The title of this study series, Jacob’s Well, comes from John Chapter 4, where Jesus encounters the woman at the well in Samaria.

John 4:3 He left Judea and returned to Galilee.

John 4:4 It was necessary for Him to go through Samaria.

John 4:5 And in doing so, He arrived at a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the tract of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

John 4:6 And Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired as He was from His journey, sat down [to rest] by the well. It was then about the sixth hour (about noon).

Of course, the story goes on, disclosing the discussion between Jesus and the woman who came to draw water at Jacob’s Well. During this dialog, Jesus makes this rather profound statement,

John 4:21 Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither [merely] in this mountain nor [merely] in Jerusalem.

John 4:22 You [Samaritans] do not know what you are worshiping [you worship what you do not comprehend]. We do know what we are worshiping [we worship what we have knowledge of and understand], for [after all] salvation comes from [among] the Jews.

John 4:23 A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality).

I say profound because Jesus notes that those who worship the Father will worship in spirit and in truth. I heard Ravi Zacharia say that the modern church thinks that worship is a half hour of music before the preaching. And sadly this is the case in some churches. But worship is more than just singing. It is defined as the adoration, devotion, and respect given to a deity; or the rites or services through which people show their adoration, devotion, and respect for a deity. In a general way it is great or excessive love, admiration, and respect felt for somebody or something. The act of worship is therefore to treat somebody or something as divine and show respect by engaging in acts of prayer and devotion; or to love, admire, or respect somebody or something greatly. Hmmm, no mention of singing. That’s not to discount singing because singing can express prayer, devotion, love, admiration, and respect.

Furthermore, Psalm 100 clearly says that singing is a part of our worship of God.

Psa. 100:1 MAKE A joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!

Psa. 100:2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing!

Psa. 100:3 Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.†

Psa. 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!

Psa. 100:5 For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.

Notice that in addition to singing, there’s thanksgiving and praise. These, of course can be folded into songs, but here the Psalmist is taking specifically about speaking out to God (not merely thinking , or “praying silently”) words of heartfelt praise and thanksgiving. In fact, I don’t believe it is possible for a Christian person not to give praise and thanksgiving to God for all He has done and continues to do for us (Rom. 8:9). One of the primary hallmarks of the Christian life is gratitude. Gratitude to God for all He has done for us through His Son, Jesus the Christ.

Praise and thanksgiving can be corporate, as when a congregation says something like, “Thank You, Father, for giving us Your Son, Jesus, to die for us on the cross.” But it is certainly also intended for individual use, as in praying, “Thank You, Father, for Your Son, Jesus, Who died for me on the cross.” But in all cases, our praise and thanksgiving should be done in spirit and truth. Which means exactly what?

Well, first of all, remember that all of God’s true children are no longer children of the world. That is, they have received a new spirit, linked eternally to the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:20). In Ephesians, Paul writes, May blessing (praise, laudation, and eulogy) be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) Who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual (given by the Holy Spirit) blessing in the heavenly realm! (Eph. 1:3). It is this new spirit within us, guided by the Holy Spirit, by which we worship God. The spirit of the world, which we had before our new life in Christ, will not, indeed, cannot, worship God (Rom. 8:7). So for us to worship in sprit, we have to be God’s children. As His children, and with a heart of gratitude, we can offer our worship of praise and thanksgiving. Indeed, God considers such praise and thanksgiving as a sacrifice to Him through Jesus Christ, for as the writer of Hebrews says, Through Him (Christ Jesus—GB), therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name (Heb. 13:15).

And what about truth? Well. Jesus, really defined this for us, when He said, Sanctify them [purify, consecrate, separate them for Yourself, make them holy] by the Truth; Your Word is Truth (John 17:17). When the Word is in us, and we are in the Word (living and doing as it says) then we are in the Truth. We are sanctified, set apart as God’s children in thought, word, and deed by keeping God’s Word in our hearts and allowing it to guide our lives.

The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:9), and the Spirit of Truth (John 16:130). When we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are filled with the very presence of God, and far more in tune with the “spirit and truth” by which we worship God. Paul, writing to the Philippians notes, For we [Christians] are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit and by the Spirit of God and exult and glory and pride ourselves in Jesus Christ, and put no confidence or dependence [on what we are] in the flesh and on outward privileges and physical advantages and external appearances (Phil 3:3).

“Father, I want the fullness of Your Spirit in me so that I may worship You in all the fullness of the sprit and truth that You deserve. Help me to grasp that fullness and hold fast to it through my trust in You. In Jesus’ precious name, please make it so.”