In this series, we invite you to consider that, for David, worship was life. Worship wasn’t something David did; it wasn’t a specific time in the day or week. Rather, worship was who he was. David lived and breathed worship. Yes, sometimes he got it wrong; sometimes he followed impulses that led him astray. And sometimes he got confused about who was the object of this worship and got in the way of the God he loved. But through it all, David lived as though his life was an offering to God.

This series of Children’s Messages will discuss the definition of worship – to give praise, honor, hope, and glory to God. Using this definition, children will learn that worship is not something to be done, but rather a lifestyle to be lived – 24/7, and it begins this summer.

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost, Year B

2 Samuel 6:18-19, NIRV

¹⁸After he finished sacrificing those offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord who rules over all. ¹⁹He gave to each Israelite man and woman a loaf of bread. He also gave each one a date cake and a raisin cake. Then all the people went home.

Definition:

Worship – to give honor, hope, praise, and glory to God.

Message:

Good morning! We are in the middle of an extremely hot summer. What are you doing this summer to keep cool? (Allow children to provide responses.) Throughout the next several weeks, we are going to talk about worship. What do you think of when I say the word, “worship”? Could someone tell me what “worship” means? (Allow a couple of children to answer.)

During the next seven weeks, we will learn from King David and from a couple of books in the Old Testament part of the Bible. We will learn about how David (and some others) worshiped God. The book of 2 Samuel is where we will begin. King David is one of the main characters of this book. Second Samuel tells the story of David’s reign as king of Israel for forty years. Wow! That is a long time to rule as king. During that time, David won great battles over Israel’s enemies, moved the capital of Israel to Jerusalem, and helped Israel become a great nation. But while he was king, David also made some huge mistakes. Even though you might think that King David is the main figure, 2 Samuel isn’t a beautiful book because of David. No, this book’s main figure and its beauty is in God! God’s love and forgiveness for David go further than you might expect. This summer, we will learn how great God’s love is for David and how David learned to worship not just one time each week, but how he lived his life worshiping a God who always loved him. We will also learn how to live a life filled with the worship of God.

First, we must define “worship.” What are some words you use to describe “worship”? You mentioned some earlier. (Allow children to respond.) Through the rest of this summer, our definition of worship will be to give honor, hope, praise, and glory to God. Say it with me again; “Worship – to give honor, hope, praise, and glory to God.” Each week, we will read from King David’s story. Then we will take a closer look at each word from this definition as we apply it to our lives. Believe me, that is a life that is truly worth it!

Worth it. Worship. Worth it. Worship. Those words sound a lot alike. Something that is worthy has good qualities and deserves praise. Something that is worthy of our praise should happen every day of our lives. Worshiping God in church is great, but God is also interested in what we do during the rest of the week. Imagine if you worship God in church on Sunday, but the rest of the week, you treat people unfairly. Imagine if you worship God in church on Sunday, but during the week, you don’t help those who need help. Imagine if you worship God in church on Sunday but ignore people who need a friend or someone to pray for them. Do you think God will be pleased with you just because you worship on Sunday?

We need to show our faith in God all week in the way we treat others. Going to church and worship shouldn’t be enough for us or God. I believe God wants to see our faith on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! What about you? Do you want to live a life that worships God each and every day? Remember what worship means? Say it again with me, “Worship – to give honor, hope, praise, and glory to God.” I know I want to live that life. That life will be pleasing to God, and it is so worth it. It is so worth it that we might even say “worthship.”

Prayer:

Holy God who is worthy of worship, teach me to do what is right every day of my life. Help me show my faith and worship you every day of the week, including Sunday. Amen.