The Purpose of Sunday Morning Worship

I was recently talking with Pastor Ralph Smith about the purpose of worship. He said that one of the best statements of the purpose of worship he has heard is prinited in the Trinity Reformed Church service music book, written by Dr. Leithart:

"With the Church throughout the centuries, we at Trinity view worship as the chief work of God's people. In the first instance, though, worship is not our service to God buy the Lord's service to us. We assemble here because we believe he will do what He has promised.

What has He promised to do in worship? He calls us together promising to cleans us from our sins, speak to us in His word, hear our prayers and praises, feed us at His table, and send us out into the world under His blessing.

The Bible describes worship as a "covenant renewal." The Triune God is a communion of Father, Son, and Spirit and through Jesus, God has graceiously made the Church a member of that divine "society." As the devine husband, He renews communion with His bride each week. Covenant renewal is the work of the Triune God. Through the Spirit, we are joined to the Son, Jesus Christ, to offer ourselves in Him to the Father.

As God renews covant with us, we follow the same liturgical pattern as anient Israel. As Yahweh cleansed Israel through the sin offering, so we are cleanesed through our confession; as Israel offered herself to Yahweh in the ascension offering, so We consecrate ourselves wholly in a sacrifice of praise; as Yahweh fed Israel in the peace offering, so He feeds us at the Lord's table. Our worship at Trinity follows that biblical sequence.

We trust that God is in fact renewing coveant with us so that we may live each day in comunion with Him and with one another. Because we trust His promises, we come together expectantly looking to our Triune God to work on and in us so that we might work for Him."

This understanding of worship is totally different than what I grew up with and it's very exciting. Something actually takes place between God and man each Sunday. Sunday mornings aren't merely for social or educational purposes.