King's Business - 1916-04

THE KING’ S BUSINESS

376

us how to worship and to lead us into acceptable .worship. God is a spirit, not a mere outward form. Though God is spirit in His- essential essence,- He does manifest Himself in visible form (Ex. 24:9, ,10; 33:18, 2 3 ); John 14:9), and the glad day is coming when the pure in heart shall see Him (Matt. 5:8; 1 John 3:2 ). The woman knew that the Messiah was coming and was waiting until He came to tell her “ all things,” He indeed is the one who does tell us all things. But though she knew it not, He was already there. ' Jesus made to this outcast, Samaritan woman one o f the clearest and most unmistakable deer larations that He is'the Messiah that He ever made, “ I that speak unto thee am He.” Sunday, April 30 . John 4 : 27 - 30 . The disciples were greatly surprised upon their return to find Him talking “with a woman” (R. V .). AVomeh are o f no more account in the eyes o f some men today than this woman was in the eyes o f the disciples. The disciples ought not to have been surprised that Jesus talked with a woman, and a Samaritan woman at that, and a sinner furthermore, if they had only stppped to think that He had condescended to talk with them. The woman did not wait. She hurried into the city to tell others the good news. In her eagerness she even forgot to take her water-pot with her. She came out to get a water-pot full o f water and she went back with a whole well in her heart. When any one really finds*Jesus he is willing, to leave all that he may go and tell others about Him. Her -message to the men of the city was-the old gospel message, “ Come.” And what were they to come and do? “ See a man.” That is what we most need to see, a man—to see Jesus (cf. ch. 1:29). She summed up what Jesus-had done in one short sentence. “ He told me all things that ever .I did.” And then she asked the question, “ Is not this the Christ?” Or rather, more accurately, “ Can this be the Christ?” Personally, she had no' doubt that it was, but she put it

versy between the Jews and the Samaritans was whether they should worship at Mt. Zion or Mt. Gerizim (v. 20). Jesus shows to the. woman that this is not the real question at issue. The question is not where we shall worship, but how we shall wor­ ship. These are strong words with which Jesus exposes the hollowness o f this woman and the worship o f her fellow Samaritans, “Ye worship ye know not what,” but the words are equally true o f much modern so-called Christian worship. “ Salvation is from the Jews,” He continued. To the Jews were committed the Oracles o f God (Rom ., 3:2). O f them the Christ, the Saviour o f the world, is born according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3).. The Jews were the first heralds of a crucified and risen „Sav­ iour, in whom,, and in whom alone, salva­ tion is offered to all men. The world owes to the Jews a debt that can never be paid, But while salvation- is “ from the Jews,” the Jews as a people have rejected it. The Heavenly Father is seeking worshippers (v. 23, R. V .). God is seeking not only those who will serve Him and obey Him, but those who will worship Him > but He does not find many worshippers though He is so eagerly seeking them. There are very few in our churches who really worship. Prayer is not worship. Thanksgiving is not worship. Worship is a definite act, it is bowing before God in adoring contem­ plation o f Himself. Some one has well said, “ In our prayers we are taken up with our needs; in our thanksgivings we are taken up with our blessings; in our worship we are taken up with Himself.” And it is worshippers God is seeking. Does He find a worshipper in you? God is not only Seeking worshippers, He is seeking only one kind of worshippers, those who worship in Spirit (i. e., in the Holy Spirit), and in truth (i. e., in reality and not in mere pretense) (Phil. 3:3, R. V .). The flesh seeks to intrude into every sphere, and even into the sphere o f worship. But the worship which the flesh prompts is not acceptable tc> God. W e are absolutely dependent upon the Holy Spirit to teach

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