When Christians Worship

When Christians Worship John 4

- Read John 4:1-24

Jesus looked into the heart of a woman that life had beaten down. He looked into the heart of woman the world had rejected and that still made fun of her. Jesus looked into the thirsty, empty soul of that bright and thoughtful woman, and saw her longing for truth and holiness. So He gave her one of the greatest revelations about God.

Reread verse 23

An hour is coming, and now is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him.

The theologian Karl Barth once said, “Christian worship is the most momentous, the most urgent, the most glorious action that can take place in human life.” Evidently worship is important because because Jesus says that the Father is “looking for, that He wants true worshippers.”

Let me ask you this morning, “Are you listening? The Bible says the Father is looking for true worshippers. So here’s my question. Is He looking for you.”

I am not asking if God loves you. I know He does. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believers on Him should not perish but hath ever lasting life.” So, I know God loves you.

I am not asking if God wants you to be saved. I know He does, for the Bible tells us that He’s not willing that any should perish, but that everyone should come to repentance.

The question I have for you this morning is this. If God the Father is looking for true worshippers. And true worshippers are described as those who worship Him in spirit and in truth, then can you honestly say that God the Father is looking for you?

My friend, I want you to know that worship is important. True worship is important.

*** Turn to someone beside you and tell them, “Worship is important.”

It concerns me sometimes when we treat so lightly, the beginning portion of what takes place here each Sunday morning. We act, sometimes as though worship is not important.

The Lord has sent me this morning to tell you something. You ready? Worship is important. We know that for several reasons.

I. WORSHIP IS IMPORTANT

1. We know this from how Paul describes true Christians

Turn with me please to Philippians 3:3

> Philippians 3:3  For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh—

In this passage Paul gives us 3 marks of what a true Christian is like. Did you see them?

3) Do not put confidence in the flesh - Third, Paul says those of the circumcision, those who’s hearts have been circumcised, those who’s hearts have been truly changed by God. They do not put confidence in the flesh.

In other words, as we discussed Wednesday night, true believers do not count on their own works to get them to heaven. They don’t count on the good they have done, or the services they have attended, or the people they have helped to get them to heaven.

I believe most of us can agree with that. In Ephesians we read:

> Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

So, the third mark of a Christian is that he doesn’t count on his works for his salvation.

2) Boast in Christ Jesus - The second mark of a true believer Paul gives us in this passage is that we boast in Christ Jesus. What does that mean? It means that we are counting on Him and what He has done for our salvation.

Gene, what did you do to earn your salvation? Oh, I didn’t earn my salvation. Jesus paid for it. Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.

1) Worship by the Spirit of God.

Three marks Paul gives in this verse of a true Christian. Third, they do not put confidence in the flesh. Second, we boast in Christ Jesus. But, notice the first mark of a Christian Paul gives. “We are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God.”

You think worship isn’t important? Paul says, “This is one of the marks of a Christian. This is one of the ways you can tell if a person is a Christian or not, one of the ways you can tell if you are a Christian or not, that you worship.

I’m not talking about whether you sing or not. Anybody can do that. I can teach a parrot to do that. I can make a recording and have a doll do that. I am talking about heart-moving, spirit-including, thanks-giving, worship.