Life Worship

(John 4:7-24) For many Christians the topic of worship has been one of much confusion. Many have argued that worship is a specific act or set of actions. Some contend that worship is an attitude and that it doesn’t matter how it’s done. But what is true worship? After completing a study through Galatians, Ephesians, and Colossians I decided to personally study out worship. When first beginning to study the evidence came quite slowly; however, after time the Lord opened my eyes to what I believe is true, biblical worship. For many worship is a checklist of do’s and don’ts, for some worship is Sunday church, and for others worship is some sort of dance while singing. While each one of these things, when subject to scripture, are not wrong I believe that the method of worship has been seriously independent of scripture for a while. It is here that I want to preface this message with this: I am in no way promoting or demoting a certain style of worship. It is not my place to tell you how to worship, nor is it yours to judgment someone in their particular method. This message will be an objective look at the scriptures, from which you can make your conclusions. There will be some application, but in no way will I tell you that certain methods are wrong and certain ones are right. While I do believe that there is a right and wrong style to worship it is not for me to say that it is this way for all. So, today we will look into the biblical method of worship. John 4, a familiar passage many times is preached as a salvation passage, as it is. However it is through this wicked, prostitute that the Lord decides to deliver his greatest dissertation on worship.

I. Worship established (4:20-24): It is after the Lord has directed the attention to the Ladies sin that she states, “Sir I perceive that thou art a prophet” This was an introduction to her next proposition. This woman is determined to settle whether the Jews or Samaritans are right in their place of worship.

A. Worship is not through vain repetition (20)
1. “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain”: Here I think it is necessary to set a biblical background to what mountain she is talking about. For this we go the OT (Gen 33:20) we see here that Jacob establishes this altar in shechem [now known to us a Sychar] This would explain where the phrase “from out fathers” comes from. For you see this women was not talking about her immediate fathers, but the fathers of old (Abraham, Jacob, and Isaac) (Deut 11:29) Jacob built and altar on Mt. Gerizim, this is commonly believed to be the altar in Sychar/Shechem.

Jews chose Jerusalem out of recognition of the whole OT cannon  Samaritans chose Sychar out of recognition of only the Pentateuch. So for the longest time the Samarians worshiped at Sychar. It is interesting to point out that Sychar was the place where Abraham first built an altar before entering the Promised Land. This was not a “bad” place, but it was chosen subject to mans tradition instead of subject to Gods word (to them Gods law).

2. “ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.”

The woman at the well was trying to get the discussion off of her sin and onto the discussion of old by making this statement. The Samaritans and Jews fought over the right place to worship and this women thought that perhaps this prophet would forget about her sins and at the same
time tell her who was right; However, it would not be too long before even the Jews were not right in were they worshiped.

B. Worship is not confined to one place (21)
1. “believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither (worship) in this mountain,”

Christ uses very strong wording in place of the typical New Testament, verily verily. The words believe me have a strong sense of urgency in them. Christ is literally asking this women to put all of her trust upon the words that are about to be uttered. “The hour cometh” or, it has not taken place yet, but soon (when Christ dies on the cross) you will…

2. “nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.”

Even the Jews, who worshipped correctly, would soon no longer be bound to a place of worship. It should be of note that he responded to her inquiry into who was right by stating that soon neither will be. Oh what a privilege we have, to be able to worship neither in a mountain nor a building but in our heart.

(John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.) The Samaritans in practice worshipped God, yet they did not worship him rightly. Just as a note here, the manner of worship is as important as the object of worship. You can worship the Lord and yet do it in manner that is contrary to truth.

C. Worship is in spirit and truth (23)

(John 4:23 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.) “the hour cometh” the new dispensation is about to take center stage. When Christ dies, is buried, and raised from the dead we will no longer live under the law. “the true worshippers” the word true has the idea of being real, genuine, or sincere. AND the word worshippers is closely related to a verb which means: one who kisses the hand. The idea here is of a person who is fully prostrate in truth before the one to whom honor is given. Just as there is a true worshiper there is a false worshiper. You can worship in such a way that you do not worship the father. You want to worship? Then now is when you want to listen up.

1. Worship in spirit

Worshiping in spirit takes the location of worship out of the equation. Worship in spirit has the idea of “standing in opposition to rites, ceremonies, and the pomp of external worship” (Albert Barnes) Worship in spirit is giving ones heart in complete submission, as a sacrifice to the one we wish to honor. If one wants to worship their heart and mind must be engaged. No longer is worship only an act of external worship, but now it is of the heart.

1. Worship in truth

Worship must be done the way designed in the scriptures. Worship is to be sincere, real and true (John 4:22). We must be careful to worship what we know to be true. We can worship the wrong object with all our soul and be in sin. This is why searching the scriptures daily is so important. God wants to be worshipped by real worshippers who follow the Biblical method. We cannot choose to worship outside of spirit and truth. To do so is to deprave our God of his due honor. Matthew Henry said “The spirituality of the divine nature is a very good reason for the spirituality of divine worship”. You want to bring homage to your maker? Then this is the prescribed method, it’s the only method in fact.

Transition: So what ramifications does this have in our life? I believe they are 2 fold. One is in the area of corporate worship and the other is in private worship. Both of these are biblical and commanded, however how do we balance them. Is one more important than the other? Can they both be done at the same time? Is one easier than the other? These questions and more I hope to answer. To understand these two areas of worship we must leave the book of John and first look at Eph 5:18-20.

II. Worship fulfilled
A. Can worship be fulfilled at church? (Eph 5:18-20)

Ephesians 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, Wine controls the man. It controls his actions, attitudes, and affections. This is contrary to that which is Biblical. wherein is excess; this phrase has a large amount of dispute as to the translation of it. Most believe however that it could be translated as: in this is the path to abandonment of spirituality. but be filled with the Spirit; The word BUT brings about a contrast to the first phrase. Like wine the spirit is able to control the actions, attitudes, and affections of man.

While verse 18 can be interpreted as a literal “be not drunk with wine” (as I believe it is) the point of this verse is not simply to not drink, but to not be filled with anything that will prohibit the spirits filling of our life. In its context it tells us to be filled with no other than the spirit when worshipping.

1. (19) “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”
a. Psalms: This could be a reference to both the Psalms of the OT and also the psalms of singing in general
b. Hymns: Not a clear difference from Psalms but probably refers to spontaneous singing of Praise to God
c. Spiritual songs: Songs of spiritual nature.
2. “singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord”

So how can we sing aloud to one another and to the Lord at the same time? Does singing aloud make it impossible to worship God? The answer is no. We are to sing (it is an imperative) aloud in public worship. John Piper on Dec 28 of 1997 stated: “The Christian church was born to sing…The reality of God and Christ, creation, and salvation, and heaven and hell, are simply too great for mere speaking, they must be sung…” “The reason we sing is because there are depths and heights and intensities and kinds of emotions that will not be satisfied by words or even poetic readings…So, music and singing are necessary to our Christian faith (for the purpose of expressing things we cannot otherwise express).” The whole point here is not that we are to literally sing to one another; but rather, we are to sing aloud, because the idea of Christ is too great to be contained. No poem, paper, or thought can express the emotion of the love for God. Singing should be a part of our nature. Those who don’t sing don’t understand God. So whether you sing great or not, whether you hold a tune or not is not the point. The point is that you can not contain inside of you the burning desire to worship God.

The heart must be engaged for true worship to take place. The importance is both on the edification of others (singing one to another) and the expression of praise (singing in our hearts)

Let me interject here though that if we are to be in the spirit 100% of the time in order to worship, I would dare say that not many people have worshiped. We all have been in sin before, we have all had times that we didn’t want to be at church, there are times that we simply weren’t walking in the spirit  we’re humans, it will happen. There are 3 levels of worship, if we are in one of these we can engage in worship. 1) Those who are in tune with God, singing songs of worship out of a heart totally prostrate before God. 2) Those who want to be prostrate and have a strong desire to be right with God; Those who sing out of a strong desire to worship, even though they have some sort of sin. 3) Those who have been so long out of worship that there is that strong desire to worship again. The point though is to not stay here. As we sing, listen, and worship we should come closer to God and as a result of our worship, be changed.

Yes, Worship can and must be fulfilled in church. However one should take note that corporate worship is less that half of worshipping in spirit and in truth. Corporate worship is important but to only worship on Sundays is to engage in less than half of the worship needed. So am I saying that there is a part of worship that is more important that corporate worship? YES. For this we turn to Ro 12:1-2

B. Can worship be fulfilled in private? Romans 12:1-2
1. “present your bodies a living sacrifice”

The idea of sacrifice is of someone or something giving or being brought to a sacrificial slaughter. To be a living sacrifice is to be in total humbleness, completely prostate before your maker.
a. Holy: Without blemish
b. Acceptable: that which the Lord has commanded
2. “which is your reasonable service.”

This word service is more accurately described as worship and reasonable as logical. The previous statement is our reasonable or logical act of worship. By way of illustration lets say that the president of the united states of America entered this building today. There is a manor in which all people are to act in the presence of the president. It is only logical, or reasonable to give him your humble attention. How much more should we give our logical worship to Christ for all he has done for us?

a. “be not conformed” do not live, dress, act, or take on the habits of this world
b. “be ye transformed” a change in habit

By putting on a new, holy, and clean mind, when ones mind is changed he will then be able to interpret that which the Lord has for him. Presenting ourselves as Holy and pleasing to God will present to us the Lords holy and pleasing will for our lives.

Yes! Biblical worship is in private. The Christian who only worships on Sundays is giving less than half of the desired worship. God wants to be worshiped and sad to say most Christians engage very little in biblical worship. Worship is life! We are not required to be in the temple to worship. But with this there is a greater sense of responsibility. Now we are to engage moment by moment, thought by thought, action by action, desire by desire in worship. When we live in reality of this we will allow and not allow certain things that will detract from worship. The proper response to worshipping in spirit and truth should be a life completely separate from the world. If our life is like or of the world, if there is not a distinct difference, I would say that you have not worshiped, or you are not currently worshipping. Lets let the idea of life worship penetrate our thinking. By doing so every word, every action, every thought can and will bring worship to God. When you drink your milk in the morning, when you start up the piece of machinery in the morning, when you eat lunch, when you go to classes, when you drive home from work, when you eat dinner, when you interact with the world and yes when you come to church YOU CAN WORSHIP. Life-worship, oh what a great responsibility, let it penetrate your thinking. Let it change your heart.