Holy Scripture: John 4:5-26
Sermon Theme: “The True Worship”
Jesus addresses the issue of inequality and false worship among the Jews and Samaritans to promote worship build on grace, love, equality, and unity.
Theologians reveal that the Jews knew “whom they worshiped, for they had the full revelation in the Old Testament scriptures.” whereas the Samaritans “worship was incomplete…used the Pentateuch (Genesis through Deuteronomy) as their scriptures,…did not know what the rest of the Old Testament taught about worship.”
Problem: Although the Jews knew only that the Messiah was to be worshiped, they promoted hatred, division, and inequality over God’s grace, love, equality, and unity led worship.
True worship does not only focus on Jesus, the Messiah, but it also strives to bring about love, unity, and equality to the overlooked.
God reminds Carson, Mount Hope, Southwest Iowa, and everyone that true worship is built on Jesus and care for the needy, especially strangers, and marginalized individuals.
Scripture Application
During Jesus’ time, both Jews and Samaritans were considered “unequal societies.” He speaks about this matter in relation to God’s intention towards humanity, human insufficiency/dependency, and true worship.
Being treated like second-class citizens, Samaritans were not considered “Pure Jews” just because they were born through “intermarriages with foreigners” (marriages between Jews and foreigners).” Nobody wanted to associate with them or have anything to do with them.
Like the case of Jews and Samaritans, we face a serious problem of inequalities in different forms. For example, wealth inequality has deepened mainly due to globalization today. According to the World Inequality Report in 2022, “Since the mid-1990s, the richest 10% of the world’s population has accumulated no less than 76% of the wealth generated. In fact, 38% was concentrated in the hands of the top 1% of the world’s population. And the poorest half of the population has had to make do with the crumbs: barely 2% of the wealth generated during these last decades. And this gap has widened during the pandemic.”
Jesus asked the Samaritan woman, “Give me a drink.” Like Nicodemus in John 3, she was confused and said, “ How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” In other words, why are you here in the first place? How dare you ask for a drink when we do not share things?
Jesus replied, ‘If you knew me, you would give me a drink and request my living water in exchange.’ Like Nicodemus, the Samaritan failed to understand that Jesus was referring to spiritual things to bring about her salvation. She said, “Sir, you have no bucket, …Where do you get that living water?”
Aware of the Samaritan’s adulterous lifestyle and ignorance of spiritual things, Jesus’ reply became a solution to this woman’s problem. He says, “Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty.”
The Samaritan accepts Jesus’ offer of living water because she believes Jesus was not an ordinary person, and she desperately needed her life to change.
“True worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth,” Jesus added.
Applying the Samaritan’s predicament and divine help Today
Jesus reveals that true worship goes beyond being Jews or not, or the venue for gatherings, which was “Jerusalem” for Jews, and “Mount Gerizim” for Samaritans. It has nothing to do with hatred, division, and inequalities between Jews and Samaritans that we also face today. It breaks all these barriers to ensure a spirit and truth-led worship.
For the unchurched or seeking: Surrender to Jesus Christ first to become His follower before the Holy Spirit paves a way for true worship.
For believers in everyday life:
A retiree aware of his limited money for retirement, but does not stop to donate and supply the food pantry and sponsor church activities.
A surgeon and a nurse, aware of their rights, but choose to work extra hours to save lives.
Widows and widowers needing much rest, but decide to remain active and impact young generations, couples, and communities in Carson and southwest Iowa.
One of us gathered here not rich but continues to invest a lot in church ministries and activities for God to do everything he needs in return (Matt. 6:33).
Conclusion
This Lenten season invites us to “The True Worship” approved by God, which must be built on the foundation of the Spirit realm, not earthly things.
How can we be true worshipers throughout this Lenten season and after?
John 4:24 says, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Steps to True Worship
Completely surrender to God’s leadership through the Holy Spirit in us: Gal. 5:25, John 6:33.
Spiritual senses must be open: You cannot surrender to God’s leadership when you are unable to hear God’s voice and follow God’s will (Luke 18:1, Jer.33:3).
Read, study and know the truth: invest God’s word knowledge (Hosea 4:6, Josh. 1:8)
Like Jesus, reach out to the looked-over and the overlooked (=Samaritans. Eg. Homeless, orphans, etc.) and help them to live out our church mission.
Closing Invitation (Takeaway)
True Worship starts with healthy and intentional relationships with the marginalized and unwanted. Jesus happily embraced vulnerability not only to build a relationship but also to save the Samaritan woman. Surrender anew to God’s leadership and do all the Holy Spirit tells you.