John 4:22-24, 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 …
The Samaritan woman, as in our time, knew the Christian lingos but lacked true knowledge of their meaning. Her forefathers worshiped gods (unknown) that were passed down to her. Jesus was about to introduce her to the true God: Himself. The true worshipers of God must worship Him in spirit (human spirit) and truth (God’s truth) without which, anything goes and that is dangerous.
God has magnified His Word above His name (Psa 138:2). That is to say, without the Word, we cannot truly know God and worship Him correctly. True Preaching empowers our worship and exalts Christ, the God of the Bible, rather than the god of our choosing. Therefore the Word is preeminent to every other form of manifestation.
In a church service, I prefer preaching preceding praise and worship songs, because “Preaching is not the end for those who are hearing, but the means to worship” (Paul Washer). In Mat 21:13-17, Jesus’ order of service began with preaching and declaration of the intent of the house. The preaching ignited faith to the hearers to be healed. The move of God exposed the hearts of the chief priests and the scribes and led the children to praise Him.
2 replies on “Worship In Spirit And Truth”
It’s indeed true that we worship God in truth and spirit. The reason why God respects his word more than his name. Thanks
amen brother. deeper understanding leads to deeper worship.