John 4:21-24 The Promise Now_

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. John‬ ‭4:21-24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The timing of God is often curious. If it’s coming, how can it be now? Adam was born into eternal life and yet early on, he received a death sentence. Yet he and his offspring maintained a longevity that baffles those of us today expected to live only about 70 or 80 years. But soon enough the flood came — God’s timing realized — and the life spans on earth began to reflect the death sentence Adam received. David was anointed by God as king. He was a friend of God and worshiped in the tent of meeting unlike others before him. He even ate the bread intended for the priests on one occasion. He took a personal promise of relationship with God to a new level, reflecting what believers in a future time would have. Yet the rest of Israel did not experience this yet — until the timing of God ripped the veil when Christ died on the cross. Now all worshippers are invited to dance before the ark (Jesus) with open and familiar access. The promise comes in anticipation of a thing, but the timing of God which makes it an accepted reality is often delayed. So when the promise comes, is it for now or for a future time?

Both.

Faith is an incredible thing. The moment the promise is given, my heart may count on it. And if I am willing to believe, I may experience it now. But make no mistake, there is a time when God will eventually transition earth to His intended norm. Faith looks through a lens to the future, at the word expressed today, and pulls it into the present. He says I am saved, I will live forever, and yet my body constantly reminds me of its march toward death. He says I am loved, blessed, a child of his kingdom, yet I experience trouble, evil, and poverty. Faith receives the word, and in spite of what I see, I may grasp it and bring it to the present. There are many good people who love God that simply cannot grasp this. Something either is or it isn’t, “You cannot deny reality, Marc.” But there are those in Christ that not only accept a promise, but enjoy it’s benefits now. This is what happened when Israel was in Egypt and the Passover lamb was slain and the death angel did not harm them. And today, even though my body may die, I live and act as though I am saved from death too.

Another interaction that illustrates this is when Jesus was about to raise Lazarus. He asked Martha if she believed. She deferred to the future. She believed, but her faith was dead, just like Lazarus.

Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. ‭‭John‬ ‭11:24‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

But Jesus brought clarity to the promise when he said:

I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this? John‬ ‭11:25-26‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

When Jesus is present, his promise is now! And in this is a key. What is, is today, even though the predominant fulfillment is for a future time.

When Jesus spoke of those who would worship in Spirit and truth, there was a timing issue. He pointed to a time which would come — the day of Pentecost when the Spirit would in fact be poured out and living waters would bubble from believers. But he also said “and now has come.” To clarify what this means you may look a little later in John:

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. John‬ ‭14:16-17‬ ‭NIV‬‬ ‬‬‬‬

“He lives with you,” that Spirit lived with them in the body of Jesus, “and will be in you,” when he takes up residence within them, just as He was in Christ.

This was the “truth” and the “spirit” that Jesus was referring to when addressing the Samaritan woman. True worship was no longer dependent on location (in Jerusalem) or identity (being a Jew) it was available to everyone. The temple was standing before the Samaritan woman, and she may worship him!

Although the church is now on the other side of this timing— we have the Spirit within us—this woman had the fulfillment offered before God’s physical timing, in the very presence of God in Jesus. If she would simply believe, she could experience the breathtaking Presence, the healing of wounds, and the enjoy the acceptance of her heart which had wandered from him. She could experience the identity of the sons and daughters of God now. In this moment.

And we too may experience the same. What is the promise he is highlighting to you today? Grasp it with all of your heart. Though no one else hears, be bold, courageous, a front runner in the kingdom of God and take what he is offering you in this moment.

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