Real Worship...

A young preacher right out of seminary was called to pastor a small mountain church. Very excited about his calling and winning everyone on the mountain to God, he went door to door evangelizing. He stopped at one farmhouse and the farmer greeted him. The young preacher asked, “Are you a Christian?” The farmer replied, “No, I believe they live a couple miles down the road.” “No! No!” exclaimed the young pastor. “What I want to know is are you lost?” The farmer’s reply was quick, “Why, no, I’ve lived here for some 40 years.” In desperation the young preacher finally lowered both barrels. “What I want to know is,” said the young preacher in desperation, “are you ready for the Judgment Day!” “When is it?” asked the farmer. “I don’t know,” said the young preacher. “It could be today or tomorrow!” “Well,” replied the farmer, “come back when you find out. My wife will probably want to go both days.”

What are people looking for when they come to a church service? Do people honestly think that church is the only place where we can experience God? I was studying the other evening, on the text that speaks of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. One of the wonderful things that Jesus says in that scripture is; that the days of going to Jerusalem to the temple or to Mt Gerazin, (the holy place of the Samaritans) is over. God is no longer waiting for us to enter into some special place God did something wonderful after Jesus ascended into heaven, He put the Holy Spirit of God in us. When we received the Holy Spirit we became that special place where God resided and where we could worship Him right there, wherever we are in our hearts. A neat way to understand God in His three parts, or triune nature is to think of God the Father as God for us, Jesus is God with us, and the Holy Spirit is God in us! Jesus says in John 4:22; “a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” You hear that? True worshippers will worship in spirit and truth… We are now able to worship God in spirit wherever we are, and we can experience His truth by hearing or reading His word, it’s as easy as that.

Are you worshipping God in spirit and in truth, or are you still seeking Him in pomp and circumstance? Are the trappings of the church more important to you or is your worship place anywhere you are? Is it the building or the heart where you meet God each day? Do you have to see a pulpit, a banner, stained glass, an altar table or baptismal font in order to feel like your in church or can you be in church when you meet a brother or sister on the street? We need to know the answers to these questions because it will distinguish us as being either true worshippers or the other kind, false worshippers. God desires true worshippers, not false ones… Seek God in your heart it is there that he waits for your worship.. seek God in His word, it is there you will find the truth… but most importantly, simply seek God…