21 Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." 25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." 26 Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." 

Last week we centered our attention when Jesus encountered the woman at the well with the need of her heart. She was looking for love in the wrong places. She had many husbands and lovers but was “thirsty” for something that would satisfy. The discussion now has been narrowed down to the ultimate question of where, how and who to worship. What are you going to do with Jesus Christ? Responding to God involves spirit and truth. Much could be said about that, but one thing Jesus was making clear is that a time is coming when the places of worship aren’t what matters.      

I believe Jesus was pointing to the work He was about to do on the cross.  Because Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice for sin, there was no longer any need for the temple sacrifices of bulls and goats. Because Jesus is the ultimate priest, the great intercessor between God and man, there was no longer any need for the ministry of temple priests. At the death of Christ, the veil of the temple, Matthew 27:51, which had always separated God’s people from God’s glorious presence, was torn in half from top to bottom. The temple or the mountain no longer had significance.      

To embrace Jesus by faith is to have God in you by the work of the Holy Spirit. God is still very much present among His people, only now His presence is mediated directly to each believer by the Holy Spirit. In this context the word "spirit" refers to our own inner life, emotions, will, our heart that is yielded to the Spirit of God. One who worships the Lord fully, “Loves the Lord God with all your heart with all your soul with all your mind and with all your strength”.         

The truth of God is revealed for us in the Bible. We cannot just spout off what we think and what revelations come to our minds as if they are from God. It must be scriptural. It must be in keeping with obedience. It must be centered on the apostles’ teaching. It must move us from our desires to Him as He is revealed in His Word.      

When the woman at the well said “The Messiah will explain everything to us”, Jesus forced her to make a response when He revealed Himself. "I who speak to you am he."

There it is! God was revealed and she had to decide what to do with Him. Truth was revealed; now will she worship and give herself to Him in her spirit?           

Application:   True worship involves both spirit and truth with its focus on HIM, not us.

Prayer:   Lord, it's all about You Lord.   I come to You in a heart of worship.    I am longing just to bring something that’s of worth
that will bless Your heart.  All I have is yours, every single breath.   Bring me into a heart of worship where it's all about You Lord.   

Dale