The Real Heart of Worship

John 4:24 [New Living Translation]

"For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."

What is true worship?

That question seams to be one that's pretty high up in discussion in church these days right alongside 'What genre of music is "Right" or "OK" for Christians to listen to?'

Turn if you will and take a look at John 4:21-24. In this passage Jesus is talking to a Samaritan woman. For a little background, this woman brought up a heated issue of her day--the correct place of worship. (You can find her question in John 4:20) The Jews believed that everyone had to worship in one place, but the Samaritans believed that another place, where their ancestors had worshipped, was the right place.

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. -John 4:21-24

So what makes worship? Is it the music... the words of the song... the style? Let me make a definitive statement to say, I believe all those things are great. But I believe the 'worship' sessions we have today whether it's singing and dancing to fall-on-your-face-in-awe, these experiences belong better under the category of praise.

Praise is how we express our love of God in music, art, or similar modes. These forms are not necessarily (or specifically) worship. Art is expression. Praise is expression. Are you catching my drift? Music and singing is great. But understand that though worship can include music, it is not limited to it or defined by it, not by any means.

Worship is something I think of as a little differently. I can worship with a song, but that is only a very minor picture of worship. Worship means giving my life. The woman at the well asked a question regarding acts (or rituals) of worship; things that could easily be compared to your half-hour of music before service, but in answer Jesus gave her a picture of a different kind of worship, this worshipping in spirit and in truth.

Jesus said soon it wouldn't matter where you worship; the physical details would soon be unimportant, but that worship would become something different. It's a compatibility thing I think. Jesus explains that since God is Spirit, true worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Think about that for a minute.

Since God is Spirit, true worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.

Huh. So what does that mean?

It doesn't sound like Jesus was talking about your half-hour-before-service-worship-time, does it.

Now I'll be clear; corporate praise/worship/whatever-you-like-to-call-it is great. It really is, and there is huge power when the church of God comes together to worship him. But I think Jesus was talking about more than that.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. -Romans 12:1

'This is truly the way to worship him.'

So what is the real heart of worship?

Sacrifice.

Jesus made the greatest act of worship when he carried his cross to calvary and died for humanity; he gave himself as a worship offering.

That's ultimate.

Most of you probably won't be asked to sacrifice in quite the way that Jesus did. But worship means giving--devoting--your life to God as a sacrifice. Do you want to worship in spirit and in truth? Offer your life. Don't worry about physical acts of worship such as singing, playing music or dancing. A lot of us don't feel like we have the ability for those things. But if you would give your life, the rest comes into play. When you give your life, corporate praise sprouts from it. When you give your life, worlds are changed and hearts are touched. When you give your life, you've found the kind of worship your Father finds acceptable.