Lutheran Worship
Adult Bible Class
May 17, 2026
Opening Prayer
An Introduction
The Woman at the Well
John 4:19-26 - The woman said to him, “Sir, I
perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our
fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem
is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus
said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither
on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You
worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation
is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is
coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the
Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such
people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those
who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The
woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called
Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus
said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”[1]
What do we learn about worship from this passage?
Object
Place
Way
Focus
An Assertion – All People Worship
Throughout the history of the world, we observe a drive to
worship.
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Often connected to nature: Sky, Earth, Sea,
Stars, Moon, Sun
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Sometimes connected to other important parts of
life: Fertility, War, Justice, Victory, Home
Aspects to observe in this “Natural Worship”
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Drawn to power
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The person serves the deity
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The worship is often transactional – to appease,
find blessing, get something from the deity
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The flow is from us to the god.
Christians argue that the drive to worship is part of our
nature as creatures.[2] We
were made to have a relationship with God.
Eccl. 3:11 - He has made everything beautiful in
its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he
cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
St. Augustine – “Man is one of your creatures, Lord, and his
instinct is to praise You. … [S]ince he is part of Your creation, he wishes to
praise You. The thought of You stirs him so deeply that he cannot be content
unless he praises You, because You made us for Yourself and our hearts find no
peace until they rest in You.”[3]
Blaise Pascal’s “God-shaped void.”
This changes the direction of the worship activity. It
begins with God and His work toward us.
Three Commandments
The First Commandment
You shall have no other gods.
What does this mean? We should fear, love,
and trust in God above all things.[4]
The Second Commandment
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.
What does this mean? We should fear and love
God so that we do not curse, swear, use satanic arts, lie, or deceive by His
name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks.
The Third Commandment
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
What does this mean? We should fear and love
God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and
gladly hear and learn it.
How do these Commandments inform our thoughts on
worship?
Lutheran Lingo: The Divine Service
A lovely double entendre.
Worship is naturally seen as our action toward God – and the
name conveys that sense.
However, worship begins with what God has done for us –
creating, redeeming, calling, enlivening.
Both happen, but we strive to keep the horse before the
cart. God’s work is first. We worship in response.
Worship is a dynamic relationship in the way of the Gospel
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God comes to us then we come to Him.
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Sacraments lead to lives of Sacrifice.
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God’s gifts are given, then ours.
Getting a Little Philosophical
Worship is both an experience and an expression of faith.
Faith receives God’s gifts and moves the heart to respond to
God’s love.
Some Key Themes of the Worship Experience
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Obedience (and Disobedience)
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Reverence for God (Fear)
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Communion with God (Love)
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Fellowship (with God and with our Brothers and
Sisters in Christ)
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Sacrifice (what we give back to God in response
to His gifts – prayer, praise, thanks, offerings)
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Celebration (Little Easters and Christmases)
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Edification (lex orandi, lex credendi – the way
we pray forms the way we believe)[5]
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Catholicity/Universality
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Gospel Focus
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Eternity (vox domini manet in aeternum –
1 Peter 1:24-25)
[1] Unless otherwise noted,
all Scripture citations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
[2] The problem is that as
sinners, our hearts are drawn to worship the wrong things!
[3] Augustine, Confessions, 1:1
[4] Luther’s Small Catechism,
all citations will come from Concordia Publishing House’s 1986 translation,
unless otherwise noted.
[5] This is a badly
undervalued aspect of the Sunday worship service.
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