A Worshiping Church
Ben Johnson - August 2, 2026
Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT) - Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.
Worship is how we RESPOND to God’s GREATNESS; both in song and in everyday life.
Luke 7:36-50 (NLT) - One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”
1. Worship is grounded in GRACE.
Luke 7:41-43 (NLT) - Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?”
Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.”
“That’s right,” Jesus said.
We don’t worship to EARN God’s love. We worship because we’ve EXPERIENCED God’s grace.
Action - Remember what Jesus has DONE for you.
2. Worship RESPONDS with REVERENCE.
Luke 7:44-47 (NLT) - Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.
“I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love.
True worship isn’t about CONVENIENCE. It’s about SURRENDER.
Action - Ask God what AREA you’ve been holding back.
3. Worship FLOWS from FAITH.
Luke 7:48-50 (NLT) - Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?”
And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
The loudest voice in your life SHOULD be Jesus’, not the CRITICISM of a few.
Action - Let your faith DEFINE you, not your FLAWS.
Worship is a LIFESTYLE, offering ALL WE ARE as an act of praise.
Life Group Discussion & Questions
BREAKING THE ICE: Share about a moment when you felt especially aware of God’s presence. It could have been during a worship service, while driving, in nature, serving someone, or during a difficult season. What made that moment so meaningful?
DIGGING IN: Read Colossians 3:16-17 & Luke 7:36-50.
1. How has remembering God’s grace changed the way you relate to Him? Is there a season of your life where His forgiveness or faithfulness has become especially meaningful?
2. The woman’s worship was humble, costly, and wholehearted. Simon offered Jesus very little, while she held nothing back. What does wholehearted worship look like both inside and outside of a Sunday service?
3. The woman walked away forgiven, saved, and at peace even while others questioned and criticized her. Have you ever found yourself more focused on what others think than on what Jesus says about you?
4. If someone watched your life, where would they clearly see worship? Would you be proud of what they see?
BRINGING IT HOME: As you close, take a quiet moment and ask God this simple prayer: Church, may our worship be more than the songs we sing. May it be seen in the way we love, the way we serve, the way we trust, and the way we live. As we go this week, remember His grace, respond with reverence, and walk by faith. May our lives point others to Jesus, and may everything we do bring glory to His name. Go in His peace, and worship Him in all that we do. Amen.