True Worship

The discussion was about worship. She said her people worshiped on the mountain, but his people worshiped in a building in a certain city.

Their conversation happened 2000 years ago, but it continues today. Different people, same focus. One says you have to be in church or that church to worship. Another says, “No, I worship just fine out in the woods, in nature.” Still others insist the music must be old hymns or they cannot worship, or the children have to be downstairs in ‘junior church’ so they are not a distraction to worship, or the minister must wear robes, or at least a suit and tie, and the organ must be playing, or not. Others say they cannot worship unless they lift their arms, or stomp their feet, or jump up and down, but they are opposed by those who say they cannot worship with all that distraction.

In one part of Africa, where you’d think this discussion does not happen, it does. One group says their music must be brass instruments, or they cannot worship. All over the world, worship styles vary and many insist their way is the only way.

In that discussion 2000 years ago, Jesus is talking with a Samaritan woman. Her ancestry were ethnically Jews who lived in ancient Samaria from the Babylonian Exile up to the beginning of the Christian era, but their name came from a term meaning “keepers of the law.” Their religion was based on the Torah and they claimed they had the true faith as opposed to mainstream Judaism. However, the Jews in Jesus’ day considered them no better than dogs.

Instead of getting into a Jew vs. Samaritan religious argument, Jesus said, “Believe Me, the hours is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 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. God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Jesus was clear; the place doesn’t matter. The mode or form or tradition doesn’t matter either. What matters is the spirit, the inner part of my heart where I can connect with God.

And I can connect, not because I’m in a certain building, or awed by creation, or charmed by music, or hyped by enthusiasm, but because the hour came when Jesus revealed Himself to me as the Messiah, just as He did to this Samaritan woman. He is the Savior sent by God (through the Jews) to take away the sin of the world, and He forgave and took away my sin.

Jesus set my heart free from law-keeping to please God, free from rules and regulations to please God (or are those to please other people?) and free from traditions that scold me into worshiping in this place or that, with these clothes or that, with this music or that. Because of Jesus, I can worship God sitting at my computer, while I’m washing dishes, going for a walk, taking out the garbage, anytime, anywhere.

Jesus said to worship in spirit and in truth. I know the grandeur of God. I know that I can worship while occupied in the ordinary things or places of life and not demean Him. He is greater than anything I do or don’t do so my worship style cannot possibly alter who He is, but as I worship in the truth of Jesus Christ, my spirit is joined by His Spirit in great freedom and grand Hallelujahs and He alters who I am.