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REFLECTION

It’s not about a building is the theme for our reflection. It’s not about a building means worship is not limited to space and geographical location. The Samaritans and Jews had their own historical, political and religious differences although they share a common ancestry. Samaritans believe that the Jewish Torah, and Judaism, have been corrupted by time and no longer serve the duties that God mandated to the Israelites on Mount Sinai. The holiest site for Samaritans in their faith is Mount Gerizim near Nablus, while Jews view the Temple Mount in Jerusalem as their most sacred location. It was for this reason, the Samaritan “woman said to Jesus, “I can see that you are a prophet.  Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:19-24)

Dear friend, Jesus teaches that worshipping God is not about geographical location but the state of the worshipper’s spirit, mind and heart when believers meet to fellowship. It is important to note that Jesus is referring to worshippers and not Samaritans or Jews. Who, then. is a worshipper? A worshipper is a person who has repented and have experienced a spiritual rebirth in Jesus Christ. Jesus says ” “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again… no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. (John 3:3,5-6). A person who is born again or regenerated becomes the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ. A believer or worshipper becomes part of the body of Christ, the Church. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free —and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13) Consequently, a person who is born again has been made sacred or holy through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit therefore he or she lives and worships in the Spirit and not by the desires of the flesh. Paul admonishes us that “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:24-25).

Beloved in the Lord, a worshipper who worships in Spirit will certainly worship in truth because the Holy Spirit will always lead us to obey the Word of God which is the Truth. Worshipping in Truth means completely obeying or living according to the Word of God such that no “sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. (Galatians 5:19-21) will be found in our lives. Again, worshipping in truth through the empowerment of the Spirit means that no deceit or hypocrisy will be found in our lives. Our lives become acceptable sacrifices to God and a temple of the Lord. Dear friend in the Lord, if you are a believer who worships in Spirit and in truth then passionately “offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship (Romans 12:1). It is also important to remember that a chapel is a consecrated place for worship but the chapel or church building does not intrinsically transform us into people who worship in Spirit and in Truth, we are transformed if we continually avail our bodies to be used by the Holy Spirit to worship God in a manner that is pleasing to Him, it is for this reason, Paul again admonishes us that “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Living a life of worship or worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth is actually honouring God with our bodies so long as we have breath. Worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth is not about a church building, for we are the living and moving temples of God. The church building is only a space for believers to meet, pray, praise God and be empowered by His Word to continue living in Spirit and in Truth. Going to church alone does not guarantee our salvation but repentance, believing in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and being empowered by the Holy Spirit to become the living temple of God will guarantee our salvation. Regardless of wherever we find ourselves, at work, in the market or at home, we are to live a life of worship by always allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us even as we live by the Truth in overcoming corruption and all other forms of immorality that may come our way. Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth is not an intermittent activity done as and when we wish neither is it a Sunday affair, worshipping in Spirit and in Truth is a way of life. We must worship in Spirit and in Truth till our last day on earth when we shall say with Stephen “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (Acts 7:59) Shalom.

PRAYER

Holy Spirit, empower us to be true worshippers beyond the four walls of our chapel or church buildings. Strengthen us to glorify God by worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth wherever we find ourselves as believers. Amen.