By Michael A. Milton
I mentioned in a previous message that I hope that our worship is healing. I hope that some are saved, some are encouraged, and the Spirit of God convicts some, before we ever get to a sermon. Why? Because there should be sufficient Scripture in our Worship services to bring about healing. God's Word is Truth and the Truth will set you free, so we should expect healing to come from every part of our worship services.
5. Living Worship leads to a Living Lord.
In verses 25 and 26, "‘The woman said to Him, I know that Messiah is coming' (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.' Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.'"
Here, we note the fifth and final feature of Living Worship: "Living Worship leads to a Living Lord."
Jesus' teaching on worship leads to His revelation of Himself as the Son of God. Worship that is alive always does. This revelation, which comes after teaching on worship, leads not only to this woman's salvation, but also to revival and reformation in Sychar. Living Worship is all about a Living Lord.
I was once at a church, National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C., where the pastor is Dr. Craig Barnes. Mae and I were touched as he related his philosophy of ministry concerning their children's worship ministry. Parents who want their children to attend the "Children in Worship" ministry are assured that each child will begin to learn about the worship service, preparing each child to participate with understanding in public worship. But, at the end of each Children in Worship service, the children's director and volunteers invite the children to gather their belongings and sit in a leader's lap. The leader then whispers to each child, "The Lord loves you." Dr. Barnes said that it was his dream that every child would grow to be a worshiper who heard the whisper of God's love in each service.
That is my vision, not only for our children, but also for you. That is my vision because that is God's idea. Either our worship is dry and dead, and you leave without the whisper of God's love, or it is a Living Worship, which invites you to come to Your Lord and to hear His whisper: "I who speak to you am He."
Oh, may you be led to know Him this day! Oh, may this message and these hymns and our prayers and confessions all lead you to see that Jesus is Lord and invites you to know Him. May you hear His whisper this day.
In God's Word, nothing is more important than worship, and in the Bible, worship is not a noun. Worship is a verb. In Jesus' teaching, God will not allow us merely to talk about worship, or think about worship, or study about worship, or argue about worship styles or props. He is calling us to worship Him in spirit and in truth. He is calling us to a Living Worship, an invitation to be transformed by His grace. From this passage, we have seen that Living Worship:
