John 4:24
I’ve had discussion after discussion recently about why studying the Bible in context is important. I mean I just finished an e-course on it, so I kinda love the topic. But, today I read an old story that I have read a million times. The story of the Samaritan woman at the well and once again I was FLOORED by a new TRUTH.
I have never noticed what Jesus says to the woman AFTER he confronts her sin and offers her living water that will quench her thirst for eternity.
She asks Jesus about WHERE she is supposed to worship. She is caught up in an argument that the Samaritans and Jews had been having. The big argument between them is the location of the Chosen place to worship. Where am I supposed to worship? What is the RIGHT answer? Essentially she is asking is my lifestyle right? Is the way I worship right?
Instead, Jesus tells her, “…true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be his worshipers. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship I’m must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
They go hand in hand. As Jesus said to the Samaritan woman in this passage, we must worship in, “spirit and truth.”
Although the Samaritan woman would have been expecting a Messiah, they rejected the rest of the Old Testament besides the first 5 books of the Bible, the Mosaic Pentateuch, so her understanding would be limited. They had their own place of worship and they didn’t associate with the Jews. Yet, Jesus stopped to minister to this Samaritan woman because he cares and loves for everyone. But, what does he tell her? He tells her that soon we will worship in BOTH Spirit and Truth.
As a baby Christian, my Faith was based mostly off my emotional experiences. I had an emotional connection to the Word of God, and I felt the Spirit continually working, this was not wrong, but I didn’t know much about the truth. I was still growing and learning in the Father, as I’ve continued to grow, I see the same old passages becoming clearer, and every time I look at the passages the truth is more evident to me. As I’ve grown, the more I realize that the Spirit and Truth go together, I am led by the Spirit with urges and convictions INTO truth and truth leads me to the Spirit.
![I have seen post after post about Christians speaking in love. But, what about Christian’s listening?
[share and save to encourage others]
I still remember my counselor asking me if I listen just to listen or if I listen with a preconceived idea of the right answer?
To be completely honest, I have found myself to do the latter. Before she said that, I rarely listened with a blank mind and heart. Instead, I listened and interjected to lead someone to a conclusion. (Yikes! I hope it’s not just me that has done this)
So, let’s start by doing what this passage instructs us to do and let’s listen to the Word of God with a soft heart and an open mind. Are you seeing the text plainly?
“18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen.” (Luke 8:18)
This phrase jumped out at me. Consider how you listen. We have just been told the parable of the Sower where we hear how the Word of God (the seed) lands on 4 different types of soil.
For a moment, I want you to imagine yourself as each of the types of soil.
The Word is first snatched up by the devil (maybe this is distraction, time-management, or anything else that steals your time away from spending time in Gods presence)
Secondly, you receive the Word with joy but times of testing come and you no-longer ascribe to it.
Thirdly, life gets in the way-business pursuits, lifestyle, money, or pleasures take the place of time spent in his Word.
Lastly, you receive the Word of God-and you hear and understand. One translation says, “15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.” HEAR the Word.
You produce a crop because you retain the information.
The hearing of the Word of God is so important. Are you going to the Word to HEAR what God has to say or are you studying it to back-up what you want to say? Let us learn in 2021 to be believers that speak truth in love, but also LISTEN to hear! #chasingsacred](https://www.chasingsacred.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)