Worship: In Spirit & Truth
In this sermon, Stephen explains the profound shift in worship brought about by Jesus Christ under the New Covenant. He begins by recounting the historical division between Jews and Samaritans, highlighting their differing places of worship—Jerusalem and Mount Gerizim—and their respective understandings of God's law. Stephen emphasizes that under the Old Testament, worship was limited to specific places, times, and external rituals, reflecting a distant and external relationship with God. He points out that this form of worship was imperfect because it lacked true intimacy and was based on external observances rather than a genuine relationship. With Christ's coming, however, the nature of worship changes dramatically. Jesus declares that true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, signifying a spiritual, inward relationship rooted in the revelation of Christ. Stephen stresses that worship is no longer confined to physical locations or ceremonial rituals but is a spiritual act involving the heart, led by the Holy Spirit, and based on the truth of God's Word and Christ Himself. He urges believers to worship in spirit and truth, with sincerity and understanding, emphasizing that true worship is a life, a testimony, and a relationship with God as Father through Jesus Christ. The sermon concludes with a prayer for believers to become true worshipers, worshiping in spirit and in truth.
Outline of Main Points
- Historical context: Jewish and Samaritan worship practices and locations
- Old Testament worship: limited by place, time, and external rituals
- Limitations of Old Covenant worship: external, imperfect, lacking intimacy
- Change with Christ: worship in spirit and in truth
- New relationship: God as Father revealed through Jesus Christ
- Worship in spirit: inward, spiritual contact with God, enabled by the Holy Spirit
- Worship in truth: based on God's Word and the revelation of Christ
- Difference between Old and New Covenant worship: external vs. internal, physical vs. spiritual
- Practical application: worship as a life, testimony, and relationship with God
- Call for believers to worship in spirit and truth, true worshipers sought by God
5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: 6 And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:
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. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
