Worship
Watch or listen to
the full sermon here.
Preached by Pastor Mike Woodard
Follow The Valley Church
Life with God can feel overwhelming at times. His ways are big, His truth is vast, and His plans often seem beyond our reach. That’s why instead of trying to win the “big battles,” it’s often the little victories of faith that shape our lives most. Little victories of prayer, Scripture reading, obedience—and worship.
In John 3:30, John the Baptist declared, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” That’s the heart of worship. True worship minimizes self and magnifies God. It’s stepping off the throne of our lives and placing Him back in His rightful place.
In Luke 19, during Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we see one of the most powerful moments of worship in the Bible. Crowds lined the streets, laying down their cloaks, shouting praises, and acknowledging Jesus as King. From this story, we discover three truths about worship that help us win little victories every day.
1. Worship God with Your Affection
The people expressed love and honor by laying down their cloaks—a sign of affection and reverence. Worship is love expressed. Just like we can’t truly love someone without showing it, we can’t love God without expressing it. Whether that’s through singing, raising hands, or heartfelt prayer, affection toward God must overflow from our hearts.
2. Worship God with Your Attention
The crowd’s focus was fully on Jesus. In a world full of distractions fighting for our attention, giving God our undivided focus is an act of worship. What we pay attention to shapes us, so when we give God our attention—in church, in Scripture, or in quiet prayer—we are transformed by His presence.
3. Worship God with Your Actions
The crowd didn’t just watch; they participated. They shouted, sang, and celebrated Jesus. Worship is more than words—it’s action. Singing when we don’t feel like it, raising our hands in surrender, and engaging with God even when life feels heavy are little victories that align our hearts with Him.
Created to Worship
When the Pharisees told Jesus to silence the crowd, He responded, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Worship is embedded into creation itself—it’s what we were made for. Don’t let distraction, apathy, or pride keep you silent. Every time we worship with affection, attention, and action, we win another little victory of faith and put God back at the center of our lives.