written by my friend, Rex Terry. Rex has an amazing ministry in Decatur, AL. He has been the worship leader at Decatur Baptist Church for 25 years. His choir has some 140 members. Anyone who joins Rex’s choir or orchestra must first go through Bible training about how and why we should worship. We will post a new part to this series each day this week. Enjoy! – Dwayne

Guest post by Rex Terry:

Introduction

In his study guide titled, Worship, David Jeremiah writes, “A.W. Tozer once called worship the ‘missing jewel’ of the modern church. There are too many churches, too many Christians that do not know how to worship God, or even why worship is our primary responsibility before Him.”

It is interesting to see just how many people that regularly attend church just don’t get it. They don’t understand why we all corporately come together to meet. They either have no concept or understanding of their responsibility to the Lord as His people, or they do know but they deliberately refuse to respond and obey God’s Word.

As we look to God’s Word for direction and understanding it’s amazing the amount of references there are to some truths and how little there are to others. It’s even more interesting how we seem to major on what God seems to feel is minor and we fail to grasp the importance of those subjects and truths that He has referenced the most. For example, there are no passages what so ever where Christ ever rebuked anyone for what they had on or the style of clothing they were wearing and yet some of the biggest issues among believers have been about clothes. Men have written volumes about the creation, God felt roughly one chapter was sufficient. The virgin birth, as important as it is, was given only two verses out of all 66 books of the Bible.

There are over 100 references in both the Old and New Testament…just… about… singing, commanding God’s people to sing and many more testifying of the many times that they sang for joy unto the Lord. In Psalms alone there are hundreds of references to the importance of worship, praise and countless illustrations on how, when, where and why God’s people are to worship and praise the Lord. But in the average church we’ll shout and get emotional and raise our voice loud and clear over things God’s Word is silent about and then we’ll stand silent and unmoved in the service when God’s Word clearly says we ought to be shouting, rejoicing and lifting our voices in praise to Him.

Worship and praise is illustrated for us all through the Old Testament. God never gives a command without giving His people clear instructions and illustrations on how we are to fulfill His desires. Like all the other commands in God’s Word, worship is not a preference, it’s not an option and it’s certainly not up to men to decide how they think it ought to be fulfilled.

Worship and praise was the common practice of the New Testament Saints. Even though the coming of Christ did bring about doctrinal changes, the person of worship remained the same and the practice of praising the Lord became even greater. Christ coming – His death, burial and resurrection has given God’s people even greater reason to rejoice, to celebrate and to sing for joy! Where in the scriptures is there any indication that our worship and praise, as seen in the Old Testament, is now to be different?

Our lack of worship and praise reveals how spiritually unhealthy we are. We view our ministry business as something to be proud of and if we ever need to miss something we seem to think our worship and praise to be the least important for after all, it’s all the “doing” that really counts right? In Luke 10:41 Jesus said, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. Are we choosing the “good part” like Mary? Do we really understand what “one thing is needful” in our spiritual life?

Taking the time to set everything else aside, everything, so that we can completely focus our attention, look to and worship and praise our Lord is the one needful thing.

In the next post we will take a closer look and see why worship is so very important.

Why Worship Is Our Primary Responsibility (4 -Part Series)

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Worship Is a Priority Commandment of God

Part 3: Worship Is the Pattern of the Old Testament

Part 4: Worship Is the Place Where God Is at Home

You may contact Rex Terry via Email: rexterry at decaturbaptist dot org.