1. Growing in the knowledge of Christ is an important responsibility (2 Peter 3:18). 2. To accomplish this growth we must "Search the Scriptures" (John 5:39). 3. This lesson is a study of the Lord's instructions concerning "worship" that He revealed in His conversation with a woman of Samaria (John 4:19-24). a. At the time Jesus was traveling from Judea to Galilee. b. During this trip Jesus came to Sychar in Samaria where Jacob's well was located. c. Jesus rested at the well while His disciples went into the city to buy food. d. While the disciples were in the city this woman came to the well to draw water, and Jesus talked to her. e. One of the subjects they discussed was "worship."
Discussion:
I. WHAT IS WORSHIP?
A. Worship: to prostrate oneself, to bow down before, to pay reverence to, to adore B. The meaning of worship is illustrated in Psalm 95:6.
II. IN HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE SAMARITAN WOMAN JESUS REVEALED WHO THE OBJECT OF OUR WORSHIP IS TO BE
A. Worship is to be directed to God (John 4:21, 23, 24). B. Worship is not to be directed to man (Acts 10:25-26), idols and images (Acts 17:29), or angels (Revelation 22:8-9). C. Worship is only to be directed to God.
III. JESUS SAID THAT THE PLACE OF WORSHIP WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE
A. (John 4:21) Jesus said that a time was coming when worshiping the Father would not be limited to "this mountain" or Jerusalem. 1. "This mountain" refers to Mt. Gerizim, where the Samaritans had built a temple and worshiped. 2. The Jews worshiped in "Jerusalem" -- their temple was located there. B. In a relatively short time, Jesus was going to establish His kingdom. 1. In His kingdom a new way of worshiping would be introduced. 2. This worship would be offered to God in the Lord's church. 3. The church would not be limited to Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem -- it would spread throughout the whole world.
IV. JESUS SAID THAT GOD DESIRES A CERTAIN TYPE OF WORSHIP TO BE OFFERED TO HIM
A. The kind of worship that God desires is offered "in spirit and in truth." 1. "In spirit": to worship from the heart, to be sincere, to have the proper attitude and disposition 2. "In truth": in accordance with God's will revealed in the New Testament. 3. This is significant because it is possible for a person to: a. put his heart into his worship without following God's will b. participate in the right acts without having his heart in it. 4. True worship is offered "in spirit" and "in truth." B. The fact that Jesus talked about "true worship" implies that there are other types of worship that are not true. 1. Illustrations: a. Cain and Abel (Genesis 4:1-5; Hebrews 11:4) b. Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3) c. The Jews (Malachi 1:12-14; Matthew 15:9) 2. We need to examine ourselves regularly to determine if we are offering to God the kind of worship that He desires.
