Worship In Spirit and In Truth
In the last session, I discussed the purpose of the church: devoted to the Apostle’s teaching, fellowship and prayer. This session I wanted to talk about the true purpose of the church and our lives for that matter – to worship God. In His conversation with the woman at the well, Jesus informs us that all true worshipers worship God in "spirit and in truth." That is, true worship takes place on the inside, in the heart or spirit of the worshiper. Worship pleasing to God must not be pretentious, but transparent, offered with a humble and pure heart. Isaiah the prophet puts it this way, Isa 66:2 “This is the one I esteem; he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” The true worship of God is fundamentally a matter of the heart and spirit rooted in the knowledge of and obedience to the revealed Word of God.
God, the Father of heaven, warrants the worship and devotion of His people both for who He is and for what He does. He is worthy of our worship and praise! God merits worship because in His imminent presence He can answer those who call upon Him and forgive their wrongdoings. He is able to “save to the uttermost”. God’s work of redemption is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ and the Scriptures.
The psalmist states proper worship perfectly when he wrote Ps 100:4-5: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Again, the psalmist writes in Ps 119:171-175: “May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.”
Our reaction to the faithfulness of God must properly be one of praise. When the resurrected Lord appeared to the disciples and Thomas was not among them, he stated that he would not believe in the resurrection unless he could put his hand into the wound in Jesus’ side. Sometime later Christ appears to Thomas and his response was one of praise – Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" John 20:28. While our experience may not be as miraculous as the appearance of the risen Lord, we still must acknowledge His presence and power in our lives. Praise be to our living God and Savior – Jesus Christ.
Many have told me over the years that they didn’t need to come to church to worship God. My response is usually, “but do you?” What are you doing to worship God during this time when the church body is unable to meet? Can you worship the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in your home? Absolutely! Give Him honor and glory as you reflect upon the beauty of His love for you.