“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” - John 14:6 CSBWhen the Samaritan woman begins talking about worship, she is thinking about location. Which mountain? Which tradition? Which group has it right? But underneath that question is something much bigger. How do people actually come near to God? That is the real issue. Because if God...  Read More

“But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him.” - John 4:23 CSBThere are two ways worship can get badly distorted. One is easy to see. The other can hide inside really good theology.The first is passion without truth. You feel deeply. You get emotional. You have powerful experiences...  Read More

“But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him.”- John 4:23 CSBThink about the questions we can ask after church. "Did I like the music?" "Was the sermon good?" "Did I connect with it?" "Was the room too cold?" "Did they sing the songs I like?" "Did I get anything out of it?"Some of ...  Read More

“You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.” - John 4:22 CSBThere is something uncomfortable about what Jesus says here. He looks at this woman and tells her: "You worship what you do not know." That is a strong statement. Because the Samaritans were religious. They believed in God. They worshiped. They had traditions that had been ...  Read More

“But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” - John 4:23–24 CSBWe all have preferences. We have preferences about music. Food. Temperature. How early we like to arrive somewhere. How loud the room shoul...  Read More

"Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." - Romans 12:1–2 CSBWe have spent this week looking at surrender.W...  Read More