Don't Worship An Unknown God

Intro

Text - ;

John 4:21–22 NKJV

21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.

Acts 17:22–23 NKJV

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you:

Background

Jesus met a Samaritan woman in a well in the middle of the day

This woman was longing for God, even worshipped God without the right understanding of who God is

The Samaritan believed that they were the true people of promise, according to their traditional belief

Paul was in Athens where he witnessed the religious zeal of the Athenians

he found one altar with the caption - To The Unknown God

he used this caption to introduce the one True God

Main Point

Worship and salvation are intricately connected to each other.

But worship without knowledge of true God is worthless.

The saved people are the ones who know the God that they worship.

Key Questions

why do people worship an unknown God?

How can we know who we worship?

Sermon Points

Why do people worship an unknown God?

Sinners do not seek God

Tradition - some people worship because it has been their tradition for ages.

the Samaritan of Jesus’ day -

the sons of Eli -

type of - Christians who grew up in the church but do not know God

Fear

the Athenians put up an altar for the unknown god lest he/she should be angry at them

to appease the unknown god so that they

Note - “All Saints Day” is a day allotted for all “other saints” who have no specific date of feast

The result of worshiping an unknown God

How do I know whom I worship?

How do I know God?

Knowledge of God based on His works

But this knowledge is more like an awareness of God’s existence, but not intimate knowledge of Him

Knowledge of God through the Scripture

the Scriptures written by God’s holy men

.

but this can become knowledge by tradition and historical account

Knowledge of God through His Son

First - God was manifest in the flesh

Second - the living Presence of Christ

Paul “knew” God because He personally met Christ

How do I know that I know whom I Worship?

Personal encounter with God - experience

at conversion

baptism of the Holy Spirit

you worship the God who saved you!

Ongoing encounter and experience with God

Why ongoing?

because God is a living God - He is not history

because the more we experience God, the more know Him!

- present reality based on experience

- present reality based on experience

Conclusion

Do not be content that you know God

because your parents told you

because your parents told you

because you have met Him the day you were saved

because history told you

Desire to know God everyday of your life?

Gideon asked - where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about?

Elisha cried - where is the God of Elijah?

Seeking God is not only for those who are backsliding.

Seeking God is also for those who want to taste and see the greatness of God IN THE PRESENT.