Testing The Water

John's Gospel - Part 15  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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Testing the water of faith is the most natural thing that we do. It's here that we find Christ to be faithful.

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Intro:
Test the water. When someone go to a pool for a swim, it never fails someone will call out and say, “test the water.” It can be a 100 degrees outside and people want to know what the water feels like before they get in.
When its hot, we know the water will make us feel better when we get in, but we still test the water. The same can be said about people when it comes to spiritual matters. The truth can be standing right in front of us and we want to test the waters of God. As if, He would somehow let us down.
Not knowing something can be scary. It’s because we are let down so often that we are afraid to just take a leap at the truth.
Today story has that same undertone. Look with me as we talk about testing the water and see how Jesus handled the situation with the Samaritan woman.

When You know Something Is Different

John 4:19 NKJV
19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
Truth has a way of rising to the top.
Being faced with the truth of who Jesus really is will cause you to recognize what you are missing.
It may not be evident at first, but soon a one will find themselves questioning.
There is a place in our soul that longs for completeness.
Completeness is fulfilled only when Christ is Lord of our life.
Even Christians can miss the fullness of the Christ life if they let sin harbor in themselves.

Answer Me This

John 4:20 NKJV
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
Posing questions is okay.
She wanted Him to clarify what only a true prophet would know.
It’s not a sin to ask why.
It’s only a sin when we refuse to believe.
The psalmist said this:
Psalm 34:8 NKJV
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
To taste will prompt an inquiry of the subject mater.
Just ask the Lord, and be ready for the answer.

Uncommon Truth

John 4:21-24

John 4:21–24 NKJV
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
The answer was to change her way of thinking.
The time is coming, referred to the death/resurrection of Jesus that would usher in a new way of worship.
Freeing the people from a temple worship either at Mount Gerizim for the Samaritans or Mount Zion for the Jews.
Man’s idea of worship is wrong.
Worship that is man centered dishonors God.
No matter how much we do or how big the performance, If God is not directing it, it’s wrong.
True Worship comes from Truth and Spirit.
By standing on the truth of what God has said.
Being lead by the spirit to worship the way he said to.

When He Stand Before You.

John 4:25–26 NKJV
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
Her understanding (as a Samaritans) of where Christ would come from didn’t line up with the Jewish depiction of his return.
She was waiting on the Christ that they knew of from the temple worship at Mount Gerizim.
When he comes He will straiten out all the wrongs that had been done to her and her people.
The idea of who Christ is can be misrepresented by our own desire for who we think He should be.
When faced with the real Christ, what will we do.
Once Jesus is made plain to you, a decision has to be made.
That decision can be a first time decision.
That decision can be one that must be made about a sin or situation you find yourself in.
One thing is clear, When faced with Christ, He will cause you deal with you!
Conclusion:
Testing Christ for what He has told us is okay.
There will be times when you are unsure of what you should do. It’s in those times it will take courage to accept the message that Jesus is teaching you.
What is He telling you to do today.
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