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John 4:20-24 - Lesson #40 |
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| Jesus revealed the issue which was keeping the Samaritan woman from seeing past her physical needs and desires. As difficult as it is to be confronted with sin, it is the one issue which brings us face to face with the true Savior and His message of forgiveness, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet" (John 4:19). However, any beginning of understanding quickly faded into a defensive debate. |
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| John 4:20-24 |
| "'Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.'" |
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| The Samaritan woman employed the old confrontation tactic of diverting the argument. Seeing that her sin was exposed, her immediate defense was to bring up a theological question which had been argued for hundreds of years. It grieves me to reflect on how many heated arguments there are today about things like Spiritual gifts, the end times, eternal security and free will, and yet so little talk about Jesus dying for the forgiveness of sin so we can be brought back to a loving relationship with God for all eternity. |
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| The issue of the day between the Samaritans and Jews was the proper place to worship. Before the Israelites first entered the land of Canaan - approximately 1400 years before Christ - God gave instruction through Moses that there was to be an established place of worship; "you shall seek the place where the Lord your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go" (Deuteronomy 12:5). |
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| Since Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem, the Jews believed this was the place to forever worship God. The Samaritans believed the location for proper worship was the Mountain from which blessings were given; "These shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you have crossed over the Jordan" (Deuteronomy 27:12). As is usually the case, both sides used scripture to support their position. |
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| But rather than even engaging in the debate - rather than beating her down - Jesus takes the woman to a higher level by telling her the real issue is not about where, but about Who. Jesus was not concerned with where or how the woman worshipped, only that she knew the One to Whom worship was due. |
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| Our Father is to be worshipped from a pure heart whenever and wherever we go. Let's embrace the gospel, embrace the Savior, and with this as our intense focus, worship God in Spirit and in truth. |
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| Steve Troxel |
| God's Daily Word Ministries |
