TRUE WORSHIPPERS
INTRODUCTION
A. “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psa.29:2).
a. the word “worship” occurs in 105 passages of the Bible
b. 39 passages of the NT scriptures
c. 1st time “worship” is mention is (Gen.22:5)
B. There is no need for me to discuss who is to be worshipped. We ought to know that God alone is to be worshipped (Mt.4:9; Rev.22:9).
C. Even if God is the object of one’s worship, a person’s worship could still be unacceptable to God.
a. “will worship/self-imposed religion” (Col.2:23)
b. “vain… worship” (Mt.15:9; Mr.7:7)
D. There is only one kind of worshipper that God wants – “true worshippers.”
E. How do people become “true worshippers?” Jesus answered that question in a private conversation with a mixed-race woman & the Holy Spirit had John to record it so that we could know how to be “true worshippers.”
I. TRUE WORSHIPPERS WORSHIP IN SPIRIT & TRUTH
A. (Joh.4:19-26) The word “worship” occurs 7 times in these 7 passages. Of these passages, the one most often recited from our pulpits is (v24). Whole lessons have been developed on this one passage without even giving consideration to its context & what it teaches.
B. There is nothing wrong with emphasizing (v24), but a part of the interpretation often assigned to it is not true to the context.
a. “in spirit” – properly interpreted for the most part
b. “in…truth” – interpreted to mean the five acts of worship, but such does not fit the context (“acts of worship” expression not in the Bible)
C. What we can learn about being “true worshippers” from our text:
a. the place of worship is insignificant (v20,21) (this eliminates idea that there has to be a “place of worship”)
b. we must “know” the object of our worship (v22; Heb.8:11)
a. this puts emphasis on the mind/understanding
b. worship must be intellectually motivated
c. worship must be spiritual (from our hearts)
c. worship must be genuine, without pretence (v24) – in…truth” = truly worship
d. “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh” (Phil.3:3) - emphasis not on the externals, but on the heart
D. From the context we must concede that the performing of certain outward acts does not qualify as being worship “in spirit and truth.”
a. worship that is mere form is not what God wants
b. going through a routine in a specified manner is not what Jesus is talking about (no outward act can be worship)
c. the outward act is only the expression of worship that must take place in the heart
d. the Jews were guilty of “vain…worship” because they made their tradition the law & tradition in time fosters cold-heartless worship (just going through the motions)
E. People, who want to truly worship God, must first know Him. Next, their worship must be motivated by that knowledge. Finally, their worship must be genuinely coming from their heart without pretence. God is seeking such worshippers (V23)
II. OUTWARD EXPRESSIONS OF OUR WORSHIP
A. “Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness” (Psa.29:2).
B. In the 1st century we learn that Christians expressed genuine worship from their hearts in the following:
a. singing (Ac.16:25; Eph.5:19; Col.3:16; Jas.5:13)
b. praying (Ac.16:25; 1Tim.2:8)
C. Activities participated in that are not actually described as worship.
c. giving (1Cor.16:1,2; 2Cor.9:7) (separate from the communion}
d. eating the Lord’s supper (1Cor.11:23-26)
e. biblical instruction & exhortations (Ac.11:25,26; 15:32)