The Gospel of John III

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4. The Explanation of True Worship (John 4:20-24)

   1. The meaning of worship

      1. The word worship comes from worth+ship. It means to declare the worthiness of (Revelation 5:9-12).

      2. Therefore, worship is not limited to a place or the performance of a ceremony. Rather, it is an inward attitude of reverence and exaltation expressed by an outward act of praise (Psalm 29:2).

   2. The place of worship (John 4:20-21)

      1. Not Mount Gerizim

      2. Soon not to be Jerusalem

      3. But wherever God’s people meet with Him (Matthew 18:20)

   3. The character of true worship (John 4:22-24; Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31)

      1. Sane (John 4:22) – “we know what we worship” (1Corinthians 14:14-15, 26-33; Colossians 3:16).

      2. Spiritual (John 4:24) – “in spirit” (Philippians 3:3)

      3. Sincere (John 4:24) – “in truth”

         1. Matching our deeds (1John 3:18)

         2. Without hypocrisy (Philippians 1:18)

         3. Without falsehood (Mark 12:14)

   4. The participants of worship (John 4:23)

      1. True worshippers

      2. Sought by the Father – “the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

   5. The object of true worship (John 4:23-24)

      1. The Father

      2. God who is a Spirit

         1. Changed in most bibles with “a” being removed so that “God is spirit.” However, this denies the personality of God making Him impersonal.

         2. That God is a Spirit means that He is a spiritual being. He does not have a fleshly body. Therefore, He is not pleased by fleshly actions. A spiritual being demands spiritual worship.

   6. The actions of true worship (John 4:24)

      1. Praise (Psalm 138:2)

      2. Prayer (Psalm 95:6)

      3. Song (Psalm 66:4)

      4. Giving (1Chronicles 16:29)

      5. Obedience (Hebrews 13:15-16)

5. Special Notes: What the New Testament Says about the Jew [Does the New Testament teach us to look on Jews as Christ-killers? Is the blood of Christ still on their hands?]

   1. Salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22); Jesus came to fulfill the Jewish law (Matthew 5:17).

   2. God’s word came through the Jews (Romans 3:1-2); this includes the New Testament books.

   3. God’s gifts to man came through the Jews (Romans 9:4-5).

      1. The law – the basis for all good law

      2. The promises – the basis for all hope for man

      3. Jesus Christ (2Corinthians 9:15; Hebrews 2:16; Isaiah 9:6)

   4. The Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah (Acts 2:22-23).

      1. They accepted the blood of Christ (Matthew 27:22-25).

      2. But Christ prayed for their forgiveness because of their ignorance (Luke 23:34; Acts 3:17).

      3. Jesus was rejected by all men (Acts 4:24-28; 1Corinthians 2:8).

   5. The Jews attempt to establish their own righteousness (Romans 10:2-3).

      1. The example of Paul (Philippians 3:5-9)

      2. The need of all (Ecclesiastes 7:20; 1Kings 8:46; Psalm 14:3)

      3. The curse of the law (Deuteronomy 27:26; Romans 7:10-14; Galatians 3:21-22)

      4. The redemption of Christ (Galatians 3:10-13; Romans 8:3)

      5. The power of imputation (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:1-8; 2Corinthians 5:21)

   6. The Jews will yet receive their kingdom (Acts 1:6-7; Romans 11:25-27).

   7. Some Jews will come to Jesus as Messiah even today (Romans 11:1-5).

6. His Expression of His Identity (John 4:25-26)

   1. Her expectation of Christ (John 4:25)

      1. He will come.

      2. He will tell us all things.

   2. The identity of the Christ (John 4:26)