True Worshippers

Good evening everyone:

People say that when men that get bald in the front part of their heads it is because they are thinkers. From thinking too hard they use the front part of their heads and the hair is suddenly gone.

On the other hand the ones that get bald at the back of their heads, it means they are lovers. That one I don’t really know the reason, but people say it is because they are lovers.

Now, for the ones that lose hair everywhere, that get bald everywhere, those are the ones who think they are lovers.

Tonight we are talking about True Worshippers and one of my biggest prayers for us as a church is that we grow in our passion for Worshipping Him more and more.

The Bible says in John 4: 23-24 that: Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

God is Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Let’s find out how to become True Worshippers by opening the Word of God in John 3.

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

The passage is talking about a highly intelligent person here, a thinker for sure. Nicodemus was a highly respected Jewish Pharisee, 3;1, one of the prominent members of the high council, who appears to have become a convert of Jesus. He is mentioned only in the gospel of John.

Intrigued by the authority of Jesus and the miracles he was doing, Nicodemus went to see him secretly, at night, in a serious attempt to discover who Jesus really was. In the conversation Jesus challenged him with the need to be born again, if he wished to see the kingdom of God. In the following verses the Bible doesn’t give us Nicodemus’ response but it does tell us a few other things he did for Jesus later on in the story.

At Jesus’ arrest he strongly argued with his colleagues Pharisees that Jesus should be given a fair trial (7;50). After Jesus was crucified, he bought 75 pounds of expensive perfumed ointment for his burial, took it to the tomb, and assisted Joseph of Arimathea in burying Him (19: 39-42). Nicodemus appeared to be an example of a Jewish Pharisee who came to believe in Jesus and was willing to express that commitment publicly after his death.

Nicodemus, according to the general sense of the nation of Israel, thought that when the Messiah came, all of them would share in His Kingdom. In part for them being sons of Abraham, in part for their good works of the law and in part that the Pharisees thought they were the chosen ones in a religious and intellectual way.

Jesus says: If you are not born from water and Spirit… not meaning baptism specifically but meaning grace.

In continuation he says that flesh gives birth to flesh or human things give birth to human things, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit.

Jesus throws on the trash all the works, birth rights and religious and intellectual entitlements, saying you need to be born again by the Spirit through grace.