Spirit and Truth | John 4:11–26

In John 4:11–26, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman, “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.”

In this episode, we reflect on how worship isn’t about a place, a style, or a song—it’s about presence. It’s about meeting God honestly, in spirit and truth. The woman at the well brought her debates, her past, and her thirst—and Jesus offered her Himself.

Worship is not performance. It’s not perfect music. It’s a thirsty heart, met by the truth and grace of Jesus.

Did You Know?
Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim, while Jews worshiped in Jerusalem. Jesus' response dismantled the boundary by shifting the focus to Himself.

Quote:
“To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God.” — William Temple

The Waypoint Devotional Podcast

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“May the Lord bless you and keep you — and may His presence guide you this week.”

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 1:02 John 4:19-26
• 2:12 Devotional Reflection
• 5:07 Outro

Transcript

 Scripture Reading 

“But an hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” — John 4:23 

Welcome 

Howdy everyone, and welcome back to the Waypoint Devotional Podcast. Whatever time of day you’re listening, we hope your day is blessed and that you’re tuned into the love God has for you. 

God’s presence never leaves, but in the rush of the modern day-to-day, it can be easy to lose track of our relationship to Him. Once we become aware of that, we can pause, quiet our hearts, and realign our spirits with His presence. 

Take a moment to slow down, breathe deeply, and tune back into God’s grace. 

Scripture Reading: John 4:19–26 

“Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” 

Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 

But an hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” 

The woman said to Him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. When He comes, He will explain everything to us.” 

Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am He.” 

Reflection 

I’ve been involved in leading worship for almost twenty years, and one of the challenges I’ve always faced is helping people separate worship from singing. The two can absolutely go together—but worship doesn’t require music. It requires a heart that seeks and responds to God. 

That’s what Jesus reveals at the well. 

At first, the woman is focused on the well—on what she can see, argue, or explain. She brings up old debates about mountains and temples. But Jesus redirects her: worship isn’t about geography. It’s about heart. It’s about truth. It’s about a Person standing right in front of her. 

The conversation shifts from water to worship because the two are deeply connected. What we thirst for, we’ll eventually worship. What we truly worship, we’ll build our lives around.  

Jesus sees her. Knows her story. And still offers her the kind of relationship only the Messiah could bring—intimate, transforming, eternal. 

That’s worship. Not performance. Not a perfect playlist. But a thirsty heart, met by the truth and grace of Jesus. 

As we close, here’s a reflection question: Am I worshiping from a place of spirit and truth—or just from routine and surface? 

Prayer 

Lord, I pray for our hearts right now. 

May we not boil worship down to singing or music, but let it permeate our whole being. May worship come from our hearts—worship that is spirit and truth. 

Help us to open ourselves fully to You, our Savior. Help us to be true worshipers—the kind You desire. Let our lives themselves become worship, not just our songs.

We love You. We praise You. Amen. 

Closing 

Thanks for joining us for the Waypoint Devotional Podcast. 

If you’d like reflection or discussion questions, you can find them in the written version on the Church Center app. 

May the Lord bless you and keep you. See you next time.