Worship in Spirit and Truth
photo by Rob Birkbeck on Lightstock.com
Do You Know What or Who You Worship?
From the start of civilization, people have been uncertain about who God is and what He wants from those who trust Him. The reason is simple.
We all have our own ideas based on our own reasoning, rituals, superstitions, traditions, and the influence and opinions of others. This includes people raised in churches and who read the Bible.
This confusion is illustrated in the story of a Samaritan woman who encountered Jesus at an ancient well. When Jesus—the Son of God—engaged her in conversation, her confusion about spiritual things was evident.
When Jesus revealed what He knew about her, she challenged Jesus about which religion was right—hers or the Jews. Jesus didn’t mince any words. He told her plainly, “You don’t know what you’re worshipping.”
Sadly, this is just as true for many today as it was for this woman.
The woman dismissed what Jesus said by changing the subject. This is a common tactic when a conversation about spiritual truth goes beyond our understanding or is contrary to what another person believes. But Jesus isn’t so easily deterred.
As the story unfolds, we see Jesus redirect the conversation to center on who God is and how He desires to be worshipped.
Scripture
The woman told Jesus, “Sir, give me this water! Then I won’t get thirsty or have to come here to get water.” Jesus told her, “Go to your husband, and bring him here.”
The woman replied, “I don’t have a husband.” Jesus told her, “You’re right when you say that you don’t have a husband. You’ve had five husbands, and the man you have now isn’t your husband. You’ve told the truth.” [vss 15-18]
The woman said to Jesus, “I see that you’re a prophet! Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain. But you Jews say that people must worship in Jerusalem.”
Jesus told her, “Believe me. A time is coming when you Samaritans won’t be worshiping the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You don’t know what you’re worshiping. We Jews know what we’re worshiping, because salvation comes from the Jews. [vss 19-22]
Indeed, the time is coming, and it is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. The Father is looking for people like that to worship him. God is a spirit. Those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will tell us everything.” (Messiah is the one called Christ.)
Jesus told her, “I am he, and I am speaking to you now.” [vss 23-26]
(John 4:15-26 GW) [Context– John 4]
Key phrase—
God is a spirit. Those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Reflections...
Discussions about religion are difficult for many reasons, especially when emotions are driven by opinions and ignorance that interfere with clear thinking. Terminology and traditions also contribute to confusion and fruitless debates that are more emotional than spiritual.
As Jesus speaks of spiritual things—living water—the woman is focused on what’s immediate and physical. This illustrates what Jesus says about God and worship. Worship is neither mystical nor religious, but spiritual.
Mysticism can be spiritual, but not centered on God for who He is. Religion, although not wrong in and of itself, is developed by those who create boundaries, traditions, rituals, and requirements for worship.
True worship is based on a personal relationship with God, not a specific action or set of actions. It doesn’t need to be accompanied by music, nor take place in a house of worship (church). It is spiritual and directed to God because of who He is.
When the woman dismisses what Jesus says to her about worship by speaking of the Messiah to come, Jesus reveals who He is to the woman. As the story continues, she appears to believe Him and what He says about God and true worshipers.
God is spirit—spiritual in nature, not human in origin. He’s eternal—self-existent and above and beyond the natural world. What is amazing about Jesus, as John’s Gospel reveals in the beginning, is that God stepped into our physical domain of life through the person of Jesus, God’s Son.
True worshipers—those whom God is seeking—worship Him in a spiritual way rather than with rituals and traditions. True worship is not bound or defined by human standards or requirements.
Those who would be true worshipers also worship Him in truth—according to what is revealed by God in His written word, the Bible. Jesus declared to the woman that He was the Messiah whom she and the Jews were waiting for. Although she was ignorant of the truth, she became a believer, as we see later in this chapter.
Digging Deeper...
What water does the Samaritan woman ask for, and why does she want it?
What does Jesus tell the woman to do, and how does this result in a religious discussion?
What does Jesus say about “true worshipers”? How are they to worship God, and what do you think this means?
How does Jesus respond to the woman’s comment about the Messiah?
Taking it to heart...
How does Jesus’ discernment about the woman’s marital status relate to what Jesus says about worshiping God?
What is Jesus referring to when He says, “…salvation comes from the Jews”?
Are you a “true worshiper” of God? If so, in what way have you learned to worship God “in spirit and truth”?
When Jesus tells this woman He is the Messiah, how does this reveal who the true worshipers God seeks are?
Personalize it...
God is spirit, and we need to worship Him in spirit and truth in ways that are genuinely spiritual, that reflect His true nature, and agree with the truth He’s revealed about Himself in the Scriptures.
Practice times of quiet reflection before and after bringing your concerns, petitions, and intercessions to God in prayer. Ask God to help you understand how to worship in ways that please Him.
