Worship in Spirit and in Truth

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Worship In Spirit And In Truth

 

We continue our study of worship today by looking at the way we are told to worship by God. Worship is a very important aspect of being a child of God. God has always shown His children the way that they should worship Him. That is just as true today as it was in the beginning. God showed us clearly today how He is to be worshipped. 

John 4: 24

 

The worship of God in Spirit and in truth is a matter of great importance and great significance, as is clearly seen in God’s word. Jesus even taught a lesson on worship.

John 4: 19 - 26

 

Paul preached a lesson on worship in Athens when he was speaking on Mars Hill. 

Acts 17: 22 - 31

 

The second recorded controversy between God and man was over worship.

Genesis 4: 3 - 16

 

The word “worship” is found 119 times in the Bible. When God discusses something once it is important. How much more important is something that is mentioned so frequently in God’s Word? 

 

From this many times being mentioned, we know that worship is a matter of extreme importance. There needs to be more preaching and teaching on Christian worship, because you look around and many places and there are people who evidently do not enjoy worship. Some show this by coming in late and leaving early. Some show this by seeming to be bored during the worship. Some even fall to sleep. Some show they don’t enjoy worship by not participating in the singing or the giving. 

 

Too many worship services start at 10 and seem dull to these people. Then the clock strikes 11 and the church gives up her dead. This should not be. We should be like David when the time for worshipping God rolls around. 

Psalm 122: 1

 

When we read from John 4:24, we read the classic text on Christian worship, and an analysis of this text reveals several things. It reveals the absolute necessity of Christians to worship. It reveals the action of worship. It reveals Who we are to worship. It reveals our attitude in worship, and it reveals the authority for worship. We must worship in spirit and in truth.

 

The word “must” is a modifier. Must means that something is required to be done, or we are required to have it. The Bible teaches that faith is a must.

Hebrews  11: 6

 

The Bible teaches that baptism is a must.

Mark 16:16

 

Just as faith and baptism are musts, we are also taught that worship is a must, as we read earlier in John 4:24.

 

We can no more omit the “must” in worship than we can the “must” in baptism or faith. The word “must” is the strongest word in English.  “Must” is heaven’s imperative – it is the Master’s mandate. There is no choice in breathing, if you want to live. The same is true about worship. there is no choice in worshiping. If you want to live spiritually it is a must. 

 

The word “must” modifies three elements which constitute Christian worship.  “Must” modifies the object of worship – God. 

 

“Must” modifies the attitude of worship – in spirit. 

 

“Must” modifies the standard of worship – in truth.

 

This means that the object, the attitude, and the standard of Christian worship are extremely important. They are a must.

 

Now let's look at the action of Christian worship. Webster defines “worship” as “courtesy or reverence to worth; hence honor and respect. An act of paying divine honors to deity; religious reverence or homage.”

 

From the word studies it is clear that true worship means that there must be participation. We must be participants, not spectators. In true worship we are not the audience, God is. Our aim, then, should be to please God.

 

I’ve heard some people say from time to time,  “I just don’t get anything out of worship”. This shows they have a false concept of worship. If you are not getting anything out of worship it is because you are not putting enough into it. Just being in attendance must never be equated with worship.

Matthew 15:8

 

Worship is drawing nigh unto God, not the church building. God doesn't accept just anything from us as worship. 

Isaiah 66:1-4

 

We are also shown that the object of our worship is God. The Bible brilliantly teaches us that God is to be the only object of our worship.

Exodus 20:1-5

Matthew 4:9-10

 

Since God is the exclusive object of our worship, this would exclude everything and everyone else as an object of worship. We don’t worship angels. We don’t worship other dead Christians. We don’t worship Mary, nor do we worship the pope.

 

We also are taught that the attitude of Christian worship is in spirit. New Testament worship is spiritual. Remember, in Christian worship God is the audience, not us. As such, we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices.

1 Pet. 2:5

 

We are to draw nigh unto God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith.

Heb. 10:22

 

Our worship is to be rendered with grace in our heart unto the Lord.

Col. 3:17

Eph. 5:19

 

New Testament worship must come from the heart. We are to worship God “acceptably with reverence and godly fear”.

Heb. 12:28

Matthew 15:7-9

 

So we must ask ourselves some questions. Are we worshiping in spirit when we sing,  “I want to be a soul winner for Jesus” – and yet, never talk to the lost about Jesus?

 

Are we worshiping in spirit when we sing, “More about Jesus would I know” – and yet, seldom study our Bibles?

 

Are we worshiping in spirit when we sing, “All to Jesus I surrender” – and yet, do not give as we have prospered?

 

How do we worship in spirit? We must prepare our hearts. We do this with prayer. We do this by having the proper mindset to worship God. We do this by getting enough rest the night before so we don’t doze off in worship. 

 

Worshiping in spirit also means that we maintain a worshipful atmosphere when we come together.

Psalm 89:7

Habakkuk 2:20

 

Worshiping in spirit means we will cultivate a deep awareness of God. God is always present.

Pro. 15:3

 

God is with us in a special sense in worship. As such, we should never let things become commonplace and repetitious. We should never let the worship become routine and just go through the motions. Put your heart into it. It also helps to study some Bible examples of worship. 

 

Finally, our authority for Christian worship is TRUTH.  What is truth?? 

John 17:17

1 Peter 4:11

 

A worship that was not done according to truth is shown to us in the Old Testament.

Leviticus 10:1-2

 

God authorizes 5 items of worship:

Singing

1 Cor. 14:15

 

Praying

Acts 2:42

 

Preaching

Acts 20:7

 

Lord’s Supper

1 Cor. 11:20-30

 

Giving

1 Cor. 16:1-2

 

All acts of worship must be carried out as God has commanded. We can’t add to them, nor can we take away from them. 

 

We must worship God in spirit and in truth. Worship should be the highlight of each week’s activity for the Christian.  Coming to worship should be top priority.  Nothing should prevent us from worshiping acceptably.