My Worship—In Spirit and in Truth
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 03/01/2020
Foundations of My Faith
My Worship—In Spirit and in Truth
Foundation Scriptures:
The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:19-24 NKJV
1. The Father is Looking for True Worshippers.
a. The word that Jesus uses here—worshippers—is the only place this word is found.
b. It means: an adorer or worshipper.
c. The Father loves and adores us and is looking for those of us who will love and adore Him in return.
d. 1 John 4:10 KJV — Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
e. Under the Old Covenant, no one was able to have a personal relationship with God or know Him as Father.
f. Under the New Covenant, believers have the privilege of being able to know and worship God as ABBA FATHER!
g. We are His adopted sons and daughters, through Jesus Christ.
2. New Testament Worship.
a. We don’t have to worship God only at a particular mountain or any other physical location—even a church building.
b. He gave us a brand-new heart and now His presence lives in us! (2 Corinthians 5:17)
c. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 6:16).
d. OT—God inhabits the praise of His people.
e. NT—God inhabits His people of praise!
f. We can worship God wherever we are because we carry Him with us wherever we go.
g. Matthew 18:20 KJV — For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
3. You Can Know Whom You Worship.
a. Definition of Worship: reverent honor and homage paid (to God); to feel an adoring reverence or regard (for God).
b. God must be number ONE in your heart.
c. Exodus 20:1-3 NKJV — And God spoke all these words, saying: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.
d. Jesus declared: “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” (Luke 4:8 NKJV)
e. Matthew 22:37-38 KJV — Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment.
f. 1 Corinthians 8:3 AMPC — But if one loves God truly [with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, and grateful recognition of His blessing], he is known by God [recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him].
g. You truly love and worship God if you have great respect for Him and His Word (affectionate reverence), if you promptly obey Him, and if you acknowledge Him as your Creator and your only source and supply (gratefully recognizing His blessings).
4. No Idols Allowed.
a. An idol is anything that turns your heart from God.
b. People tend to want to worship things they can see.
c. Idols of television; movies; celebrities; sport; mammon (money and possessions); their bellies; etc.
d. Jesus said: “You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).” (Matthew 6:24 AMPC)
e. An idol can be material (silver or gold), but it is the idols or attitudes of the heart (self-will and un-submissiveness) that are the biggest stumbling block in a person’s life (Ezekiel 14:4-5 AMPC).
5. True Worship—From the Heart.
a. Jesus said, in verse 23, that the Father is seeking TRUE worshippers.
b. True worship is not a religious act of posture, stance, or tone.
c. Worship in SPIRIT: Means to worship God with your whole soul, mind, feelings, emotions and desires.
d. Worship in TRUTH: In harmony with fully revealed and attested truth, not in fallacies, controversies, ceremonies, rituals and offerings (Dake’s Bible).
e. 2 Timothy 2:15-16 NKJV — Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
f. True worship comes from the heart.
g. It is the heart crying out—deep calling unto deep (Psalms 42:7).
h. The Father is seeking people who will worship Him from their mouth AND their heart.
i. You worship in vain if your mouth worships, but your heart is not submitted to God.
j. Matthew 15:8-9 NKJV — These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
k. It is unprofitable to offer a sacrifice of worship from a disobedient heart.
l. 1 Samuel 15:22 AMPC — Samuel said, Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
6. True Worship Comes from a Pure Heart.
a. A heart that is pure and holy.
b. A heart that is ablaze—on fire.
c. A heart full of passion.
d. A heart full of faith.
7. Let This Month Be A Month of Worship.
a. Every day, thank Him and give Him praise for His goodness, mercy, and grace!