April 26, 2014 - Church at Worship

Sermon: "The Worship God Desires - Part 1 — Magnify!" - Randy Speyer

Pastoral Welcome: Shirley Ponder

Scripture Reading: John 4:13–14, 19–24 - Nina Gonzaga

Sermon Notes:

Loma Linda University Church has a long and rich tradition for its excellent, God-honoring worship services. And it may be that we have never been closer to reaching our full potential for worship than we are right now. Each Sabbath seems to offer a new blessing. This brings me to an important question: If great worship is already happening here on a regular basis, why dedicate a whole sermon series to the subject?

Here is why: if, in the process of experiencing wonderful worship, we miss the true meaning, it puts us at great risk. Throughout the history of the Church, when God’s people lose sight of Biblical worship, when they fall into distraction or distortion—fear, division, and conflict are the results. It leads to a loss of spiritual life. It leads to misufderstandings about God’s character and His Kingdom. It leads to cold hearts, critical spirits, and disunity.

This brings us to our story in John 4 and to one of the most important statements Jesus makes about true worship. Frankly, the setting for this encounter offends our sensibilities. Jesus, the Son of God, reveals the essence of worship to a Samaritan adulteress in the middle of a hot dusty day. Jesus tells her that the time has come when all true worshippers of God will worship both in Spirit and in truth.

Jesus teaches that the worship God desires transcends our limits of time and space and method. In this conversation, we discover a timely antidote for an era becoming preoccupied with music instead of the Master. According to Jesus, this treasure of Living Water exists within us, “springing up to eternal life” (John 4:14). The dwelling place of God is in the last place we would ever expect to find it. One of the most overlooked messages of Jesus is that we already have what we earnestly seek.

Randy Speyer
Associate Pastor for Care and Counseling