Not Without,II

John 4:²³ (KJV) “…true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.”

Yesterday we listed three categories of people that God is looking for. These three categories of people are; loyal people, intercessors, and worshippers. These three categories of people all have one thing in common and that is sacrifice. You cannot be loyal without being sacrificial because your loyalty will call for sacrifice. You cannot be an intercessor without being sacrificial. In fact, the nature of intercession is sacrifice. And of course, there can be no worship without sacrifice.

There can be no worship without Vulnerability. In John 4:1-27 (please read), Jesus went to the heart of this woman’s vulnerability. Luke 7:^36-39 “One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat. When a certain immoral woman from that city heard he was eating there, she brought a beautiful alabaster jar filled with expensive perfume. Then she knelt behind him at his feet, weeping. Her tears fell on his feet, and she wiped them off with her hair. Then she kept kissing his feet and putting perfume on them. When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!”

You can read this passage and not connect with what made the Pharisee think that way. Her kisses were not holy kisses or just ordinary kisses. She kissed Jesus’ feet in a way that made people question Jesus’ holiness and sanctification. This woman opened her life up, she was vulnerable. God fills our emptiness when we choose to be vulnerable in worship. To fill your emptiness with God, you have to be vulnerable. This is why I encourage people to plug into personal or corporate spiritual exercises and bring sacrifices to God consistently. It would not be convenient. It would be sacrificial, and sacrifice is big with God. Push through your curtain of convenience. And while you are in God’s presence, be vulnerable to Him, open your heart to Jesus.

Matt.26:6-13 (please read) is Matthew’s own account of the Luke 7:36-39 scripture. However, Matthew shows us something extra. Matthew shows us that apart from vulnerability, there can be no true worship without Surrender. You can be vulnerable but not surrendered. You can be vulnerable and still be protecting yourself. This woman was not only vulnerable, but she also surrendered. There is no true worship without surrender.

Prayer: Father, as I sacrifice and surrender, as I am vulnerable in the place of worship, let Your fresh bubbling streams burst forth in my life, in Jesus Name. Amen!