What is Worship?

elcome to the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost Season B.  This sermon was preached at Faith Lutheran Church in Gardner, MA. On September 20th we started a six week series called  “What is the Church?”  This week the sermon focused on the question “What is Worship?”.  The scripture readings for the day are Daniel 4:34-37 and John 4:21-30.  To listen to all the sermons in this series click here.  

Enjoy the latest episode of Sacred Life with Pastor Joe McGarry. 

 In this sermon Pastor Joe explores these ideas:

• Asking the question “What is Church?”

• The conversation needs to go deeper than a specific type of worship.  So to better understand worship and our role in it, there are a few things that we need to know.  It’s all about us and it’s all about God.

• Each of us has a battle raging within our hearts over what we love most—God or something else and we call that something else an idol. 

• There is diversity in what people think worship is and the importance of worship in our lives.

• In our gathering on Sunday mornings, we come together to give expression to the faith of the Church. We gather to express, both verbally and physically, what is important to our community, both our faith community as well as the larger community.

• When we connect our stories with God’s story in worship.  It has a powerful impact on who we are and how we respond to and share God’s love with the world.