Devotion

Pillar 1: Weekly Worship

Have you ever thought about what “church” actually is? And why do we believe “church” is so important?
We go to church.
We are a part of a church.
We are called to be the church.
We look to the church for support and encouragement.
Sometimes we are disappointed in the church.
Sometimes we are just done with church. 

Growing up as a minister's kid, church was a part of our family’s regular, weekly routine. We were there every Sunday morning and also Sunday night (back when Sunday night church was a big deal). Wednesday nights were for youth groups and adult Bible study, and oftentimes we had events on Friday night after football games or Saturday service opportunities in our community. As a kid, I never wondered about why we went to church, although there were certainly times I protested our attendance in light of having to miss a Sunday night football game or some other activity I thought was way cooler. It really wasn't an option to “opt out.” 

But as I got older, I became more curious about why church seemed so important for a follower of Jesus. Did being a part of weekly worship really matter? I mean, when I chose not to attend, nothing much seemed to change in the immediate. But over time, I began to wonder: is weekly worship something we just decided was important one day, or is there more to it? 

A good practice when questions like these come up is to engage the Scriptures to see what instruction and examples we are given. In the case of “church” and weekly worship, we see that Jesus himself lived out the practice of engaging in weekly worship throughout his time on earth. The following examples show it was a priority in his life: 

• Jesus regularly attended worship services.
  In his day, services were held at the Jewish synagogue—the place of weekly worship, Scripture reading, teaching, and prayer.
  
  "He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read ..." - Luke 4:16
  
  
• Jesus used his gifts to serve.
  "They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach." - Mark 1:21 (Also in Matthew 4:23 & Luke 13:10)
  
  
• Jesus participated in holiday worship gatherings.
  Annual feasts and festivals were integrated into the life of the faithful. Jesus attended those festivals as a child and continued the pattern as an adult.
  
  "Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach." - John 7:14
  
  "Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom." - Luke 2:41-42


• Jesus joined in songs of worship and praise.
  Singing has been part of the heart of worship for thousands of years. Even on the night he was betrayed, Jesus and his disciples worshiped together. Likely they sang the traditional Hallel (Psalms 113-118).
  
  "When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." - Matthew 26:30

Jesus gave us the example of being a part of weekly worship. It was his custom and continues to be the custom followed by his disciples from ancient times to present day. While there is plenty more to unpack regarding God’s purpose and calling for the church, we can be confident that the weekly gathering is vital to followers of Jesus—which is why we prioritize it together at Crossings.

PRAYER

Father, help us to grow in our understanding of what it means to be a church that worships you and serves those you have called us to serve. Grow a passion and desire in each of us to faithfully prioritize the example you set for us, fully engaging as a community of believers called to usher in your Kingdom here on earth. Amen.

Todd Poe
Pastor, Discipleship

Resources:

Listen to Crossings worship: https://crossings.church/resources/worship-channel

Read Knowledge of the Holy: Understanding the Attributes and Nature of God by A.W. Tozer.

Read Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God by Bob Kauflin.

Read The Secret of God’s Presence by Andrew Murray.

Read The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship by Matt Redman.

Explore other devotions like this one any time at crossings.church/devotions .