WorshipУзорак

In spirit and in truth

John chapter 4 contains one of history’s greatest encounters from the life of Jesus. It’s full of apparent contradictions, cultural anomalies and social awkwardness. And grace.

The narrative revolves around Jesus, a Jew, encountering a lone Samaritan woman at an historic well in the middle of the day. She’s a social outcast with a history of broken relationships during a time when there was enmity between the Jews and Samaritans.

In a discussion about drinking water from the well, Jesus begins to reveal that He is the Messiah and offers her eternal life – ‘But the water that I shall give [them] will become in [them] a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life’ (John 4:14b).

Interestingly the woman goes off on a tangent about the different worship styles of Jews and Samaritans, which Jesus redirects to explain that true worship is a statement of the heart rather than cultural style. He says that the Father (His Father, God) is actively seeking people who worship Him ‘in spirit and in truth’.

Wham. And there you have it! This is absolute grace whereby the non-Jewish social outcast is not only invited into the family but invited to worship God from her heart – as revealed at the end of the story.

Imagine this. God is actively seeking people to worship Him, not as a chore or a ritual but a privilege. Let’s join in with the woman at the well and celebrate the goodness and grace of God through Jesus Christ, from the heart – John 4:42.

Written by JOHN SCOTT