John 4:21-24

Jesus to the Woman at the Well 

True Worship In the Spirit

Ministry of the Holy Spirit 

Part II

True Worship

John 4:21-24

John 4:21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 4:22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 4:23 Yet a time is coming and has now come [now almost here] when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 4:24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” NIV

4:21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 4:22 You [Samaritans] worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 4:23 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. 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” NKJV

Woman

  This was a polite form of address like Madam. Jesus is violating several norms in their culture. First this was a Samaritan woman, second, he was talking to her alone. Yet the setting is a public place, where people might be seen coming and going.

       The disciples were very “surprised” (4:27) when they returned and saw Jesus was having a serious conversation with this Samaritan woman, something they would never do. The Greek word for “surprised” carries a strong meaning, as to be shocked, as something socially unacceptable. 

Time is coming

  A big change is about to take place, when the place of worship, either at the temples in Jerusalem or the Samaritan Mountain. A time will come where we can worship together anywhere, as Jesus said, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matt 18:20). No one will need to seek God in connection through a sanctuary with alters, sacrifices or festival Sabbaths—Passover, Unleavened Bread, First fruits, Pentecost (Feast of Weeks), Trumpets, Atonement or Tabernacles. We can meet up with God, as simple as praying the Lord’s Prayer.

What they do not know

  Jesus was very mild and gentle with the misunderstanding of the Samaritan’s, saying that they worship what they do not know. Almost excusing their ignorance, while telling this Samaritan woman that there was coming a new worship that would include all her people as worshipers of God. No race of people is excluded.

  The Samaritans were a mixed-race of Jewish and pagan ancestry, and thus not trusted by the Jews. They only accepted the first five books of the Bible. Yet Jesus knows that there was many good Samaritans, as illustrated in is parable of the “Good Samaritan” (Lk 10:25-37), which must have had a huge impact on these people resulting in many becoming followers. No other Jewish leader had said anything positive about them.

Salvation if from the Jews

  This is where the promises of the prophets are to be fulfilled, in the coming life of the Messiah. However soon their temple worship will be a thing of the past.

True Worship

  Jesus used the word worship eight times in two sentences. Describing a soon coming future, a new way of worship, not at a specific location or building dedicated to God, but in your heart. Now not by temple ritual, through a priesthood, nor through sacred times we are required to attend temple functions.

  The Greek word for worship means “to bow down, to prostrate oneself,” which represents humility, confession and repentance of sin before God. As Peter said, “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (1 Pet 5:5,6). Worship is a humbling experience, where we know our need, know our sins that should be confessed, where we seek the favor of God—all due to His grace alone.

We must worship the Father in the Spirit

  By the Spirit dwelling in us. Through faith in Christ, we receive the Spirit when we are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:6). In Christ we have “access” (Eph 2:18) to the Father, because He has sent the Spirit from the Father that “will be in you” (John 14:17)

       But more, this new kind of worship is emotional, heart based where love, joy, hope, faith and trust reach out to God from within us, because of the Spirit’s temple is in-dwelling inside the believer. The Spirit in us, causing us to reverence and love God.

  Jesus taught that “the first and greatest commandment” of all the commandments was to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt 22:39,37-38).

  This kind of love is only possible through the Spirit, because “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit” (Rom 5:5). Love of God, in the Spirit and from the Spirit, is the foundation of true worship, all other forms of worship spring forth from it. This is gospel-based worship.

Father

  This was a term for God that was not in use in the OT. God’s name was Elohim, Adonai, El, YHWH and many others. Neither Moses nor David ever addressed God as Father. From this point on, God is not to be regarded as distant, but close at hand and personally concerned about you, as a good father. But more than this, “Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father” (Gal 4:6). Through the Spirit, given to us as a “deposit guaranteeing our inheritance” (Eph 1:14), as adopted sons and daughters of God.

  Thank of what the Samaritan villagers thought about this woman, when she started to use the name Father for God. There would have been many confused faces.

Will worship God in truth

  That is in truth, deep inside us, not formal or untouched by the Spirit. 

What is the truth? It is “the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” (Eph 1:13). 

What is the truth? The life and teaching of Jesus is truth.  “I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

  No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Only Jesus can give us access to the Father, by redemption and forgiveness.

  Jesus sends the Spirit from the Father whereby we become able to worship God having the Spirit in us, and by the Spirit connecting us to God the Father. John says, “it is the Spirit who testifies [about Jesus], because the Spirit is the truth” (1 John 5:6). Jesus is the truth, and the Spirit is the truth because it testifies about Jesus, it is known as “the truth that is in Jesus” (Eph 4:21). Christ is to be presented through “the truth of the gospel” (Gal 2:5,14).

Worshipers the Father Seeks

  Since God is a Spirit, acceptable worship is to be “born of the Spirit” (John 3:6) and “filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18). To the Philippian belivers Paul says we are to “worship God in the Spirit” (Phil 3:3 NKJV) or serve God through, in and by the Spirit. Which is also called “His Spirit” (Rom 8:11; Eph 3:16) and “the Spirit who is from God” (1 Cor 2:12).

God is Spirit & God is Love

       We have been given two definitions of what God is. One from Jesus who said that God is Spirit and one from the Apostle John who said, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8).  Since God is Spirit and is Love—God is a loving Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit is called “God’s Spirit” (1 Cor 3:16), and it is from God Himself who “give you His Spirit” (Gal 3:5). The Holy Spirit is the means by which God brings His love to us, on a personal level. When public worship includes love, received from the Spirit into the lives and hearts of those assembled for prayer and praise—this is the kind of worship the Father seeks.

New kind of Worship—Not temple Based

  God is now to be approached by faith, not by temple services, sacrifices or temple priesthood. Meaning that there is only one way to worship God. Only one way is acceptable to God. This is a new requirement not mentioned before as necessary in OT times.

  Our spiritual devotions, our private and public prayers are to be with the Spirit toward God our Father. The Spirit is in reference to the Holy Spirit creating a genuine worship from the inside, as Jesus said that the Spirit “dwells [abide] with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). “The Spirit gives life” (John 6:63), imparts to us spiritual life, because it is Spirit generated worship.

  After Pentecost a new form of worship was inaugurated. Worship of God is no longer temple based. In this new form of worship all can approach God, through the “same Spirit” (2 Cor 12:18).  It makes no difference if we are Samaritans, Jews, Greeks, Romans, pagans, man, woman, slaves or freemen. Neither does the location make any difference at all.

  Temple-based worship is forever over. As Paul preached in Athens said, “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands” (Acts 17:24).

Consider this woman at the well

   She was given the highest privilege to teach her community these truths. To this woman Jesus gave truth so profound that we still study it today. Did Jesus use women to be teachers in their community. Yes, he did. Because that woman was open to hear what Jesus said, she still has a profound impact on us today.

       Jesus was asked why he spoke in parables, he answered “This is why I speak in parables: ‘through seeing they do not see; through hearing they do not understand” (Matt 13:13). The people were not open to hearing what he wanted to teach them, so he hid the truth in stories that would be understood at a future date.

       Consider this woman at the well, she was above all the rest of the crowds that surrounded and listened to Jesus. She was spiritually awakened to receive from Jesus advanced truth that he had told no one else. Did Jesus treat women as second class, not capable or worthy of being spiritual leaders? No, he did not.

The Samaritan woman

  Jesus gave the first description of NT worship to this woman of public distain. These ideas flipped her religious life upside down. To her was given the flagship of ideas that have created modern religious worship.

       With Jesus there was no racism neither sexism. Amazingly, Jesus gave all this instruction on true worship to a woman, who would be the lead teacher and evangelist of her village. He did entrust this deep spiritual truth and gave her understanding of it, not yet even understood by his disciples, to a woman who was distained even by her culture.

  Did Jesus use women in his ministry, yes, he did. He gave to this woman profound truth. She was not a disciple. She was unfamiliar with the disciples, for which they may not even have talked to her. She was given an understanding of true worship, soon to come. This is the only time in the NT that the expression true worship is ever used. It is repeated in an Angel’s call to the world, to “worship Him” (Rev 14:7).

   This revelation was given to a poor woman of profound family conflicts, which has engaged our minds till the Lord comes. “Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are” (1 Cor 1:26-28). This is so true in the story of this despised woman, that Jesus imparted a knowledge of true worship.

  This woman was the first person to learn the First Angel’s message “Worship him” and the location that where we can worship is anywhere in God’s creation, because He, “made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water” (Rev 14:7).

Written by: Brothers & Sisters in Scripture Fellowship

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