Where Do I Find God? If you’re new to Lifpoint | Worthington, take 30 seconds to fill out our Welcome Card! Have a question about today's message? Ask it here. John 4:19-26 (ESV) 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” The Pressing Question Jesus addressed the most painful reality in the Samaritan woman's life. Her immediate response to being exposed was to ask a question about geography. At first glance, she might be changing the subject, but there is a deeper longing underneath. Samaritan and Judean Temple Worship In the ancient world, the Temple was more than a building; it was where God took up residence. It was the one place where the divine realm was breaking into earth. To her, worship meant stepping into the intersection of heaven and earth to experience God's presence. Her question about mountains is really her asking: “Where do I find God?” The Question Behind the Question We ask the same question today using modern vocabulary like purpose, meaning, direction, and value. If we don’t know where to find God, we will inevitably build our own Temples. We place our deepest hopes on the altars of our careers, relationships, and five-year plans. Have a question or pushback on this? Ask it here. When those worldly altars collapse, we are left wandering in the dark. The Answer is a Person Jesus reveals that we no longer worship on a mountain because the answer isn't a place, it’s a Person. Religion says you have to climb to reach God, but the Gospel says the Creator came down. Jesus brought the Temple directly to an exhausted, discarded woman. Have a question or pushback on this? Ask it here. We are terrified that if people truly knew our hidden shadows, they would leave. Jesus sees our brokenness perfectly and still chooses to pursue us. Stop Climbing: Repentance and Faith When we feel the heavy wave of performance anxiety, we must use it as an alarm. We have to remember that we do not have to climb up to God. Repentance is the active decision to turn your back on false mountains and broken wells. Faith is trusting that Jesus is the true Temple who can carry the weight of your life. Jesus offers living water so our lives can be healed, not because we cleaned up our act. As always, if you'd like to talk more with me about anything we discussed, you can sign up for meeting time. If you have any questions from the message today, send them here and I'll follow up!