What God Wants Everyday

What God Wants Everyday

John 4:23-24

Subject: Worship

Theme: God wants genuine heart-felt Christ-centered worship from each believer throughout each day.

John 4:23-24, But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. ²⁴ God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Introduction:

We know many things are done in the name of worship in churches and stadiums, but does God accept these sometimes-sincere gestures? What kind of worship is acceptable to Him? Our focus should not be on the congregation whether saved or lost, but on God whom we presume to adore.

Worship basically means to “express by attitude and possibly by position one’s allegiance to and regard for deity—‘to prostrate oneself in worship, to bow down and worship, to worship.’ Mt 2:2.^[1]

Worship can also mean “to bow the knee,” suggesting more than merely the position/posture of our body….

Webster’s Dictionary says worship involves adoring, idolizing, esteeming worthy, reverencing, and giving homage. This indicates our definition of worship must encompass both an attitude and an act.

Sincere adoration extends into the very depths of our souls and far beyond external indicators. God’s Word contains stores of instructions about really worshiping God that clarify and expand our conception of worship. He patiently teaches us how to embrace true worship and progress on our spiritual journey.

Lesson:

Here are some critical facts to reflect on about “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24) requirement of our Lord Jesus:

Worship takes various forms involving lifestyle actions of devotion, service, and obedience, treating daily life as a sacrifice to our great God. In John 4:24, Jesus states: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth”. Actual worship is not bound by location nor merely external but is an internal reality—sincere devotion (spirit) rooted in the authenticity of God’s Word and His very incredible nature (truth).        

1.      “God is a Spirit”: We must realize that God is not tied to one location or place for our worship. As “Spirit” He is free of such boundaries and confinements; He can receive our worship from anywhere. Because God is not limited by physical form, worship is not restricted to specific places like temples, mountains, or even church buildings. Meeting with God cannot be relegated to a room, a chair, or a place in our homes.

• God is Spirit asserts that “God is not one Spirit among many. This is a declaration of His invisible nature. He is not confined to one location. Worship of God can be done only through the One (Jesus) who expresses God’s invisible nature (1:18) and by virtue of the Holy Spirit who opens to a believer the new realm of the kingdom (cf. 3:3, 5; 7:38–39).”^[1]

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^[1] Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 286.

1. “In Spirit”: There is an honest recognition of God and a reflective authentic response to Him. The idea “in Spirit” signifies that worship comes from the heart—real genuine, legitimate honest admissions—guided by the Holy Spirit, and is not merely external rituals, formal procedures and ceremonies, mindless liturgies, or ignorant conventions. This implies sincere devotion invading into the extreme farthest reaches of our inner most being transforming us into unrecognizable souls who treasure/value God most. Externally we reveal intense and genuine loyalty to the one true God partly evidenced by changes, corrections, and reprioritizations in daily matters.
• Jesus announced to the woman that from now on worship of the Father would be in spirit and truth. The Jewish people had reduced worship to outward forms and ceremonies. They thought that by religiously adhering to the letter of the law, and going through certain rituals, they were worshiping the Father. But theirs was not a worship of the spirit. It was outward, not inward. Their bodies might be bowed down on the ground but their hearts were not right before God. Perhaps they were oppressing the poor, or using deceitful business methods.^[3]
2. “In Truth”: Indicates that worship aligns with God’s essential nature, the true declarations of Scripture, Jesus Christ— “The Truth” (Jn. 1:14; 14:6), and the teachings of Christ. We must worship according to the truth of Jesus’ person and work, for He is the truth (Jn. 17:3; 18:37) and, thus, the solitary way we may truly worship God. God is revealed as the “true” God (1 Jn. 5:20) and the Holy Ghost is described by the Lord Jesus as the “Spirit of Truth” (Jn. 16:13). This truth about “the Truth” demands genuineness, authenticity, transparency, and honesty with God, ourselves, and people. While we are not perfect or flawless, we refuse to resort to excuses making real progress living for God.
• True worshipers are those who realize that Jesus is the Truth of God (3:21; 14:6) and the one and only Way to the Father (Acts 4:12). To worship in truth is to worship God through Jesus.^[4]
• In spirit and truth…. This is what matters, not where, but how (in reality, in the spirit of man, the highest part of man, and so in truth). All this is according to the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:5) who is the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). Here Jesus has said the final word on worship….^[5]
3. The Father’s Expectations: The Father seeks (like a shepherd pursues a lost sheep, like a farmer expects fruit, or like an investor requires ROI) such genuine adoration. 
• The Father is seeking true worshipers because He wants people to live in reality, not in falsehood. Everybody is a worshiper (Rom. 1:25) but because of sin many are blind and constantly put their trust in worthless objects.^[6]

Christ ideas contrasts with rigid, traditional, or location-based worship, focusing instead on a personal, authentic connection to God. 

Conclusion:

Unfortunately, many people offer God ‘worship’ that satisfies their cultural ideas, and this can be seen in churches and large auditoriums. Churches also have programed the ‘worship services’ to be more people centered omitting the fact that it is God we have gathered to worship. While some of the cultural ideas are acceptable, we must note carefully what God himself stated as a requirement. 

Because God is spirit, we as genuine worshippers must connect with Him sincerely through the Holy Spirit and in accordance with the truth of Jesus’s teachings. Let us freely give God our Father precisely what he is looking for: genuine heart-felt Christ-centered worship from each one of us believers throughout each day He gives us to glorify Him.

As a means of establishing intimate fellowship with God, worship is a necessary element of our faith. Focus your mind and heart on God with clear Bible statements and worship Him accordingly. Jesus stipulates that we worship in “Spirit and in truth” to access the power of the Holy Spirit and the truth of Scripture.

Beloved, a serious way to respect and adore God is authentic worship. This is the very essence of our connection with Him. Give God your love and respect, expressing your appreciation for His majesty. Worship Him with sincerity and delight; let worship change your relationship with Him and with others.

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^[1] Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 539.

^[2] Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 286.

^[3] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1485.

^[4] Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 286.

^[5] A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 4:23.

^[6] Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 286.