A Lesson on Worship
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A Lesson on Worship
A Lesson on Worship
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. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 4:
Introduction:
The Samaritans were a mixed race, part Jew and part Gentile that grew out of the Assyrian captivity of northern tribes of Israel. The Jews alienated and repudiated the Samaritans because they considered the Samaritans to be unclean. They refused to accept the claim of the Samaritans that they too were of the tribe of Israel. The Samaritans hated the Jews because the Jews hated them.
Though they came from the same religious practices and doctrines initially, time and hatred assured some major differences. Both groups believed their way was the right and only way. They refused to come to terms with one another. They had major issues. One of which was that of worship.
Jesus’ arrival to Samaria is no coincidence. We find on the heels of a conversation about living water and immorality with a Samaritan woman, Jesus begins a needed lesson on worship.
Jesus clarifies some misunderstandings regarding whom to worship, how to Worship and where to worship.
FCF: We don’t worship God as we should
Propositional Statement: We owe our every breath to God. He is the source of our all. Because of who God is we ought to worship God
Transition: The text suggests
Our Opportunity to Worship (23a)
Our Opportunity to Worship (23a)
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
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.
John 4:23
The Jews travelled to Jerusalem to the Synagogue to worship God and the Samaritans built a temple in the mountain Gerizim to worship God. The belief of the Samaritans was that since God spoke to Moses in the mountain then that was the sacred and holy place to worship Him. However, in all the debate of where to worship God, both groups missed the point of worship. They each believed it was the worship place which made the worship experience great but Jesus says it is not the worship place but the worshipper.
Jesus explains that Worship can and must take place everywhere. Worship is confined to neither the mountain nor the Synagogue. “But the hour cometh, and now is” He makes it clear that our worshipping moment is a now moment.
We are afforded the opportunity to worship God daily, and are not limited to any particular place to worship. Now don’t get it twisted there was nothing wrong with them worshipping in the mountain nor the synagogue but they limited their worship experiences to those places. They didn’t worship at home. They didn’t worship daily. They didn’t worship with friends. They worshiped annually. It almost appears that worship was inconvenient for both groups worship should never be an inconvenience there is always time to worship! Worship neither starts nor stops at the church.
Transition: Look, church is a great place to worship and a place you need to go to worship but it isn’t the only place to worship. That is not to suggest that since you can worship God any and everywhere that you need not go to church. It’s far from that conclusion as a matter of fact it suggests:
Our Object of Worship (vs 23b)
Our Object of Worship (vs 23b)
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.
ILLUS: After attending church with his father one Sunday morning, before getting into bed that evening a little boy kneeled at his bedside and prayed, “Dear God, we had a good time at church today, but I wish you had been there.”
Jesus says the true worshippers shall worship the Father. Who was He speaking of? This is an important question because remember He is speaking to this Samaritan. Their tradition was to refer to Jacob as their father. They called him great as a matter of fact a few verses earlier this woman asked Jesus did He think He was greater than Jacob. So it became important that He place worship in its proper perspective in regards to whom to worship. God is the Father in this text. Not Jacob not Moses, But God alone.
Look yall, all worship is reserved for God. Perhaps I should clean that up a bit. God is the object of all worship.
He is the father. That alone is enough to worship Him for…He:
Provides as a father
Protects as a father
Loves as a father
Leads as a father
He is the object of worship. The word worship means to kiss and the custom of worship was that of prostrating oneself before persons and kissing their feet or the hem of their garment, the ground, etc. when we worship God we are placing ourselves at His feet and kissing Him. Our worship is a kiss at the feet of God.
ILLUS: () God speaks to Moses and gives him a recipe for an aroma which is to be made for only Him…there were three(3) spices that are to be mixed with Frankincense. Sacte, Onycha, and galbanum…
34 The Lord said to Moses, “Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (of each shall there be an equal part),
Our Order of Worship(v23-24)
Our Order of Worship(v23-24)
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. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus makes a little play on words as He continues His dialogue with this woman. He mentions the True worshippers shall worship. Not only were the Jews and Samaritans at odds about the place of worship but they were in debate as to which was the true religion. So, he makes it clear that worship of God was not confined to doctrinal dissertations, to religious rituals, or dogmatic debate. He says it is a spiritual element. True worshippers do not worship to be seen but to connect with God. So the order of worship is:
In Spirit – this refers to the heart of the worshipper. Worship must be spiritual. It has very little to do with your dance steps.
In Truth – Worship must be real. Worship is not entertainment. It is not done to be seen. It is authentic and genuine. It has nothing to do with us or others. But has everything to do with God!
You cannot have one without the other. Both characteristics are essential. God is to be worshiped in spirit and truth.
In spirit means we must worship God based on personal experience with him; in truth means we must worship God based on objective revelation of him.
In spirit means that we must feel something to when we worship; in truth means we must know something when we worship.
In spirit means that we must feel something to when we worship; in truth means we must know something when we worship.
Application: Worship God with your whole heart. Worship God wit complete sincerity.
In spirit means that we must worship with our hearts; in truth means that we must worship with our heads.
In spirit means that we must worship with our hearts; in truth means that we must worship with our heads.
In spirit means that we must worship with our emotions; in truth means that we must worship with our intellects.
In spirit means that we must worship with our emotions; in truth means that we must worship with our intellects.
In spirit means that our worship must have heat; in truth means that our worship must have light.
In spirit means that our worship must have heat; in truth means that our worship must have light.
In spirit means that our worship must not be empty ritual; in truth means that our worship must not be empty speculation.
In spirit means that our worship must not be empty ritual; in truth means that our worship must not be empty speculation.
Some translations read: “in spirit and in truth.” But in original, one preposition governs both terms, linking the two organically. You cannot have one without the other. Both characteristics are essential. God is to be worshiped in spirit and truth.
Our Objective of Worship (23d)
Our Objective of Worship (23d)
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.
a. To be in the presence of God
When worship is true we enter into the presence of God. The text reminds us that “the father seeketh such to worship” God is the audience. Our every intention should be to seek His divine attention. We can best do so with our worship of towards Him.
b. To offer ourselves to God
Because God is seeking those who worships Him we must remind ourselves that we are vessels of worship. Which means our very lives, voices, bodies become part of the offering of worship.
ILLUS: Ted Malone, whose radio show came on early in the morning, told of the Idaho shepherd who wrote: “Will you, on your broadcast, strike the note ‘A’? I’m a sheepherder way out here on a ranch, far away from a piano. The only comfort I have is my old violin. It’s all out of tune. Would you strike ‘A’ so that I might get in tune?”
Malone honored the request. Later he received a “thank-you” note from the distant shepherd saying, “Now I’m in tune.”
One of the purposes and responsibilities of personal and public worship is to enable the aspirant to keep tuned to the Great Shepherd. One of the joys of the Christian life is to help others recapture the missing note!
Application: Seek to be in the presence of God. Better yet know that you are in His presence and He is to be adored and Exalted!