By Jim Golden

In order to answer that question we must first define what worship really is.  Historically it has been noted to include prayer, sacrifice, rituals, some forms of meditation, holidays, festivals, pilgrimages and dance.  In most contemporary Christian circles it is commonly considered that time in our Sunday service that is set aside for singing and is usually distinguished by the slower tempo of the music.  The faster music has traditionally been considered to be praise.  For many years the topic of worship has intrigued me.  I have studied the fourth chapter of John’s Gospel particularly to try and gain some insight, but have seldom got past an intellectual understanding that never quite satisfied me.  In chapter four Jesus is engaged in conversation with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.  There he makes an interesting statement. 

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. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

The phrase “True Worshipers” implies that there is a worshiper that is not true.  Here we are speaking of the person and not the act of worship.  God does not seek worship, but worshipers.  There is an enormous difference, which we too easily overlook much to our detriment.   I have often said that we are human beings not human doings.  That is not to say that true worshipers are observers only.  The difference is that everything they do is a direct result of what they are.  They do not do something in order to become something.  They do not find their identity through their activity, but through their intimate association with the Spirit of God.

Another important part of the statement Jesus made to the Samaritan woman was,

“…for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”

For years this portion of Scripture has been a source of concern for me.  We are told to seek God, basically because of our need.  To seek something could imply that the one seeking has a need.  Yet we are told that God is absolutely complete and for him to have any need would mean that he is incomplete!

I have come to believe that this is not the case when it refers to God’s seeking, especially when we speak of him seeking worshipers.  If you knew what God was seeking and were told that you should seek him while he may be found then doesn’t it follow that the logical thing to do is to position yourself in the place he is looking?  In this case it is not so much of a physical place as it is a state of being.  This “kind” of worship is truly different!

Recently, at a small meeting I was impressed by God during our “worship-time” that we often worship him to get close to him and have him pour out his power on us for any number of reasons.  Among them is the feeling of assurance that all is right between us and God.  Some other reasons might be to equip us for the work of ministry or for the receipt of the gifts of the Spirit or revival.  The various reasons can be as diverse as the number of people gathered together.  Then the Lord spoke to me very powerfully! 

You have got it backwards.  You cannot worship me to receive power.  I must empower you to worship me for apart from my Spirit’s power you cannot begin to know the God who is uncreated and beyond knowing.

I suddenly began to understand what Jesus meant when he said his Father was seeking true worshipers, worshipers that worshiped in Spirit and Truth.  The Father, who is quite beyond man’s natural ability to know, had made a way.  I think that it might have been what Paul meant when he said that his preaching and teaching were not in mere words of men’s wisdom, but in a demonstration of the Spirit’s power.  He was concerned that their faith shouldn’t be founded on the wisdom of man but on the power of God.  I used to believe that Paul was speaking of accompanying signs and wonders, but I now believe that was only a small part of it.  His greater concern was that their knowledge wasn’t head knowledge, but God knowledge.  When Peter received his revelation of Christ, Jesus was thrilled that it came as a direct personal revelation from his heavenly Father and not as a result of any natural human process.  “Flesh and blood did not reveal this to you.”  (Matthew 16:17)

Jesus said that he was the Way the Truth and the Life.  I believe that in the context of John chapter four he makes it clear that the Father is seeking people whom he can empower with the knowledge that comes from heaven which reveals who he truly is—The TRUTH.  These people he calls true (TRUTH) worshipers.  Another clue came when Jesus pointed out that the Samaritans didn’t know who they worshiped, but the Jews did.  We, his born-again children, are the true circumcision not made with hands according to Scripture.  Isn’t it time we allow the Father to empower us to worship him?  These children’s expression of adoration will shake the heavens as well as the earth.  No wonder the whole creation groans and travails to be turned over to these children of God. 

Having defined worship in this manner can you say that you are a true worshiper?  Will you join me in praying, “Heavenly Father, please do what you have been longing to do in your children.  Empower us with your mighty Holy Spirit that we may know and worship you.”  AMEN! 

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