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John 4:22-24

²²You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. ²⁴God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Jesus did not give in to the prejudice of His culture, but neither did He deny the error in the Samaritan belief system. Their version of the Laws of Moses was corrupt. They had formed a counterfeit belief system that did not lead to salvation, that is, to the Messiah. The tendency today is to praise the lack of prejudice but condemn Jesus' judgment of her religious beliefs. Jesus was leading her to truth, not some universal acceptance of all belief systems.

The issue was not about which mountain was the appropriate God pleasing place to worship, but about the heart. The true worshippers are more concerned about the condition of their spirit, not ritual. They are more concerned about truth than cultural acceptance. What good is worship if the heart is fixed on the wrong thing or if the substance of the belief is untrue? The Father is not looking for the correct procedure but for those worshiping in spirit and truth. With that expression He bridged their cultural differences and found the common ground of a heart after God.

Then He told her something amazing. God is looking for that kind of worshiper. We don't have to grope around in the dark after God. We just need to worship in spirit and truth and He will find us. He is a spirit. He is not some physical object. You don't need to worship in some special setting, but you do need to worship Him in spirit.

He is truth. There is nothing false in Him. That is why the two requirements for worship are that you worship in spirit and truth. You must be honest about your condition. Nothing is hidden from Him. You can't present one thing when your heart is trying to hide something contrary. He sees right through us.

Consider: Will He find you this evening worshiping in spirit and truth?