Title: Why We Worship
Series: Summer 2021
Author: Ryan Hall
Date:
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:10 — 33.8MB)
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How many of us pray because we think when we pray God’s going to do something for us? And how many of us worship because we think when we worship God’s going to show up for us in the way we think we need? Prayer and worship can so often be about ourselves, even though the outward expression appears to be about God.
The story of Paul and Silas in prison shows us what a more God-centered approach looks like.
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!” Acts 16:25-28
They weren’t praying to get out. They weren’t worshipping for personal breakthrough. They were doing something that even being in jail could not stop them from which was their daily pursuit of being with the Lord! If they weren’t in the prison that night, they would have been doing the same thing in someone’s living room.
