INTRODUCTION

1. Place of Worship Is Not The Center, Jesus Is The Center
2. Worshift Is Not About The Right Place, It is About The Right Person
3. Worshift Is A Matter of The Heart It is Not About The Chosen Site

Jerusalem Not The Center But Jesus The Center

John 4:23 The Father is seeking such to worship Him

You read in the prophets and heard from Jesus, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

According to the research done by Christianity today, “Our churches are homogeneous, yet, by and large, there remains little to no desire to change when it comes to issues of diversity.

The tectonic shift in worship took place between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Jesus and the Samaritan woman had a worshift at Jacob’s well.

Worshift Is Not A Chosen Site But A Contrite Heart

John 4:20 - In this mountain Jacob's Well is at the foot of Mount Gerizim. Sanballat erected a temple on this mountain which was destroyed by John Hyrcanus B.C. 129. Abraham (Ge 12:7) and Jacob (Ge 33:20) set up altars at Shechem. On Gerizim were proclaimed the blessings recorded in De 28. The Samaritans held that Abraham offered up Isaac on Gerizim. The Samaritans kept up this worship on this mountain.

Worship is a matter of the heart not a chosen site.

Worship is an encounter with God. Worship is connecting with God. Worship is a conviction of real people about the real God. Are we presenting Jesus who goes out of the way to bring everyone into His fold?

Worshift Is Not Locational Dependence But Spiritual Independence of It

Worshift Is Not About The Right Place But The Right Person

John 4:21 - Neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem The worship of God will be emancipated from bondage to place. Both Jews and Samaritans are wrong as to the "necessity". "These ancient rivalries will disappear when the spirituality of true religion is fully realized." Jesus told this sinful woman one of his greatest truths.

Worshift Is Not About Knowing Whom To Worship But Knowing Who You Worship

John 4:22 – You do not know

Worship is not knowing to sing all the wonderful songs, clapping hands, raising hands and getting all emotional. We may be singing, clapping, raising hands and not worshiping God. If I were to ask you, what is your worship philosophy and theology, what would you say?

Worshift Is Excountering The Truth And Experiencing In The Spirit

John 4:23 - And now is. This item could not be added in verse 21 for local worship was not abolished, but spiritual independence of place was called for at once. This is what matters, not where, but how.

John 4:24 - God is a Spirit More precisely, "God is Spirit" as "God is Light" (1Jo 1:5), "God is Love" (1Jo 4:8). The non-corporeality of God is clearly stated and the personality of God also.

How do make faith work with the culture?

So what is culture?

Culture)- "the tilling of land," directly from Latin cultura "a cultivating, agriculture," figuratively "care, culture, an honoring," from past participle stem of colere "tend, guard, cultivate, till"

For without culture or holiness, which are always the gift of a very few, a man may renounce wealth or any other external thing, but he cannot renounce hatred, envy, jealousy, revenge. Culture is the sanctity of the intellect. [William Butler Yeats]

Make Worship as cultural engagement not cultural enragement.

Sabbath is outward focus. The practice of Sabbath is a Jewish culture and they were effectively engaging the culture. By the first century, Sabbath had caught on, and peoples across the Roman Empire had embraced the Jewish custom of giving themselves a day off. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that: "The masses have long since shown a keen desire to adopt our religious observances; and there is not one city, Greek or barbarian, nor a single nation, to which our custom of abstaining from work on the seventh day has not spread." Coming to the table is part of worship. What are the basic needs for human being? We cannot do without food and water. Does the Biblical worldview have any relevance to what we eat? Yes it does. When writing to the Corinthians the apostle Paul said, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31) In gathering, preparing and eating meals, we have a God-given obligation to glorify Him. This is true of food just as it is true of “whatever you do.

To engage others outside the church

• Share a glass of water with outsider. It may just lead to a deep conversation about your faith like it did with Jesus and the Samaritan woman. Sharing water changed her life and the village.
• Share meal with the outcast in simplicity. It may just add souls to the kingdom of God. Zacchaeus who defrauded people and made himself rich by collecting high taxes gave back 5 times more to the people he defrauded. It just took one dinner with Jesus to have radical transformation.
• Share your day of rest and relaxation with others. Spend quality time with others. Show God’s economy of working 6 days and making it for 7 days. Let people see your oil and flour do not run out in your house. The widow worshipped God by giving the last meal to Elijah. The widow gave two mites/coins and it pleases the heart of God- that is Sabbath rest.
• Spread positive message. The good news/gospel is positive. Joy is contagious. You cannot win others by criticizing them and tearing them down. Don’t spread insomnia, anxieties and depression. If you are criticizing your friends all the time you are not listening to them.