Unmasked Worship John 4:16-24
Jesus went to Samaria for one purpose. He went there to transform thelife of a woman. She had been confused, abused, and used. She had made a mess of her life.
Historically you need to know that Jews avoided Samaria at all costs. It was a shock to the disciples when Jesus insisted on going through Samaria. Samaritans were discriminated against. They were called derogatory names and considered to be the lowest form of life by the Jews.
He encountered her at a well where she came to draw water. He asks her for a drink and she was shocked that Jesus, a Jew, would ask her, a Samaritan, for a drink.
Jesus said to her, “If you knew the generosity of God and who I am, you would be asking me for a drink and I would give you fresh, living water.” (The Message)
He told her that the water He would give her would take away her thirst for ever.
He said, “The water I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.” (The Message)
When Jesus asks her to go and call her husband she replies, “I have no husband.”
It is not uncommon for us to wear masks in our lives when we get uncomfortable. All of us have a tendency to put on or cover the things about us that we least like. They take all kinds of forms and shapes. In a few weeks, little kids will come knocking at our doors and expect us to give them candy. Every Halloween they do it. They put on masks and walk around neighborhoods trying to see who can get the most stuff. Maybe that is where we learned to hide behind masks, I’m not sure. I enjoy seeing little kids in masks. It brings back the excitement of a childhood memory. (That was in the days before some one decided to make it an “evil” thing.) Seeing kids in masks is one thing but seeing adults with them on is something entirely different.
We wear masks to cover our insecurities. We wear masks to protect ourselves from people we don’t trust. Masks come in all shapes and sizes.
Sometimes they look like pride or arrogance. They can look like anger and rage. Self-righteousness and insecurity will cause us to wear masks. In the story of the woman at the well she attempts to wear a mask that will hide the issues of her life. Let’s look closer at this story.
1. Her Relationships Were Failing. v. 6-18
We don’t know all the circumstances that surround this woman’s life. But when Jesus asked her to call her husband and she says that she doesn’t have one he responds by saying, “That’s nicely put. You’ve had five husbands, and the man you’re living with now isn’t even you husband. You spoke the truth there, sure enough.” (The Message)
It is not unusual for us to find ourselves encountering God when life seems to be crumbling right around us. She was touched at her greatest point of need. Anyone who has gone through one divorce knows the pain and guilt associated with it. She had gone through five husbands and now she is just living with a guy. Clearly she is living outside of God’s plan of marriage. Marriage is a sacred institution, ordained by God as the right relationship for men and women.
When relationships are failing in our lives it is a good time to connect with God.
2. Her Reasoning Was Flawed. v. 19
When the conversation takes a very personal turn she engages in something all of us have done. She tries to change the subject. In fact, she tries to jump into a theological discussion.
Here is Jesus standing in front of her offering her the water of life and she is trying to divert his attention from her personal life.
It has never made sense to me really. For some reason we think that we can do things and as long as no one is looking and we don’t get caught that we have been successful at hiding our sin. That is flawed thinking. God is watching us. He does see it all. He knows everything about us.
She thought she could hide her messed up life but that is exactly what Jesus brought up to enable her to move past the shame of it and deal with her spiritual problems.
When you think that because no one is looking you have pulled something off in your life you have flawed reasoning.
You can’t cover sin. You can’t hide it forever. You will eventually be caught.
3. Her Religion Was Fruitless v. 20
This woman is a poster child for all those who have managed to separate their faith from their everyday life. Religion that doesn’t translate into your everyday life is fruitless and meaningless.
She wanted to examine and talk about religious things but she didn’t want to apply it to her life.
The Bible talks about having a form of godliness but denying the power of it.
When Jesus exposes the truth of her relationships she responds with these words, “Oh, so you’re a prophet! Well, tell me this: Our ancestors worshiped God at this mountain, but you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place for worship, right?” (The Message)
Worship: It is the real heart of this conversation between Jesus and the woman. It is what I really want you to walk away from here with today. There are many misconceptions about it. Jesus says to her, “Believe me woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain or there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God’s way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has in fact, come—when what you’re called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship Him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” John 4:21-24 (The Message)
I need to remind you of some things about worship. In Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, he states them very clearly. I am using some of that material for these points.
Bringing pleasure to God is called worship: Anything you do that brings pleasure to God is an act of worship. “The Lord is pleased only with those who worship Him and trust His love.”
Worship is far more than music: Every part of a church service is an act of worship: praying, Scripture reading, singing, confession, silence, being still, listening to a sermon, taking notes, giving an offering, baptism, communion, responding to the message and even greeting other worshipers. According to Warren, “Worship predates music. Adam worshiped in the Garden of Eden but music is not mentioned.”
Worship is not for your benefit: I am quoting Warren: “As a pastor, I receive notes that say, ‘I loved the worship today. I got a lot out of it.’ We worship for God’s benefit. When we worship, our goal is to bring pleasure to God, not ourselves.”
If you have ever said, “I didn’t get anything out of worship today,” you’ve worshiped for the wrong reason. Worship isn’t for you. It’s for God.”
Worship is not a part of your life; it is your life: We are to live in a continual spirit of praise to God. We often get into trouble because we separate and segment our lives into godly and ungodly. Church and the real world. Worship is about living with God in the real world. Every activity can be transformed into an act of worship.
His offer of living a life of true worship includes the following:
1. True worship produces faith.
There will be no more “guessing in the dark.” You and I have the incredible opportunity today to live in God’s faith producing presence. There is an explanation of this difference found in Hebrews 10.
Heb. 10:1 “The old plan was only a hint of the good things in the new plan. Since that old plan wasn’t complete in itself, it couldn’t complete those who followed it. No matter how many sacrifices were offered year after year, they never added up to a complete solution. If they had, the worshipers would have gone merrily on their way, no longer dragged down by their sins.”
Heb. 10:19-20, “So friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into the Holy Place . . . So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”
The worship that God calls us to engage in produces genuine faith in our lives.
The words of Jesus to this woman are clear, “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth.”
2. True worship provides freedom.
John 8:36, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
Jesus said in his dialogue with this woman, “That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before Him in their worship.”
When you have focused your life on God there is such a freedom that comes into your life.
This woman was about to receive the most freedom she had ever experienced. She had known the bondage of bad and failing relationships but she was about to enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ that would change her forever.
It was Glorious Freedom. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom, peace love and joy.
He sets us free from the sin that shackles us. He releases us to walk in the freedom of His love.
In Luke 4, Jesus is reading from the Old Testament one day in the Temple and he read a descriptive prophesy about himself: “God’s Spirit is on me: he’s chosen me to preach the Message of good new to the poor, Sent me to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, To set the burdened and battered free.”
3. True worship promotes faithfulness.
When we worship God with all of our lives we do not have a hard time being faithful. The key word that will keep coming up when you study worship is surrender. Surrender of our pride. Surrender from always wanting our own way. Surrender to God’s will.
Faithfulness is not dictated by circumstances. We are faithful even when the world is following apart. When the things we hold most tightly are being taken away we are faithful because we worship God and live for Him.
John Eldredge tells the story of Beauty and the Beast in his book entitled Waking the Dead.
“Now Beauty feared that she had caused his death. She ran throughout the palace, sobbing loudly. After searching everywhere, she recalled her dream and ran into the garden toward the canal, where she had seen him in her sleep. There she found the poor Beast stretched out unconscious. She thought he was dead. Without concern for his horrifying looks, she threw herself on his body and felt his heart beating. So she fetched some water from the canal and threw it on his face.
Beast opened his eyes and said, “You forgot your promise, Beauty. The grief I felt upon having lost you made me decide to fast to death. But I shall die content since have the pleasure of seeing you one more time.”
“No, my dear Beast, you shall not die,” said Beauty. “You will live to become my husband, I give you my hand, and I swear that I belong only to you from this moment on. Alas! I thought that I only felt friendship for you, but the torment I am feeling makes me realize that I cannot live without you.”
Beauty had scarcely uttered these words when the castle radiated with light. Fireworks and music announced a feast. These attractions did not hold her attention, though. She returned her gaze to her dear Beast, whose dangerous condition made her tremble. How great was her surprise when she discovered that the Beast had disappeared, and at her feet was a prince more handsome than Eros himself, who thanked her for an end to his enchantment.”
Eldredge continues, “It is the deepest and most wonderful of all mythic truths, unveiled here in the original Beauty and the Beast. The Transformation. A creature that no one could bear to look upon is transformed into a handsome prince. That which was dark and ugly is now transformed into a handsome prince. We love those kinds of stories. The Phoenix rises from the ashes. Cinderella rises from the cinders to become a queen. The ugly duckling becomes a beautiful swan. Pinocchio becomes a real boy. The frog becomes a prince. Wretched old Scrooge becomes “as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town or borough in the good old world.” The cowardly lion gets his courage and the scarecrow gets his brain and the tin woodman gets a new heart. We love transformation stories.”
What do you need for God to do in your life?
What masks are you wearing that you think are protecting you from being seen for what you really are?
Take them off!
You will build a relationship with God that will far surpass the shallow life without Him.
2003/10/05
