Sunday June 2, 2019

All of the early grasses in Lake grasses and all of the pollen and everything is kind of Boom. It's my sinuses in my allergies soon. I am I'm feeling the effects of all of this spring blossoming.

In my allergies, so pray for pastor as we deliver the message this morning. We're in a new series and that series Jesus is the reason to believe. Jesus is always the subject and Jesus is the reason to believe. In fact this first message is titled. Jesus is the reason to believe I could have I could have been titled it living water, but I want you to see beyond that talk about water the need for water.

the desire for water that there are two different kinds of water that are being discussed in this and two different needs it different levels and so much that is there but so much has to do not only with water and living water at that but our need for Jesus Christ and to believe in him and he gives us the ability he gives us. Everything that we need to believe.

and that means that many times we are living under the assumption of belief, but we have a lot of things that we don't believe in that we Hold unbelief. And so we need to work at that level as well this morning as we get into the scripture that we have John chapter 4 verse 1 through 42.

follow along with me

Jesus and the woman of Samaria that would Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John the Baptist. Although Jesus himself did not baptize only his disciples. He left Judea and he departed again to the area of Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria on his way together Lee. So he came to a town of the Samaritans called Sidecar. Near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's Well was there so Jesus weary down. It's interesting Jesus. Feels what we feel he understands our tiredness. He understands our our hunger. He understands our thirst because he feels what we feel. Fully God he is also fully man, and we read from the journey.

He sat himself beside the well, and it was about the sixth hour.

And that time would be 9 would be the third hour. So 12 noon is when Jesus sat down and His disciples had gone away to buy food, but a woman from Samaria was coming to draw water and Jesus asked her since the disciples were on their way to go buy food. He asked this woman. For a drink of water. He was thirsty.

The Samaritan woman said to him. How is it that you a Jew? Ask for a drink from me a woman from Samaria for the for the Jews did not have any dealings with the Samaritans. They in fact look down their nose at them saw them as second-rate Citizens and did not converse with them nor would a man be asking a woman it was not It was not done in that day and in that culture, so she was surprised wasn't she. You were asking me for a drink.

Jesus answered her if you knew the gift of God if you only do If you only knew the gift of God and who it is who was saying to you. Give me a drink you would have asked him ask me. And he would have given you living water. How here's the first time he's mentioning this difference in water. She came to get natural water. And from the depths of that. Well, it was probably cold. delicious water

a Jesus said If you would have asked me I would have given you water. I'm asking you for a drink, but if you would have asked me I would have given you a drink of Living Water. Well, let's just stop for a moment as we go and look at this scene. Here's Jesus sitting by this. Well that depiction of what it could have looked like and the woman is sitting there and see her jar and there are holes in this clay jar that Yuba Tire open lower it down into the well at and draw out the water in Jesus had nothing to draw the water with and he's asking her for a drink of natural water.

Hilton graphic here drinking Living Water. What would it be like to drink Living Water?

Here is a verse from Jeremiah chapter 2 verse 13 and it is God speaking about the people. It could have been us. For my people have committed two evils to sins other translations say to sins. They have forsaken me. That's the first one they have forsaken me the Fountain of Living Water. What is God calling himself? the source of Living Water Jesus being God God. The father in The Son the son in the father, Jesus is the source of Living Water. And he's sitting there with this woman is enough. The first sin is God describes it. The people have forsaken me they turned away from me the Fountain of Living Water and they puke and out for themselves sisters. For themselves broken cisterns that that they don't really hold water now a sistren is a cut-out area in the stone that when it rains when it rains would fill up with water and they would drink that water until it rained again. So that's how they would get their water unless they dug a well.

But Jesus referencing to this. the Lord is saying you people you've you turned away from me. The Fountain of Living Water the Hue Out Sister instead and your sisters are even broken and they don't even hold water. And that is a sin.

Isaiah 55 Depicts the Lord saying this to us the people come everyone who thirsts come everyone who thirsts come to the waters. And he who has no money come and you can buy and eat come buy wine and milk without money without price come I will supply what you need. You need water. You need food. God is able stance willing if we would come to him. Isaiah is telling us

And John has this recorded in John chapter 7 verse 37 through 39. About rivers of Living Water on the last day of the great feast the great day Jesus stood up and cried out before the people if anyone thirsts. Let him come to me and drink.

Is he not saying that he is the source of Living Water? The Living Water being the spirit of God, I am the source of the spirit and if you come to me thirsty for Spiritual things. Just Earthly water but spiritual Waters the Holy Spirit out of me will come living water and and you will spring up living in water within you that's good news, and we need good news this morning. There's so much bad news in the world.

So much flooding that's happening.

We need to be in prayer for those who are being flooded cuz they have too much water.

The devastation in the south in the midwest is overwhelming as I see the pictures.

But here John 3739 on the last day of the feast the great day Jesus stood up and cried out if anyone thirsts. Let him come to me and drink.

Whoever believes in me as the scripture said out of his heart will flow rivers of Living Water. Now this he said about the spirit. Whom those who believed underscore that word believed in him were to receive for his yet? The spirit had not been given because Jesus had not yet been glorified. He had not. Been crucified resurrected the end gone to the father and he said I am sending another the Holy Spirit and he will lead you into all truth and he will supply all of your needs the Holy Spirit. Rivers of Living Water but spring out of us. I've got a River of Life flowing out of me makes the lame to walk and the blind to see opens prison door sets the captives free. I've got a River of Life flowing out of me. And we have that River of Life that opportunity is there for us to receive it? And that's what I wanted you to see is where you're preparing for this next part where the woman says to him sir. You have nothing to draw the water from the well with and the well is deep. Where will you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us this well and drank from it himself and as did his sons and his life stuck. Are you greater than Jacob? Oh, yeah, if you knew who it was you were talking to. This is God itself.

Jesus said to her everyone who drinks of this water will bunch. Be thirsty again, and that's true. I can take some water because of my dry mouth.

It refreshes. It really does for a moment. but my my throttle Get dry and sore again and I'll have to drink again.

But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never what be thirsty again the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to Eternal height and bust that have been good news for her to hear because every day she had to come out and get water. And then go back home only to have to come back again and get more water. And then the next day more water and the next day more water.

But the abuse that if you would receive the Living Water that Jesus gives them there would be a well of water springing up within you and you would never need to come and get water again. He's talking about two different Waters. Did she get it? I wonder

the woman said to him sir, give me this water so that I will not have to be thirsty or have to come here to draw water again. She's thinking of physical water and not the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to her go and call your husband to come here if the woman answered him. I I have no husband. How many of you know that Jesus knows all things? You should you can't catch Jesus by surprise. Nothing is a surprise to him, but he knows all things. You you can't fool the Lord the woman answered. I have no husband. Jesus said to her you are right in saying you have no husband.

For you have had five husbands, and the one that you have now is not your husband. You have said this true. You see in those days if a woman who was solely dependent on her husband. Or her sons are her children to provide for her. And then if she lost her husband, in fact Moses's law mandated that another brother would take her as his wife so that she would have someone to take care of her. This woman had had five husbands and five husbands had passed away five husbands had died and she was left.

Now whether the one that she was living with was a brother. whether it was another brother of

her husband who would pass

we don't know for sure. There's been speculation. Some of said that she was at a loose woman that she had lots of men this about the case in the research the Dale and I have done she had lost all five of her previous husbands to death. and none of us know who this one was the Jesus speaks of that you're living with but she was being taken care of and the point being is the God knows. Your situation he knows what your needs are.

And what you said she had no husband. Jesus said but you answer right because you're not married to the one that you are living with now.

and you've had five previous husbands and end of the Meister of wood base me to And the woman said to him sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. How did you know this? Jesus just trying to reach her on a different level. To help her understand that he is concerned not about her physical deed for water, but her spiritual need for Living Water. and so she goes on and she's wanting to change the subject.

I don't know why but she is wanting to change the subject of our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place. where people live to worship and Jesus said to her woman believe me that the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. Will you worship the father?

You worship what you do not know but we worship what we do know for salvation is from the Jews.

An hour is coming and now is here when true worshippers will worship the father in spirit and in truth.

For the father is seeking such a people to worship Him. You want to know who the father is seeking? What kind of people he is seeking he is seeking a people who will worship Him in spirit.

worship hits his presence in spirit. The Lord is not here physically with us, but his spirit is moving through. His house his Sanctuary here. Can you feeling Do you know his presence?

God is Spirit. Jesus said than those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth the woman said to him. I know the Messiah is coming who is called the Christ.

This is what the woman is saying to him. I know Messiah is coming. The one who is called the Christ and when he comes he will tell us all things. Jesus said to her I speak to you. and he Now, I'm just telling you it must have blown her away to know. That the Messiah that she had heard about from a little child growing up. Messiah is coming Messiah what he comes he will lead us into all truth people make things known to us in Jesus said I who am I speaking to you and he

just then boy, isn't it timing is everything just then his disciples came back and they marveled that he was talking what two of them but no one said what do you see your why are you talking to her Jesus? So the woman left her water jar and went away into the town. And told the people. all about Jesus Don't this I mean so easy just to go buy things in scripture. And in this story so The Woman verse 28 so the woman left or what?

She left her water jar. She came day after day. She would come to Jacob's Well and draw water for her family. everyday But after her conversation with Jesus she got up and she left to go to the town, but she left her water jar there. Do you think she might have found a new source of water?

I think so.

She went to the pound and she said these words. Follow up with me. Come see a man who told me all that. I have ever done. He told me everything about me can this be the Messiah can this be the Christ? And so they got up and they went from the town and we're coming to him you got to catch that. The crowd of people is coming from the town to see Jesus. They're coming now to see him see the crowd coming when Jesus says these next words. meanwhile, the disciples were urging him say Rabbi eat, but he said to them I have food to eat YouTube. Know about So the disciples said to one another has anyone brought him something that he someone else has brought him something to eat. We don't know about. And Jesus said to them my food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work the work of the father.

Do you not say there are yet four months? before the Harvest But I tell you look lift up your eyes and see the fields are white with harvest the Harvest Time Is Now. What is he looking at? The crowds of people coming to Jesus? The crowds are coming from the town, but people are coming and they are the Harvest. All around you and I is a harvest a people who do not know Jesus as Lord and savior. They don't know about living water.

And they're thirsty. for water but yet more thirsty for the spirit of God Living Water we thirst for Living Water

I don't know whether you can brass that or not. I'm hoping that you can put your mind around it that you can believe the Jesus is the reason to believe. We believe in Jesus because of Jesus. But he was willing to go to the cross and to die on the cross. For our sins, he died in our place. He took our sin upon Him upon his shoulders. He took my sin and yours. Every sin that you have ever done he took upon his back. for us he who was innocent took our sin and became sin for us and we who were sinful became sin less because he took our sin Isaiah who spoke about the Christ 700 years before he was even born.

Said he bore our Stripes upon his back the chastisement the ridicule the pain the suffering that should have been ours was upon him.

And we could not look upon him.

And indeed when they brought Jesus out after whipping him and feeding him with their fists the Roman soldiers pilot said to the people behold. the van behold the man if he could recognize that it was even Jesus after they had plucked out his beard after they had beaten him with rods across his back punched him blindfolded. They said if you are the prophet tell us who hit you punch.

And he enjoyed that for you and me the chastisements the bruises upon him or for us, but he took them.

You say that there are four months. And then the Harvest will come. I tell you look lift up your eyes see that the fields are get white with Harvest as the people were coming and coming.

Already, the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life. So that the sower and the reaper May Rejoice together. For here is the same and it holds true one sews and another reaps. Maybe you found some seeds into somebody's life. Maybe you have placed some seeds into somebody's life to introduce them to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and then somebody else comes along. And leads them to Jesus Christ. Don't feel bad. Your job was supposed to help you planted seeds and another LED them to Salvation and brought the Harvest in are not both important the planting. And the harvesting and they Rejoice together.

Jesus said I sent you to reap that which you did not labor for others have labored and you have entered into their labor and gathered in the Harvest. And that's okay. Jesus says that's okay many Samaritans from that town believe in him because of the woman's testimony. hear this woman receives living water and she goes and she tells this man told me all about myself.

Could he be the Christ and upon her testimony they believe? And the town came out.

He told me everything that I ever did so that when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay three more days for two more days. On in their Village and many more believed because of his word many believe. because of his word as he shared the good news of the kingdom of God, maybe leave and they receive the good news.

We're almost done here.

Benny said to the woman. They said to the woman the men and the women of the town. No longer is it because you said? Your testimony that we believe for now we have heard for ourselves and we know that indeed he is the savior of the world.

They moved from unbelief skepticism doubt. To believe because of her testimony, but then after hearing Jesus speak and hearing his words. They said we no longer just believe because you told we believe because we heard him we've been in the book and we believe for ourselves that he is. Unbelief is all around us unbelief keeps us from knowing Jesus Christ is our Lord and savior. the number of years ago Chuck Swindoll shared this story number of years ago there appeared in the New Yorker magazine and account of a Long Island resident who ordered an extremely sensitive in attics and expensive barometer. first home on Long Island He got it from Abercrombie & Fitch. I know that thing. When the instrument arrived at his home, he was disappointed to discover that the indicator needle on his barometer was stuck at one point and it kept pointing to Hurricane appointed to hurricane.

Show me shook it. severely

which is something you should never do to a very sensitive instrument. You shouldn't shake it. But he shook it vigorously several times never a good idea.

And never getting the needle to move off of that point the new owner wrote a scathing letter to the store. The following morning and on his way to the office in New York City. He mailed it and that evening when he returned out to Long Island. The barometer was missing. The barometer was missing but so was his house.

Yes. You see this was the month of September the year 1938 the day of the terrible hurricane that almost levelled completely, Long Island. The instrument was right. But he had unbelief. And there are things in our lives that point us in One Direction. And so we can't believe that Jesus Christ is who he says he is. He couldn't possibly be the savior of the world.

But I am here this morning to tell you that Jesus Christ the son of God fully God, but fully man did die on that cross.

What's in the grave for 3 days and then raised up from the dead resurrected and people saw him and believed and believe that he was the son of God.

And he left his disciples with this message to share with us. They planted seeds.

others watered others cultivated And some brought in a harvest. Someone shared the good news of the Gospel message with me.

And that seed that was planted. boar harvest when I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal savior and ask to be baptized.

Not only am I following Jesus, but I received the call to be a minister of the Gospel message to share the good news with you.

But others have shared the good news with you as well. They planted seeds and others. The taught Sunday school or or came and sang on this platform administered to you. cultivated you

and some of you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior, some of you have not moved on from that stage of unbelief to Total surrender and it is my hope that you do. Because someday our Lord is coming back and when he does will you be ready? Will your ticket be stamped? I'm Heaven bound. I'm ready to go today. I don't necessarily want to go today.

But I'm ready. When he calls.

So when's our lesson today? I'm the woman at the well.

I'm going to ask that our instrumentalist come and we are going to sing a song Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a Wretch like Me. I once was lost but now I'm found I was blind but