Perspectives in Worship Leading – The True Worshipper

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” John 4:23

From this text we can understand that God is seeking true worshippers—does it mean there are “FAKE”
worshippers? What does it mean to be a true worshipper? What does it mean to worship in SPIRIT and to
worship in TRUTH? What did Jesus want the woman at the well to understand?

Jesus used this moment with the Samaritan woman as a TEACHABLE moment. N being seen with the
Samaritan woman, Jesus would be charged with transgressing many rules, spoken or unspoken, regarding
ethnic, moral and gender conventions that were observed by Jews at the time. Yet Jesus defied these
conventions and talked to the Samaritan woman directly: “Give Me a drink.” T he situation was so
troubling that the woman herself called it out: “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me?” She
might have been joking or genuinely confused but whatever the case may have been, we can see that
Jesus made a definite impression on her. It may well have been the first time she was not treated
offensively by a Jew. Jesus used this unusual encounter as well as the element of surprise to declare truth
to the woman and bring her to a saving faith. Jesus revealed to her woman the conflict between her
earthly understanding of what life means and the heavenly perspective that Jesus wanted her to know
about.

The woman thought that true worship had something to do with PLACE, or tangible things (v. 19-20). She
was a Samaritan, and they were somewhat a “mongrel” or mixed race of Jews and Assyrians. While they
used to be Jews, exposure and intermarriage with pagans led to their having their own rituals and place
of worship, and that is the place the woman called “the mountain”. The question the woman asked Jesus
was: where was TRUE WORSHIP held? Was it really at the temple of Jerusalem which the Jews held it to
be, according to their law?

The woman’s question to Jesus is relevant even to us today. What do we usually imagine worship to be?
MUSIC, PLACE, STAGE DESIGN, LIGHT and SOUND. The woman wanted Jesus to talk about worship in
terms of physical, observable, sensory preferences, and to some extent, she might have been genuinely
seeking the right direction from the law. She has not yet realized that the person she was talking to is the
object of worship, as well as the fulfillment of the law Himself. And so Jesus REDIRECTED the question and
pointed to her that what she thought about worship was WRONG. First, worship was not associated to a
place—it was associated with the PERSON that is being worshipped. And GOD is that PERSON. Second,
the prescription for true worship is in nothing tangible, but is in worshipping in SPIRIT and TRUTH. Third,
God is seeking for those worshippers who will worship Him thusly.

To say that true worship is spiritual means more than the opposite of physical; it means that it must
permeate our SPIRIT, it must reach through the core of our existence. It should be what is at the center
of our LIFE. As the SPIRIT is animating, and life-giving, so should true worship be intimately connected
with the same SPIRIT that SUSTAINS us, that MOVES us, that ENABLES us. Worshipping in spirit means
that Christians should worship God not merely through physical ceremony including its accompanying
pomp and circumstance, but with the worshippers’ minds, hearts, and wills—and, as a consequence of
these, with their lives, naturally.
To say that true worship is done in the TRUTH, means that it lines up with the whole truth of God’s Word.
Worshipping requires immersion and adherence to God’s word. How can we worship wholeheartedly
what we do not desire to know God intimately? While enlightenment comes from the Holy Spirit, the
steadfastness and commitment to study and obey His Word requires our OBEDIENCE—the bending of our
will to follow what God has commanded us to do. Furthermore, Jesus is saying to the woman that the
fulfillment of the Word has come through Himself, “the Word was made flesh” in HIM. It is through
following His LIFE that worshippers can worship in TRUTH.

The point of this is that: WORSHIP BEGINS AND ENDS WITH GOD. In HIS Spirit, and in HIS truth.

Being called to lead worship is a double measure of grace—worship by itself comes from God, and the
opportunity to share and encourage others in partaking of this experience is a great privilege. This should
change our ATTITUDES with regard to being called to lead worship. You are not called to lead because of
your competence, your talent, your looks, your influence, or your confidence. You were called to be the
song leader or worship leader simply because GOD WANTED TO. No explanation, just grace.

Because, if it were otherwise--who are we to stand in front of Him and declare His truths and lead people
to worship Him? We are just creatures ourselves, and probably more deep in vanity and self-centeredness
than those whom we supposedly lead in worship. Who are we to think we DESERVE the ministries or
opportunities, or skills we are blessed with? May we never think it is because of our “being better” than
others that we were called to lead the singing or worship. May we also never think that being actually
able to lead, or do the task well, makes us better than others.

From the calling to the working, everything is by God’s grace. We are just instruments. Tools at the right
place, and the right time. We need to take ourselves out of the equation of worth—because worship is
not about us. Humility should lay the groundwork for all our perspectives and approaches in how we
should fulfill our roles as worship leaders.

Discussion Questions:

1/ How would you describe the relationship/conflicts between the following?

 The water that Jesus’ requested from the well VS. The living water Jesus offered to the woman
 Worshipping on the mountain/temple VS. Worshipping in spirit and in truth
 The woman’s earthly perspective VS. Jesus’ eternal perspective

2/How would you differentiate worshipping merely in the physical sense vs. Worshipping in the spiritual
sense?

3/How do we sometimes deceive ourselves that we are worshipping in truth when we actually aren’t?

4/Why is humility an important defining character for worship leaders?