True Worshipers (John 4:19-26)

When we think about our purpose and break that down, many of us might start with worship. Isn't worship what God expects us to do? But what does that mean, and why do we believe we should worship God? To some, the notion of worship may sound outdated and ridiculous. They think that God calling for worship is negative, much like it would be negative for you or me to ask people to worship us.

So, as a non-country club group of God's children, why do we think worshipping God is a good idea? How should we worship? What is God looking for?

Why should we worship?‌

To begin, I would like us to consider a text we all know (if we have been studying the Bible for a long time), Jesus speaking to the woman at the well. Jesus offered a Samaritan woman living water to drink and never thirst again. This is a great offer, but before Jesus gives it to her, he asks her to get her husband. Then, he tells her how many husbands she has had and that the man she is with now is not her husband. That's when our reading picks up.

John 4:19--26 (ESV) --- 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 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. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 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.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

‌After understanding that Jesus knows more than he could know if he were ordinary or crazy, she asks him about worship. This question is about location. Notice that God has been fighting against this "I go to church" mentality for a long time. She asks Jesus "where people ought to worship." Is Samaria or Jerusalem the location where God wants them to worship? Jesus' answer is critical. He says, "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."

As the body of Christ, God is seeking us to worship him, and it's not about the location. It's about our heart. God doesn't feel this way for those who think that worship is outdated or unnecessary. He longs for us to fulfill our purpose of worshiping him. The word worship means to adore or pay divine honor to a deity. God wants us to adore him and honor him for who he is. He has demonstrated his love for us; worship is where we show that we love him. Also, we learn from this that worship is not about me. It's about God.

The Focus of Worship

In our culture, people seem to have misunderstood what worship is about. They "try out" different groups to see what the worship is like and choose the place that makes them feel good or offers them the most benefits. The focus is not on bringing the most adoration and honor to God. When we look throughout the Bible, we notice many people worshipping for many different reasons. They would worship God to seek his forgiveness, request something from him, or praise him. But most of the worship was not accepted by God. What makes that the case? In the case of the Samaritans, they worshiped God the way they thought best, worshipping what they did not know. They did things that God had not prescribed through his prophets.

John 4:22 (ESV) --- 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.‌

What about the Jews? They didn't fair much better. They worshiped what they knew but still did not worship in Spirit and Truth. Jesus didn't tell the lady to go to Jerusalem and learn how to worship from them. He said true worshippers would worship in spirit and truth, indicating they didn't get it right either.

We see Israel get worshiped wrong in many ways throughout the Old Testament. In many cases, they would offer sacrifices without considering the law. In some cases, they ignored the law, made requests from the nations, or even worshipped other gods. Over time, their worship would get away from what God directed.

They would also offer sacrifices without having the appropriate spirit of adoration, love, and honor. Instead, they went through the motions like it was a ritual. This got so bad near the end that God told them to stop offering sacrifices to him. He was tired of it.

Malachi 1:6--10 (ESV) --- 6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised. 8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. 9 And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. 10 Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.

‌Do you see how significant this is? Worship was appalling to God when they worshipped without being truly engaged. Those who were coming to worship God had no spirit. They had no love or adoration. They despised God while doing the bare minimum. Ultimately, they refused to honor him because they didn't care. So, God wishes they would just shut the doors.

Do you believe there is a right and wrong way to worship God? We could talk about all the mistakes people make, but what we really want to know is, "What is the right way?" That's all that matters.

How Do We Worship In Spirit and Truth?

Notice that there are two elements of worship that God is seeking for his people to worship in, spirit and truth. These two elements are about the heart of the worshiper. As I said earlier, God seeks men and women who worship him with their hearts. We have to love him enough to learn what he wants and what honors him most. To give God the most honor and adoration, we must understand how to worship God in spirit and truth.

Worshiping In Our Spirit

First, let's look at worshiping in spirit. What does that mean? It could refer to one of two things. First, it could refer to worshiping God in our spirit. The spirit is who we are, our breath, our life. To worship God in our Spirit is to worship God from the inside instead of just externally.

Unlike Israel, who didn't care about honoring and adoring God, we are called to pay attention to our attitudes and hearts and worship God in the Spirit. From the beginning, God has called us to worship him with our life. We were "made in the image of God." That means we were called to be image bearers. Our lives are supposed to demonstrate the ultimate honor and adoration found in imitation. Jesus did that. As Jesus was an exact imprint of God's nature, so should we.

How Do We Do That?

Romans 12:1--2 (ESV) --- 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Do you see that we are called to worship God with our spirit and lives? How often do you engage in this form of worship? That's who we are called to be. That means that we don't live for ourselves or pursue the things we would most enjoy. We put God first, and we love to do it. That gives him honor and praise as he is seeking.

How often can we give this kind of spiritual worship? Every day. We can sacrifice something for God daily, whether it's sacrificing serving and loving our brother, devoting ourselves to spiritual growth instead of hobbies, or being bold enough to stand up for the truth. We can all worship God in spirit every day. This is not just a once-a-week occurrence. Although the gathering of the saints is our opportunity to worship God through sacrificial service, it's an excellent opportunity to grow spiritually.

Worshiping In God's Spirit

The second way to interpret "worshiping in spirit" is worshipping God in His Spirit. In Acts 2, we read that the Holy Spirit was poured out on mankind, making it possible for us to worship God with a clean conscience and a pure heart. It also gives us access to God on a deeper level.

When we study the Old Testament about worship, we see that God wanted Israel to worship him by entering into his presence. He wanted his presence to be with them all the time.

Exodus 29:45--46 (ESV) --- 45 I will dwell among the people of Israel and will be their God. 46 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God.

Exodus 33:14--15 (ESV) --- 14 And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 15 And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here.‌

The relationship that God wants with his people is more profound than we might imagine. It's not about just superficially knowing that God exists somewhere. It's about knowing he is willing and able to live with you daily. That's what we see happening in the New Testament. Jesus was called "Emmanuel," meaning "God with us." God wanted to show us that he was not too high and mighty to come and dwell among men.

John 1:14 (ESV) --- 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.‌

When we look at worship in the spirit, we might think of that as focusing our minds and hearts on the spiritual implications of what we are doing. We make ourselves one with God. Throughout the New Testament, we see that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit want to be one with us. They want to be in us, and they want us to be in them, unified in our relationship. Worshiping in the Spirit means having an intimate relationship with God. Romans 8 says that the speaks on our behalf when we offer up prayers to God, speaking the things in our hearts that are too deep for words.

How Do We Do That?‌

Either of these are appropriate interpretations, and both are true. But how do we worship God in the Spirit based on this understanding? We need to develop a more intimate relationship with God to do this. It's not enough to bring God into your life when you need him or when you have a spare moment. He needs to be a part of your everyday affairs. No part of life should exclude God. If it does, you aren't as connected with him as he wants you to be.

Worshiping God In Truth

Now, let's spend some time discussing worshiping God in the truth. Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that true worshipers will worship God in Spirit and Truth. So what does it mean to worship God in truth?

Is true worship about keeping a law of assembled worship? If that is the case, which law should we keep? Can you show me the law that tells us how Christ's followers are to worship God? I don't see a 2 Leviticus in the New Testament. There aren't multiple feasts or sacrifices we are called to give in specific ways. There is the Lord's Supper, where we remember Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, and there are examples of an assembled time of prayer, singing, tongues speaking, prophecy, and studying. But there are no direct commands to do such things.

Instead, we find encouragement to have a stronger faith, hope, and love as we draw near to the throne of God through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:19--25 (ESV) --- 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

‌God is looking for us to draw near with a clean conscience, a pure heart, and a strong faith.

How Do We Worship In Truth?

So, what then? Should we just worship however we feel like it? Is that true worship? There may not be a prescribed worship method in the New Testament, but we read about worship failures. The top failure is to pay no attention to the truth of what God has revealed about himself and worshiping a god we create. In that worship, there is no honoring God. Instead, we dishonor him.

Hebrews 12:18--29 (ESV) --- 18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken---that is, things that have been made---in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.

‌So, some men might ignore what can be known about God and suppress it so that they can worship whatever they want. They make their god and call it the God of the Bible. But this god likes whatever they like, allows whatever sins they want to engage in, and rejects what they reject. These are not true worshipers. They aren't trying to discern the will of God. They are replacing discerning God's will with discerning their will.

Do we discern God's will and honor him in our worship? What God reveals to us shows that he is not impressed with the fancy light shows and incredible abilities of men. He gets more joy from heart-felt words than loud and entertaining music (Eph 5:18-21). It's not about breaking laws. It's about caring about what God wants vs. doing whatever we want.‌

Another Element Of Truth

There is also a falsehood to assembled worship that has nothing to do with breaking laws. It's about acting righteous and like we are worshiping God while just putting on a show. True worshipers don't do that.

Matthew 6:1--2 (ESV) --- 1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.‌

God does not want men and women who appear to love him while having an empty heart. True worshipers aren't focused on what other people think. We don't worship to be seen worshiping. We worship out of love and adoration that is genuine. This is what Jesus is talking about. He wanted a church that worships with adoration and not out of obligation. He wants us to honor him by putting him first and ourselves last.

Jesus even says that if our heart is not right or we have some issue that would make us unholy before God, we need to address that before coming to God in worship.

Matthew 5:23--24 (ESV) --- 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Is God Worthy?

The church is on earth to worship God. Honoring and adoring God is our life. We should worship him in our spirit no matter what we are doing. We can always put him first and bear his image before men. Is God worthy of this honor and devotion? Do we understand who he is and what he has done for us well enough to worship him with the right heart?

I love the Malachi text from earlier where God said, "A master or a father gets honor, where is my honor?" God has done more for us than any master or father. He is worthy of more respect and honor because he has done more. But he is also worthy of our adoration because he has demonstrated tremendous love for us while we were still his enemies. He brought us into his family and made us his sons and daughters.

After considering this purpose, are you ready to worship God with your Spirit and with a deep spiritual connection? Those who desire to worship God can do so without reading through specific laws. All that is required is a genuine heart and a spirit that wants to be united with God's spirit. You must submit your will to God's will. That's what God is seeking in us. It doesn't matter where you came from or what you've done in the past. If you are willing to submit and devote yourself to God, you can become a true worshiper of God today.