Sermon Synopsis for October 5, 2008

“Connecting With God” John 4:19-26

I'm think I’m giving up going to sporting events. Here are my 11 excuses:
1. Every time I went, they asked for money.
2. The people I sat next to didn't seem friendly.
3. The seats were too hard and not comfortable at all.
4. I went to many games but the coach never came to call on me.
5. The referees made decisions that I couldn't agree with.
6. The game went into overtime and I was late getting home.
7. The band played numbers I'd never heard before and it wasn't my style of music.
8. It seems the games are always scheduled when I want to do other things.
9. I suspect that I was sitting next to some hypocrites. They came to see their friends and they talked during the whole game.
10. I was taken to too many games by my parents when I was growing up.
11. I hate to wait in the traffic jam in the parking lot after the game. – Source Unknown

True worship is a transforming experience, and is certainly a mark of a revived church or believer. The real tragedy is that any church can be in revival all the time. The opportunity for true worship at any service is there, we just need to enter into worship in the right way.

Last week I spoke about change and doing things different in the church.
7 last words of the church: “But we never did it that way.”

Characteristic of a healthy church #5: A healthy church has inspiring worship services.

According to the Natural Church Development study, the different forms & styles of worship didn’t affect the level of inspiration. Something internal made it meaningful.

I asked the worship team to make sure today’s worship was inspiring?
How do you do that? It depends on so many things? You can’t force people to worship.
The pressure is on!

People are passionate about worship
Churches have divided over worship:
- Raising hands / clapping
- Quiet and reverent / loud and jubilant
- Instruments / which instruments
- Men on one side / women on other
- Time to worship?

Our Confession of Faith has casual mentions of worship, worship services are assumed. (remember I’m going to Mennonite School)

p.39 – The church should “become ever more like Jesus Christ … in its worship.”
Our “identity as God’s people of faith is sustained and renewed as members gather regularly for worship.”

P. 79 lists “corporate worship” as a spiritual discipline.

Worship isn’t something we include in a confession of faith – it’s a matter of the heart.

How do you know when you are worshiping?

GETTING TOGETHER WITH DIFFERENT FOLKS
In today’s scripture passage, Jesus and disciples are on their way to Galilee from Judea.

“He had to go through Samaria” (v.4)(Jesus was in a hurry. Why?)
The normal route took them on the other side of the Jordan River – out of their way to avoid contact with the Samaritans.
Were the Pharisees in Judah after him? Was the Jordan flooding? Political strife?

Did you ever cross the street to avoid coming into contact with someone?
Samaritans were despised. For a Jew, you had to be in a hurry to come into contact with a Samaritan.

There was a long standing prejudice between the Jews and the Samaritans.

920 BC Israel and Judah split.

722 BC Israel (Northern Kingdom) fell to Assyria.
Assyria’s used a resettlement program to control the population. New habitants worshiped Jehovah and other God’s like Baal. They only used the Pentateuch (other books were from the southern kingdom or not written yet). Waiting for a messiah to lead them.

586 BC Judah (Southern Kingdom) fell to Babylonia.
Babylonia’s policy was to take the best (scholars, wealthy, etc.) to Babylon and leave the poor and criminals behind.

539 BC Jews returned to Judah (Ezra, Nehemiah)
There were unmanageable differences with the Samaritans.

Jesus met a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well, at the foot of Mt. Gerazim, where the Samaritans worshiped.

There are many unusual parts to this story:
Jesus (a man) interacts with a woman.
Jesus (a Jew) interacts with a Samaritan.

The woman gets uncomfortable with Jesus personal questions and she turns the conversation to religious issues.

John 4 talks about Two Mountains: Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Zion
The Samaritan woman changes the subject after Jesus convicts her about her relationship issues. Where should we worship? Religious rivalries (Samaritans were a sect of Jewish beliefs). The emphasis is on the differences. Neither is fully correct.

Both are looking for a Messiah!

WE DON’T ALWAYS FEEL LIKE WORSHIPPING

Many problems in the world – economy, jobs, inflation, poverty, hunger, etc.

Sometimes we get discouraged (Yesterday – fixing a leak, 3 trips to the hardware store – I wasn’t in any kind of mood for worshiping.)

We get detached from God
How do we get in the mood? Step back & breathe deeply, Prayer, reflection, scripture.

“Always be … joyful, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances … do not put out the Spirit’s fire.” (1 Thess 516-19)

To be able to worship we must be connected to God.

I was Remodeling – replaced an electric line, checked the connections, reconnected the wires. Nothing. Talk about not feeling like worshiping.
Finally, I turned on the breaker – I needed to be connected to the power.

Once my vehicle broke down in Bolivia. We were close to nowhere. Electric problems (from constant shaking on bad roads). I was tired, hungry, frustrated.
Trifon Ibarra said, While we’re here, why don’t we have a worship service?
(my response: Grrrr!)

WHAT IF I DON’T PRAISE GOD / CAN WE STOP PRAISE?

Pharisees tried to keep Jesus disciples from praising him (Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem)
Jesus, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40)

Spiritual song: “If I don’t praise him, the rocks are going to cry out”

God is to be praised no matter if I do it or not. All of creation crys out …

WHAT ARE THE ISSUES HERE?

LOCATION
The issue isn’t location (Where do we worship – which mountain?)
God can’t be confined to a specific place – God is everywhere (Psalmist – if I go to the heights – you are there / if I go to the depths – you are there)

STYLE
The issue isn’t style – how we worship.

RITUALS
Going through the motions doesn’t always help.

So … What does matter?

v.23 – the time has arrived for true worship (for both Jews and Samaritans)
True Worshipers will worship God in Spirit and Truth

“inspiring” comes from Latin “inspirato” which means literally “in the spirit.”

In Spirit
Think about scripture references that inform us about the “spirit.”
- Gen 1:2 – the spirit moved over the waters (at creation)
- OT promises of coming of the spirit.
- Is 61:1 (and Jesus in Luke 4:18)
- Mark 14:38 – the spirit is willing but the body is weak
- Jn 1:32 – spirit descended like a dove (at Jesus baptism)
- Jn 4:24 – God is spirit.
- Ps 51:10 – Create in me a pure heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Opposite: physical? / unspiritual

How can we worship in Spirit? How can we guide God’s people to worship in Spirit?
God centered worship: God is spirit. Worship that is connected to God.

In Truth
Think about scripture references that inform us about “truth.”
- Ps 86:11 – Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth.
- Jesus often prefaced his sayings with, “I tell you the truth …” (Mt. 5:18, 26; 6:2,5,16; etc.)
- John 8:32 – Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
- John 14:6 – I am the way and the truth and the light, no one comes to the Father except through me.
- John 16:13 – When, he, the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
- John 18:38 – Pilate, “What is truth?”
- 1 Cor 13:6 – Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
- 1 John 3:18 – dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.

Opposite: untrue, lies, false gods

How can we worship in truth? How can we guide God’s people to worship in truth?
Christ centered worship: “I am the truth.” Worship must be connected to Jesus.

v.23 – These are the kind of worshipers God seeks.

CONCLUSION
Worship is our expression to God of our faith.

True worship happens when the messiah is around. Jesus is here!

To worship, you need to be connected to God.

How can you get connected?

I showed the children a model ship. I told them it was a worship.

Ships come in different sizes and shapes and types – just like people.
Different ships do different things (fishing boat, cruise ship, etc.)
The ship needs a skipper (captain). What does a captain do? What if there was no one in charge?
(tossed around in waves, no direction, maybe sink)
Jesus wants to be the “skipper” of our lives.

When we come to church, “We Offer ouR SHIPs” to God. Pray, sing, listen to God’s word.

Accept Jesus – make him the “skipper” of your life (ship).

Don’t worry about the circumstantial things –
Don’t let things get in the way of your worship.
In Spirit – filled with God in your life.
In Truth – the one true God.