The True Worshippers
Study Text: John 4:19-24
Introduction:
- During the interaction of Jesus with the woman of Samaria at the Well, He revealed to us what true Worship and true Worshippers are.
- Worship is the expression of reverence and adoration for the living God. Worship is to show respect and love for God especially by praying, singing, and having religious services, with the sole purpose of acknowledging and expressing the greatness and supremacy of God.
- God wants all of us to worship Him in Truth and in Spirit. He does not want a selected few to do this. Every Christian is a worshipper and God wants us to live our lives in such regard.
- We shall be discussing the topic under three subheadings:
1. The Concept of Worshipping in Truth and in Spirit.
2. The Characteristics of Worshippers in Truth and in Spirit.
3. The Constraints to Worshipping in Truth and in Spirit.
1. The Concept of Worshipping in Truth and in Spirit:
- Worshipping in the spirit has nothing to do with our physical posture, instead it has everything to do with our innermost being.
1. We must be born again. Every born again Christian has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and it is the Holy Spirit in us that energizes us to worship in truth and in spirit.
- It is the Holy Spirit that convicts us to accept Jesus as our Lord and personal Saviour. And it is the same Holy Spirit who will direct and teach us to worship in truth and in spirit.
2. Worshipping in spirit requires a mind centered on God and renewed by truth. Romans 12:1-2.
- We cannot worship God in spirit and in truth when our minds are filled with unrighteousness and ungodly lifestyle. Instead our minds must be centered on godly and heavenly things.
3. We can only worship in spirit by having a pure heart that is open and repentant. Psalm 32:3-4, 51:17.
- God needs our hearts to be pure and to be repentant. Praise and worship towards God cannot come from a heart harbouring unconfessed and unrepentant sins.
4. To worship God in truth, we must understand what He has done and the only way we can understand His full revelations is by reading the Bible. If we want to know how truly God is we must study the Bible. John 17:17.
- You cannot be called or described as a true worshipper if you don’t have the knowledge of God’s word in you. Psalm 119:142, 160.
2. The Characteristics of Worshippers in Truth and in Spirit:
- The following are some of the characteristics of the True Worshippers:
1. Selflessness:
- They do not worship for what they can get out of it, but because God is worthy of it.
- However, true worship to God does lead to personal enrichment and enablement.
2. Consecration to God.
- The Bible brilliantly teaches us that God is to be the sole object of our worship. Exodus 20:1-5, Matthew 4:8-10
- Since God is to be the exclusive object of our worship, it follows then that we are not to worship: Departed saints, The devil, Angels, Any person, Any Idol, and The riches of this world.
- As we worship God, we must realize that God is Holy. Thus, we must approach Him in reverence of godly fear. Isaiah 6:1-8, Hebrews 12:28-29
- A true worshipper will not approach God in worship in a careless manner. It must be a time of reverence.
3. Gratitude and Thanksgiving
- Because God is holy, they will approach Him in gratitude and thanksgiving.
- A worshiping soul is a grateful and thankful soul.
4. A Life Pleasing to the Lord: 2 Corinthians 5:15-17
- Worshipping in Spirit begins with the life of the worshipper. The attitude of the true worshipper begins long before he gets to the assembly.
- Worship has a close and intimate relationship with life. Though, all of life is not worship, but our conduct and attitudes relate to our worship.
- A life of disobedience makes our worship unacceptable to God.
5. Healthy Personal Fellowship with God.
- Private devotion, prayer and moments of meditation in the Word of God, coupled with a godly life, prepares for a rich and meaningful worship in the assembly of the saints.
6. Heartfelt Sincerity and Concentration:
- True worship involves more than just the right external activities. We are to draw near to God with a heartfelt sincerity and concentration. Hebrews 10:22.
- We will be attentive and focused, and not have our minds on other activities by
developing a spiritual-mindedness; as opposed to having a mind focused on fleshly things.
- We are easily distracted. keep distractions to a minimum and learn to focus. Cultivate a deep awareness of God. Proverbs 15:3
7. Commitment to Divine Standards: Romans 10:17
- God had specified requirements for worship. Acts 2:42
- We are to worship according to revealed and acceptable truth, not according to our own wants.
3. The Constraints to Worshipping in Truth and in Spirit:
- There are several hindrances to worshipping God in truth and in spirit, some of which are outlined below:
1. An Unrepentant and Deceitful Heart (Acts 5:4-5, 8:9-25)
- In these two passages, we see the damage caused by unrepentant and dishonest hearts. The activation of faith begins with repentance of sin and belief in God.
- If there is unconfessed sin in our life, we are deceiving ourselves and hindering our worship. We need to come clean with God and allow Him to do the full work of Grace in our life.
2. Lack of Commitment to Effective Prayer (Matthew 21:13)
- When Jesus made his way into the temple at Jerusalem, He was disturbed at the marketing chaos and lack of respect for prayer. He turned over tables and drove the moneychangers out.
- Our bodies are the temple of God as well. We are to be a people of prayer. 1 Corinthians 6:19
- Prayer marks our lives because it is more than a ritual of obedience. It is intentional dialoguing with God. If we do not have a habit of speaking with God through prayer, how can we also talk, sing, and serve Him in worship? Prayer is a part of worshipping and can’t be separated from it.
3. Lack of Delight and Meditation in the Word:
(Psalms 1:2, Colossians 1:9)
- Scripture has much to say about the need for Biblical knowledge. Knowledge of God’s Word and His Ways in the world have a significant impact on our worship.
- Worship is more than emotional outburst and your feelings. A limited Biblical knowledge leads to shallow worship.
- The Bible is our map, and it helps us navigate deeper into our relationship with the Lord. The more we know of God, the more we can honestly know God.
4. Wrong Attitudes and Behaviours: (Philippians 4:8-9, Ephesians 4:32)
- Attitudes of ungratefulness, dishonesty, irreverence, pride, jealousy, and more also hinder our worship.
- We are challenged to think about things that are pleasant and good in the sight of God. We are challenged to have a spirit of forgiveness and preference of others instead of self.
- If we harbour this ill-feelings and negative thoughts, without ever giving them to God, we will find our souls drifting farther and farther from God.
5. Self, Culture and Man-made Traditions:
- We can let our own needs, convenience, and preferences come above God Himself.
- Anything we prioritize above God will pull us away from worshiping the one true God. When we conform to the world around us we lose sight of God.
- Traditions, Man-made or self-styled worship rather than that which God desires can keep us from truly worshiping. When we let forms, styles, facilities, or worship leaders become what worship is about, rather than aid us in worship, they hinder it.
- God is so worthy of our complete and undistracted devotion and love expressed through Worship. Let us rise above these hindrances and worship God in spirit and truth.
