Those of us who are or who have been married and do not have dementia may remember how much we told our soon-to-be brides how beautiful they were. Hopefully, these comments still continue (or at least should) throughout our years of marriage. We all have probably noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise. The world rings with praise… walkers praising the countryside, sports enthusiasts praising their favorite team or player, parents/grandparents praising their children/grandchildren. We delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment. Similarly, in our praise to God, our joy is not complete until it is expressed in worship.


The psalms are filled with people’s praise in their worship of God. In psalms 98 the psalmist calls people to worship God in song and music. This psalm is full of noise, as the people are asked to celebrate God’s goodness in several different ways…. singing, shouting, playing instruments. This type of celebration is a response to what all God has done for us, especially making his salvation known through Jesus. The psalm concludes with the joyful anticipation of Jesus’ return to judge the world.


In chapter 11 of I Corinthians Paul talks about Christian worship as it relates to participating in the Lord’s Supper. This is probably the earliest account of this element in our services of worship and has been a vital part of Christian worship for the last 2,000 years. Paul explained a number of things to the Corinthian church (and to us) about the Lord’s Supper as an act of worship:

  1. It is important- Jesus tells us in vv. 24-25 to eat the bread and drink the cup as a remembrance of his broken body and shed blood. Paul further explains the consequences of not doing it properly in vv. 27,29.
  2. It is participation in Christ’s body and blood- It is a way for us to receive and share in the benefits of Jesus’ death.
  3. It anticipates the Lord’s return- Paul tells us in v.26, “For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death til he come.”

As members/congregants of Anthony, we are fortunate to experience regular meaningful Sundays where we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. We are also fortunate to receive a blessing each Sunday as we joyfully praise the Lord through the preaching from Pastor Dan as well as the music from many who willingly share their God-give talents. In our weekly times of worship we have every reason to praise the one who has brought us the joy of his salvation.