SUSTAINING WORSHIP

SUSTAINING WORSHIP
John 4:20-24

WHO IS TO WORSHIP?
A. We have read this text, heard it taught, maybe even taught it ourselves. It is a popular text. To often only a surface teaching is taught. The surface teaching is usually taught as (God seeks, or desires, to be worshipped, and if you are going to worship God you must worship Him in spirit and in truth)
1. This is not a false statement but it does not reveal all of what Jesus is teaching the woman at the well.
B. We need to look at the context. The woman states that there were discrepancies as to where God is to be worshipped—the Jews say Jerusalem, while the Samarians say in the mountains (most likely the place where Jeroboam set up worship when the kingdom divided)
1. Jesus tells her that she don’t know what she worships. He then teaches the woman that the time has come when God is going to be worshipped in spirit and in truth.
a. No longer in a place but through the spirit of man and in truth
2. Jesus tells the woman that the Father seeks (desires), not for any and all but for the true worshippers to worship in this manner.
a. Yes it is God’s will that all men live according to His will—in that they accept Christ, baptism, church membership, live for Him—
3. However, Jesus refers to a certain type of people that God desires to worship Him. He desires for true worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth. (antecedent of “such” is “true worshippers”
C. Now before Jesus how was God to be worshipped? In Jerusalem ONLY
1. Only those who went to Jerusalem were true worshippers—those in Samaria were false worshippers—before they could be true worshippers they had to accept the truth concerning worship.
D. Jesus ushered in a new dispensation of how God was to be worshipped. God still desires true worshippers to worship Him
true worshippers: In OT those who worshipped God according to how God commanded—under the law it was in Jerusalem at certain times with ceremonies etc—(they were in the will of God) In the New Testament those who worship God through His Son—saved, baptized, member of Lord’s New Testament church. (in a position to worship God)
in spirit: Spirit (πνεῦμα) is the highest, deepest, noblest part of our humanity, the point of contact between God and man (Rom_1:9); while soul (ψυχή) (seat of emotions) is the principle of individuality, the seat of personal impressions,
in truth: every aspect of truth—motive, manner— To worship in truth is not merely to worship in sincerity, but with a worship corresponding to the nature of its object.
1. In spirit—as apposed to worship conducted through rituals and ceremonies. In truth—as apposed to worship that involved types and shadows instead of reality.
2. True worshippers worship God in spirit and in truth. Worship should center in the worshipper’s own spiritual nature, moved by the Holy Spirit and focused on the unseen but omnipresent God (Romans 8:14, 16, 26)
3. Acceptable worship calls for:

a. regular and frequent assembling of oneself together with the church (Hebrews 10:25)

b. total dedication of oneself to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)

c. offerings of praise, good works and monetary gifts (Hebrews 13: 15, 16)

d. prayers for all kinds and classes of people (1 Timothy 2:1-3; Revelation 8:3, 4).
E. What about exciting services that amp you up?
1. The only part of the flesh that is acceptable in worship is the part of the flesh that houses our spirit.
2. God cannot be worshipped with, in or by emotions—therefore creative worship services are unscriptural—adding something to appeal to the flesh.
Summary: The Bible establishes that not all men can worship God, but only those who will accept God’s truth concerning worship—one who is a true worshipper of God. God desires true worshippers to worship Him in spirit and in truth. As members of the Lord’s New Testament church we are responsible to sustain the worship of God. We do this by worshipping God in spirit and in truth—anything outside of this is false worship.