Jesus Discussed Worship with the Samaritan Woman (John 4:7-26)
Introduction:
1. Let us first consider the setting for the information recorded in these verses. 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" [to bow down before, to pay reverence to, to adore, as illustrated in Psalm 95:6]. 2. In our lesson we are concentrating on the discussion that Jesus and this woman had about worship. 3. We need to pay close attention to the Lord's teaching and comply with it. Discussion: I. IN THEIR DISCUSSION JESUS REVEALED THE OBJECT OF WORSHIP
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 made of various materials (Acts 17:29), or angels (Revelation 22:8-9). C. Worship is only to be directed to God (Matthew 4:10). II. IN THEIR DISCUSSION 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 short time, Jesus was going to establish His kingdom (Matthew 4:17). 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.
III. IN THEIR DISCUSSION 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. This evening we will study passages that tell about examples of untrue worship. 2. We need to examine ourselves regularly to determine if we are offering to God the kind of worship that He desires. Conclusion:
1. Worship is a special privilege for God's people. 2. Worship provides opportunities: a. to express our love and appreciation to God b. to receive instruction from God's Word c. to make corrections in our lives d. to receive encouragement from God as well as brothers and sisters. 3. Let us adopt the philosophy that David expressed in Psalm 122:1.
