Tonight we’re only going to read two verses from John chapter 4, since we’ve already spent time earlier in verses 23 and 24. Jesus says:
“The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
May the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Word.
Before we go any further, I think it’s important to stop and define a few terms. I’m learning more and more that words can be dangerous tools—they often hide more than they reveal. I keep using the word worship, and I know what I mean by it, but that doesn’t always mean everyone is hearing the same thing.
I learned this lesson the hard way once. During a conference, a small, energetic lady came up to me and thanked me for the ministry she had received through recorded messages. Then she asked a question that seemed completely unrelated.
She said, “Are you really a bird watcher?”
That question caught me off guard. After thinking about it for a moment, I answered honestly, “Yes, I suppose you could say that.”
She seemed delighted and walked away smiling. Later, I learned that although we were using the same language, we were not using the same definitions. What I meant and what she heard were two very different things.
That experience taught me something important: if we don’t define our terms, we can easily misunderstand one another. So when I say worship, let me explain what I mean.
The word worship comes from an old English word that means worth-ship. It has to do with recognizing worth, dignity, and honor. In a biblical sense, worship is the reverent devotion, service, and love given to God because of who He is.
Modern dictionaries connect worship with words like adore, revere, honor, exalt, magnify, esteem, love, and admire. When you think about that list, it becomes clear why Scripture repeatedly warns us not to worship anything other than God. We may not bow before physical idols, but it’s still possible to adore a person too much, exalt a system, or give our deepest affection to something less than Him.
Worship isn’t about the worthiness of the worshiper—it’s about the worthiness of the One being worshiped.
Think of a royal ceremony. People bow, not because of who they are, but because of who the ruler is. In the same way, worship isn’t earned by spiritual maturity or perfection. God is worthy of worship simply because He is God.
One of the greatest obstacles to worship is the belief that we aren’t “spiritual enough” yet. Scripture says that all nations will worship before Him. Worship is not reserved for a select few—it’s a response every heart is invited to make.
When we look at the Bible’s original languages, this becomes even clearer. In the Old Testament, the primary word used for worship means to bow down, to prostrate, to show reverence. Nearly every translation involves action. Worship was never just a quiet thought—it was expressed.
That’s why it always amuses me when worship is listed as a single item in a service schedule, usually meaning a brief moment of silence. Silence can be meaningful, but worship is not inactivity. Worship requires expression.
It’s not thanksgiving until gratitude is expressed, and it’s not worship until love and honor are expressed toward God.
In the New Testament, the most common word for worship literally means “to kiss toward.” Worship is relational and intimate. You can bow from a distance, but you can’t kiss from afar. Worship draws us close to God and invites affection, not just formality.
So when I talk about worship, I’m not only referring to reverence or posture. I’m talking about love—expressed, poured out, and returned to God.
Here’s where worship becomes difficult to explain. Worship involves emotion, interaction, and relationship, and those things don’t fit neatly into definitions. Scripture never gives us a rigid formula for worship, and that’s intentional. If God had done that, we would turn worship into a ritual instead of a relationship.
Jesus gives us the clearest picture when He says we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Worship is the full release of who we are in response to who He is.
At the deepest levels of worship, words often fall short. Paul hints at this when he speaks of the Spirit helping us pray with expressions too deep for words. Worship moves into a place where love is felt more than spoken.
True worship also engages our emotions. Loving God with all our heart means allowing joy, awe, gratitude, and even tears to be part of our response. Emotional release is not weakness—it’s a natural result of genuine love.
Worship also involves the body. When the spirit responds to God, the body follows. Hands lift, knees bend, voices rise, or stillness settles in. Expression will come, though it may look different from person to person.
And worship always flows from relationship, not performance. It’s not the action that produces love—it’s love that produces the action. Just as affection in a healthy relationship leads to expression, love for God leads to worship.
Different expressions don’t measure devotion. Some worship loudly, others quietly. As we draw closer to God, expression often becomes more gentle, not because it’s weaker, but because intimacy requires less effort to communicate.
Corporate worship reveals something beautiful. When people worship together, many expressions happen at once—kneeling, singing, reading Scripture, lifting hands, standing in awe. The body of Christ, together, expresses worship more completely than any individual ever could.
Worship cannot be manufactured. It cannot be scheduled or scripted. Praise can be taught, but worship happens when we draw near to God.
Praise brings us into His presence. Worship is what we do once we’re there.
Some people praise right up to the edge of worship and stop because they’re unsure what comes next. But if they would simply step forward—stop worrying about words and let love flow—they would experience something deeper.
Worship is mysterious, intangible, and deeply fulfilling. Like love, it cannot be fully explained—but it is essential.
So let us give the Lord the glory due His name. Let us worship Him in the beauty of holiness.
We may not fully understand it—but when it happens, we will know.
Let’s begin with praise. That’s the way in.