Friday Family Devo: CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

Read the text and briefly discuss it together. Some discussion-starter questions are provided. Then read the closing text as a guide to your family prayer and finish by praying together and singing a hymn.

Worshiping God the right way is super important. The Bible (John 4) says we should worship in a way that's spiritual and true. That means we follow what the Bible tells us (John 10:35; 2 Tim 3:16–17; 2 Pet 1:20–21).

A long time ago, in the Old Testament, people worshiped God at altars with special fires, animal blood, and smoke from incense (Genesis–Deuteronomy). But we don't do those things anymore.

Why? Because Jesus came and changed things. He did everything the Old Testament Law required and finished it (Ephesians 2:15). Now, we follow what Jesus and His apostles taught, which is written in the New Testament.

So, to please God when we worship, we do it the New Testament says, not the old way (John 1:17). We listen to what the Holy Spirit taught the apostles to write in the New Testament like Jesus promised (John 14:15–16, 25–26, 15:26–27, 16:4–15).

Anything that isn't in the New Testament, like new ways of worshiping people come up with, doesn't fit with what God really wants. We stick to what the Bible teaches in the New Testament.

Discuss:

• In the Old Testament, people used special rituals like animal sacrifices to worship God. If you were to explain to someone younger than you why we don't do these things anymore, what would you say?

• We learned that Christians now follow Jesus' teachings in the New Testament for worship. What are some ways we can show we're following Jesus not just during church but at home or with friends? 

This week, we learned about worshipping God as we should, as Jesus teaches us to do. Let’s say a special prayer to the Father and ask Him to help us always worship Him sincerely and obediently because God is truly great, and He deserves the worship He has called us to in His word. 

—JLP

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