Aren't you thankful for the truth contained in God's Word?? Without it
we would be led around by lies - lies others tell us, and lies we tell
ourselves. But praise God we have an absolute authority with which to
measure all else by! We're going to use that ruler today to evaluate worship
as we sit in on the Samaritan woman's lesson that Christ is giving her
in regard to this very issue. Last lesson, she perceived Him as more than
a Jew, she acknowledged Christ as someone she could learn from. I hope
you feel the same way!
John 4:20-22
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem
is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith unto her, Woman,
believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor
yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye know not what: we
know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
As she turns the topic away from herself and towards worship, Christ enlightens
her by teaching that where a person worships is irrelevant. You see, ladies,
worship is not limited to Mount Gerizim or Jerusalem. The Samaritans worshipped
what they did not know, they were ignorant of the truth; they had created
their own religion, just as man still does today! The Son of God is going
to tell her the truth and expose the carnality of tradition. The worship
of the Father is not confined to a place, not confined to a religion,
but is rather an action of the heart! Yet it must be in keeping with the
truth...
Verses 23-24
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. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth.
Ladies, how we worship is what matters to God! We cannot come to God the
way WE choose to, through various religions or our own good works, we
must come to Him the way HE says to! Our Father in Heaven desires that
we worship Him in spirit and in truth - the truth of God's revealed Word!
Worship is not mechanical; it is in a personal relationship with God.
The Bible says in Psalm 145:18, "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call
upon him, to all that call upon him in truth." What then, is the truth?
The truth is that we are all sinners.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
The truth is that sin leads to spiritual and physical death.
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
The truth is that salvation is a free gift; it cannot be worked for or
earned in any way. It is not found in religion, or in our righteous performances,
but found in the person and work of Christ on the cross - HIS perfect
performance, once for all! Salvation is a gift bought and paid for you
and I by the blood of Jesus Christ.
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.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
THIS is the truth that God wanted the Samaritan woman to know! And this
is the truth that He wants everyone to know! Have you applied this truth
to your life, dear lady? Have you accepted the person and work of Christ
on the cross as payment for your sins and received salvation? If so, when
is the last time you shared this precious truth with a lost soul? Surely
you know people who are trying to worship God through a religion, or through
their own carnal methods. Jesus gently taught this woman that though she
may have been sincere in her religion, she was sincerely wrong. Folks
worship what they know not, but God seeks true worshippers! His Word says
we MUST come to Him in truth. Any worship apart from truth is defective,
no matter where it takes place.
Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
When anyone calls upon the name of the Lord, they will never thirst again,
for there will be within them a well of water springing up into everlasting
life!! When Jesus shared with this woman the truth about God and the way
He wants us to worship Him, she decides in verse 25 below that she will
wait until the Messiah comes to find out for sure if his remarks are true.
Likewise, many people tend to put off the decision of where they will
spend eternity. Ladies, when Christ comes back, opportunity for salvation
will have passed. Not a soul should wait to find out too late what the
truth was! Remind them that God is speaking to them today…
John 4: 25-26
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called
Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto
her, I that speak unto thee am He.
Imagine the force that penetrated her heart and mind after Jesus said,
"I that speak unto thee am He." Imagine finding out you were speaking
face to face with the Messiah! Ladies, it is a powerful experience when
a lost soul finally comprehends the grace of God… What does scripture
say the Samaritan woman then did with Christ? She knew He was the only
one who could answer her questions and doubts, the only one who had ever
known all that she had done. Jesus would and did tell her all things.
What a surprise to discover He was so near… Her heart was warmed to think
that the Messiah condescended to the likes of her! With compassion, Christ
took the time to teach just one nameless woman the truth about salvation.
What could she do when she finally realized He was God?! She abandoned
her own understanding and accepted the truth of His Word and was saved!
John 4:28
The woman then left her waterpot....
Yes, the Samaritan woman let go of her religion, her tradition, her works,
her own methods of trying to achieve eternal life, of trying to satisfy
the longing of her heart by looking for love in all the wrong places and
wholeheartedly embraced the truth. By accepting Christ, her load immediately
became lighter! A woman who was wearied with iniquity and burdened with
guilt was now pardoned and set free, finding rest for her soul…
Matthew 11:28-30
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly
in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy,
and my burden is light.
Ladies, more spiritual progress can be made in one short moment of speechless
silence in the awesome presence of God than in hours of study or discussion.
Give the gospel time to sink in. After you have shared the essentials
of salvation, stop talking! Sometimes in soul winning, we have a tendency
to want to "talk" people all the way into heaven. Let God give the invitation,
amen? In a moment of silence standing alongside that well, having learned
from the Savior how to truly worship God, the Samaritan woman absorbed
living water into her soul. She embraced that fountain of life and quenched
her spiritual thirst once and for all! Praise the Lord!! Jesus love, concern,
and patience toward this lost woman paid off and a soul was spared from
hell, with many more to follow, as we will see in our next lesson. In
the meantime, how might your love, concern, and patience be affecting
a lost person in your sphere of influence??
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
