WORSHIPPING GOD IN THE SPIRIT AND TRUTH
Jesus said: “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” (John 4:23).
JESUS SPOKE TO A SAMARITAN WOMAN ABOUT WORSHIPPING GOD IN THE SPIRIT AND TRUTH
In passing through Samaria, Jesus met a woman who came to draw water at a well of Jacob. When he asked her for a drink of water, she told him “Jews do not associate with Samaritans.” Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
Knowing she thirsted for loving companionship, Jesus switched the conversation to talking about her past life of troubles with men. He told her in details about her past life of disappointment and insecurity with six men. She responded, “I can see that you are a prophet.” Believing he was a prophet, she said,“our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus replied, “ A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem…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.”
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” (John 4:4-26 ).
JESUS EXPLAINED WORSHIPPING GOD IN THE SPIRIT AND TRUTH
1. Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6).” Speaking to a Jewish Rabbi named Nicodemus who worshipped in Jerusalem, concerning worshipping God in Spirit and truth, Jesus said: “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 must be born again’ John 3:5-7)—”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
2. Speaking more about worshipping the Father in Spirit and Truth, Jesus said:
- When the Advocate [the Spirit] comes, whom I will send to you from the Father–the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father–he will testify about me ( John 15:26).
- I and my Father are one (John 10:30).
- Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9)
- The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent (John 6:29).
- The words that I speak unto you, they are full of the Spirit, and they are life (John 6:63).
- Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’ He was speaking about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified (John 7:38-39).
- But you know the Spirit, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:17).
- You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth ( Acts 1:8).
JESUS GAVE POWER TO WORSHIP GOD IN THE SPIRIT AND TRUTH
The Holy Spirit came with power, like fire, upon the disciples, on the Holy Day of Pentecost. The disciples began to boldly preached the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. Thousands of people were saved by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ; and they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2). The early disciples proclaimed the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ crucified and resurrected and coming again throughout much of the world (Acts of the Apostles).
BORN-AGAIN BELIEVERS WORSHIP GOD IN THE SPIRIT AND TRUTH
Do you not know Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own (1 Corinthians 6:19)? You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of Lord Jesus Christ dwells in you (Romans 8:9).
The Holy Spirit lives in us who are born again by repenting and believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. As believers, the Spirit inspires and empowers us to worship the Father in the Spirit and the truth.
