The discovery of true Christian worship shook my world as a young believer. And as I've shared what I learned since then, it has shaken the worlds of many other Christians as well. It has been a good thing. In fact, it has been a life-giving thing. That's not to say that my understanding of true Christian worship isn't controversial - it is. But like many things, it's controversial because we are quick to believe what we hear without questioning its logic and comparing it with the Scriptures. So what do I mean by "true Christian worship"?

In Acts 17:22-34, the Apostle Paul is addressing the Men of Athens in the Areopagus (on "Mars Hill"). He takes a quick inventory of the various idols, statues, and altars that were objects of their worship and quickly turns to the issue of proclaiming the god of whom they call "unknown" (Acts 17:23). The god unknown to them, Paul argues, is the one true God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and the creator of all things. Most interesting in this interaction is the beginning of Paul's explanation: "The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything" (Acts 17:24-25, emphasis mine). Likewise, in Romans 11:35 Paul writes, "Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?" Indeed, God reminded the lowly Job of this reality: "Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine" (Job 41:11). And in light of it all, Paul asks us to consider, "What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?" (1 Corinthians 4:7).

How do these truths measure with your understanding of worship? I think many Christians understand worship - private, family, and corporate - as us coming before God to givesomething to him. Here's the controversial part:

Many would find this to be shocking at best and unbiblical at worst, but I think this is exactly what Paul is getting at. If God is not served by human hands and if we are unable to give a gift to God because all that exists is rightfully His, a proper understanding of worship must be that we are going before Him empty handed. And if you get this, it's monumental. It's ground-breaking. It's Earth-shattering. It's life-changing, because all the sudden you are freed to reflect back to God his worth and magnificence with joy, unbound from the chains of obligation.

Here's where the tension resolves: Approaching God in receive mode is to approach God with the understanding that He alone can satisfy, and that He alone is worthy of our complete devotion. When this happens, you are refracting the glory of God like a perfectly cut diamond in the hot summer sun, refracting the light to all who can see. To glorify God is not to add something to Him as though He could be more glorious than He already is. To glorify God is to expand our view of God, and to expand our treasuring of Him above all things. To glorify God is to see Him more like He truly is. Therefore, to worship God is to go to God with this understanding of His worth and value, longing to be united more intimately with Him, for your joy.

This is why God requires worship. Not because He needs you to tell Him of His worth, and not because He needs to be reassured that He is God. God requires that every man worship Him because it is what is best for man. When we're thirsty and parched, we go to a source of water to be refreshed. Likewise, when our souls are thirsty, we need the water of life so that we will never thirst again (John 4:14).

Worship God and be filled with the deep satisfaction that He is lavishing upon you the greatest gift you will ever receive, namely Himself. Worship is for your joy, because rightly placed joy is the greatest means available to glorify God, thus achieving our chief end. So as you sing, pray, hear or read from the Bible, or participate in the ordinances of the Church, don't assume you are doing something great for God - be assured that He is doing the greatestthing for you.