John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, 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. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

The Christian life begins when the Holy Spirit, through God's Word, moves us to trust that the Father has forgiven our sin for Jesus' sake. It is sustained when the Spirit uses God's Word to show us our sins, move us to repentance, and announce forgiveness. Where does this happen? Certainly in personal devotions, but especially through other Christians in worship. There, God speaks to us through the pastor when he forgives our sins in Absolution and proclaims the Good News in the sermon. There, God speaks to us when we confess the Good News together in the Creed and sing it together in hymns and songs.  We respond by praising God, offering prayers, and returning to our everyday lives to love our neighbors in our vocations. The Spirit sustains our faith through God's Word.

This explains both why we should attend worship and what worship should be like. God commands us to share His Word with one another so that we grow in faith toward Him and love toward our neighbors. We need to hear His Law so we confess our sins, and we need to hear His Gospel so we cling to His forgiveness. Music, songs, and liturgy should therefore proclaim God's Word to us. Songs without the Gospel do not strengthen faith, and neither do rituals done for their own sake. Where song and ritual proclaim God's Word, however, the Spirit serves us and preserves us in the one true faith.
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