JOH 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

>>Nicodemus began to recognize Jesus as a teacher come from God by the miracles which he saw Him perform.

JOH 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

>>Our Saviour used this occasion to turn his attention away from the miracles unto the essential things which accompany salvation.

>>There are three occasions in the gospel of John where our Saviour used the word "must" to teach how absolutely essential these elements are to salvation. The first one is

JOH 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

>>This unconditional requirement of the new birth, i.e., to be born of the Spirit and of Water runs in perfect harmony with the second "must;" it teaches the immediate effect of the new birth which is to look away from self unto Christ, and His atonement.

JOH 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

>>It is only after these two unconditional requirements are met that we are able to please the Father with an acceptable worship.

JOH 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

>>This order cannot be altered—This third "must" respects God the Father for He is the object of our worship—He is the One who "seeketh" worshippers.

JOH 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.

>>There is such perfect harmony between these three "must" and the order they are brought forth.

>>It is only those who have been renewed in the spirit of their mind through the washing of regeneration by the Spirit—and who have Christ formed in them as the hope of glory—who can worship the Father acceptably.

PRO 15:8-9 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.

>>Whereas all acceptable worship must be in "spirit and in truth," we need to have a right understanding of these words!

>>Whereas the word "spirit," in verse 23 and 24 both come from the same Greek word "pneuma (pnyoo'-mah)" we need to notice the distinction between the two; the one is capitalized, and not the other.

>>This distinction must arrest our attention to the various meanings of the word "pneuma (pnyoo'-mah)." In the first instance it means "the human spirit, the rational soul, a vital principle, or mental disposition—or the Divine Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit—or spiritually minded.

>>The very first work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth is the renewing of the spirit of our mind, by the washing of regeneration with the Word of God.

>>Jesus' first words to this Samaritan sinner in V:7, "give me to drink," revealed her wrong attitude toward her neighbour.

JOH 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

>>In the attitude of this Samaritan sinner we see such an accurate reflection of our hearts by nature.

>>Our Saviour's remedy for a wrong attitude toward our neighbour was just the same with this Samaritan as with the Pharisees.

JOH 8:7-9 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

>>Now that she had become "convicted by [her] own conscience," her heart became filled with riddles—she had perceived that Jesus was a Prophet, or as Nicodemus said, "...thou art a teacher come from God," JOH 3:2.

>>Now she became concerned about the acceptable place and form of worship.

JOH 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

>>Where to worship was one of the leading points of contention between the Jews and the Samaritans. The origin of this confusion is found in 1KI 12:26-28 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:

27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.

28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

>>Now that her heart was wounded with the arrow of conviction, her mind became occupied with the acceptable place for worship—her question is again only self, i.e., what she can do to dull the sharp arrow of conviction.

>>When we become aware of our wrong attitudes, our first reaction is to turn to our own repentance, faith, and worship in an attempt to please God—anything outside of the perfect obedience and sacrifice of Christ.

>>Our Saviour had pointed out that it was her ignorance which kept her from the "gift of God," but there were still two things she did not know—"the gift of God," and "who it is" that talked with her.

>>Where to worship, i.e., in what denomination? in which fellowship? often occupies the heart, but if we become joined to a church before we become joined to Christ, we may think the church becomes an acceptable umbrella to hide under—-This hinders many from ever becoming joined unto Christ.

>>Jesus did not avoid her question, but He did not dwell upon it.

JOH 4:21-22 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

>>This word "salvation" points not only to heaven, but Jesus was using it to direct her attention to "the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink," V:10.

>>As with Nicodemus, Jesus was drawing her thoughts away from all the human rational which stands between us and this Salvation as the central point of our worship.

JOH 4:23-24 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.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

>>See how interrelated our attitude is with acceptable worship.

PSA 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

PSA 51:16-17 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

>>To worship the Father in spirit is to have the mind of Christ.

PHI 2:1-5 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies,

2 Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

>>Worshiping in spirit is not found in emotions—there may be many tears as the result of a touching message—there may be much emotions excited by a beautiful harmony in a quire, but it is to please the ear.

>>For singing worship to be acceptable to the Lord it must come from the heart.

EPH 5:19-21 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

>>Acceptable worship is the actions of the redeemed.

1PE 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

>>"Patiently" suffering wrongfully is the type of "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God," whereby we worship the Father in spirit, i.e., in the Spirit of Christ.

1PE 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

>>To worship in spirit is to worship in the mind of Christ, but to worship in truth is to worship with a holy awe for the authority of God's Word as truth.

MAT 15:8-9 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

>>Modern worship is designed to please the flesh more than God.

ROM 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

>>God has revealed His reward for this kind of worship as well.

ROM 1:26-27 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

>>Acceptable worship is where the authority of God's Word is held in reverent awe and respect.

PSA 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

>>The saint's worship in heaven as revealed in REV 15:3-4 teaches the perfect harmony of thinking and oneness of mind which glorifies our blessed Father which is in heaven.

REV 15:2-4 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

4 Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.

>>That song of redemption in the song of Moses is found in

EXO 15:1-4 Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God, and I will prepare him an habitation; my father's God, and I will exalt him.

3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

4 Pharaoh's chariots and his host hath he cast into the sea: his chosen captains also are drowned in the Red sea.

>>The song of the Lamb is that which we find in REV 5:9-12 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

11 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands;

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.