MAY 27

John 4:19-24
Memorise 1 John 4:6
“…Hereby we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

Jesus tells us to worship in spirit and in truth. Today we focus on the ‘truth’ aspect of worship, where we see there is a manner of worship that is stipulated in the truth of God’s Word. These are some regulative principles drawn from our understanding of God’s Word which must be applied to the way we worship God.

Firstly, we must acknowledge God as the supreme object of worship. Every item of worship must bring the worshipper closer to God without itself becoming a distraction. Contemporary music, ecstatic utterances, wild movements and exotic gestures cannot but keep us from meditating on God’s awesome splendour. This means that worship must be orderly, sober, purposeful and done for His glory while reflecting His perfection. Secondly, our thoughts of God must be expressed to Him in a joyous yet solemn and dignified manner rather than in a frivolous way. We can see this, for example, when we see that commoners behave in a controlled fashion when they meet someone of great importance, such as their political Queen, even though they may be swelling with joy in their hearts. How much more so, then, before the Creator and Lord of all? Thirdly, worship must be Word-centred. Sound doctrines must be preached. Hymns which reinforce the truth of God’s Word must be sung. These serve to edify believers and help them grow spiritually. Fourthly, worshippers must dress and behave appropriately. They should be presentable, modest, calm and orderly. Finally, we must have the right inward attitude during worship. God is pleased when we approach Him with clean hands and pure hearts, therefore we must make sure that we do not have any unconfessed sins. We must be humble, meek and contrite yet be joyful and filled with gratitude not just for God’s blessings but also for the tremendous privilege of sweet fellowship with Him through worship and prayer.

Dear teen, are these evident in the manner in which you worship God?

Thought: Do I enjoy the same faithful and sound worship service in church week after week or secretly yearn for something different?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your way is always the best way and I thank You for showing me how I ought to worship You.