When thinking about worship and what worship is, many people think about outward actions, such as singing, raising hands, and praying. While these actions can be signs of our worship, true worship extends far beyond outward actions. You see, genuine worship is all about the heart. God is more concerned about the state of our hearts than any of our outward actions. At the same time, our outward actions are ultimately a reflection of the state of our hearts. If we want to truly worship God with everything in us, we must worship Him with our entire hearts, not just our words and actions.
Throughout His ministry, Jesus taught that God the Father is more concerned about the state of our hearts than our actions. In teaching this, He redefined what it means to worship. In John 4, Jesus had a conversation about worship with a Samaritan woman. Now, the fact that Jesus had a conversation with a Samaritan woman would have shocked many. Jewish people did not associate with Samaritans. Even still, Jesus went out of His way to meet with this Samaritan woman to have a conversation with her that changed her life. As He talked with her, their conversation shifted to worship. You see, Samaritans believed that the only place to worship was on a mountain called Mount Gerizim while Jews believed that Jerusalem was the only place of worship (verse 20). This had always been a source of conflict between Jews and Samaritans. During the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, the woman asked Him, “Why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim?” (verse 20). In response, Jesus said to her, “The time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem” (verse 21). Jesus was teaching this Samaritan woman that the location where we worship is not nearly as important to God as the states of our hearts when we come to worship Him. Jesus continued His teaching, saying, "The time is coming—indeed it's here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way" (verse 23). To worship God "in spirit and in truth" means to worship with our whole hearts, with everything within us. This kind of worship is what matters more than our outward actions.
Still today, God is looking for people who worship with their whole hearts, in spirit and truth. Will you commit to worshipping in this manner? Will you worship God with your whole heart, not just your outward actions? This, my friend, is the worship that pleases Him.
Read John 4:24 three times. As you read, reflect on this verse and the truth behind this passage of Scripture. Commit to worshiping God with your whole heart, “in spirit and in truth.” Ask Him to help you as you commit to following Him and worshiping Him in this way.
1Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”
21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!”
27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.
34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
