Mark’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion is a hard one for me to read. To me, one of the most powerful scenes in all of Jesus’ ‘trial’ is when the soldiers place a crown of thorns on the Son of God’s head and then proceed to beat Him over the head with a reed. The pain, the humiliation; it’s all there. I can’t ever read this passage without becoming overwhelmed by the thought of how much Jesus suffered for me.

Normally when I read this account (perhaps during communion on Sunday morning), I think about Jesus’ suffering, and rightly so. But recently, something else caught me eye…something I’ve never really noticed before about this passage.

“Then they struck Him on the head with a reed and spat on Him; and bowing the knee, they worshiped Him.” (Mark 15:19)

They worshiped Him? That can’t be right. Worship is sacred. Worship is something you do to someone you adore. Worship is holy. Worship is meaningful. Worship is commanded by God. These people, the ones killing and torturing Jesus, certainly they weren’t participating in the same act I do every week.

Worship has been a huge topic in my mind this year. The different acts of worship, what makes something worship, how exactly you worship, when you’re not worshiping, etc. Something that I don’t generally spend my time dwelling on, though, is vain worship.

These soliders were down on their knees, doing the physical signs of worship, but were they truly worshipping the Lord? Of course not! They were mocking Him. And while we aren’t in the same situation today (to actually be crucifying Jesus), can we not do the same thing?

Worship involves a mindset. What makes my worship holy and meaningful and precious to God is the attitude I have when I go into that sweet communion with Him (an attitude that wants to worship Him in both spirit and in truth). Sitting in a church building from 9:30 to 11:30 is not worship. Bowing our heads (sometimes) and getting our Bibles out (usually) is not worship. I can say and do all of the physical things that dress my Lord up in purple and make Him my King, but if I’m not in the mindset of worship, it’s vain. By making jokes or scribbling on my bulletin, I can be the one mocking my Lord. By continually living in sin, I can be the one beating Jesus with my own reed. By perpetually denying the invitation to return to my Savior, I can be the one spitting on my Lord and the blood He shed for me.

Worship is so precious to our Father, but, without the right mindset, we aren’t pleasing Him at all. If we’re just going through the motions, we’re making a mockery of His name– just like the Roman soldiers did.

Joshua told the Israelites to “choose you this day whom you will serve” (Josh. 24:15). Each week before we go to worship our Maker, let us consider those words in a different context. Let us choose, prior to walking into a building each week, how we will worship. And let us purpose to worship with a humble, thankful, and obedient heart.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.” John 4:23