WORSHIPING IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
John 4:23-24
By David J. Riggs
Intro.
A. Isa. 29:13-14
1. The Jewish people were worshiping God, but there was no
real love in their hearts for Him.
2. God was sorely displeased with them because of this.
B. Lev. 10:1-3
1. As we worship God, He must be regarded as holy. He must
be revered and respected.
2. To worship Him after our own devising shows disrespect for
Him.
C. As Jesus talked with the Samaritan woman at the well, he gave a
simple and comprehensive statement regarding worship. John
4:24
1. Thus, worshiping God acceptably involves worshiping "in
spirit and truth."
I. TO WORSHIP GOD "IN SPIRIT" INVOLVES AT LEAST TWO THINGS.
A. It involves "spiritual worship."
1. Jesus said, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must
worship in spirit..."; therefore, the worship of Him should
be "spiritual" in keeping with His nature.
2. In context (John 4:19-23), Jesus made a contrast between
that which is physical and the coming true worship.
3. This principle is taught elsewhere in the New Testament.
Rom. 12:1
a. "A living sacrifice" - Dead sacrifices were offered in
the O.T. (dead animals).
(1) In the N.T. we give our living, breathing bodies.
We keep our bodies pure (free from sin) and we
give bodies in service (wholly committed to the
Lord).
b. "Reasonable service" ("spiritual" ASV) Vine -
"...Pertaining to the reasoning facilities; the sacrifice
is to be intelligent in contrast to those offered by
ritual and compulsion."
c. In Heb. 9:1-10, the writer gives a contrast between O.T.
and N.T. worship.
(1) The O.T. worship consisted of: A physical structure
(the tabernacle), special clothing for priests,
lampstands, burning of incense, instruments of
music, and animal sacrifices. All of these had to do
with the physical.
(2) The New Testament worship, however, has to do
with the inward part of man, his spiritual makeup.
d. God's temple is spiritual, made up of individuals.
(1) All Christians are priests who offer up spiritual
sacrifices.
(2) Our prayers are as sweet incense rising up to God.
(3) Our music is making melody in the heart.
B. Secondly, worshiping God "in spirit" involves worshiping with
the right disposition.
1. The worship of God must come from the heart, with genuine
love in our hearts for God.
2. We need to think of God as a person. He is not some
mysterious force somewhere out there in the universe, but is
a real living Being who seeks our love and adoration. John
4:23
3. The Jews, as well as many today, had no problem with
worshiping, but not with true concern for God.
a. Their worship became a tool by which they exalted
themselves. Matt. 6:2
b. Thus, all their works were a means to be noticed and
praised by men. Matt. 23:5
c. They continued to comply with all the outward
ordinances, but not for the right purpose, to glorify and
praise God.
d. The prophets boldly condemned such practices. Amos
5:21-24; Ezek. 33:31
(1) When performed without the heart, even the "savored"
festivals and offerings were despised by the Lord.
4. We need to be careful lest we give only an outward worship.
a. As Christians we need to be aware of the danger of just
going through the mere mechanics of worship.
b. This can be well illustrated as we partake of the Lord's
Supper. 1 Cor. 11:27-29
c. We need strong motivation to make our worship to God
what it ought to be.
d. A frog was caught in a deep rut on a muddy road, so the
fable goes. In spite of the help of his friends, he
couldn't get out. They finally left him there in despair.
The next day one of his friends saw him hopping about
outside the rut as chipper as could be. "What are you
doing here? I thought you couldn't get out" said the
friend. "I couldn't," the frog replied, "but when I saw a
big truck coming down the road, I was powerfully
motivated to get out."
e. The reason we often don't act properly is because we
lack the will and motivation to do so. Consider these
strong motivating forces:
(1) Love - The love of Christ constrains us. 2 Cor.
5:14; Eph. 3:19
(2) Fear - The fear of going to hell motivates us. Luke
12:4-5; Matt. 5:29-30
II. TO WORSHIP GOD "IN TRUTH" IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT.
A. To worship God "in truth" means to worship God "in accord with
truth, as the truth directs."
1. The truth (God's Word, John 17:17) is the only authority by
which we can acceptably worship God.
2. Many people stumble (utterly fail) in their service to God,
because they are disobedient to the Word. 1 Pet. 2:6-8
3. Again, we use the Jews as a classic example of vain worship.
Matt. 15:7-9
a. Thus, they failed in both parts of true worship.
b. When one worships with the traditions and doctrines of
men, it is an hypocritical worship.
c. If he truly loved God, he would not use the traditions
and doctrines of men, and he is only a hypocrite when
he claims otherwise.
B. The truth authorized five items of worship in the assemblies.
1. The Lord's Supper is to be observed every first day of the
week in memory of the Lord's death. 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Acts
20:7
2. We are to give of our means as we have materially
prospered. 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:7-14
3. Prayers are to be offered in praise and thanksgiving to God.
1 Cor. 14:15
4. We are to glorify God in singing. 1 Cor. 14:15; Col. 3:16;
Heb. 2:12
5. The teaching of God's Word is to be done. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor.
14:23-26
C. All the sincerity in the world will not justify one act in
religion unless truth is present.
1. Today many sincere people are worshiping God without
truth.
2. An architect draws up a set of blueprints for a house and
gives them to one hundred building contractors and asks
them to build the house according to the blueprints. After
the houses are completed, there should be one hundred houses
exactly alike because all came from the same blueprints. The
only way the houses could be different is because the
contractors took liberty with the blueprints. If they took
liberty with the blueprints, they did not produce what the
architect desired but what they themselves wanted. We pose
some simple, but important questions, "Why are there so
many denominational churches with varying forms of
worship today?" "Is it not because they have taken liberty
with God's blueprints? "Have they not added their own
wishes and desires rather than what God Himself wants?"
D. The Bible instructs us repeatedly to beware of men. Matt. 7:15;
Col. 2:8
1. One of the saddest stories in the Bible is the one found in
1 Kings 13:15-24.
a. The young prophet perished, not by wickedness or lack
of sincerity, but by believing a lie.
2. We cannot judge a thing to be true by fellow men. The
young prophet took the word of another man, a fellow
prophet.
a. Elders can be wrong. Acts 20:28-30
b. Preachers can be wrong. Apollos - Acts 18:24-26
c. There are many false teachers telling lies today. Satan's
ministers - 2 Cor. 11:13-14
3. Believing a lie has terrible consequences. We must make
personal application:
a. We, too, can be deceived. Eph. 4:14; Rom. 16:17
b. Always test what is said. Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1; 1
Thess. 5:21
c. Read and study for yourself. 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:14
d. Never misuse or misapply the word. 2 Pet. 3:16; 2 Cor.
2:17
4. This illustration comes from James S. Hewett, in
Illustrations Unlimited, p. 159: "The setting was a cold
January morning in a little town in Wisconsin, on the
southern shore of Lake Superior. It happened to be the
Saturday when they had their annual dog sled derby on the
ice. A one-mile course had been staked out by sticking
little fir trees in the ice. The whole course was easily
visible because of the steep slope of the shore. It was a
youngsters' meet and the contenders ranged all the way from
large boys with several dogs and big sleds, to one little
fellow who didn't seem over five, with a little sled and one
small dog. They took off at the signal, and the little
fellow with his one dog was quickly outdistanced--he was
hardly in the race. All went well until, about halfway
around, the team that was second started to pass the team
then in the lead. They came too close and the dogs got in a
fight. And, as each team came up, the dogs joined the fight.
None seemed to be able to steer clear of it. Soon, from our
position about a half-mile away, there was just one big,
black, seething mass of kids and sleds and dogs--all but the
little fellow with his one dog, who managed to stay clear,
and the only one to finish the race. As I reflect on the
many vexing problems and the stresses of our times that
complicate their solutions, this simple scene from long ago
comes vividly to mind. And I draw the obvious moral: No
matter how difficult the challenge, or how impossible or
hopeless the task may seem, if you are reasonably sure of
your course, just keep on going!"
Concl.
A. Men have many differing ideas as to what constitutes acceptable
worship.
B. However, Jesus summed up true worship in one simple sentence.
John 4:24
1. Our worship to God must be a spiritual worship from the
heart and in accord with truth.
2. Without these, our worship is vain and unacceptable to God.
C. Let us strive to be the true worshipers of God.
D. History tells us that during the early days of the Civil War a
Union soldier was arrested on charges of desertion. Unable to
prove his innocence, he was condemned and sentenced to die a
deserter's death. His appeal found its way to the desk of
Abraham Lincoln. The president showed mercy for the soldier and
signed a pardon. The soldier returned to service, fought the
entirety of the war, and was killed in the last battle. Found
within his shirt pocket was the signed letter of the president.
Close to the heart of the soldier were his leader's words of
pardon.
1. He found courage in the grace and mercy of his commander-
in-chief.
2. Let us find courage in our great King and Savior who has
pardoned us, and let us remain faithful until the last mile
of the way.
3. May the Eternal God help us toward that end.
Chart #1
Consider these strong motivating forces:
Love - The love of Christ constrains us. 2 Cor. 5:14; Eph. 3:19
Fear - The fear of going to hell motivates us. Luke 12:4-5; Matt.
5:29-30
Chart #2
The Truth Authorizes Five Items of Worship in the Assemblies:
1. The Lord's Supper is to be observed every first day of the week in
memory of the Lord's death. 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Acts 20:7
2. We are to give of our means as we have been materially prospered.
1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 9:7-14
3. Prayers are to be offered in praise and thanksgiving to God. 1
Cor. 14:15
4. We are to glorify God in singing. 1 Cor. 14:15; Col. 3:16; Heb.
2:12
5. The teaching of God's Word is to be done. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor.
14:23-26
Chart #3
We must make personal application:
1. We, too, can be deceived. Eph. 4:14; Rom. 16:17
2. Always test what is said. Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1; 1 Thess.
5:21
3. Read and study for yourself. 2 Tim. 2:15; Heb. 5:14
4. Never misuse or misapply the word. 2 Pet. 3:16; 2 Cor. 2:17