Worship in Spirit and Truth

Woman of Samaria talking with Jesus--

John
{4:20} Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
{4:21} Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
{4:22} Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
{4:23} But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
{4:24} God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
{4:25} The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
{4:26} Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

How often are children raised to adulthood in a certain religious faith and they continue on in that faith like their forefathers, just because it's the way they were raised? It's part of their family tradition, it's part of who they are and it doesn't seem to matter that there could be something else out there. The woman from Samaria said that the mountain her forefathers worshipped at was good enough for them, and so it's good enough for her- basically. There is a contention that worshipping at Jerusalem is the only way to obtain salvation and yet to this woman it wasn't. How did Jesus answer her?

There was going to come a time when the mountain and Jerusalem wouldn't be the place to worship the Father.

Do you know how odd that had to seem to the woman to hear?

There was contention over which place, not that neither would be the place and here this 'man' was telling her it wouldn't matter, he was telling her she didn't even know what she worshipped. He knew what he worshipped and yes, salvation was coming through the Jews- he was Jewish, but that didn't matter. True worshippers will be those worshipping the Father in spirit and in truth, those are the worshippers the Father wants . God is a Spirit, and His worshippers have to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

It makes so much sense doesn't it?

People who would seek a personal relationship with God need to worship Him in spirit and in truth. All the traditions of man mean nothing at all. All the rituals performed, all the memorized verses recited they mean so little because they are 'things', actions wrought and the action God wants is a spirit to spirit connection in truth.

The leap of faith that soars beyond the boundaries of scientific logic, the unexplainable essence within us, the part of us that separates us from the other living creatures is our spiritual need of reasoning beyond the explainable. Our ability to have faith in the Spirit of God, to have faith in the Father, and in the Son of God. God wants us to worship Him in spirit with the part of us that goes beyond the flesh, beyond explanation.

The time comes, and is, true worshippers....TRUE worshippers worship the Father in spirit and truth and that spirit and truth is found within us, not in a mountain, not in a city, not in another human being, but in ourselves. It is the relationship we form on a personal level with God, by the grace of Jesus Christ and that is the truth.

They that worship Him...MUST worship Him in spirit and truth.

We know the truth is found it the salvation that Jesus Christ offers to us all and we cannot even get close to the Father without accepting the sacrifice of His Son. Spirit and truth.

Don't think you have to go to a church, that you need to seek out a minister, that you have to find some fancy clothes, or that you need to get a special cup, don't think you have to perform rituals and find God anywhere but between you and God in a relationship forged through the Spirit, made possible by the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever.

Men would have you believe there are many obstacles in the path between you and God. Satan will erect road block after road block to prevent a person from that path we need to remember God would not make it impossible to be with Him, we make it impossible by allowing Satan to use his many tricks to make it seem that God is unattainable. Satan would have us forget the cross, and Jesus coming to make God very attainable. As long as we're caught up in traditions, as long as we don't seek to worship God in Spirit and Truth, Satan is happy. So much of what people think matters in life, doesn't matter.

What's that saying? In the end you can't take anything with you. You come into the world without a thing and you'll leave it the same way. Our relationship with God is the only thing worth pulling out all stops to forge. The relationship formed in Spirit and Truth.

If you think about it, when we form relationships with each other we are basing them on what we perceive to be the truth told to us by one another. The relationship itself isn't something you can hold in the palm of your hand, but it exists in spirit. There might be outward evidences that exist because of a spiritual bond proclaimed, but when all is said and done, it is the belief of togetherness that keeps people together. The faith of togetherness.

On a much grander level we need our relationship with the Father forged in Spirit and Truth, in faith, believing in the togetherness created by God, making it possible through His Son.

Amen.