Lent: Spirit and Truth

Read  John 4:1-26.

But the time is coming when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth. John 4: 23-24.

Last night I saw an excellent stage presentation of Mamma Mia at the IU Auditorium in Bloomington, IN. I was struck by how the creators of that show took music from the 1970’s disco-era Swedish group called “ABBA” and built an entertaining musical around the music. It reminded me of how creativity is often defined as the rearranging of the old in a new way.

Jesus was a master at rearranging the old in a new way. In the story John tells of the Samaritan woman at the well, he redefines and redirects the whole concept of worship.

Here Jesus gives an answer to the question of the Samaritan woman about where a person should worship – in Jerusalem or at Mount Gerizim in Samaria. Jesus answers the “what” question with a “how” answer. Worship God in spirit and in truth.

Jesus is not dodging the question. Instead he is re-creating worship. Just this week I was in three different conversations about worship. And I don’t remember once bringing up whether we were focusing on Spirit and truth. I think it’s easier to focus on the human questions of worship time and worship space and worship style. Jesus calls us to go deeper.

I know we could talk for hours about what it means to “worship God in spirit and in truth.” And maybe we should. And when we do let’s make sure the conversation is infused with God’s spirit and truth.