TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 15:12-28
Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. - 1 Corinthians 15:20
TODAY IN THE WORD
A golden urn reputedly containing the ashes, bones, and teeth of Buddha was moved late last year to a brand-new temple in Oudong, Cambodia. An estimated one million people–nearly ten percent of the nation’s entire population, of whom 95 percent are Buddhist–joined the ceremonial procession to transfer the ashes to the new location. The new shrine, located on a site chosen on the advice of astrologers, cost $4.5 million. It is sure to be the destination of countless Buddhist monks and other pilgrims.

Amidst all the prayers, hoopla, and incense sticks, one thing is certain–Buddha is still dead! We must weep for the millions who put their faith in him, while rejoicing that we ourselves follow a risen Lord. As we saw so vividly in yesterday’s reading, He’s alive!

Because Jesus lives, death for us is not an ending point. The “law of nature” is not the highest law. He crossed the river of death, and so will we, emerging on the other side to eternal life in His presence. He is the “firstfruits,” and we are waiting for the harvest (v. 20). At that time, that is, when Christ returns, death itself will die (v. 26). The Resurrection is the linchpin truth of our whole faith–if it were not true, all the rest would crumble. We would be believing and preaching a lie (vv. 14–19).

Our prayer is that the “What Would Jesus Do?” question has taken on new depth and power for you this month. As incomplete as our devotional study has been on the topic of following Christ, it has presented a lifetime of challenges and growth areas for committed disciples. But if you are feeling overwhelmed, take heart–resurrection is one way in which we who believe in Him are guaranteed to follow Christ (cf. Rom. 6:5–14)!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
In response to the joyful truth of resurrection and to all you’ve learned about following Christ this month, pray for a renewed, deeper resolve to follow our First Love. This is what it’s all about!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 16:13-16; 17:1-26
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. - 2 Corinthians 13:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
For many people, the highlight of the Winter Olympics is pairs figure skating with its split-second timing and precision choreography. For some elements, both skaters perform the same move with perfect symmetry. Other elements of the routine–for example, lifts and certain jumps–require different movements for the man and woman.

In some ways, pairs skating serves as an illustration of the Trinity. Some aspects of the Trinity are shared by all three members; for example, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all equally God. Similarly, each member of the Trinity glorifies one another. At the same time, the members of the Trinity are unique with distinct roles. The Father sends the Son; the Son does the Father’s will; and the Spirit enables God’s presence. Like an eternal dance, the members of the Trinity move in perfect love, harmony, and glory.

Our focus this month, the praise and worship of Jesus, concludes this year’s study on Jesus. We begin with the Trinity because true worship of Jesus must be grounded here. We praise the Father for sending His Son; we praise the Son for dying on our behalf; and we praise the Spirit for His life-giving presence in our lives.

The Trinity gives us our fullest understanding of worship. John 17 shows how the Father and Son bring glory to each other, and John 16:14 shows us how the Spirit glorifies the Son. Jesus prayed this prayer in John 17 just before His crucifixion, clearly anticipating the glorious Resurrection and Ascension that would follow His death. But what’s equally remarkable is that Jesus referred to the eternal glory that He shared with the Father before time began (v. 5).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What images come to mind when you think of worship? Is worship a place or a time? Is it an attitude or feeling? How does knowing that worship begins with the Trinity affect your thinking?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 1:26-2:9; Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. - Psalm 95:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Westminster Catechism declares that “the chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.” Both the creation account in Genesis and the Ten Commandments affirm that we are to worship and enjoy the triune God.

Consider the creation of Adam and Eve. Genesis 1:26 says that humans were created simply because God desired it. The plural (“Let us . . .”) suggests the activity of the Trinity. We saw in our study yesterday that perfect harmony exists within the Trinity, so we can infer that God did not need to create humans–He chose to do so. In His abundant love, God created man and woman and the world around them. In this passage we see the perfect fellowship that existed between God and humanity, and between Adam and Eve, before their fall into sin.

This perfect fellowship included perfect worship of the Creator by the created. As Bible scholar Peter Brunner writes, “Without prayer and laudation, man would not be the mirror of God’s glory, he would not be man.” We were created to worship God so that we could participate in His eternal glory. Also, God’s glory is reflected in us as we worship Him.

In His wisdom, God sets aside times of worship for His people. Genesis 2:2 tells us that God Himself rested and enjoyed His creation. Because of the importance of regular worship, keeping the Sabbath is part of the Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:12-15; Ex. 20:8-11). In the Old Testament, there were also three annual feasts (Deut. 16:16-17): the Feast of Unleavened Bread that celebrated the Passover; the Feast of Weeks that celebrated the harvest; and the Festival of Booths that praised God’s provision while His people were leaving Egypt. This side of the Cross, we celebrate Christmas and Easter to remember our Lord’s birth and His work of redemption and resurrection.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God does not need our worship, but we need to worship Him! Sabbath rest, as seen in today’s passage from Genesis, is the first act of worship, but this need not be limited to Sundays. Any time set aside to worship our Lord is a Sabbath time.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 4:1-15
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did . . . God spoke well of his offerings. - Hebrews 11:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
A. W. Tozer describes the impact of the Fall on worship in a poetic and poignant way: “Man was made to worship God. God gave to man a harp and said, 'Here above all the creatures that I have made and created I have given you the largest harp. I put more strings on your instrument and I have given you a wider range than I have given to any other creature. You can worship Me in a manner that no other creature can.’ And when he sinned, man took that instrument and threw it down in the mud and there it was lain for centuries, rusted, broken, unstrung.”

When we consider the purpose for which we are created–to join in the eternal worship of the triune God–Genesis 4 is painful to read. This account can be hard to understand. It seems as if Abel and Cain brought similar offerings to the Lord and that the Lord accepted one offering and rejected the other, for apparently no good reason. In fact, people sometimes look toward this passage to claim that God is capricious. But a closer look at the text reveals the opposite.

First, notice that Genesis 4:3 tells us that Cain brought “some of the fruits of the soil” to the Lord. We have no indication what the quality of this produce was; we certainly have no hint that it was the best of the harvest. Now, notice that verse 4 tells us that Abel brought the “fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.” The fat portions were the best pieces of meat. Additionally, the firstborn always indicated something prized. In other words, Abel gave the best he had, and Cain offered whatever he was willing to spare.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Notice that the Fall didn’t destroy worship; instead, it was now possible for worship to become horribly misdirected. But God’s favor can never be earned by anything we offer to Him. Instead, true worship helps us cleanse our imaginations and focus our minds on God’s majesty and beauty.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 12:1-9
Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. - Psalm 43:4
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery describes worship as “an attitude and activity designed to recognize and describe the worth of a person.” The very word worship is derived from “worth” and “ship” and indicates that an object is worthy of receiving honor and respect. In the case of true worship, the object in view is God.

Scripture shows us that God takes the initiative to make Himself known. Throughout the Old Testament we find numerous individuals to whom God revealed Himself in various ways, and nearly always we see that the response to God’s self-disclosure is worship. As Old Testament scholar William Dyrness notes, “Worship is the response of the believing heart to God.”

We have no idea how much Abraham knew about the Lord God prior to being asked by God to leave his native country. We do know that Mesopotamian gods were worshiped in both Ur and Haran (Gen. 11:31).

Abraham’s obedience is amazing! He willingly left his native country and set forth for the land that God promised. Once inside the land, the Lord reassured Abraham with the promise that he would receive great blessings (vv. 1–3). The greatest blessing, of course, was the revelation of the true God.

Once Abraham had ventured further inside the land, God appeared to him again (v. 7). In response, Abraham built an altar to God. This expression of worship was the grateful outpouring of Abraham’s heart for all the God had promised to him.

An altar suggests a sacrifice, and this altar anticipated the sacrifices that God would make to seal His covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15). This altar also foreshadows future sacrifices that Abraham would be commanded to make. With the command to sacrifice Isaac (Gen. 22), God asked Abraham to trust Him with the most precious relationship that he had–his son. This request made no human sense because Isaac was Abraham’s long–awaited heir!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
What makes biblical worship truly unique? After all, expressions of worship are found in all world cultures throughout time.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 5:1-21; 6:1-8
If you love me, you will obey what I command. - John 14:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Parents do many things because they want the best for their children in the long run. Some actions may feel restrictive or even harsh at the moment, but parents believe that fruit will come in the end. For example, parents may scold their children for using certain language or may steer them away from kids who could be a bad influence. Such restrictions are not meant to keep kids from having fun, but rather are for their well-being and are rooted in love.

Some people consider parts of the Ten Commandments no longer applicable to contemporary society. They don’t see the connection between adherence to these commands and an individual’s well-being. Even many of us quite familiar with the Ten Commandments read through them without realizing that they are rooted in God’s profound love for us.

Because He created us, God knows that certain actions will lead us into bondage and away from Him. Notice that even before God gave the Ten Commandments, He reminded the people that He had led them out of their slavery in Egypt. God’s “commands, decrees and laws” (Deut. 6:1) always lead to freedom from slavery and destruction.

God also gives these prescriptions because He is a holy God who must be approached and worshiped in a holy way. In his book, Engaging with God, David Peterson notes, “Worship is an engagement with God on the terms that He proposes and in the way that He alone makes possible.” The Israelites had ample exposure to Egyptian gods and goddesses, and they would encounter many more pagan gods in the land of Canaan. Therefore, God gave His people clear guidelines for how to worship Him while they were still in the wilderness.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
When we think of worshiping the Lord, we don’t always think of His commands. But how we approach the Lord often determines how we will worship Him. If we have been disobedient to Him, we will not be able to enter into His worship. Even if we haven’t disobeyed a particular commandment, we can dishonor the Lord by approaching Him flippantly or irreverently. As Jack Hayford notes, “A pre-disposition toward the informal can unwittingly cultivate an insensitivity toward the One to whom worshipers come.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 32:1-35
Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. - 1 John 5:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
As we read the sad scene described in today’s passage, we may recall Charlton Heston’s powerful portrayal of Moses in the classic movie, The Ten Commandments. The Hollywood portrayal of this scene was filled with scantily clad dancers and general debauchery. We don’t know what the actual scene looked like, but we can be sure that it was very disturbing (v. 6). Anything other than true worship of the living God inevitably leads to perversity.

Humans tend to worship what is seen and often what appeals to emotion. The golden calf represented an Egyptian fertility cult. Recall that while the people were in the wilderness God alone provided all that they needed to eat and drink. Rejecting God’s promises, they chose to bow down to an idol that falsely gave them a sense of control. Idol worshipers believed that a god had to be manipulated in order to respond.

The true God is very different! He is the only God, not one among many. He is a personal God, not a dead piece of wood or metal. He is the Creator of all, not merely a god of a river or a mountain. He acts in history and directs people; He is not manipulated by perverse rituals! And finally, He is a holy God who makes moral demands on His people. As we saw yesterday, the covenant revealed God’s great love and dictated how He must be worshiped.

No wonder today’s passage tells us that God’s anger burned against these people (v. 10). They had rejected truth and freedom for deception and enslavement. They had rejected their God, who had delivered them, for a piece of gold. The temptation to worship something other than the living God is a fact of the fallen human condition. That’s why idols had to be utterly destroyed (v. 20) together with the false worshipers (v. 28).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We may be far from worshiping a golden calf, but we all need to worship something bigger than ourselves. If it isn’t the triune God, we humans end up worshiping something else–anything else.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Leviticus 16:1-34
Fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. - Hebrews 3:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Let your imagination take you back several thousand years to the time of Israel’s wilderness wandering. The golden calf incident showed you that God is holy and takes sin seriously. On occasion, you and your family have brought a goat to the tabernacle to be sacrificed as a sin offering. But throughout the year, there have been ways that you have sinned, not to mention thoughts that have been less than holy. So, you have been eagerly anticipating this day, the Day of Atonement.

Before you stands the great high priest Aaron. He is human like you, but he leads you into worship and sacrifices on your behalf. On his breastplate, you see the stone bearing the name of your tribe, together with eleven other stones (Ex. 28:21). As he offers sacrifices concerning his own sin (v. 6), he also sacrifices for your sins (v. 15). As he sprinkles the blood of the sacrificed goat in the Most Holy Place, he makes atonement for your sin (v. 16). Finally, he confesses your sins and all the people’s sins over the live goat. As the goat is led away into the wilderness, you see the guilt of your sin removed (v. 22).

The Day of Atonement made possible this restoration of the people that was essential for continued worship of the Lord God. Atonement, or the covering of sin, showed that shedding of blood was necessary. In other words, death was the price required of sinful humans. In the Old Testament, the blood shed was that of bulls and goats. But in the New Testament, we learn that only the blood shed by Jesus Christ could fully restore fellowship between God and man.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Reread today’s passage, taking note of the function of the high priest, the sacrificed goat, and the scapegoat. Then read Isaiah 53:4–8. In what ways is Jesus, the Suffering Servant, like the goat sacrificed as a sin offering? In what ways is Jesus like the scapegoat who removes the guilt of our sins? Later in our study, we’ll look at Jesus as the true High Priest, but for now, take some time to praise the Father for sending the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 19
Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory. - Isaiah 6:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
Every so often, we are treated to glorious night skies. Recently, the Leonid meteor shower thrilled viewers with a steady stream of shooting stars. At such times, it really seems that “the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (v. 1).

We can praise the Lord for many things, but today’s psalm leads us to worship Him for two in particular: the natural world (creation) and His law (redemption).

As we read about the stars and the sun (vv. 1–6), we can almost envision David looking from the royal palace at the brilliant night sky or watching a huge yellow ball beginning to rise over Jerusalem. The noted Christian author C. S. Lewis thought that this was one of the greatest poems ever written, and it’s easy to agree. What wonderful images we find here! Skies speaking, star voices echoing forth, and the sun like a joyous bridegroom or a champion runner. Unlike the pagan religions around Israel, however, David doesn’t worship the sun or stars, but rather the One who created them.

David then moves to God’s law (vv. 7–11). Sometimes we think of the law as something somber and difficult, somehow the opposite of God’s grace. But the law isn’t about “dos” and “don’ts”–the law also reveals who God is. It tells us about the beautiful order that God has created and about His perfect righteousness and mercy. Once again, we can almost see David looking up from a rolled scroll and bursting forth in song for sheer joy.

In every aspect of the law he finds reason to worship. Precepts included instruction for daily living (v. , and ordinances concerned practical questions of everyday life (v. 9). Through it all David praises the Lord and proclaims that obedience leads to joy (v. 11).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The link between creation and God’s Word is fully revealed in Jesus Christ, the Word through whom everything was made (John 1:1–3). The hymnwriter Isaac Watts wrote: “The heavens declare thy glory, Lord; In every star thy wisdom shines; But when our eyes behold thy word; We read thy name in fairer lines.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalms 148-150
All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you. - Psalm 145:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Anyone who has traveled to a country where English is not spoken understands the value of a common language. People who are otherwise quite articulate are reduced to pointing and basic sign language. Fortunately, some signs are universally understood!

Worship can be like a foreign language. For fallen humans, praising God doesn’t come naturally, so as Christians, we need to learn the language of worship. Fortunately, we have a great textbook–the book of Psalms, and a great teacher–the Holy Spirit. John Calvin once wrote that “Christ is the great choirmaster who tunes our hearts to sing God’s praise.” And this is exactly what we find in the Psalms.

In Psalm 148, the psalmist commands “things above” like angels and the sun and moon to praise the Lord because He created them with an everlasting decree (vv. 1–6). Then the psalmist considers “things down here”: the sea, the weather, the mountains, the animal realm, and humanity (vv. 7–12). We are to praise the Lord because His name alone is exalted and His splendor is above all. The reference to a horn (v. 14) indicates the king, whom God raised to deliver His people. Note the repetition of the word all–no one is excluded from this command!

Psalm 149 picks up where Psalm 148 ends, and commands Israel, His people, to praise the Lord. In the Bible, saints are those who are set apart for God and devoted to Him. The new song (v. 1) always refers to God’s work among His people, such as the Exodus or the new heavens and earth. The people are so excited that they dance, sing, and can’t even sleep (v. 5). Their king is the Lord God, the creator of universe, and He delights in them. He is also the Lord who avenges all evil and injustice (vv. 6–9).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
After reading these psalms, you may feel like singing. So, go ahead. Use a hymnal if you have one, or a chorus book, and let your soul rejoice before the Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 1:1-18
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only . . . full of grace and truth. - John 1:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
Perhaps one of the hardest aspects of the Christian faith to understand is the Incarnation. How can Jesus be fully divine and fully human? There is nothing else like this in all the universe–infinite glory somehow compressed into the limitations of humanity. Charles Wesley captures something of this mystery: “Let earth and heaven combine, Angels and men agree, To praise in songs divine / The incarnate Deity; Our God contracted to a span / Incomprehensibly made man.”

In today’s passage we read the prologue to John’s Gospel, and it offers great insight into the Incarnation. First, we learn that the Word has always been with God (v. 1). Verses 14 and 17 show us that this Word is Jesus, and verse 18 reaffirms that Jesus has always been with the Father. Bible scholar Gail O’Day writes, “The Word becoming flesh is the decisive event in human history–indeed, in the history of creation–for the Incarnation changes God’s relationship to humanity and humanity’s relationship to God. The Incarnation means that human beings can see, hear, and know God in ways never before possible.” In Jesus, we see the life of God the Son perfectly reflecting God the Father. Recall that Jesus declared, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

From the eternal, pre-existent testimony about Jesus, the prologue switches to a key historical witness to Jesus, John the Baptist. As a prophet, John stood in line with earlier prophets who also bore witness to the coming One.

Even though Incarnation gives the fullest opportunity to see God, sadly, many reject Jesus (v. 11). Just as many people in Jesus’ day refused to see God in Him, many today also deny that Jesus is God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If you go to a liturgical church, you know that lectionaries or prayer books often include John 1:1–18 among Advent readings. The star, the shepherds in the field, and the Magi attest to the fact that the Incarnation is the “decisive event in human history.” We would never be able to be reconciled to God and to worship Him perfectly if there were no Incarnation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 1:39-55
There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. - 1 Samuel 2:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, contains some of the world’s most famous art pieces, including works by Leonardo da Vinci and Sandro Botticelli. Perhaps less well-known is a remarkable piece by Mariotto Albertinelli entitled “Visitation,” dated 1503. In elegant simplicity, the artist depicts Elizabeth, heavy with child, tenderly greeting Mary. Elizabeth’s robes are painted in warm, golden tones, and Mary’s robes are regal blue and crimson. As the two women greet each other, you can almost hear their amazement and reverence for their miraculous pregnancies. The painting invites the viewer to join in this hushed worship.

Luke’s account of this event similarly fills us with awe and worship. Soon after learning from the angel Gabriel that both she and her cousin Elizabeth were carrying sons, Mary went to Elizabeth. Upon hearing Mary’s voice, John the Baptist, still in Elizabeth’s womb, leaped for joy.

This event was yet another miraculous confirmation of the divine work occurring in and through Mary. Just as Elizabeth wondered how she could be fortunate enough to receive a visit from the mother of the Lord, Mary surely wondered how God could have chosen her for such honor. Her only response was to worship Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
It’s not surprising that Mary’s song was called the Magnificat and used in early Christian worship. This praise echoes Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel 2, which also magnifies the character and actions of the Almighty God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 4:1-11
Jesus answered, “It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’ ” - Luke 4:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Recent studies claim that the average child has seen over 30,000 TV ads by first grade. Think of it! Thousands of different “cool” products and hundreds of messages about what’s “needed” for happiness. Advertising is probably the most powerful form of temptation that we face today, often presenting attractive objects for worship, although we rarely think of it this way.

Our Lord Himself faced the temptation to worship something, or someone, other than God. Jesus’ full deity and full humanity didn’t mean that it was somehow easy for Him to resist temptations; because of the severity of the trials He faced, it was much harder.

Matthew says that Jesus was in the desert being tempted by the Devil. If the details of this account like the forty days and the wilderness sound familiar, that’s because Jesus’ temptation likely parallels Israel’s own wilderness temptation. Recall that while the people wandered in the wilderness, they stopped trusting the Lord and fashioned a golden calf idol (see Dec. 6). Jesus’ temptation showed that He was able to do what Israel had failed to do.

Notice that Satan invited Jesus to abuse His divine power for His own ends. We know that Jesus could have easily turned stone into bread, just as He fed over five thousand (John 6). But Jesus’ food was to do the Father’s will (John 4:34), so He turned to God’s Word first (v. 4; cf. Deut. 8:3), even after fasting forty days.

Second, Satan invited Jesus to presume upon His unique relationship with the Father. Satan correctly quoted Psalm 91:11–12, but out of context. Jesus knew Scripture’s true intent and replied with Deuteronomy 6:16, which forbade testing God. This was exactly what the Israelites had done in the wilderness.

Finally, Satan invited Jesus to receive all earthly authority, but at the terrible price of worshiping him. It’s interesting that at exactly this point, Jesus commanded Satan to flee. To worship anyone other than the Lord God was complete blasphemy.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The account of Jesus’ temptation gives us several lessons for worship. First, we worship Jesus because He resisted the Enemy’s temptation. Because He followed the Father’s will, He wasn’t deterred from the cross, where sin was finally dealt with. Second, we worship Jesus because He is the model for how we face temptation. In this account, we see Jesus turning to God’s Word and trusting the Father. This passage teaches once again the only One worthy of our worship is the Lord Jesus Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read:  John 4:1-26
True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. - John 4:23
TODAY IN THE WORD
The poet William Cowper captured the truth contained in today’s passage: “Jesus, where’er thy people meet, There they behold thy mercy-seat; Where’er they seek thee, thou art found, And every place is hallowed ground.”

John records that it was the sixth hour, or noon, when Jesus and His disciples arrived in the Samaritan town of Sychar. They were tired, hungry, and thirsty. (This account underscores Jesus’ genuine humanity.) It’s significant that the Samaritan woman was alone, because usually women went together to draw water at a cooler time of day. This suggests that this woman was somehow ostracized.

The separation between Jews and Samaritans began with the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah (931 b.c.). The Samaritans considered Mount Gerizim to be the true place of worship, whereas the Jews looked to Jerusalem.

Some Jews even maintained that Samaritan women were in a perpetual state of defilement, so the woman’s surprise at Jesus’ request is understandable (v. 9). But Jesus redirected the conversation to the spiritual plane. Water was essential in this dry land, and “living water” referred to running water as opposed to water from a cistern. Yet Jesus clearly intended a double meaning, because living water also referred to eternal life (vv. 13, 14). Of course, the woman thought that Jesus somehow intended to draw from the spring that fed Jacob’s well.

She was still thinking in earthly terms, so Jesus changed to another topic to help her see her spiritual need. As soon as the woman understood Jesus to be a prophet, she immediately brought up religious differences. Once again, Jesus shifted the conversation and revealed that true worship was not about where, but about how. God is Spirit, and He requires spiritual worship–not sacrifices and physical acts, but a surrendered heart and willing obedience.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Many people, like the Samaritan woman, mistakenly think that the where of worship is more important than the how or Who of worship. We do need to meet together regularly with other believers and hear God’s Word preached. But true worship of the living God isn’t confined to a place and time, such as Sunday morning. Our worship of the Lord is meant to fill every day, wherever we are. We can worship Him in our cars, on the commuter train, in our offices, in our homes . . . anywhere and everywhere!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 12:1-14
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. - Hosea 6:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
The story is told about an upscale, conservative church during the heyday of the hippies. One Sunday morning, about halfway through the service, a young man entered the church, barefoot and wearing a tie-dye T-shirt. Because the church was crowded, the visitor couldn’t find a seat and the ushers had already seated themselves. Finally, the young man walked straight down the main aisle and sat on the floor in front of the preacher. As one of the ushers made his way to the young man, an uncomfortable silence settled over the church. Most people thought the usher would ask the young man to leave--but much to everyone’s surprise, the elderly man sat down beside him. No one ever forgot this simple act of kindness.

Following the rules would have seemed easy or convenient, but a rigid devotion to convention could have crushed the young man and shut a door for ministry. The Pharisees were an extreme example of this rigidity. It’s important to note that Matthew 12 follows Jesus’ well-known encouragement: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). This weariness concerned excessive demands of the law arising from human traditions. It’s likely that Jesus used this Sabbath situation to illustrate His merciful invitation.

The Pharisees were good at getting the “letter of the law,” and they knew that work was forbidden on the Sabbath (e.g., Ex. 31:13-14). Gleaning wheat was considered to be work. By calling Jesus’ disciples to task (v. 2), the Pharisees were really challenging Jesus’authority.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We might summarize Jesus’ teaching as follows: “The law’s intent takes precedence over its rituals.” In other words, the Sabbath was meant to provide time to worship God. The prohibition against work was intended to further this goal. Clearly working to heal someone on the Sabbath didn’t violate this intent.