Worship

Knowing God: Worship

John 4:19-24 “The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and 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.””

What is worship?

Ask students what they think it is: elaborate and engage them on why

Defenition: Act of reverance

What worship is not: Worship is also not just a form of music or hymn we sing on sunday morning.

Worship not just something that religous people do, everyone worships something. “everyone is infact a worshiper whether or not her or she has any religious or spiritual devotion” -Vintage Jesus

every thing in all of creation was designed with the intent to worship even the rocks were made to worship Luke 19:40 “He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” The problem is that we do not worship correctly.

Context

Context of conversation: Jesus was traveling and landed out side of a region called samaria. now Samaritans and Jews didnt see eye to eye on a lot of things the Jews believed that Gods dwelling place was in the temple so they worship in Jerusalem. the Samartians worship on Mount Garizium Which dates back the Deuteronomy 11:29.

This story is known as the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. Jesus while travelling he stoped for some water at the well he meets a woman there he asks for some water she gives some attitude Jesus reveals who he is by exposing previous sins of her she thinks he is a prophet and that his where our text begins

The Samartians rejected every part of the old testament with the exception of the first 5 books. they lacked a greater well rounded knowledge of God

Spirit and truth

vs. 21-22: Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.

Jesus here is saying that worship is not something done in one place but rather something that is internal. He is directing her external question from where were suposed to worship to how and who we are suposed to worship.

How many believers just worship one day a week? we come to church sing the songs we like maybe put a hand up if we feel the spirit maybe put it down if we dont like the song then continue out every day life unchanged ?

when we worship like that we are worshiping like the samartian women focussing only on the where we worship not who or why. Thats not what christianity is about.

“if you not Worship God seven days a week, you do not worship one day a week”- A.W Tozer

Matthew 15:8-9 ““ ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

vs.23-24 But the hour is coming, and 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.

here jesus is talking about the that is to come after his death and resurection the age the we live in now so what does spirit and truth mean?

“Together the words “spirit and truth” mean that real worship comes from the spirit within and is based on true views of God. Worship must have heart and worship must have head” -John Piper

Worship must involve both logical/ rational and emotion. We know that God is true and we know that his word is true and we can trust him that is worshiping in truth. To do this we need to know how God is and have a right veiw so him that the smartian woman lacked. her understanding of who God was and what he desired wasnt true

Spirit involves our emotions and from whats deep with in us we must worship God. the holy spirt can lead us to a place where we can feel and know God more deeply through spirit. Worship must engage your emotions and worship must engage your thought.

If you just have truth you can reach a dry dull faith based only on your knowledge and understanding where people can become fatlaist and unspiritual. if have emotion with out truth it can lead to an empty faith that can reject sound teaching and leans on their own emotions rather then God’s truth.

Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) God Seeks People to Worship Him in Spirit and Truth

True worship comes from people who are deeply emotional and who love deep and sound doctrine.

Conclusion

John 4:23 “But the hour is coming, and 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.”

The time has come for us to worship the father in spirit and truh.

How can we do that:

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

we talked about sanctifcation last time and worship aids in that process we are called to live our lives as holy and accceptable living in what God Has for us his not being conformed to the ways of our world. Our lives are worship we worship in spirit in truth.

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”