John 4:21-26 Our LORD specifically went through Samaria (John 4:4) in order to encounter this woman who was a sinner for whom He had come into this world to work out a perfect righteousness on her behalf and lay down His life to pay her sin debt. Typically, the Jews went around Samaria, but HE must NEEDS go through Samaria, because she was a sheep who was not of the Jewish fold that HE must bring (John 10:16).
21 “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.”
As the LORD Jesus was drawing this woman to Himself, the first command He gave her was, ‘BELIEVE ME.’ He is always the object of FAITH. He gives the command to believe, and gives the FAITH to believe. THE FAITH once delivered unto the saints is the body of truth revealing Christ and Him crucified, who HE is and what HE accomplished at the cross for the salvation of those that the Father gave Him from eternity, (John 17:3). Sinners drawn by the Spirit of God are drawn to Christ out of their former works religion, “when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.”
None of us knows true worship by nature. Many would even exalt the Jewish people and history without ever seeing that their existence as a nation is purely because God purposed to bring HIS salvation from them, that is the LORD Jesus Christ, (Romans 9:5).
23 “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”
When the Spirit of God reveals Christ in the heart, then and only then do they become true worshippers. The apostle Paul wrote that the true circumcision (spiritual Israel) are those “worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,” (Philippians 3:3). Notice that it is God who does the seeking, and whom God seeks, He finds and draws by His Spirit according to the Truth, which is Christ.
24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
What’s the evidence that a sinner is the LORD’S and drawn to Him by His grace? They come to God by Him, and worship Him in the Spirit (as the Spirit reveals Him to the heart), and the Spirit only reveals Him in Truth.
25 “The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”
Our LORD declared, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me…” (John 6:37). This woman had heard that the Messiah would come, who is called Christ, the Anointed One. What she did not perceive is that He had come, “in the fullness of the time…” (Galatians 4:4), but more specifically, had come for such as she, to redeem her from under the bondage and curse of the law, and cause her to rejoice in HIM. It took the LORD coming for her, and to her, which is how He saves any sinner and makes of them a true worshipper. He comes for them (Substitution) and to them (Regeneration). Salvation is of the LORD from beginning to end.
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