True and Spiritual Worship

Mark Sikes

True and Spiritual Worship • Sermon • Submitted 6 years ago

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The church is God's chosen race, royal priesthood, holy nation, and treasured possession.

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Introduction:

Open with me in your Bibles to tonight.

Upon arriving at Samaria, Jesus sent His disciples into town to buy food, while He stopped to rest at the community well.

Up to this point, Jesus

Upon arriving at Samaria, Jesus sent His disciples into town for food while He stayed at the community well.

While Jesus was sitting on the well, a Samaritan woman came there to draw water.

Now this unusual meeting set up a crisis for the Jewish custom of the day,

not only did the Jews avoid contact with all Samaritans, but Jewish men avoided speaking with all women in public - including their own wives.

But Jesus was different.

And when you consider that the Samaritan woman

But here, we see Jesus breaking all treating this Samaritan woman like a person as God spoke to Hagar and Rebekah.

like a person as God spoke to Hagar and Rebekah.

HE spoke to the woman of Samaria, not as other kosher-concerned Jewish men would have, but He spoke to her as God spoke to Hagar and Rebekah: with dignity and respect.

Not knowing what to make of Him, the woman immediately sets out on a series of probing questions.

As Jesus answers her questions, the woman repeatedly fails to understand (as many still do) that Jesus words pointed to the spiritual and eternal level of reality - not the physical.

Finally, the time for truth had come, but the story indicates that the woman wasn’t ready to accept the implications of the truth.

And in an attempt to change the subject, she says in vs19

And this really set

“Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. “Our Fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

“Our Fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

“Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Now - as we’ve discussed in our past studies on the subject, there is nothing more important in the life of a church or to the life of a believer than truly worshipping God.

And yet, there is an illiteracy among believers that has ultimately led to an ignorance of what it means to truly worship God.

Because this problem is so widespread - and yet so close to home, we’ve decided to call our church and all the people of God to make the proper commitment to worship.

we’ve been considering some of the important elements that are involved in true worship.

And because worshipping God is our highest priority, we’ve been considering some of the important elements that are involved in true worship.

And the best way for us to begin sounding the call to commitment - is to establish what it means to TRULY WORSHIP God.

We’ve chosen as our text, primarily because this passage opens up the greatest teaching on TRUE WORSHIP in the NT.

Now we’ve chosen as our text, primarily because this passage opens up what is perhaps the greatest teaching on true worship in the NT.

And in order to establish what it means to TRULY WORSHIP God, there are 4 critical elements that must be exposed and understood.

In fact, you’ll notice that in those 6 brief verses - the term ‘worship’ appears in one form or another a total of 10 times.

Last time we did some of the work and broke TRUE WORSHIP down to it’s essential elements, where we discovered 4 reasons why worship is so important:

And the reason

In fact, you’ll notice that in those 6 verses the term ‘worship’ appears in one form or another a total of 10 times.

And we’ve discovered 4 reasons why worship is of such great significance- right?

by TRUE WORSHIP is - by breaking it down into it’s critical elements.

Now - as we’ve done the work to expose what the critical elements of true worship are, we have discovered 4 reasons why worship is important:

1. We said that True Worship is important because Scripture demands it.

2. We said that True Worship is important because our destiny is marked by it.

3. We said that True Worship is important because Jesus Christ commands it.

And finally,

4. We say tonight, that True Worship is important because it is THE goal of our salvation.

And finally, we said that True Worship is important because it is THE goal of our salvation.

4. Worship is important because it is THE goal of our salvation.

We live in a world of people who refuse to worship God.

And we have identified that the only ones who can worship God - are those He has saved.

Obviously, WORSHIP is very important to God as well.

And yet, Jesus says in vs23 that ‘the Father seeketh such to worship Him’

In case you don’t remember who Jesus is talking about here,

And yet,Jesus says in vs23 that ‘the Father seeketh such to worship Him’

Turn with me to Philippians 3.

Here in his letter to the church at Philippi, the apostle Paul identifies those ‘the Father seeks’ for us right there in vs3,

“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Now - when Paul declared that “we” are the true circumcision, he openly associates himself and the other apostles with the Gentiles and Jews who rely on Christ rather than trusting in religious rituals - in this case the ritual of circumcision.

By stating that “we” are the true circumcision, Paul openly associates himself with Gentiles and Jews who rely on Christ rather than the religious ritual of circumcision.

By stating that “we” were the true circumcision, Paul associated himself with Gentiles and Jews who relied on Christ rather than religious ritual.

Now let’s remember that the circumcision Paul refers to here is spiritual circumcision, not a physical one.

And while physical circumcision did serve to identify someone with the Jewish nation,

and did have value for purposes of ministry,

And while physical circumcision served to identify someone with the Jewish nation and had value for purposes of ministry, it had no value in commending someone to God,

and

had value for purposes of ministry, it has no value in commending someone to God,

Physical circumcision has NO VALUE in commending someone to God,

because spiritual circumcision IS NOT a matter of religious ritual - and it never was.

Now - we’re looking for the identity of those Jesus brought to our attention in , that ‘the Father seeketh to worship Him?’

First, I want you to notice that true believers worship by the Spirit of God.

Using a term that often referred to temple service (latreuō), Paul identifies it as an inward, spiritual worship - in contrast to the legalism of outward conformity to the law.

Secondly, true believers glory in Christ Jesus.

The term “glory”(kau-chao-mai) in the Greek, means to boast in or boast about something or someone.

‘what is the identity of those Jesus brought to our attention in , that ‘the Father seeketh to worship Him?’

Here, Paul contrasts the one who boasts of his own good works - with the one who boasts in the work of Christ.

Thirdly, true believers put no confidence in the flesh.

Again Paul refers to a self-righteousness that trusts in one’s own initiative and energy to gain God’s spiritual blessing.

Paul had arrived at a place where he could admit his own efforts were useless.

This surrender provided Paul with a new attitude that paves the way for a deeper trust in Christ,

and it will provide the same new attitude for all those who are willing to admit even their best efforts are worthless as well.

Now - the question is: what is the identity of those Jesus brought to our attention in , that ‘the Father seeketh to worship Him’?

Clearly the TRUE BELIEVER and the TRUE WORSHIPER are both one and the same people.

You say, “OK, but how did they become that way?”

Well, certainly not by choice.

The Cambridge Paragraph Bible: of the Authorized English Version. (1873). (). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.”

These are the redeemed.

We said earlier that the people in the world flat out refuse to worship God - right?

And if it wasn’t by choice - then they didn’t get there by determination either,

gives the basic definition of a non-believing, unregenerate, and godless person as one who refuses to worship God.

So how did they become those whom ‘the Father seeketh to worship Him?’

Paul tells us that ‘they are who they are because, they are what? ‘the circumcision.’

because spiritual circumcision was a matter of the heart ().

In the 2nd chapter of his letter to the Colossians, Paul further identifies them as those who

In the 2nd chapter of his letter to the Colossians,

that those who are in Christ,

“are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ:”

In the 2nd chapter of his letter to the Colossians,

Paul further explains that those who are in Christ,

“are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ:

And here, Paul uses OT imagery to explain that what God requires of a TRUE WORSHIPER is a the circumcision of Christ,

Now Paul uses OT imagery here to explain that what God requires of a TRUE WORSHIPER is a circumcision of the heart - not circumcision of the body.

which is a circumcision of the heart - not circumcision of the body.

Using OT imagery, Paul explains here that God desires the circumcision of the heart - not circumcision of the body.

In fact, the OT Scriptures actually speak of this ‘heart circumcision’ calling it ‘a circumcision BEYOND the law’ - which is precisely what ‘a circumcision under the Law’ pictured.

So what Jesus is saying in is that ‘those whom the Father seeketh to worship Him are those whose heart has been circumcised by the circumcision of Christ,

because only those who have a circumcised heart can worship the Father in spirit and in truth.’

Now there are three characteristics of spiritual circumcision that we need to be aware of here,

WHY? because only they are able to worship the Father in spirit and in truth.

And what is this circumcision of the heart?

There are three characteristics involved here,

Actually there are three characteristics of this spiritual circumcision we need to look at,

And this takes us back to what Paul said in about True Believers and True Worshipers,

‘For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.’

The Cambridge Paragraph Bible: of the Authorized English Version. (1873). (). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.’

Now the first thing I want you to notice here is that true worshipers, worship in the Spirit of God (actually the better translation would say that ‘true worshipers, worship BY the Spirit of God.)

Using a Greek term that often referred to temple service (la-treo),

Paul identifies the worship of a true believer as an inward, spiritual worship,

Paul identifies the worship of a true believer as an inward, spiritual worship - that is completely different from the legalism of an outward conformity to the law.

and that stands in stark contrast to to the legalism of an outward conformity to the law that served as the usual form of worship.

Secondly, Paul says that TRUE WORSHIPERS glory in Christ, Jesus.

The term “glory”(kaw-cow-mai) in the Greek, means to boast in or boast about something or someone.

And here, Paul contrasts the one who boasts of his own good works - with the one who boasts in the work that Christ does through him.

Thirdly, Paul tells us that TRUE WORSHIPERS put no confidence in the flesh.

Again Paul refers to a self-righteousness that trusts in one’s own initiative and energy to gain God’s spiritual blessing.

Paul seems to have arrived at a place where he could admit his own human efforts were useless.

This willing surrender of himself provided Paul with a new attitude that would pave the way for a deeper trust in Christ,

This surrender of his will and his pride provided Paul with a new attitude that paves the way for a deeper trust in Christ,

and it still provides the same new attitude for all those who are willing to surrender themselves for a deeper faith in Christ.

d as those HE redeemed, Worship is the goal of our redemption.

First, true believers worship by the Spirit of God.

Now if we who have been redeemed and circumcised are the TRUE WORSHIPERS,

Using a term that often referred to temple service (latreuō), Paul identifies it as an inward, spiritual worship - in contrast to the legalism of outward conformity to the law.

Then how TRUE should our worship be?

Because ‘the Father seeks true worshipers’ it makes our WORSHIP pretty important wouldn’t you say?

In fact, it makes worship THE most important thing we will ever do in our human existence.

Now not only is our worship IMPORTANT,

but the OBJECT of our worship must be clearly understood.

There have been people all through out human history, people who have lived on all sectors of the earth - and everyone of them worshiped something.

d as those HE redeemed, Worship is the goal of our redemption.

Paul identifies it as an inward, spiritual worship in contrast to the legalism of outward conformity to the law.

Secondly, true believers glory in Christ Jesus.

The term “glory”(kauchaomai) in the Greek, means to boast in or boast about something or someone.

Here, Paul contrasts the boasting of one’s good works with the boasting that is in the work of Christ.

Thirdly, true believers, have no confidence in the flesh.

Spiritual circumcision was a matter of the heart ().

because spiritual circumcision was a matter of the heart ().

Again Paul refers to a self-righteousness that trusts in human initiative and energy to gain God’s spiritual blessing.

Thirdly, true believers have no confidence in the flesh. Again he refers to a righteousness that trusts in human initiative and energy to gain spiritual blessing.

Clearly Paul had arrived at a place where he could admit his own efforts were useless - and this surrender gave Paul a new attitude that paved the way for a deeper trust in Christ.

Now - those whom ‘the Father seeketh to worship Him’ that Jesus spoke of in ,

are these true believers He by ‘the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ’ These are the redeemed.

by ‘the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ’ These are the redeemed.

And as those HE redeemed, Worship is the goal of our redemption.

The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Describing the True (3:3–6)

By stating that “we” were the true circumcision, Paul associated himself with Gentiles and Jews who relied on Christ rather than religious ritual.

The three characteristics involve worship, glory, and confidence. First, true believers worshiped by the Spirit of God. Using a term that often referred to temple service (latreuō), Paul identified inward, spiritual worship in contrast to the legalism of outward conformity to the law. The Spirit energizes and focuses Christian worship. Second, true believers glory in Christ Jesus. The term “glory” means to boast (kauchaomai), and Paul consciously contrasted the boasting of good works with boasting that is in the work of Christ. Third, true believers have no confidence in the flesh. Again he referred to a righteousness that trusts in human initiative and energy to gain spiritual blessing. Paul came to the place where he realized his own efforts were useless, and that attitude paved the way for his trust in Christ.

However, most of them did not worship the right object.

Now as we look at these verses tonight, we cannot deny that the clear instruction of Scripture has been that the one and only, right object of worship - is the Father.

HE redeemed, Worship is the goal of our redemption.

The New American Commentary: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon Describing the True (3:3–6)

Physical circumcision served to identify someone with the Jewish nation and had value for purposes of ministry, but it had no value in commending someone to God. Spiritual circumcision was a matter of the heart (Col 2:11).

And yet, the one we worship is defined for us in 2 terms: He is Father and He is Spirit.

The term FATHER speaks of God’s essential relationship - and we’ll get into that at another time.

The term SPIRIT speaks of God’s essential nature - and we’re going to talk a little more about worshiping God as a Spirit right now.

The Bible teaches us that ‘God is a Spirit’ which means that He isn’t a person in the sense of being a human person like we are - confined to one form, one place, and one time.

God is without form as we understand it, but He is an eternal, omnipresent Spirit.

So you can take all the gods of every nation where they represent deity as a rock, or a carved image, or something made out of silver, or gold, or a tree, or a river, or a mountain, or a star, or the moon, or the sun and throw them in the trash - because not one of them is God.

And they’re not God because God is not limited or confined to any of the element He created.

God is Spirit.

To know that about God, is the basis of understanding how to worship God.

To know that about God, is to understand that God is everywhere all the time - so we must worship Him at every place and all the time.

This means that we cannot allow our perception of God to be one who dwells in a building where we come to worship on Sunday and Sunday alone.

God is a Spirit.

And a spirit cannot be confined or conformed to an image.

In fact, wasn’t that the first commandment we talked about: no graven image - nothing made in the likeness of God?

You say, but what about the tabernacle, the temple, and the holy of holies?

All of those things were symbols - right?

In fact, the entire ceremonial system was a symbol that spoke of a greater reality.

And those symbols were there so that men might begin to perceive the reality of God.

When we come to the Lord’s table, for example, and we say that the Lord is present with His people at His Table,

and as we partake of the cup, we say it is the blood of Christ with which we commune,

and as we partake of the bread, we say it’s the flesh of Christ with which we commune.

Now there is a real sense that those symbols are elements that draw us TOWARD worship.

But their purpose is not to be the beginning and the ending of worship,

they are to be the motivation that stimulates an entire lifetime of worship.

So that we see beyond the symbols to the reality of the living God.

As we said, under the Old Covenant the temple was only a reminder.

The sacrificial system, and the ceremonial system were merely prodders of the conscience,

to cause them to turn their hearts toward the true and living God,

and that there might be the reality of a commitment made to worship God.

In , the Lord gave this powerful message,

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.

For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

but this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

In other words, God says to His people, “these things were merely symbols that were intended to be a visible reminder of My presence.”

But in the new covenant, in the maturing of the new covenant, even those things are set aside.

And we find the Lord Jesus saying something about that in where “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.”

In the new covenant, it was the end of the ceremonial symbols. It was the end of the temple symbol. It was the end of that physical identification. And the new temple became the believer in whom the living Spirit of God dwelt. And that Spirit of God became the prodder of true worship. No longer an outward symbol, but an inward reality.

The new covenant was the end of the ceremonial symbols.

It was the end of the tabernacle, the temple, and the holy of holies.

The new temple became the believers themselves in whom the living Spirit of God dwells.

And the Spirit of God has become the new prodder of true worship.

And the new temple became the believer in whom the living Spirit of God dwelt. And that Spirit of God became the prodder of true worship. No longer an outward symbol, but an inward reality.

So when we say that the basic feature of the Christian life is Worship - that’s exactly what we mean, AMEN?

Worship is the bottom line for us.

As the apostle Paul said, “We are the circumcision, who worship God, rejoice in Christ, and put no confidence in the flesh - WE are the true worshipers”

Now - if we are going to worship God as Spirit - then we must worship Him in terms of how He is revealed in Scripture.

And I can think of one word that will pretty well sum that up for us - HOLY.

And we’ve seen how it is that our worship is IMPORTANT,

God is holy.

God is to be worshiped as HOLY.

And we’ll take a look at God’s HOLINESS next time.

LET’S PRAY TOGETHER

e’ve seen how it is that our worship is IMPORTANT,

but the OBJECT of our worship must be clearly understood.

Worship is the goal of our redemption.

And yet Jesus says in vs23 that ‘the Father seeketh such to worship Him’

The Cambridge Paragraph Bible: of the Authorized English Version. (1873). (). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Jesus is talking about God seeking the worship of those HE brought from being non-worshippers to being true-worshippers.

Worship, then, is the goal of our redemption.

And