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Worship God the Father

“Worship God the Father,” Topics and Questions (2023)

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man praying

Gospel Study Guide

Worship God the Father

Demonstrating our love for and commitment to God

When Jesus Christ was asked what the greatest commandment was, He responded, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37). Jesus demonstrated perfectly throughout His mortal life how to love God the Father. He did “the will of the Father in all things from the beginning” (3 Nephi 11:11). When you stop to think about how much Heavenly Father has done for you, you will find that your love for Him and your desire to obey Him increase (see Mosiah 2:20–24). Worship is an important way we express our gratitude for Father’s love and show that we seek to draw close to Him.

What Does It Mean to Worship God the Father?

To worship God is to give Him our love, obedience, reverence, service, praise, gratitude, and devotion. Heavenly Father commands His children to worship in fellowship with other believers and also in private. Not only do our worshipful efforts show our love for God and our commitment to Him, but they also give us strength to keep His commandments.

Topic overview: Worship

Related gospel study guides: God the Father, Prayer, Sacrament, Temples, Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Section 1

We Worship God the Father in the Name of Jesus Christ

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man and woman praying

God the Father is the Supreme Being of the universe. As such, He established a plan for the salvation and exaltation of His children. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to the earth to make an atoning sacrifice for all of us. To receive the blessings of Father’s plan, we must believe in Him and strive to do all that He commands.

Moses was commanded to “worship God, for him only shalt thou serve” (Moses 1:15). Centuries later, when the devil came tempting Jesus to worship him, Jesus responded, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve” (see Matthew 4:8–10). From the beginning, God the Father commanded His children to “do all that thou doest in the name of the Son” (Moses 5:8). In our day, Joseph Smith was commanded, “In the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve [God]” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:5).

Placing Heavenly Father as the greatest priority in our life helps us draw close to Him. God commanded the children of Israel, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). The idolatry spoken of in the scriptures occurs today whenever we place more importance on things or people than on God and keeping His commandments (see Exodus 20:4–5; Doctrine and Covenants 1:15–16). In contrast, when we show God that we love Him with all our hearts, as He loves us, we feel closer to Him and we become more like Him. The most important way we can worship God the Father is to come unto His Son Jesus Christ through faith and repentance and strive to walk the path that leads to eternal life (see John 17:3). Those who make Heavenly Father the sole focus of their worship can someday become like Him (see Doctrine and Covenants 93:19–20).

Things to think about

  • Choosing to believe that Heavenly Father exists and trusting in His wisdom and power are essential to humbly approaching God in worship. Read Mosiah 4:9–10. When has your belief in God prompted you to seek His help and forgiveness? Why is the effort to regularly repent and forsake sins an important aspect of true worship?

  • During His time on earth, Jesus Christ showed us how to worship Heavenly Father. Read John 5:19–20, and consider what this passage teaches about worship. What are some ways we learn about the works of the Father and the Son? How will a study of God’s work as recorded in the scriptures prepare you to worship Him?

Activity for learning with others

  • Watch the video “I Am a Son of God” (6:30). Discuss what everyone felt as they learned about Moses’s sacred experience with God. How can placing our highest priority on loving God protect us from temptation? How can our efforts to worship God prepare us to face difficulties?

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Section 2

You Can Gain Spiritual Strength When You Join with Others to Worship God

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Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gather each week in local congregations to pray, partake of the sacrament, sing hymns, learn the gospel, and strengthen their fellowship with one another. The Lord commanded the Saints to “go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:9). General conferences, held twice each year, are important events where Church leaders provide inspired instruction for the worldwide membership of the Church. Participation in organized Church services is considered a vital way to worship God the Father.

In addition to Sabbath-day worship, members of the Church also worship in the temple. In the house of the Lord, Church members receive priesthood ordinances that prepare them for eternal life. Making and keeping the covenants associated with those ordinances prepares us to commune with God, meaning we can feel the Spirit of the Lord and receive peace, strength, and even personal revelation.

Things to think about

  • The Book of Mormon describes how members of Christ’s Church gathered to worship together. Read Moroni 6:5–9. In what ways was their pattern of worship similar to what members of the Church do today? How would you describe the blessings of Sabbath-day worship to someone you wish to invite to Church?

  • At the dedication of the Kirtland Temple in 1836, the Prophet Joseph Smith prayed “that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord’s house may feel [God’s] power” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:13). When has making time to worship in the house of the Lord helped you experience the feeling of God’s power?

  • Review the message “The Blessings of Worship” by Bishop Dean M. Davies,1 looking for how sincere worship can help you grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ. As you read the talk, what ideas or impressions did you have about your own efforts to worship?

Activity for learning with others

  • Jesus Christ established His Church in our day to bless His followers. President Dallin H. Oaks discussed the need for a church in an address he gave in the October 2021 general conference.2 Review “The Need for a Church,” together, looking for some of the blessings that come from worshipping with other believers. What are some reasons why participation in worship services at Church is essential for a person’s spiritual growth and progress?

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Section 3

Worship of God Can Become a Part of Your Everyday Life

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woman in front of temple

The Book of Mormon prophet Alma preached the gospel among the poorer class of people, who had been cast out of public worship services “because of the coarseness of their apparel” (Alma 32:2; see also verses 1–12). He explained that worship is much more than attending meetings: “Behold, ye have said that ye could not worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues. … If ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err” (Alma 33:2). In addition to regular worship during Sabbath Church services, you can experience a feeling of worshipping God in everything you do. You can nurture a worshipful attitude when you turn to Heavenly Father in prayer (see Alma 32:3–11; 37:36) and when you express gratitude for your blessings (see Alma 34:38). Listening to uplifting music can prepare you to commune with God (see Doctrine and Covenants 25:12).

Things to think about

  • The Samaritan woman at the well supposed that worship could be done only at sacred locations. Read John 4:19–26. What did Jesus teach this woman about true worship? What are some ways you can nurture a feeling of worshipping God in your life?

  • Elder D. Todd Christofferson shared, “It is of great significance to me, that I may at any moment and in any circumstance approach through prayer the throne of grace, that my Heavenly Father will hear my petition, that my Advocate, him who did no sin, whose blood was shed, will plead my cause.”3 How can turning to the Savior affect your desire to worship Heavenly Father?

Activity for learning with others

  • Listening to good music can help us develop a desire to worship God. Uplifting lyrics can turn our thoughts to Heavenly Father and the blessings He has mercifully provided. Make a list of songs that have helped you feel God’s love. Discuss together some possible reasons why God considers the “song of the righteous” to be like a prayer (Doctrine and Covenants 25:12).

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