Word Based & Worship Driven

I know of a man who was born into a large family in the Midwest. His mother had mental problems, and his father was murdered while he was still young. He went to live with his sister in Boston, where he fell in with a crowd that was quite unsavory. Before long, he found himself in prison in Massachusetts. There he met some men who told him he needed to have his life changed. They told him about a messiah and urged him to believe and submit, but he couldn’t. Then one night, he had a personal, vivid encounter with this messiah, and his finally bowed the knee. From that moment, his entire life changed. He became a model prisoner and received an early release. He went on to become one of the most famous preachers in America, and he was personally responsible for opening more than one hundred houses of worship. To this day, there are streets named after him in major cities across the country. —> His name was Malcom X, and he eventually came to realize that his messiah, the honorable Elijah Muhammad, was a fraud. So he abandoned the Nation of Islam to become an orthodox Muslim, and the Nation of Islam had him assassinated. That encounter in his prison cell was fraudulent, and yet he based everything on it. He had an experience, and it changed his life. But at the end of that life, he knew he was wrong” (Voddie Bacham: Why You Can Believe the Bible).

Many people today are looking at their experience and personal transformation stories as proof that whatever system of truth that they believe in is accurate. Experiences and accounts of personal transformation can be powerful, but they are not sufficient substitutes for the truth.

… personal transformations don’t always point back to the truth.

People around the world today are basing their identities… who they are… on their their preferences, passions, experiences, and desires. But none of those things are able to serve as a foundation of genuine truth.

Malcom X is a good example of how personal transformations don’t always point people to the truth. His life was changed… he helped so many people… he did many “good things” in the eyes of the world… but, it was all based on a lie.... and in the end.... he knew it.

Malcom X is a good example of how personal transformations don’t always point back to the truth.

Experiences can be misleading because they are subjective. If our experiences and stories of personal transformation cannot always be trusted to point us to the truth… to give us direction… to be our foundation… then, as believers, what is our foundation?… and what is to be the driving force behind our lives?

Then, as believers, what is our foundation?… and what is to be the driving force behind our lives?

What is our character… our very DNA as the body of Christ?… as a people who claim to be born again followers of Christ?

As believers, what is our foundation and what is to be the driving force behind our lives? What is our character… our ethos… as people who claim to be born again followers of Christ?

Is it to be our experience… our preferences…. our passions…our own created truth?!

Over 2000 years ago, during a conversation about worship with a woman around a well, Jesus Himself speaks about this topic in amazing clarity and gives us the answers to these important questions.

As you open your Bibles to the gospel of John chapter 4, let me remind you about what is going on in this chapter.

(reintroducing ourselves to John’s gospel…address Derek’s message and that God’s Word is so amazing that you could have 5 messages prepared on the same text and each message would be unique, but still based on the same biblical truths)

John 4:21–24 ESV

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.”

John 4:19–24 ESV

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.”

Samaritans religious structure:

Worshipped on Mt. Gerizim (where Moses had looked into the Promised Land)

Mt. Gerizim to worship because that was the mountain that overlooked a place called Shechem, where Abraham built an altar to worship God (, ). This was also the same place where the Israelites had shouted the blessings promised by God before they entered the Promised Land (, ).

They only considered the Torah as authoritative (5 books of Moses

Jewish religious structure:

Worshipped in Jerusalem

Considered the entire OT as authoritative… Therefore, they chose Jerusalem as the place where the Temple should be built and that God should be worshipped (; )

Jesus and his disciples have just gone out of their way to pass through the town of Samaria. Which, by the way no self-respecting Jew would have done. Jewish people went out off their way to avoid Samaria. (show map)

Once Jesus meets this woman, the conversation quickly comes to a point of confrontation when Jesus exposes the woman’s sin and need for spiritual cleansing.

In verses 16-18, Jesus confronts the woman about her sin. How does she respond? Look at verse 19...

John 4:19–20 ESV

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.”

She changes the subject! She is confronted with the reality if her sin and she deflects the attention off of herself by trying to start a theological debate… that any proud Jew would have been happy to argue.

The conversation between Jesus and the woman began by talking about water but has quickly shifted to the topic of worship.

Worship is something that everyone instinctively longs to do. Depending on a person’s spiritual condition, the object and process of worship will be debated. Whether a person is a Christian or not, the desire to be involved in worship has been designed into the very DNA of each created image bearer of God.

Let’s begin with a working definition of what worship is: What is worship and whom do we worship?

Worship is a celebration of our covenant relationship and unity with Christ, in response to God’s revelation (God’s Word), rejoicing in all that He has done and in all that He will do.

(Worship is based on Scripture, empowered/ led by the Spirit, and focused on God through Christ. God’s Revelation is the foundation… The Holy Spirit is the One who provides motion… and the object of our worship is the Lord God. All worship is service to the Lord. But not all service is worship. True worship flows from our obedient response to the revelation of God.)

Worship is something that everyone instinctively longs to do. Depending on a person’s spiritual condition, the object and process of worship will be debated. Whether a person is a Christian or not, the desire to be involved in worship has been designed into the very DNA of each created image bearer of God. Sadly, because of sin and a fallen world, there is much confusion about worship. People have different opinions about how to worship, when to worship, and even what to worship. Those who possess a biblical worldview, based on their personal relationship with Christ, have much less confusion but still need to wrestle with the theological, logistical, personal, and corporate aspects of worship.

Sadly, because of sin and a fallen world, there is much confusion about worship. People have different opinions about how to worship, when to worship, and even what to worship. Those who possess a biblical worldview, based on their personal relationship with Christ, have much less confusion but still need to wrestle with the various theological and practical aspects of worship.

God has called us to worship Him! Through God’s Word, we are commanded to worship. is just one example of a passage full of imperatives commanding its reader to respond in obedience… to respond in worship.

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

God is calling people to respond to Him! On its most foundational level that is what worship is, honor and adoration directed at God in response to His revelation.

To resist God’s call to worship is to defy a command that is near to the very heart of God. As God calls people to worship Him, believers are drawn by the Holy Spirit in celebration of their relationship with Christ in response to His revelation.

As people respond to God’s call to worship, which must be anchored in His Word, with the proper heart attitude, God is glorified.

As the Lord is worshipped, there should be an excitement and rejoicing in celebrating all of the promises that He has already fulfilled. There is also an expectant trust… a hope in all of the promises that He will still bring to fruition.

I have put together a working definition of what worship is: (What is worship and whom do we worship?)

Worship is a celebration of our covenant relationship and unity with Christ, in response to God’s revelation (God’s Word), rejoicing in all that He has done and in all that He will do.

Worship is based on Scripture, empowered/ led by the Spirit, and focused on God through Christ. God’s Revelation is the foundation… The Holy Spirit is the One who provides motion… and the object of our worship is the Lord God. All worship is service to the Lord. But not all service is worship. True worship flows from our obedient response to the revelation of God.

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With that working definition of worship in our minds, let’s look at our text for today and see what Jesus says the Foundation and the Motivation of our lives is to be as believers. First we will look at our Foundation in verses 21 and 22.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version, Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016. .

1. Our Foundation: (21-22)

John 4:21–22 ESV

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.

As Jesus spoke to the woman, what was he pointing out? He says to her… “Woman… you worship what you do not know.” Why does Jesus say this?

Look back at verse 20 for a clue as to why Jesus says this. In verse 20 the Samaritan woman said…

John 4:20 ESV

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”

If you remember your Old Testament history… you will remember that the Samaritans came into existence after the capture of Israel by Assyria in 722 B.C. When Assyria would capture a country the king of Assyria would send other people (pagans) to the conquered land to live among the people that were left.

The Jews looked down on Samaritans because they saw them as unclean half-breeds. The Jews left behind in the land during the exile married pagans and their children became the Samaritans. Not only was their bloodline mixed, but their religions were mixed as well. God fearing Jews married idol loving pagans and they mixed their religions together and became Jewish pagans that wanted to worship God, but in a pagan way.

Part of the Samaritans view of the worship of God was based on the fact that they worshipped on Mt. Gerizim. This was the place where Moses had stood when he looked into the promised land.

The Samaritans were looked down on by the Jews. Some say that the

The Samaritans chose Mt. Gerizim as their place of worship because that was the mountain that overlooked a place called Shechem, where Abraham built an altar to worship God (, ). This was also the same place where the Israelites had shouted the blessings promised by God before they entered the Promised Land (, ).

But, what happens when you put warm blooded human beings together? They get together! Boy meets girl, girl meets boy, boy marries girl, boy and girl have baby boy or girl, and so on. What you are left with is a group of people that are no longer Jew or pagan but a mix. That is one reason why the Jews looked down on the Samaritans. They viewed them as unclean half-breeds. During the time of the Assyrian exile the Jewish people that were left in the land married pagans and their children became the Samaritans. Not only their blood line was mixed but also their religion. God fearing Jews married idol loving pagans and they mixed their religions together and became Jewish pagans that wanted to worship god in a pagan way.

—> vs. 20: “here on this mountain… in Jerusalem:

Their decision to worship at Mt. Gerizim was supported by the tradition that the Samaritans only considered the Torah as authoritative. To them, God’s revelation stopped just short of the Promised Land. Imagine if you took the first 5 books of your Bible in your hand and threw the rest away. … (illustrate…)

Samaritans religious structure:

Worshipped on Mt. Gerizim (where Moses had looked into the Promised Land)

Mt. Gerizim to worship because that was the mountain that overlooked a place called Shechem, where Abraham built an altar to worship God (, ). This was also the same place where the Israelites had shouted the blessings promised by God before they entered the Promised Land (, ).

They only considered the Torah as authoritative (5 books of Moses

The Jews considered the entire OT as authoritative. God had specifically revealed that Jerusalem was to be the place where the Temple should be built and where He should be worshipped (; ).

2 Chronicles 6:6 ESV

but I have chosen Jerusalem that my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.’

The Samaritans were basing their theology and really the very center of their culture around tradition and an experiential event. They were basing their identity on their preferences and family tradition.

Church, we cannot base our lives, worship and values on things like preferences, experiences, and tradition. Preferences can change… experiences can be misleading… and traditions can be wrong.

No! Friends, we must base our values, our worship, and our lives around something that is true and never changes. … The only thing in the universe that is absolute and never changes… is the truth from God. God’s revealed truth.... Jesus Himself proclaimed this truth in , when He said… “Heaven and earth may pass away… but my words will not pass away”.

In contrast to the Samaritans, the Jews chose to worship in Jerusalem. This decision was based on further revelation given in the Old Testament books of 2 Samuel and 2 Chronicles.

The Jews considered the entire OT as authoritative. God had specifically revealed that Jerusalem was to be the place where the Temple should be built and where He should be worshipped (; ).

It is interesting that according to Jesus’ words, the Jews have chosen to base their practices of worship on God’s revelation. That is why he can say in verse 22, “we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.”

Jesus was trying to help the Samaritan woman understand that the foundation of our worship… and really every aspect of our lives is to be based on the only source of truth… God’s revealed truth.... God’s Word.

The Jews considered the entire OT as authoritative. God had specifically revealed that Jerusalem was to be the place where the Temple should be built and where He should be worshipped (; ).

Jesus was trying to help the Samaritan woman understand that the foundation of our worship… and really every aspect of our lives is to be based on the only source of truth… God’s revealed truth.... God’s Word.

Today, we are not Samaritans. But, we are people who are forced every day to decide what we will base our lives on. What will we base our decisions… our desires… our dreams… and our lives on?

Will we base our lives… and our worship on our experiences? Will we base our lives and worship on our traditions? Or, will we be true followers of Christ and base our worship and our very lives on His revealed truth?

I read a story about a young lady who was in a college biology class. This young lady happened to be a Christian and that particular day the professor began to teach about evolution. Before the girl knew what happened her hand was in the air and she was sharing about how she believed the Bible and therefore did not believe in evolution.

You could almost see the professor’s mouth watering and he realized he had a “Bible believing Christian” in his class. Hoping to catch this girl in his evolutionary trap, he asked her a simple question. “Tell me… why do you believe the Bible”?

This is a question that far too many Christians fail to answer well. Many Christians attempt to appeal to their upbringing, or their tradition to explain their reasoning for why they believe the Bible. But, all of those reasons are flawed and tend to fall short .

No, this girl was prepared and I thought her answer was incredibly insightful. She said,

“I choose to believe the Bible because it’s a reliable collection of historical documents written by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They report supernatural events that took place in the fulfillment of specific prophecies and claimed that their writings are divine, rather than human, in origin.” (Voddie Baucham)

The biology professor was a bit taken back from her answer and simple said… “I’ll have to get back to you about that”.... class dismissed.

We could spend a great deal of time breaking down this statement… and seeing how each portion of this answer is based on Scripture. (Because all of it is). We’ll have to do that another time.... or perhaps you can study through that in your Oasis or community group.

Today I want you to see one important truth about this girls answer. Her first few words… “I choose to believe...”

Church… it’s a choice. We choose to believe the Bible is true.... we choose to base our lives on Gods’ revealed truth because we believe that His Word is based on His Divine Character… We choose to base our lives on God’s Word… because that is what God, our Creator, calls us to do.

God has created us to worship… and He commands us to worship.... Jesus shows us that the true worship of God is based on the Word of God.

Jesus is calling us to be Word Based people… the foundation for all aspects of life and worship must be based on His revealed truth… on His Word.

This year, let’s choose to be Word Based People… Let’s choose to be a church that makes sure all of our decisions, our music, our events, our outreach, and our worship are based on God’s Word.

Worshipped in Jerusalem

Considered the entire OT as authoritative… Therefore, they chose Jerusalem as the place where the Temple should be built and that God should be worshipped (; )

From Jesus’ conversation with this woman, He has taught us that our worship… and really the foundation of our lives is to be based on God’s Revealed Truth.... The Bible. Next in verses 23 and 24, Jesus will help us to understand what our Motivation is to be as Word Based God Worshippers.

2. Our Motivation: (Look at verses 23-24)

John 4:23–24 ESV

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.”

Jesus clarifies and builds on what He said in verses 21-22.

The debate between Jews and Samaritans about where to worship is soon coming to an end.

God is seeking people to worship Him!

Soon, once Jesus finishes His earthly ministry, He will open up direct access to the Father and those who truly seek to worship Him… those “true worshippers” will be able to have direct access to the Father.

Man will no longer be restricted by a specific geographical location for worship. True worshipers will be able to worship God freely anywhere at any time… but, will have to live within the parameters that God establishes for those who truly seek to worship Him.

In the end of verse 23, there is a uniquely Christian idea placed in this text that should motivate and inspire us .

God is seeking people to worship Him!

The reality is that we are not the ones who are seeking God… but that He is seeking us! More than likely the Jews never thought of God this way. One author (Hughes) said, “that is a wonderful thing about worship — the expectancy within us is just a shadow of God-expectancy!”

says…

Zephaniah 3:17 ESV

The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

God will rejoice over those who truly worship Him.... God is seeking worshipers!

But, God will not accept worship in any form and by anyone. No, Jesus says that “those who worship” God, “must worship in spirit and truth.”

Jesus goes on to describe what “true worshippers” look like by reminding this woman of an aspect of God’s character. Jesus tells us in verse 24, that “God is Spirit”.

This statement is connected with Jesus’ comment back in verse 21 when He said that “neither on this mountain or in Jerusalem will you worship the Father”.

God is Spirit… He has no body… He has no boundaries… No temple, tabernacle, city or mountain can contain Him. This is one of God’s attributes… part of God’s Character.

Yes, in the past God instructed people to worship Him in the Temple… God gave instructions about how and where He was to be worshipped. But soon… those geographical restrictions will be lifted and those who believe will be able to worship the Father anywhere at any time.

Why? Because God is Spirit. He is everywhere… and through the ministry of Jesus, He has opened up mankind’s ability to have direct access to God… and worship Him anywhere at any time.

Jesus shares a characteristic about God… but then shares with us two characteristics to which all “true worshipper” must adhere.

Look at verse 24. Yes, God is Spirit… “and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth”.

What does that mean? God is seeking true worshippers! God has created us to worship… and He is looking for those who will worship Him according to His character… His calling… in the way that He has designed.

True worshippers must worship in spirit and truth.

Truth… we have already talked about. “Truth” means that we are to worship what is true about God. Worshiping in truth happens when we worship in accordance with what God has revealed about Himself. That is true worship. Our worship has to agree with what God has revealed to us in His Word.

True worshippers must worship in spirit:

If it doesn’t, then it is not true worship. Think about it. If living in agreement with God’s Word is worship… then the opposite must also be true. If our lives and worship do not line up with what God has revealed about Himself… then we are not worshiping.

Wrong thinking about God is actually idolatry… because an idolatrous heart assumes God is something different that He is. I know that sometimes we think that in our day and age we are past idolatry because we don’t have statues in our homes that we bow to.

But... a wrong understanding of God… attributing characteristics to God that are not accurate is the root of idolatry.

says, “For although they knew God… they neither glorified him as God...”. Instead they created images. Idolatry begins with a wrong idea of who God is.

Romans 1:21 ESV

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

God wants His people to worship Him in truth… as He really is. The only place we can find out what God is truly like and who God really is… is in His Word… the Bible.

That takes us back to our first point. We must be people of the Word… we must be Word Based people.

Later John records the words of Jesus in when Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” God’s Word is truth about God.

We are to be people who are filled with the Word of God. When that happens, we will want that every area of our lives lines up with the truth given to us in the Word of God.

Then… we will truly worship the Lord in truth.... in agreement with the total and complete revelation of God… according to God’s truth.

When this happens, God is worshiped in truth… idolatrous hearts are purged… moral lives are elevated… and God is pleased.

God is also seeking those who will worship Him in spirit. Notice that the text does not say “the Spirit”, but “in spirit.” Jesus is not talking about worshiping in the Holy Spirit here. He is talking about worshiping with or in the human spirit.

What Jesus is saying, is that God is not only looking for those who will worship Him in the truth of who He is… but is looking for those who will worship Him in the very depth of their inner being… with the right heart attitude… in spirit.

Outward performance may or may not be worship. Spurgeon said, “God does not regard our voices, he hears our hearts, and if our hearts do not sing we have not sung at all.”

It is possible to sing and not worship. It is possible to pray with our lips, but worship does not take place in our hearts. We may give, but not worship.

(Illustration of Cain and Abel. Explain how the text ( “in the course of time”) indicates that this was a regular offering that was to be brought before the Lord.

— “if you do well… will you not also be accepted?”) it wasn’t an issue of Cain being a farmer verses a shepherd… it wasn’t that his fruit and vegetable offering wasn’t nice… the fact is that Cain had come before God with the wrong heart attitude and refused to obey God and worship God in the way that God had prescribed.

If we are not coming before God with the right heart attitude in our spirits… in the depths of our being, then our worship of Him is merely and outward performance. … and will not be accepted as true worship.

God is seeking true worshipers! God is seeking those who will worship Him in spirit… with the right heart attitude, and in truth… according to/ in agreement with God’s revealed Word.

Application/ Conclusion:

For our church, as we begin a new year…

What is to be our foundation for life and worship?

The Word of God. We are to be people of the Word… we are to be Word Based people. Let’s base our decisions, our actions, our finances, our evangelism, .... let’s base everything on the God’s Truth… the Word of God.

What is to be our motivation the year as Word Based people?

Our motivation for life and ministry is closely connected with the fact that we have been created by God, and have been designed to worship. As God’s image bearers… God is calling us to worship Him.

Jesus tells us that God is actually seeking people like us to worship Him.

What should motivate us this year? What should drive us this year?

Our worship of God is to be the driving force behind all of our actions, decisions, comments, and activities. We are to be Worship Driven in all that we do.

Our desire to be people that God would call “true worshipers”, should motivate us towards a biblically effective life intentionally lived on Mission for Christ.

Let’s strive to make all that we do this year… be considered to be acceptable worship to God. How do we do that?

Let’s make sure that all that we do as individuals and as a church are in spirit and truth… In agreement with God’s Word.... and done with the right heart attitude.

In agreement with God’s Word.... and done with the right heart attitude.

As a church, let’s strive to be Word Based and Worship Driven in 2020.

Let’s make a commitment to base our lives, worship, actions, and decisions on God’s Word. Then, let’s be driven to live out what we believe by a desire to be true worshipers of God.... glorifying Him for who He is, all He has done.. and all He will do.

What are some ways that we can become more Word Based this year? 1 practical example is committing to a Reading/ Devotional Plan — (no silver bullets)…

What is something we can do to help become more “Worship Driven” this year? Every time you make a decision ask yourself 2 questions:

Is what I am getting ready to do or say: in agreement with God’s Word? And do I have the right heart attitude?

As you leave today… walk away with these thoughts:

Those who truly worship God, do so according to His Word and with the right heart attitude.

We can’t base our lives on our emotions, experiences, preferences, or tradition. Those all change, and are lacking as empty substitutions for a true foundation for life.

We are to base our lives on the foundation of God’s truth…

God has given us His truth… God has revealed Himself to us… and God is calling us to respond to Him in worship.... that that worship must be done in spirit and truth.

God is calling us to respond to Him.... to worship Him in spirit and truth.

Those who truly worship God, do so according to His Word and with the right heart attitude.

Do yo have the right heart attitude this morning?

Is the Word of God truly your foundation for life?

With every action we take, we are to make sure that we are living in agreement with the Word of God…. and with the right heart attitude… longing to truly worship the Lord!

As born again believers… as the local body of Christ called Wellspring Bible Church, all that we do needs to based on the Word of God and driven by the truth that we are to be true worshippers of God.

Let’s commit as a church to be people who are Word Based and Worship Driven!

As you leave today, I want to challenge you to meditate on we studied today but also on a verse from psalm 19 that we heard read this morning. This would be a great verse to memorize, meditate on, and carry with us this year.

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Psalm 19:14 ESV

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

I hope that is true of you today.

Let’s pray.

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