09WK10 JESUS AND ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP

JESUS AND ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP
KEY VERSE: God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth JOHN 4:24

Scripture lesson: john 2: 13-19; 4:19-26
JOHN 2: 13. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money.
15. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables.
16. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!”
17 His disciples remembered that it is written. : Zeal for your house will consume me.”
18 Then the Jews demanded of him, “What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?”
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
JOHN4: 19” Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
21 Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews.
23 Yet 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.
24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming when he
comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 The Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”

For the Teacher
BACKGROUND
This week we look at true worship as taught by Jesus. Jesus addresses the dangers in making our worship irrelevant and mechanical. The Old Testament practice of worship included the purchase of sheep and cattle around the Temple courts for sacrifices but by the time of Jesus this aspect of the worship life of Israel had been corrupted and lacked the honour due God. The people had turned the House of God into a market place and a den of robbers. In the second passage Jesus gave reasons why God must be worshipped in spirit and in truth and not in any mechanical way, not involving your hearts.


IN DEPTH
JOHN 2:13 – time for the Jewish Passover – this was the first Passover after Jesus’ baptism. The second is mentioned in Luke 6:1. The third is recorded in John 6: 4 and the fourth, which was his last and at which he was crucified is recorded in John 11.55. On each occasion Jesus showed that his great regard was for the pure worship of his Father, and one great design of his coming was to reform the abuses which had crept into this worship, so as to bring man to a proper regard for the glory of God.
VERSES 14:15 cattle, and sheep and doves – these were animals used for sacrifice in the temple.
And others sitting at tables exchanging money – were those who changed foreign money for that which was acceptable for temple worship, for the convenience of them that came from distant places.
He made a whip out of cords – The original word implies that these cords were made of twisted rushes or reeds – probably the ancient material for making ropes. This whip was made as an emblem of authority, and also for the purpose of driving from the temple the cattle and other animals which had been brought there fore sale.
VERSES 16-17. Even though the sale of animals and of money were somehow necessary parts of the worship, it was wrong to do them inside the temple, thereby preventing the Gentiles from worship. The quotation is from Ps 69:9.
VERSE 18 – What miraculous sign can you show us – since Jesus assumed the character of a prophet, he was reforming the temple by his authority. It was natural for the people to ask by what authority this was done; and as they had been accustomed to miracles in the lives of Moses and Elijah, and the other prophets, so they demanded evidence that he had authority thus to cleanse the house of God. They wished to know by what miracle he had shown, or could show, his right to do those things.
VERSE 19 – Destroy this temple – The evangelist informs us that by temple, here, he meant his body (jn 2:21). It is probable that Jesus pointed with his finger to his body as he spoke. Jesus called his body a temple in accordance with the common use of language, and more particularly because “in him the fullness of the Godhead dwelt body” (Col. 2:9). The word destroy, used here has the force of the future. I will raise it again – The Jews had asked a miracle of him in proof of his authority, of that would be his resurrection from the dead. When Jesus says, ‘I will raise it up,’ it is proof of his divine power. A mere man could not say this. No deceased man can have such power over his body.

JOHN 4:19-20 – I am see that you are a prophet – The word prophet used here does not denote one who foretells future events, but one who knew her heart and life and who must therefore have come from God. She did not yet suppose him to be the Messiah (Jn 4:25).
Our fathers worshipped on this mountain – The woman knew that the Patriarchs had built altars on Mount Graze and that the Samaritans had built a temp on it somewhat similar to the one in Jerusalem. This was one of the main subjects of controversy between the Samaritans and the Jews.
In Jerusalem – The place where the temple was built. This was built in accordance with the promise and command of God (Dt. 12:5, 11; 2ki 21:7; Ft, 12:11).
VERSES 21-22 – The hour is coming when you – Jesus mean that both Samaritans and Jews shall worship neither on Mr. Gerizim nor in Jerusalem. True worship shall no longer be confined to any one place or nation.
You Samaritans worship what you do not know – Jesus educated the woman on this subject of whom the Samaritans were ignorant: not only of the place, but of the very object of worship. Indeed, they feared the Lord after a fashion; but at the same time served their own gods (2 ki 17:33).
VERSES 23 – 24. The true worshippers – These are those who truly and sincerely worship God, people who worship with the heart, and not merely in form.
God is spirit – By this is meant that God is without a body; that he is not material or composed of parts; that he is invisible, in every place, pure and holy. As he is such a spirit, he dwells not in temples made with hands (Ac 7:25).
In spirit and in truth – Since God is Spirit; his worship must go beyond physical things (which may indeed represent things of the Spirit). God takes great delight in non-physical gifts such as love, devotion, loyalty and obedience. Such gifts should come unhindered and unobstructed, but freely from the human heart. Acceptable worship should also be made in truth. This means that it must be in accordance with the truth that God has revealed about himself in his word (and not the imagination or dreams or visions of anyone)

For the Student
THE WORD IN OUR LIVES
The Samaritan woman at the well believing Jesus to be a man sent from God, proposed to him this age-long question, and perhaps because she wished to divert the conversation from the unpleasant topic respecting her husband. Jesus in his answer intimated the abolition both of the whole idea of the central sanctuary and of the entire ceremonial worship: “Neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, shall you worship the Father”; rather, “They that worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:21, 24).
Jesus gave two reasons why this kind of worship should take place. The first reason is that God sought or desired that form of worship. He had appointed the old mode, but he did it because he sought to lead the mind to himself even by those forms, and to prepare the people for the purer system of the gospel; and now he desired that those who worshipped him should worship him in the new manner.
The second reason is that God is spirit. To worship in spirit stands opposed to rites and ceremonies, and to the pomp of external worship. It refers to the mind, the soul, and the heart. True worshippers shall worship God with a sincere mind, with the simple offering of gratitude and prayer, with a desire to glorify him. Spiritual worship is that where the heart is offered to God, and where we do not depend on external forms for acceptance. A pure, holy, and spiritual worship, therefore, is a delight unto the Lord and that is what he seeks. It is the offering of the soul, the homage of the heart, rather than that of the lips.

TEST YOURSELF
1. Where did Jesus spend the Passover in today’s reading? (2:13)
2. What did Jesus tell those who sold doves in the Temple? (2:16)
3. What miraculous sing did Jesus offer to the Jews who asked for it? (2:18,19)
4. Where did Jews claim to be the only centre for worship? (2:20)
5. According to the woman at the well what will the Messiah do when he comes? (4:25)

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS.
1. From the lesson of today’s study what will you consider to be (a) Unacceptable worship of God (b0 acceptable worship of God?
2. Sometimes we grow so familiar with the most solemn observances and offices of our liturgy that we end up having a soulless, unprofitable worship, Describe in detail how this affects our worship life and the personal encounter with God.
3. In what ways will you agree that ‘ worshipping God in spirit and in truth’ can be done within public and private worship?
4. Discuss the various ways in which God’s house is being desecrated today (Jn 2:13-19) Mention specific areas where the House of God is used for purposes which do not reflect the true functions. What are the answers to these practices?
5. a. Discuss in greater detail Jesus’ statement: ‘True worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.’ How is this reflected in the Church’s liturgy; singing, praying, preaching, offering tithes and gifts?
b. How may current practices be improved to reflect more of Jesus’ directives?

BIBLE LESSON APPLICATION
This week do a self examination of worship in spirit and truth.’ How does your finding help your worship life in the congregation? Share your discoveries and decisions with your class/group.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Monday I Samuel 2:12-17 Treating God’s Offering with Contempt
Tuesday Isaiah 1:10-17 Meaningless Offerings
Wednesday Isaiah 66:1-4 Unacceptable Offerings
Thursday Jeremiah 6:18-21 Formalism
Friday Hosea 6:1-6 Weakness in Worship
Saturday Amos 5:21-24 God will Despise your Religious Feasts