jesus and the Samaritan woman

Give me this water read; john 4

The place of worship was a subject of contention and controversy between the Jews and the Samaritans in the time of Jesus, as we see in the account of Jesus talking to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well in John 4. As He spoke of the living water, the woman looked at Him with wonder. "Sir," the woman said to Him, "give me this water, so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water" (John 4:15).*

Jesus then abruptly changed the topic of conversation. He knew that before the woman could receive this gift, she must be convinced of her sin and her need for a Savior. Thus He put His finger on some of the secrets of her life (vss. 16-18).

The woman was amazed. She wondered who it was that could read the secrets of her sinful life. But then she turned the conversation: "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is Jerusalem" (vs. 19).

Worship was closely linked to a sacred place; to a Samaritan, it was Mount Gerizim, and to a Jew, Jerusalem. The Samaritans had many grounds on which to base their claims that Mount Gerizim was a sacred location. It was here that God first appeared to Abraham after he entered Canaan (Gen.12:6,7). It was here that Jacob first dwelt (Gen. 33:18). It was here that Joshua read the blessings and curses (Josh. 8:33). And it was here that the Israelites buried the bones of Joseph (Josh. 24:32). The Samaritans built a rival temple here and worshiped in accordance with Mosaic rituals. And even after their temple was destroyed by enemies, they still clung to their own traditions and forms of worship.

Responding to the woman's question Jesus said, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem" (vs. 21). Eventually all religious distinctions as to places of worship would be abolished. True worship would no longer be confined to any one place or nation. Jesus knew that she did not need to trouble herself about the place of worship because, in a little time, Jerusalem and its temple would be destroyed and not one stone would be left upon another. Now with no temple either at Mount Gerizim or Jerusalem, all peoples would then lift up holy hands, praying and offering up spiritual sacrifices in every place.

"My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations" (Mal. 1:11).

No Restrictions


The worship of God is not restricted to any particular locality-Judea, Samaria, Jerusalem, Mount Gerizim, Mecca, the Vatican, or elsewhere. It is not where but how one worships that counts. The time is coming when it will be realized that the aspect which gives genuineness to worship is spiritual, not locality.

Jesus continued, "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). Jesus drew the woman's thoughts from the place of worship to the Person worshiped, and from the form to the spirit of worship. God is seeking genuine, not formal worshipers, those who worship Him in truth, rendering Him the obedience of faith with a filial spirit.

In the following passages Ellen White highlights the real concept of worship:

"Not by seeking a holy mountain or a sacred temple is man brought into communion with heaven. Religion is not to be confined to external forms and ceremonies. The religion that comes from God is the only religion that will lead to God. In order to serve Him aright, we must be born of the divine Spirit. This will purify the heart and renew the mind, giving us a new capacity for knowing and loving God. It will give us a willing obedience to all His requirements. This is true worship."

"Wherever a soul reaches out after God, there the Spirit's working is manifest, and God will reveal Himself to that soul. For such worshipers He is seeking. He waits to receive them, and to make them His sons and daughters."

The linking of spirit with truth throws light on the meaning of "true worshipers." These are genuine worshipers, as opposed to those who merely appear to be so by participating only in outward rituals. The same distinction between true worship and the forms of worship is clearly stated by the prophet Micah (Mic. 6:7, 8).

"God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth," said Jesus (John 4:24). These words contain one of the most simple, yet most profound truths. They show that God is absolutely free from all limitations of space and time and is therefore not to be localized in temples. God is not material, as idolaters may contend; He is not an abstract force, as many philosophers think. He is a Being lifted above all need of temples, sacrifices, etc., which are a benefit to humans, but not to God.

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He himself gives all men life and breath and everything else" (Acts 17:24,25).

The Adventist church gives no preference to one place of worship above another with respect to holiness and acceptance by God. In China, according to government statistics, there are about 15 million Christians in the registered churches. However, for every person worshiping in registered churches, there are at least six to eight believers who worship in homes commonly known as "house churches," where it is estimated that 90-100 million people worship in the house churches every week. These believers, even without magnificent buildings, worship in all sincerity, with purified hearts and renewed minds. Their praises, thanksgivings, and singing are not limited to certain places. Their acts of worship are surely acceptable in the eyes of God.

"For where two or three come together in my name," Jesus promised, "there am I with them" (Matt.18:20). The presence of God is important when we come to worship Him. If God is not in your heart, wherever you are, wherever you go, God is not there. If God is in your heart, then wherever you are, He is with you. God is not confined to a certain place, even to His heavenly sanctuary. God's presence depends on our seeking. If our hearts depart from Him, He will surely abandon His sanctuary and destroy it (Jer. 7:1-15).

Adventists are brought together in unity through worship. We have different cultures, backgrounds, languages, races. We worship God in different styles, forms, and places. But there is no difference before God. The genuineness of worship is determined by its spiritual nature, not by style or the geographical location of the place of worship. Just as Jesus said: "The 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" (John 4:23).

GOD BLESS YOU
LAWRENCE AND JULIE

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