Neither in Mount Gerizim,
Nor in the Temple of Jerusalem;
Nor in the Temple of Jerusalem;
A Sermon on Worshipping the Father in Spirit and Truth
(John. 4: 23 & 24)
(John. 4: 23 & 24)
Khai Minthang
Introduction: We often associate things with some supernatural phenomenon such as Hausapivum for the Hausapi Spirits, Lungleen Kawl for the Lungleen Spirits, deep and still water inhabited by a Spirit, Caves and unnatural places associated with supernatural spirits. Such superstitions also, no doubt, haunted the Samaritans and the Israelites during the Inter-testamental Period. Therefore, our ancestors appeased and made sacrifices to a specific spirit at a specific location such as Sumtawng, Gampi, Suutpi, etc. sacrifices to appease the evil spirits. They appeased the Spirits in the fear of punishment or retribution, not that they worship and adore the spirits out of joy and gratitude. We are so very glad for what Jesus had done for us that we can worship the Lord out of our joy and gratitude for what He has done.
Appeasement or Devotional Worship?: This is a big question for us as believers and followers of the Living God. Some people try to appease the Lord for the fear of failure, for the fear of going to Hell, or for the fear of retribution. A lot of preachers preach about Hell and want people to convert to Christianity out of fear, but seldom preach the beauty of Heaven and that Jesus has made a place for him who believes. Some people belong to organization or to the church for the fear of death, not for the joy of eternal life after they die. I am immensely pleased for the Mission of God (Missio Dei in Latin) and want to worship the Lord out of gratitude because I was condemned and have no other choice of destiny then Hell. Is not that the Good News that Jesus talk about???
Mount Gerizim, Jerusalem Temple or Church: Some people still cling to old concept that God is only in the church and the church is the only place where we should worship Him. This concept is wrong and irrational because we believe that God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent which mean all powerful, all holy and all present (present everywhere). Therefore, God is everywhere and can do everything at any given place or time. It does not necessarily have to be the church where God wants to dispend His wills and blessings. Cannot we worship God outside the mount Gerizim, the Jerusalem Temple or the church? We sure can!!! Are not we the children of God outside the mount Gerizim, or the Jerusalem Temple or the church? We sure are!!!
Let us Examine Ourselves: Wherever we are, we are with God. Is this comfortable with you? Maybe Yes; maybe No. Our sinful nature don’t want God wherever we are, right? Why? Because we want to do something that God doesn’t want us to do. We want to turn our back when we feel like it. Then, do we lose our salvation after doing what God does not want us to do? Of course not!!! But, that brings unhappiness and sadness to our Father and guilt to ourselves. If that does not bring guilt to you, maybe you need to check if you really are born again. If you love doing these sinful things, maybe you don’t belong to the family of God. If you look like a wolf, eat like a wolf, howl like a wolf, behave like a wolf and like what a wolf likes, then you are a wolf no matter what you say you are! If you sin, ask forgiveness to show that you are sorry for your sins. If you fall, stand up for you are not dead. If you fall and cannot move or stand up again, you may be a dead guy. If you keep sinning and does not feel guilty or cannot control, check yourself to see if you belong to God or Satan.
Are You a True Worshipper?: The Bible says, "The hour is coming, and now is, when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4: 23, 24) God is Spirit. If He was natural, you would be able to see Him. We are a three part being - body, soul and spirit. It is our spirit that communicates with His Spirit. Then, the Holy Spirit will tell the truth which in turn will set us free.
For some people in Zogam, we worship God with our body and voice, but not with spirit and truth. There are lots of people, even the clergymen and clergywomen, who worship God with their bodies and emotions, but not with spirit and truth. Here is how: We sometimes have get together or some social services in the name of God and worship as long as our emotions are enthusiastic, our stamina strong and the environment favorable. When we come to the church (Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem Temple) we presume that the Lord is in there and worship Him by kneeling down before Him, sing praises of His name, shout in joy and gladness for what He has done, etc. but put away the skin of Christianity once we step out of the church, Mt. Gerizim or the Jerusalem Temple. I am not saying we must not kneel down, sing praises or shout in joy and gladness in the church. But, I am saying that the nature of our worship is more important. Our commitment to Christianity is not just occasional or random that has to be driven by emotions, but it is a perennial and consistent commitment that has to be driven by God and our spirit of conscience (principle).
True or False Commitment?: Even some people do dirty things such as partying, drinking, eating, etc. on the last night of the year (Dec. 31) to send off the year and attend the church the next day (New Year Day) with full spirit of Christian commitment. Their spirit of commitment will melt down as the year passes by. They will have to use up the last remaining spirit of commitment on Christmas day, and they will have to do the same send off program again to start fresh again, and wait for the cycle to come. I commitment dante uh tambang maimai hiveh aw guai!!!
So, are you a true worshipper? Or, are you a pretending worshipper? The antonym of true is false. Therefore, if you are not a true worshipper, you are a false worshipper. There cannot be half-way true and half-way false because God needs mathematical accuracy or truth to anything true. He says, “No one can serve two masters,” and “So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Cf. Matt. 6:24 & Rev. 3:16)
The True Worshipper Worships in Spirit: The Bible does not say, “God is Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship in the church/Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem Temple only.” But it says, “God is Spirit, and those that worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth.” What we can see here is not the location of the worship that is important, but the nature of the worship is one that counts. Here, the location is the church, Mt. Gerizim or Jerusalem Temple and the nature of the worship is “in spirit and truth.” That’s all. So, which place of worship is more important in Zogam - the church or in spirit and truth? Turn back to John 4: 23 and see what kind of worship the Father seeks. Waw!!! He does not matter where you worship Him, but He does matter how you worship Him. That’s right. And, which one is more important to you - the worship (ritual) or the worshipper? If the worship (ritual) is more important to you, you may need to check it again because God seeks the worshipper! He says through the word of Samuel “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam. 15: 22)
The True Worshipper Worships in Truth: Every word of God is true. How true? Very true, huh!!! God’s word is the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth. God creates, Jesus Christ redeems, and The Holy Spirit sanctifies us; This is the truth we have to accept. But Satan conceals the truth and wants us to doubt about the truth. Why? Because he rebelled against God and was ultimately “…fallen from heaven…cast down to the earth.” (Isa.14: 12-15) Since then, Satan has been always at war with God. Satan conceals the truth because he wants to hurt God, not you and I. He does not profit anything from your sins, but he wants to see the sorrow of God when His children (you and I) sinned. Our sins don’t appease Satan, but you sadden God. And, that’s the mission of Satan. The greatest mission of Satan is to alienate God from his creation by concealing the truth. He wants you to be the beloved son of God, not knowing the truth of being a son, behaving in a way that brings sadness and sorrow to your Father.
The first experiment of Satan to us was in the garden of Eden. In Genesis 2:17 God said to Adam, “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” But Satan said, “You will not surely die.” (Gen. 3:3) Adam and Eve ate the fruit!!! Ultimately, they (Adam and Eve) were driven away from the garden of Eden. Which one is true - “you will sure die,” or “you will not surely die?” They literally die because they became mortal, and they also metaphorically die because they have been separated from the presence of God, their creator. Satan’s Mission accomplished!!! Satan used the same word and phrase except for one more word "NOT." Therefore, temptations will be based on the Bible (the truth) with just some additions or modifications. Satan’s mission is to dethrone God, destroy all creation, deceive the world, and divide the world, and especially the church.
There are lots of people who doubt the accuracy of the Word of God because they have been tempted by Satan. They don’t want to read the Word of God to quench their thirst and to clarify their clouds of doubt. Even if they read the truth Satan will loom over them with doubt by adding or subtracting something to conceal the truth because if he does not, they will know the truth and the truth will set them free from his yoke. That would be a dead blow to Satan. But if someone reads the Bible with a sincere spirit and willing heart, s/he will discover the truth, and "the truth will set you (them) free." (John 8: 32) Scholars, critics, scientists, and many more have been trying to find the fallacy of the word of God. The more they do, the more they know the truth. The Bible or the Word of God has undergone so many tests and challenges unlike the other sacred books of other religions. And listen, the Bible passes all tests and challenges and brought about the critics to life in the Word of God. Therefore, a true worshipper will worship God in accordance with the Word of God which is the truth, the whole truth, nothing but the truth.
Conclusion: Mount Gerizim, the Jerusalem Temple or the church has been considered the dwelling place of God by the Samaritans, Israelites and the Christians respectively. We often associate or think that a particular place would be more sacred then the other place and want to worship God in that place to get closer to God or to get our sacrifices acceptable. This is our superstition or our mental state or emotional state which is somehow close to reality, but not (the) reality. It is not the truth, but it looks like the truth. Satan tempts us not with something you know is false, but will tempt with something close to reality, but not actuality. There are lots of Christians who does not look like a Christian, does not eat or drink like a Christian, does not speak like a Christian, does not behave like a Christian, and does not like what a Christian likes, but claims that they are Christians (rather born-again Christians). Do you believe they are Christians? If you look like a wolf, eat like a wolf, howl like a wolf, behave like a wolf and like what a wolf likes, then you are a wolf no matter what you say you are!
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Ref:
1. http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Delphi/9823/sprtruth.html
2. http://www.battlefocused.org/spiritual-warfare/missions/dark-mission.php
3. http://www.new-life.net/satan.htm
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