Walking in the Spirit - God working in your life! Pt5 - The Spirit empowers us to experiance the presence of God!

GREET EVERYONE-GOOD MORNING LOVED ONES!

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Him as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

Our Vision:

We Desire see every follower of Jesus well equipped and fully deployed on the mission of Jesus.

What mission? - This questions leads us to articulate His mission for His church in a simple way.

Our Mission:

Is to engage people into a multiplying relationship with Jesus!

WELCOME-

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to The Gospel of John Chapter 4 today as we come to the conclusion of our Current series “walking in the Spirit” How to see the power of God in your life”

PRAYER OVER THIS SERIES

My Prayer for this series and in fact all of the series of this year is that our relationship with the Holy Spirit would grow.

WE are in a relationship , an indwelling relationship with the Holy Spirit.

My prayer is that through a growing relationship with the Holy Spirit we would grow in our relationship with Jesus

our service to Jesus

That we either begin to live our life or increase our living out the mission of Jesus that Jesus has called all of us into

all the while as we realize more and more the great love of Jesus for us.

My prayer is that God, through our growing obedience to Jesus, by the very power and relationship we have with the Holy Spirit working in us, would do more abundantly than we can possibly imagine or even think, according to the power that is in us so that through our very lives He would get all the Glory, and through out every generation we touch and throughout the church forever and ever.

AMEN?

PRAYER OVER THE MESSAGE

My Prayer over this message this morning is that we would come to experience one thing.

That we would hear and see and embrace that it is the person of the Holy Spirit who is our conduit through which we see and hear and experience the very presence of God.

TRUTH -

ENGAGEMENT –

Reality TV is seemingly taken over network TV in the last several years.

Love Shows, Dating Shows, Building Shows, Working Shows, Antiquing Shows, Pawn Shop Shows, Shows about Second Hand shop owners competing in the ever so competitive market for abandon storage facilities called Storage Wars. Car make overs, House make overs, motorcycle builders, Restaurant and bar and foods service makes overs, company overhauls, and CEO’s going undercover in Undercover Boss.

and my personal favorite that I first saw on the BBC called the Dragons Den and when it came to the states we all know it as Shark Tank!

Theses have all taken over what used to be network television and now has moved to our streaming services.

One of the more intriguing ones was a Canadian show called “pioneer quest”

This is a very interesting show.

City dwelling families were placed in the wilderness of Canada for ONE year.

As they started their basic shelter was provided.

But what they needed to do is chop wood, harvest food by hunting and growing crops, discover water and do everything they needed to do in pioneer life.

There also was a goal -

They had to do it all in a time frame that would allow them to survive the Canadian winter.

IF they did - Million Dollar prize!

Now we all might be sitting here thinking to ourselves at some level.

I could do that!

I’ve been in the military, survival school I could do that.

I’ve been in the boy or girl shouts or royal rangers or an explorer post - I could do that.

Loved ones there was a twist to Pioneer Quest.

No modern stuff like gas powered chain saws.

Like harvesting machinery or plowing tractors.

No modern kitchen equipment to cook and clean with.

No stove and no oven like you and I think about them.

there was also something missing that we so very much take for granted

Electricity!

I only watched a coupled of episodes. But the number one thing of the biggest challenges was the lack of Electricity.

The Lack of Power.

And what that brought was a lack of light to be able to navigate the world in the dark.

Like when you went into your log cabin in the day time. Dark.

When the sun went down in the evening - Dark.

There was no light switch that you could flick and wala - Light.

When they interviewed families who either prevailed or failed the challenge and especially the wives the number one adjustment they had to make was the lack of electricity.

IT was also interesting that although that was the hardest to adjust to without - It was also the most difficult to begin to re- assimilate - using it the way they used to .

You see what had happened to the couples is they God used to living without electricity.

They got used to living without power.

I can only imagine how a pioneer person back in the day reacted when electricity came to the house for the first time and the first time I turned on a switch and then had power.

I certainly would be used to living without power.

TENSION

Here is the problem

In general, we as humans are generally fearful of things that are dynamically more powerful than us and that is a good thing.

In general we either are or we very much grow used to not seeing power exerted outside of ourselves to the point that we feel like we are not in control at some level.

and in our culture, there is a general fear of anything that is overtly powerful that might control us in some form or fashion.

And in many cases rightfully so.

But the problem is that many people come to Jesus like the pioneer person who is just used to no power in their life or the modern person who is fearful of anything.

And that is OK - Come to Jesus Just the way you are!

But the problem is that many of us stay used to the lack of power - Many of us stay in our fear of power that seems to have the ability to control when we enter a relationship with God

and what happens - Our faith in Jesus, our salvation, our new life in Christ, our being new creatures, adopted sons and daughters, doesn't look all that different.

I might propose to you that the reason is becasue we are so used to having a powerless life or we are so fearful and desire complete control that we never turn on the switch.

You see loved ones, when we let the Indwelling Holy Spirit do its thing. It empowers us to experience in real and tangible ways the very presence of God by Him doing more than we can ask, imagine or even think, becasue of His power in us.

TRUTH

BACKGROUND

Some background on the Passage of Text for this morning from this Historical Narrative This Auto Biography of Jesus - God in the flesh!

This conversation that is recorded for us by the very closest friend of Jesus. For all accounts Jesus’s best friend!

This conversation Happens while Jesus and Crew are on their way to the region of Galilee from Jerusalem.

SO in the time line of Jesus His earthly activity has begun.

He has been baptized - He has dealt with the devil for 40 days - He has called all of His disciples and they have all said YES.

He had done the whole water into wine thing - His first display of His power to change things.

He has cleaned out the money changers from the temple for the first time.

You guys know He had to do that more than once?

SO He is leaving Jerusalem - He is headed to the area of Galilee.

Galilee is where Jesus family is from.

Galilee is an area that is north of Jerusalem -

Jerusalem is in the area of Judea - In the Southern part of what we now know as Israel.

In between there is this mountainous area called Sameria -

If your going to draw a straight line from jerusalem to Galilee that straight line is going through Sameria.

Here is the deal with Sameria - The Samaritans, at this time, were people whose grand fathers and great grand fathers and great great great grandfathers, broke the Law of Moses that God had handed down and they had married - non Jewish wives and therefor the Children were not souly from the line of the 12 tribes of Israel.

So there was a lot of racial division between Jewish people and the Samaritans.

And they usually kept to them selves.

There was a racial slur they Jewish people used back then to describe the Samaritans - They were called Half Breeds.

So Jewish people had sworn not to have anything to do with Samaritan People.

watch what Jesus does.

UNPACK

Read this story, it is a fascinating historical account of how Jesus steps into the brokenness of our culture and does some fantastic things.

SO verses 1 through 6 set this Scene up for us.

Verse 7 - 8

Jesus has sent his disciples away, (I think its possible He did that becasue He did want to hear any grief from them)

A woman that Jesus, as a Jewish man is not supposed to even talk to, Comes to the very same well that Jesus is sitting at taking a rest.

Jesus is supposed to ignore Her. But watch what he does!.

He speaks to Her!

He doesn't wait for Her to speak to Him = He speaks to her!.

He says “Give me a drink” i’m not sure if they had the word please back then or if it is just implied - But what Jesus has just done is broken all of the cultural expectations by Asking her for a drink.

VERSE 9

This lady actually confronts Jesus about what He has done?

How does this actually work?

VERSE 10

Jesus replies:

If you knew the gift OF God.

There is a very very interesting use of words Here.

Notice what Jesus is asking: The Gift OF God not the Gift from God!

You see loved ones - What Jesus is talking about is not something removed that God gives us - Like a present under the tree -

Jesus is talking about God being the Gift!

and Notice what Jesus says in addition to the Gift OF God.

He says AND…

Jesus said two very important things here in this one statement.

If you knew the gift OF God.

AND

who it is that is saying to you “give me a drink”

In other words -

If you knew the Gift that is God himself and If you knew me as the promised one of Israel - If you knew me as the one your forefathers worshiped in the wilderness.

If you knew me as the Holy one of God.

THEN you would have handed this whole conversation in a totally and completely different way.

You would have asked the promised one of Israel, the Holy one of God, that was promised to your forefathers, you would have asked Him for what you thirst for and HE would have given you LIVING WATER.

VERSE 11

She doesn't get it.

Like many if us - she is looking at what she can see and not considering what she cannot see.

Watch what she says: You don't have anything to draw water with and the well is deep.

Here is what she has just said to Jesus.

Based on what I see and what I know and what I can understand - Jesus you can’t do anything with water.

VERSE 12

and what she says next is almost like she is going to prove here point to Jesus.

Our forefather Jacob and he and all of the livestock drank from it are you greater than Jacob becasue He at least had a pale to draw water with and you don’t.

No before we go too far with this we must understand that she has not heard the Gospel - She really probably does not know who Jesus is at all in any stretch o the imagination and Jesus frankly has left a few things out of the conversation and so it make sense that she might be a little confused about what Jesus is talking about.

VERSE 13

Jesus clarifies!

Loved ones Jesus not only Clarifies for her but He also clarifies for us.

Jesus begins by meeting her where she is

He begins by talking about what She is talking about.

and I can only imagine the expanded version of the conversation:

Jesus says: Yes my friend - This well. Yea I don’t have anything to draw water from this well and the reality is this is not the well that is important. The reason that this well is not important is becasue “EVERYONE who drinks of this water, of the water that comes out of this well, will be thirsty again.

In other words - What Jesus has just said - and it is interesting that he said this around something so important as water to our physical life.

This water, as important as it is to your life, this water is ultimately not the water that you need becasue it will not ultimately satisfy you nor will it ultimately bring you life.

VERSE 14

Jesus then provides clarity.

IF you drink of the water that Jesus gives Two things are going to happen.

And both things are completely and totally interconnected with each other.

ONE - this water will satisfy thirst - Never thirst again.

Second - will become a well spring of water welling up to eternal life.

You see water of the world will only sustain life for a while. we will always need more, our need of more will never end, and ultimately it will not sustain us and we will physically die.

Te water Jesus is referring to. Once we take it and it is in us - We will have all of it, we will be tremendously satisfied and it will be the source -The Well spring of eternal life.

VERSE 15

I don’t think she ever got it. She looks at Jesus and says “give me this water that I will not be thirsty again so that I don't have to work so hard and some here.

You see what She was then looking for was a Gift FROM GOD. not the Gift OF god.

Strange - God was standing right there in front of her and she was having a conversation with Him. And she missed it.

I wander how many times, when it is right in front of us do we miss God becasue we are looking for something FROM him instead of Himself.

The Good news is that is you keep reading the story, through the rest of the conversation Jesus will reveal himself to her and I think that she will get it.

And AS we leave this Part of the Narrative - We are somewhat left with a question.

What is this living Water that Jesus can give us?

It is interesting that in this very story. A story of a conversation between a sexually immoral person and God himself.

A conversation that culturally was taboo and was never supposed to happen.

Jesus also contuses to reveal and introduce into His historical narrative, to us and to the original audience this Idea of the Spirit.

Jesus had the Spirit on Him,

He had spoken before that in order to enter into the kingdom of God a person must be reborn of water and of Spirit.

This is the first time that the Holy Spirit has been given a new name - Living water.

Turn with me to John Chapter 7 and verse 38.

A little background - Jesus is in Galilee - The Jewish Leadership is already ready to Kill him becasue they think He is gaining in too much popularity and He is leading people astray.

There is a feast of Booths Happening among the Jewish people.

Here is what is interesting - The Feast of Booths was a feast that commemorated God leading the people trough the wilderness and remembering His salvation after they gave up everything to follow Him.

The Feast of Booths was a feast that for 7 days you live in a temporary shelter just like the Israelite did and you remember that you gave up everything to follow God to salvation in the promised land.

When the feast began Jesus kept himself hidden -

As each day went on - Jesus began to be more and more public.

Watch what Jesus says on the Last day of the Feast! The feast that required more sacrifice form Jewish people than any other feast and the feast that commemorates Giving up Everything, including your home, Following God to your salvation and the salvation of your people.

Last day of this feast -

VERSE 37

The Text says “Jesus stood up and CRIED out”

Meaning He drew all the attention to Himself.

There was no more hiding one self now -

He made a Big Move -

and Here is what He says:

If any one thirsts, let Him come to me and Drink,

So Jesus is in the at the last 7 days of the feast of booths. Stand up and makes the proclamation “IF you are thirsty, come to me and drink.

People who heard this must have been like “Im thirsty where is this Jesus that has something to drink.

Remember Feast of Booths - A time of Fasting and not living in your house.

Basically - Everybody was literally thirsty.

But ya know Jesus also speaks metaphorically as well.

Here is what He backs this up with -

VERSE 38

Whoever believes in me - Who ever Trusts in Me, as the scripture has said.

Out of His heart will flow rivers of Living waters”

This is an amazing Open Invitation for the whole world.

Jesus is at Celebrating a Jewish festival and He says “Whoever”

Now the original reader might not have gotten what Jesus was talking about and so John, the very best friend of Jesus, under instruction of the Holy Spirit then provides the answer to the question:”what in the world was Jesus talking about?”

VERSE 39

Verse 39 gives us the subject that Jesus is talking about.

“He said this about the Spirit”

This flowing of Living water.

This water that Jesus will give that will cause people who receive it never to be thirsty again.

This water that will Flow from the heart.

This water that will become in people a Spring of Living water that will be welling up to eternal life.

This water that will last forever.

This water that will out do and our live and out sustain and out satisfy any other kind of refreshment is Who?

The Holy Spirit according to Jesus.

Watch - Watch its not concluded - all has not been said of this. Watch loved one.

God continues to give us clarity.

“Whom those who believe in Him were to receive.”

YEARS before Jesus death - Years before his resurrection - Years before the Spirit was sent and actually filled the 120 in the upper room at pentecost

Jesus said Come to him if you thirst, drink form Him and He will give you water that will not end and water that will no lose its thirst satisfying power - Water that lasts forever and will flow through you unto eternal life.

That water metaphor is speaking of the Holy Spirit.

And those who trust in Jesus, in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross, as the only means of restoring their relationship to the Father by faith are given this well spring of New Life and eternal called the Holy Spirit.

But loved ones this is so important:

We must get the Gospel correct -

We Must get Jesus Correct.

We must understand our eternal life.

For is we miss it we will miss it for others and the consequences are eternal.

This is why When the Spirit fell on Pentecost and 120 people hit the streets of Jerusalem speaking foreign languages, when some people said “these guys have been drinking” and

Peter stands up and preaches - Peter makes huge reference to the Spirit.

Acts 2:16–18 ESV

16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

Peter is quoting from the Old Testament book of Joel -

Here is what was happening.

What the The Lord Said to the Prophet Isaiah to the People of Israel when He said

Isaiah 44:3 (ESV)

I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring,

and my blessing on your descendants.

God Spirit was being poured out and out of their hearts at pentecost the Spirit was a Flowing Spring that was welling up to eternal life for those that called on the name of the Lord.

This is why when on the day the spirit came to the Church on the day of pentecost, when Peter finished His sermon and some of the listeners were Pierced to the heart with the Conviction of the Spirit and they cried out What shall we do to be saved.

Peters response was not - Pray a prayer and ask Jesus into your heart -

Peters Response to the Children of Israel that day who had waited thousands of years for their salvation.

WAS - Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you will Receive the Holy Spirit, Just like the prophets, the Scriptures and Jesus said you would - And you will be saved!

APPLICATION OR IMAGINE

Love ones - When we have the water of life; the well spring of life welling up inside of us to eternal life,

When Rivers of living water are flowing from our hearts unto eternal life

We are empowered to experience the presence of God becasue what happens is God changes things.

This is one of the implications when Jesus says “Behold I am making all things new”

You see loves ones, over and over and over again when you read the letters of the new testament, written to the churches one of the thing we will find is this over arching undertone of “becasue of what Christ had done, you have the spirit, Things are different, Be different!

Its almost this simple:

Jesus has done all the work - He has empowered you - Just walk in it!

Here is the crazy part - The Bible gives us a picture of what Rivers of living water flowing though our hearts, welling up to a well of eternal life might look like.

At towards end of the 1st Letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul, a man completely devoted to Christ and really the one who models total love of Jesus yielding an imperfect obedience to Jesus, Filled with the power of the Spirit.

He has addressed the Corinthian Church in the proper use and understanding of the Supernatural Gifting of the Holy Spirit.

I wonder if this is a picture of the Welling up of the Spirit unto Eternal life actually might look like?

Paul says this: And Church, Imagine how much more our small groups and Sunday, how much more loving and beautiful they would be if this picture happened.

Here is what Paul says in 1 cor 14:

“But if all prophesy (and Paul says earlier in the very same chapter that prophesy is Speaking to people to build them up, to encourage them and to comfort or console them in times of difficulty)

If Everyone speaks to each other in words that build each other up- Encourage each other - and comfort and console each other when life is hard

If we are all to speak words that -

An a person who does not believe - Someone who is not in the family of faith - Someone who is on the outside looking enters into the Room - Comes to the worship gathering of the Church.

If what they experience in every conversation is Everyone building each other up - Everyone Encouraging each other - and words of comfort and Consolation

Here is what Paul says the Spirit will do!

He is convicted by all!

What that means is that He looks at how we love one another and HE know he doesn't love that way.

He is called to account by all!

Through how we love one another, he then know how much love He really is lacking.

The secrets of His heart are disclosed!

God through the working of the Spirit shows Him how much He needs Jesus.

And What happens -

He falls on His face - and when He does that He in converted to faith - and falling on ones face in the midst of conviction of the Spirit look a lot like repentance to me!

He then worships God! A God a few moments ago He did not think existed!

and Here is then what He observes and He speaks out loud.

God is really among you!

You see loved ones - The Holy Spirit empowers us to experience the very presence of God himself.

Ephesians 3:20–21 ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

PRAYER TEAM