Does it matter where we worship God?

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. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

The hour is coming and is now here, when true worshipers will worship in “spirit and truth.” God seeks these worshipers and it is how they “must” worship Him since He is spirit.

Jesus is speaking to the woman at the well in Samaria at the very beginning of His public ministry. It’s a time when Jews considered Jerusalem the center of worship (still under the Mosaic covenant). Conversely, the Samaritans had developed their own center of worship – an offshoot of the traditions passed down from their Jewish heritage. Worship location is very much the context in which Jesus is speaking. Immediately preceding he says, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.” (vs 21)

Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.

I'll [Jesus] tell you [disciples] again that if two of you who are on earth are in agreement with whatever they ask, it will be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. Wherever two or three are gathered in My name, I am there with them.

Jesus is instructing the disciples (vs 1) about various things including the need to “become like children” (vs 4), overcoming inevitable temptations (vss 7-9), the value of a single believer who falls away (vss 10-14), and correcting a brother in sin (vss 15-20).

You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way. But you shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes to put his name and make his habitation there. There you shall go, and there you shall bring your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution that you present, your vow offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock.

You will not worship God in that way. Instead, God will choose a place for you to worship Him – a place where He will also be. There you will bring their offerings, sacrifices, tithes, etc.

Moses giving instruction to the people before entering the Promised Land. He tells them they will not worship God in the way that the surrounding nations worship (e.g. idols), but rather in a place and way appointed by God.

And he erected the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

Moses finished constructing the tabernacle at which point the cloud covered the tent and God's glory filled the tabernacle.

The instructions from God for and the actual construction of the tabernacle. This was the temporary “tent of meeting” used while the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness.

so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.

The priests could not perform their duties due to the intense glory of God’s presence filling the temple.

Solomon has constructed the temple in Jerusalem and brought the ark into it as priests and Levites praise God.

Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool!

The people go to God’s dwelling to worship Him; synonymous with going to the footstool of His throne.

A song of ascent that was sung by the people when going up to Jerusalem to worship. The opening verses recall David’s oath to find a dwelling place for the Lord (vss 1-5), followed by the call to go to that dwelling and worship (vss 6-9).

And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam the son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts to seek God came to Jerusalem to sacrifice to Him. They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam secure for three years because they walked in the way of David and Solomon.

Just after the dividing of the kingdom, Jeroboam (king of the north) implemented his own system and cities of worship so that he might keep his people from going to Jerusalem (part of the southern kingdom) to worship.

When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk.

When they assembled, what they ate was not the Lord’s Supper. Each person went ahead with his own meal, so one person went hungry while another became drunk.

Paul in his letter to the church in Corinth gives many admonitions and instruction about their worship practice. In this case, he’s admonishing about the divisions created in their inappropriate Lord’s Supper practices.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Lets all think about how to provoke each other to love and good works by not skipping worship as some are doing, but coming together to encourage each other more and more as the final day of judgement draws near.

This letter to Jewish Christians that were now scattered throughout the region contrasts their Old Covenant worship practices (e.g. sacrifices, High Priest, etc.) with the New Covenant under Jesus Christ. Specifically here, the writer is relating the practice of the High Priest entering the Holy Place to the Christian’s responsiblity to do the same (in worship).