Joas Caesar M.

Dalion
Theology and practice of worship

The Corporate Worship Service

What is corporate worship?

 Prior to the exile, the Bible reports a struggle over who should be worshiped, which God
or Gods? Equally problematic was the struggle Against syncretism, especially in the
northern kingdom.

 In the old and new testament it is evident that worship is a vital part of God’s people,
specially in having it corporately. Specially in the new testament, we can see that Jesus
Christ is accustomed in going to the synagogue to worship with the people. Jesus was a
participant in both the temple and synagogue format of worship. He was dedicated at the
temple, inducted there at 12 years of age, And in His ministries in Judaea often taught in
the temple precincts. Generally He attended the Festivals of the Jews.

 The synagogue service was held weekly, on the Sabbath, consisting of Scripture reading,
preaching, prayer, and singing. To this was added specifically the supper, a special
memorial communion with the Messiah. Therefore, Corporate worship demonstrates the
unity of people who believed in Jesus Christ to be their personal Savior and redeemer and
most specially their Creator that will soon return for his creation.

 In worshiping God, we must not make any graven image or any other things aside from
Him that we will be offering our worship. God forbids us to offer any kind of reverence
to them as a way of worshipping them.

 In old testament, the Hebrew word latreia is from the word latreuo which means to serve
voluntarily with no thought of reward (Phil 3:3). Under influence of these words we
speak today of worship “services.” Leitourgia, a source of our word “liturgy,” meant in
Athens a public service or program staged by a private citizen at his own expense.

 A different Greek word, proskuneo, comes nearer to the meaning of our modern word,
worship. Literally meaning “to kiss the hand” it conveys the idea of prostration or
homage, bending the knee. Its use in the New testament represents a public act in
response to an inward motive.

 As noted earlier, in the New Testament the concept of worship as service is expanded to
include the whole of life. Paul urges the Romans to “present your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1).
Worship becomes more than a public formal matter, but an integral element of every act
and thought. The Christian presents his entire self, physical body included, as adoration.
If worship is service voluntarily presented to God in gratitude, it is service that marks a
disciple. Worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve” (Lu 4:8). Serving
God becomes worshiping Him.