The old localization of worship that focused on an external ritual in a building located

in Jerusalem to which people come is over.

And now the new temple, the new location is Jesus.

Why is Jesus utterly central for true worship?

That's the question John Piper answers from John 4, 20 to 24 in this episode of Light

and Truth.

This sermon was originally preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church on November 16, 1997.

I'm going to begin today a series of messages on worship.

And there are two reasons for this, at least one is that you were made to worship.

It is our ultimate destiny.

God created the universe to display His glory so that it would be seen and known and loved

with all of our heart and soul and mind and strength.

That's why we exist.

And the second reason is that it has been quite a few years since I preached on worship

and we together need to forge a fresh, a common vision of what we're about on Sunday

morning in gathered worship and Monday morning in lived out worship.

And so for these two reasons, I want to take some weeks to work on this with you.

Now I had Randy Reed verse 9 in particular of Revelation 22, not because I'm going

to do an extended exposition of it, but because I wanted you to hear the banner over

this message in a simple two word command, worship God.

You see that?

The angel said to John when he fell down at the angel's feet, do not do that.

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