Spirit and Truth

John 4:20-24

Not “where” but “who”

The hour is coming

Normally refers to His crucifixion

But then he includes “and is now here” (v. 23)

His point is that He is ushering in a new day

This is the time in which we live

Neither Gerizzim nor Jerusalem

Geographical importance is about to be irrelevant

It’s not about “where” of worship but rather “who” are the true worshippers

This is not teaching that corporately gathering together at the a common location is unimportant

It is teaching that worship of God is not constrained to one particular location or building

By Jesus using “the Father”, He is seemingly doing 3 things

Moving her away from “the fathers” to “the Father”

Alluding to the truth that He is the Son of God

Pointing her to the question “who are the children and am I one?”

All of these serve to move her away from her superficial concern with external religion to the issue of the heart

Father’s day points to the Father

Dads- Fathers day is not ultimately about you

Use today to point beyond you to our Father who is in Heaven

Worship the Father in Truth

This woman did not know the truth

It is clear that she didn’t know truth by her superficial argument with Jesus

What is truth?

John 18:37-38- Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

Answer

John 1:17- For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:1-2- ong ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

Salvation is from the Jews

Why is salvation from the Jews?

Jesus is a Jew

Salvation is found in Him ALONE

This sounds elementary, but in our pluralistic culture it is going to cost us more and more to make this truth claim

We must know it, we must believe it, we must love it, and we must give our lives to it

This forces us to recognize that there are true and there are false worshippers of God

There are those who worship as self-deceived and false worshippers

The only true worship of God happens through faith in Christ

Worship the Father in Spirit

God is spirit

The KJV does not get this translation correct

He is not “a spirit”

This is expressing His transcendent nature

He is not like us

He is not bound by geography- He is omnipresent

He is not bound by time- He is infinite and eternal

He is the Creator of the universe

He is authoritative over all people

True worshippers worship Him in fullness of spirit by the Spirit

True worship only happens in accordance with who He truly is

True worship only happens by the Holy Spirit

Philippians 3:3- For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh

The Spirit gives life

This passage is strongly connected to Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus about New Birth

The Spirit points to Christ

The believer glories in Christ from the depths of their heart

Worship the Father in Spirit and Truth

Not two separate things, but one unified thing

We must worship Him in a spirit that accords with the truth of who God is by the work of the Holy Spirit

Anyone who does not worship God in spirit and truth are not worshipping at all

When we know and embrace this it will transform that way we worship

Our singing together will be less about the style of music that we sing and more about the truth that we love

Our preaching will be less about keeping the people engaged or entertained and more about striking the awe of God in the hearts of those who hear very Word of God

Our fellowship will be less about having an enjoyable time and more about pointing on another to the beauty and majesty of Jesus

What we call worship will no longer be the hour or two we come here each week. We will begin to see that all we do is worship to the God who is not worshipped on this mountain or that, but everywhere we go

A Word to Fathers

Lead your family in spirit and truth

Teach them the Word of God- the only place where they will find Truth

Model for them what living and worshipping in spirit and truth is

Pray that your children and wife might live as those who love Christ and commit themselves to worshipping God in the truth of who He is

Love them in such a way that it will reflect the love of the Father