“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.” (John 4:23)
This is the same “hour is coming” Jesus had just mentioned in :21, when He said that worship is not a matter of geography: “Neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem.” He completes that idea by indicating true worship must be “in spirit and truth.” Continue reading
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” (John 4:21)
Jesus’ statement to the woman at Jacob’s well in Samaria should not be lost on us today. Responding to her “dodge” question about the controversy between the Jews and Samaritans about whether a person could worship in the mountain at Samaria, or in Jerusalem only, Jesus indicated that “an hour is coming” (brought about by His impending death & resurrection) when worship would not be a matter of geography. Continue reading
“God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
Here Jesus teaches the Samaritan woman, and every one of us who reads the inspired record of her conversation with Him, something about God which is foundational to our understanding of Him, and how He must be worshiped: Continue reading
“He said to her, ‘Go, call your husband and come here.'” (John 4:16)
Having gotten the attention of the woman at the well with His promise of eternal life, Jesus gets to the “hard part”: “Go, call your husband and come here.” Continue reading
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” (John 3:35)
Mahatma Gandhi, typical of the Eastern religious perspective, described God as a “force.” But we see no such impersonal description of God in scripture. Here Jesus speaks of the relationship of the Father and the Son: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” Here we find the description of a relationship: Continue reading
On May of 1776, in the throes of the conflict of the birth of our country, General George Washington sent this order to his army:
“The Continental Congress having ordered, Friday the 17th. Instant to be observed as a day of “fasting, humiliation and prayer, humbly to supplicate the mercy of Almighty God, that it would please him to pardon all our manifold sins and transgressions, and to prosper the Arms of the United Colonies, and finally, establish the peace and freedom of America, upon a solid and lasting foundation”–The General commands all officers, and soldiers, to pay strict obedience to the Orders of the Continental Congress, and by their unfeigned, and pious observance of their religious duties, incline the Lord, and Giver of Victory, to prosper our arms.”
George Washington and the first Americans recognized the importance of prayer and fasting, and they turned to it when they needed a breakthrough in the fight for the independence of the colonies. But we have not had such a decree in many years in America — not from Presidents Democrat or Republican. But sadly, not only has our nation as a whole forgotten the importance of seeking God through fasting, most of the people in God’s church have as well.
I have been convicted as I have been praying and studying for our messages in Matthew 4 that we should not leave this passage without looking together at the fact that Jesus fasted and prayed at this crucial time in His ministry. He was about to experience a breakthrough in His ministry, and it is not coincidence that He fasted and prayed and sought the Father in a special way. In the same way, I believe that we have many people here in our church — and perhaps some of you who are guests today — who are looking for a spiritual breakthrough in your life — or maybe you have a burden for a loved one who needs a powerful touch from God — and God’s word for you today is that you need to seek a spiritual breakthrough to Him, and from Him, in fasting and prayer. Continue reading
“He must increase but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)
This statement was true for John the Baptist in a very literal way, in which it will not be for us: John’s ministry and popularity would decrease, as more and more of those who were seeking God in his day went to Jesus instead of to him (:26 “all are coming to Him”, etc.) But even though our current circumstances differ from John’s, this scripture is still a penetrating prescription for what must happen to each of us in Christian discipleship. Continue reading
During the Civil War, the 20th Massachusetts regiment found themselves in combat day after day after day for almost 2 solid months. And it wore them down physically, emotionally, in every way. At the end of June 1864, Captain H.L. Patten wrote:
“[The men] have been so horribly worked and badgered that they are utterly unnerved and demoralised. They are easily scared as a timid child at night. Half our brigade were taken prisoners the other day, in the middle of the day, by a line no stronger than themselves, without firing a shot. … Fifty-three days; EVERY DAY under fire, every night either digging or marching. We, our brigade, have made fourteen charges upon the enemy’s breastworks, although at last no amount of urging, no heroic example, no threats, or anything else, could get the line to STIR ONE PEG. For my own part, I am utterly tired and dis- heartened and if I stay at all, it will be like a whipt dog –because I think I must.” (“Combat Trauma In The American Civil War, by John Talbot, History Today, London, England, March 1996)
That Civil War captain could tell you from personal experience: it is hard to obey when you are tired. Many of us know that personally as well. How many times do we just “settle”, or disobey, or give in to temptation, or fail to do what we think God wants us to do, because we are tired?
In our passage for tonight, we see that Jesus knew what it was like to be tired — but He also exhibited a commitment to obey His Heavenly Father and minister to people — and if we ask Him, He will give us the strength to do the same thing as well. Continue reading
This last Saturday (March 18, 2017) an intruder kicked open the door of a house in Redding, California — but he picked the wrong home to invade. A California Highway Patrol Officer lived at that house, and he shot the intruder dead. Most of us would say that officer is a good example of the way that we should each be armed & ready to protect our homes against whatever enemies might harm us.
But we also need to be aware that there are enemies of a different kind than those who would physically attempt to steal, or kill, or assault us. There is an even more destructive enemy in the spiritual realm, who is bent on destroying you, your marriage, your family, your children and grandchildren, and every one of our souls. And this enemy can’t be warded off by a shotgun or a pistol. But Jesus shows us here in Matthew 4:1-11 how we can fend off his attacks with “The sword of the Spirit, the word of God.” Continue reading
“He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.” (John 3:29)
John the Baptist knew that his own ministry was on the wane, and that more and more people were coming instead to Jesus. And others were noticing it. They said to him in :26 “all are coming to Him.” But John wasn’t jealous; instead he rejoiced. And he explained his attituude with the analogy of “the friend of the bridegroom.” Continue reading
I'm a retired Southern Baptist pastor of almost 40 years. My wife Cheryl & I moved to Norman, OK in March of 2025. I share a weekly overview for Sunday School teachers of the weekly Lifeway "Explore the Bible" lesson, as well as texts of my sermons and other articles.
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