Mount Isa Baptist Church

What is the substance of worship that honours God?

What is the stuff that makes worship honouring to God? What are the things? Because our general conversation goes like this. How was worship? And we would think, and we assume that it's a song. Some of us have got very different preferences of songs. It could even be the environment, the style. It could even be the traditions in which this worship was presented. I'm talking about the music now, right? And we would look to those things that is the substance, that's the stuff, those are the things that make worship honourable to God. But what we are relearning and what we'll see today with clarity, and we're going to let the text speak boldly into this kind of conversation. Our ideas about worship can be very multi-layered and subjective. What is the stuff that makes worship honouring to God? It's got absolutely nothing to do with the song, the tone, or the environment. Believe it or not, lasers or no lasers, fog or no fog, full band, no band, technology, no technology, it doesn't matter. What we see now are the ingredients, the substance of worship that honours God. And that matters. It is critical that our worship meets that mandate. Otherwise, we're missing the whole purpose of life. You're missing your purpose of your humanity. You're missing the point. You see this substance, you learn it, relearn it, you take it to heart, and you will worship and more and more as we're going to see because this is only a means to a greater end. Privately and corporately, whether we gather on Sunday or on Monday morning, by ourselves. Where does Paul begin? Is it music? No. Is it traditions? Is it just a song list? It's not even a skill. It's not even emotion. It begins with the word of Christ, that's it. That is the substance, the stuff, the things that make worship honouring to God. Let what dwell richly? Let the word of Christ dwell richly. You want worship that honours God. Let the word of Christ dwell richly. Now, let's bring that as a corrective, as an instruction, as a strobe light into our definitions and discussions and feelings and preferences of worship.

What should be primary in our worship? In our academy to build worship, in our efforts to bring skill, atmosphere, emotion, order, authenticity, spirit, what is the strobe light? The primary thing is to let the word of Christ dwell richly. God help us. If we don't reach that mandate, pack it up. Pack it up. It doesn't matter. It's just tunes. You just got a concert. You just got a gap session. All you have is just emotions. All you have is a vibe, a hype, a gap time. But if it's locked in, if it's locked into making the word of Christ dwell richly, sing it, pray it, say it, read it, memorise it, do it. You do that, it is locked into worship that honours God because it is attached to music. It is because you let the word of Christ dwell in you originally. And what does Paul continue saying? Teaching and admonishing one another with wisdom through psalms and hymns, songs from the spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. This is biblical worship. Christ dwelling in us richly and the praises that are going to be acceptable to God? Craft and skill are part of that, part of our worship. But don't let it get hijacked. What is your substance for making worship honourable to God? That Christ's word dwells richly in you. And that's a question you have to ask yourself. So, it's not the song's fault that you didn't worship. It's not the director's fault that you didn't worship. You don't like that song. I'm not worshipping. Song or no song. If the word of Christ is dwelling in your heart, you worship. That's it. That's the mandate. Let the word of Christ dwell richly. That is the engine room. This message of Christ, let this gospel come in and dwell, park, move, shape, reform. And this is the good news. This is what Jesus wants to do in every heart, to come in and dwell. This is what this is all about. Let the word of Christ dwell richly. Genesis to Revelation, it's all about Christ from beginning to end. Are we gathering the scope and scale of worship, that it is all about Christ? Not a set list from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Sunday mornings. After we say amen today, does your worship stop? No. Is worship seasonal? No. After every season, let Christ dwell richly. It's always on play. Christ's work, Christ's truth is at home, not a background noise. It's not a visitor. It is permanent and a governing presence. John Gil put it like this. He said, "The word is not like a stranger who stays for a night, but a resident who settles in, rearranges the furniture, and shapes the household." Now, we're talking worship. Whether our worship is in a context of lasers and fog and blaring music or whether it's in the context of no fog machine, no lasers, just a choir and a pitch pipe, no piano, no tapping, no clapping, regardless. Whether there's loud music or soft music, hymns or no hymns, regardless of whether it's all about truth or all about spirit, regardless, authentic, God-honouring worship is letting the word of Christ dwell richly. That is the worship that God wants for us in 2026. Let the word of Christ dwell richly. Don't let it get hijacked by our preferences. There are songs we like and don't like, and things we like and do. But that does not govern worship. And even though our songs may be all liked and maybe orderly, and the song list is put together, it's rehearsed. It's done. Friends, is that worship? Yes. But a large No. If it was dwelling in Christ, yes. That's the centre. If Christ is not central in the word, then this worship is going to drift. And if the word does not dwell richly, then our worship is going to be shallow. It'll drift, or it'll be shallow. Let the word of Christ dwell richly in our worship. Sing songs that make Christ dwell richly and have that to be the main aim. That is the meaning of worship. It's regardless of your mood. That's the meaning of worship. It's not a performance. It's praise. And it's going to be based on truth, not experience. Let the word of Christ dwell richly. We're going to sing about him. Did you catch that? Sing about him, talk about him, praise him, sing to him. That's the substance of worship. Amen.