Title: “Sucked In, Washed Up, and Blown Over”

Text: John 4:1-30

INTRODUCTION:

Chippy the Parakeet

The infamous story of Chippy the Parakeet is the stuff legends are made of.  Chippy the Parakeet never saw it coming.  One second he was peacefully perched in his cage minding his own business.  The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

The problem began when Chippy's owner decided to clean Chippy's cage with a vacuum cleaner.  She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage.  The phone rang and she turned to pick it up.  She'd barely said "hello" when "sssop!" Chippy got sucked in.

The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag.  There was Chippy - still alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet and held Chippy under the running water.  Then realizing that Chippy was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do? she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.

Poor Chippy never knew what hit him. 

A few days after the trauma, the reporter who'd initially written about the event contacted Chippy’s owner to see how the bird was recovering.  "Well," she replied, "Chippy doesn't sing much anymore- he just sits and stares."
I guess not.  Sucked in, washed up and blown over? that's enough to steal the song from the stoutest hearts. 

Can you relate to Chippy?  Most of us can.  One minute you are minding your own business seated in familiar territory with a song on your lips, and then? the pink slip comes.  The rejection letter arrives.  The doctor calls.  The divorce papers are delivered.  The check bounces. A policeman knocks on your door.

You are sucked into a black cavern of doubts, doused with the cold water of reality, and stung with the hot air of empty promises.  The life that had been so calm is now so stormy.  You're hail stormed by demands.  Assailed by doubts.  Pummeled by questions.  And somewhere in the trauma, you lose your joy.  Somewhere in the storm, you lose your song.   

In our text is a woman who had, like some of you, experienced some of the harsh, hard circumstances of life. She was a person whom life had sucked in, washed out and blown over. In her life, as recorded by God’s Word, you may find a picture of yourself; almost as if you are staring in a mirror.

Three things marked her life:

I.      FEELINGS OF ALIENATION (VS. 7-9).

A.   Alienated from people (vs. 6-9).

1.    Alienated because of fear.

a)      Hurt by people.

2.    Alienated because of shame.

a)      Ashamed of the past.

B.   Alienated from God (vs. 19-20).

1.    Alienated because of sin.

(James 4:4) “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the world’s friend becomes God’s enemy.”

II.    FOCUSED ON THINGS THAT DO NOT SATISFY

(VS. 10-20).

A.   Focused on fulfilling the physical appetites (vs. 10-14).

1.    The pursuit of these is empty.

(Ecclesiastes 2:1) I said to myself, “Go ahead, I will test you with pleasure and enjoy what is good.” But it turned out to be futile.

B.   Focused on fitting into the worldly crowd.

(Romans 12:2) “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

1.    Acceptance by the worldly crowd is only on the surface.

·         The Prodigal Son was accepted until he was destitute.

2.    Acceptance here only leads to compromise and guilt.

C.   Focused on Mental Persuits.

1.      The knowledge of this world does not satisfy, but leads to cynicism.                                                                (Ecclesiastes 1:16-17) I said to myself, “Look, I have amassed wisdom far beyond all those who were over Jerusalem before me, and my mind has thoroughly grasped wisdom and knowledge. I applied my mind to know wisdom and knowledge, madness and folly; I learned that this too is a pursuit of the wind.”

D.   Focused on human relationships.

1.    No human being can meet your deepest needs.                                             

                              (1 Kings 11:3) “He had 700 wives who were

                                    princesses and 300  concubines, and they turned

 his heart away from the LORD.”

E.   Focused on material things.

1.    Material possessions will never satisfy the heart. 

(Eccl. 2:11) “When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun.”

(Eccl. 5:10) “The one who loves money is never satisfied with money, and whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with income. This too is futile.”

III.    FACED WITH LIFE’S GREATEST DECISION (VS. 19-30).

A.   Introduced to the one who is the answer to life’s deepest issues and needs (vs. vs. 25-26).

1.    The woman in the text came face to face with the Messiah, the Savior, God in the flesh!

2.    Today I introduce you to the Lord Jesus Christ.

(John 1:1-3)  “In the beginning was the Word,

   and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   He was with God in the beginning. All things were created    through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created  that has been created.”

 (2 Corinthians 5:21) “ He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God

    in Him.”

 (1 Timothy 1:15)  “This saying is trustworthy and deserving of  full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save  sinners”

B.   Invited to enter a relationship with Jesus Christ.

1.    Admit who He is (vs. 19, 25).

a)      He is the only Savior for your soul.

(Acts 4:12) “There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

b)     He is the rightful Lord of your life.

(Luke 6:46) ““Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?”

2.    Receive Him and worship Him in spirit and truth (vs. 24).

a)      Make His Word your guide.

(Psalm 119:105-106) “Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path. I have solemnly sworn to keep Your righteous judgments.”

b)     Make His will your direction.

(Luke 9:23) “Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

c)      Make His smile your ultimate goal.

(1 Thessalonians 4:1) “Finally then, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us how you must walk and please God—as you are doing—do so even more.”

3.    Forsake what ever is stopping you from completely surrendering to Christ. (vs. 28-30).

a)      Make an open break with your old life.

* Zachaeus (Luke 19:8) “Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord! And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much!”

b)      Do your best to bring others to Jesus

(Vs. 29-30).

CONCLUSION:

    A- Invitation to Receive Christ.