We commune with Him
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (John 4:23 ESV)
In Old Testament times, worship of God was primarily centered around sacrificial offerings—the sacrificing of animals as the means for people to receive forgiveness of sin, as well as to show thanks and praise to God. From the time of Moses onward, these sacrifices were made at the tabernacle and later the temple in Jerusalem, the place where God dwelt among His people.
The New Testament tells us that the sacrificial system was no longer necessary once Jesus laid down His life as a single sacrifice for all time and therefore there is no longer a need for any further sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin and reconciliation with God.
As Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman, worship is no longer tied to a specific place as it was at the time, but is now based on the relationship between the worshipper and God—a relationship which became possible through Jesus’ death and resurrection. The time came when the connecting point between God and humanity became Jesus, through the salvation that His death and resurrection brought to us.
In saying that God seeks worshippers who worship Him in spirit and truth, Jesus was expressing that true worship is more than just words which come out of our mouths. It is our spirit connecting to His Spirit as we commune with Him, and worshipping God for who He is, as He has revealed Himself in His Word. [1]
Putting our faith in Christ is not about trying harder; it means transferring our trust away from ourselves and resting in him. - Timothy Keller
[1] Anchor A Heart of Worship
