Sunday Morning Nov 10

Viking maybe she is

I'll just a couple of things that I didn't talk about. We will be taking pictures of the veterans right after the service and we'll make that as brief as possible. So if you can stay for that we can certainly appreciate it also add on the table. There's a veteran's discount folder. I don't know how many people found it but it's places where you can get discounts and even free meals. So take one and what home with you and Russell brought them. I believe that's all I have out there man, if you would come forward, please.

Triple you give offering time, please.

I'm bored Weber now, but us would get back with the very small portion of the we do it with the parts that love you and

So much for your service to our country.

Thank you, Esther.

Do we have another picture?

If you work bring the Sunday school hours you missed a great time, and we look forward to.

Good morning, everyone and thank you so much for how you Salute Your veterans. I just have a quick question. And in that regard how many of the wives were married to your veteran when he served in the military.

That's you guys deserve a round of applause.

Good, they went off to war and they did they did basic training and they did all those things but you know what you sacrificed and and that's huge and I want to thank you for your service on behalf of your men. So again, I appreciate you. Well, if it's it's humbling and it's great to be here at Red Lion Pastor Jim and I had been Associates in friends and 4 years and through my Association through America's Keswick in the colony of mercy, and we continue to pray for his ongoing healing and and that he might be able to soon be able to continue to take advantage of his Bible knowledge as well as his willingness to serve here at Red Lion and the really cool thing about Jim is that I was just in Sayville, fighter, you know, he doesn't he doesn't sit back and wait for something to happen. He makes out he goes oftentimes he trust God and then he goes in So we're grateful for him and I would encourage you to continue to pray as we are also at the colony of Mercy, but I have to also share with you since of my experiences of being at the Colonnade. There's one thing you learn about a county man. He is a tremendous worshiper. tremendous there is no more fervent passionate focused worshiper. You'll never see it anywhere else on Earth. And there's a reason for that.

They will tell you. If you have an honest in the eye conversation. That they were completely sold out to their addiction. They could not see their way if at all without the next hit they thought about how to get it how to connect with it when to get it and how to hide it. They were willing to prioritize it over any set any other area of their life. They are real worshippers. UC If you look at it from this perspective, that worship is really a lifestyle. It is more than just that hour and a half or so on a Sunday morning. It's it's more than the occasional Bible study is it's more than simply listening to a radio program during the week. It's what we were created for. now because of sin We're all broken people. So there's a gas cap.

The need in our lives goes unfulfilled. It's God's intent. to worship Him Isaiah 43:21 says the people I formed for myself. That I that they may Proclaim my praise. Guitar human nature that we natural look for something that that would help to fill that worship need in our hearts and souls and Minds we seek Comfort relief refuse love satisfaction. And sometimes there are circumstances that drive us to make decisions as part of our decision-making so Other times we view it as just simply easy access to a little bit of peace. Our Savior Jesus Christ knew his audience and because of that We come to understand that he had a different view of worship. however, in our culture today alcohol legal and illegal abuse that substances and and other forms of relief become a refuge And it's not just those traditional forms of abuse that we we often look at is being so unacceptable. And we we look at those who are trapped in the bonds of addiction and say oh those poor people. gambling pornography nicotine vaping sex food even shopping How about work? risk-taking speeding fantasy football how about are younger generation texting or tweeting? How about binge-watching Netflix? How about thrill-seeking? How about anger rage frustration at the circumstances in a ramp to get it all out? Whatever we look at us or next High.

It becomes our Idol.

And we just can't get enough of whatever it is. We want to and we can't live without it. They become the idols that point us toward a new. false god

ourselves

Toys R Us

is it easy to worship a false idol which points back to giving ourselves the glory?

Justifying those Idols that fill the need that God created us for.

really points back to work character and our second nature

it's not drugs alcohol pouring all that if it's not the problem.

The problem is sent.

Because we worship boss.

That's not God's intent.

Jesus came to adjust our thinking and actions to align with God's intent. And we can see that throughout the Gospels.

Like I said before our savior knew his audience really well because he created them. And he loved us beyond the culture and the blindness that we bring into our lives cuz he knows worship. And the nature of his people and even in the middle. Of his ministry, his disciples were praising him and Luke record the story that the Pharisee said teacher rebuke your disciples and he answered I tell you if they were silent. The very Stones would cry out.

Turn the Bible if you would please to John chapter 4. John chapter 4 and I will be working off of The New International Version if if you have another version that should be relatively close but Chris Paul try to follow along as we bring God's word and and you'll notice on the screen will have those scripture verses as are listed in the NIV. But please enjoy the version that you're currently using but I kind of like the NIV because those of us with simple minds are easy to read simple works. So

This is a story you probably have read and you probably have used several times in the course of your walk. It's the story of the woman at the well.

It's a very powerful story on many levels and let me explain. It's powerful not just because of the characters involved but also because buried in the middle of the Jesus gives us the blueprint for worship. And how we are to worship.

And he is God incarnate teaching us what he wants from us.

That sympathy. Jesus is gaining followers the Pharisees or noticing its Jesus is living on God's schedule. And he nns carefully is very very careful because he knows the hour hasn't come.

He had to go from Judea to Galilee. but he chose to take the route that most Jews don't take straight through cement now we know that the Jews despised the Samaritans and that goes way back about the Babylonian captivity, but Jesus knew exactly what he was doing.

He's tired now. He takes a seat. Right next to this revered watering spot that Jacob gave to his son Joseph as as we can read in Genesis 48 and then he encounters a Samaritan woman.

I'm going to read and look for starting in verse 7 if you follow along with me. When is Samaritan woman came to draw water? Jesus said to her will you give me a drink his disciples have gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him. You are a Jew and I'm a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink but used to not associate with the Samaritan that we see if you amazing things right here. First received both Jesus Divinity as well as his Humanity right there at the same time. He's tired and he's thirsty. But we also see that he's showing his own knowing all powerful character. Second with the disciples Alpine food, Jesus does the unthinkable?

He talks to a woman.

a Samaritan woman

in public

daytime

earlier in the Book of John jesus takes on Nicodemus chapter 3 The to Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman could not be any different.

Polar Opposites Is Nicodemus was inquiring? Samaritan woman was at best. indifferent he was respected. She was rejected. He was deep. She was.

He was a Jew she was a despised Samaritan and he presumably was moral. cheap Nothing much.

He was learned and didn't learn it in religious matters. She had this this passing knowledge of traditional teaching in spite of all the differences these two very different people had two things in common. They were both created for worship and they both had a need that though. No different. Then any of us number one real worship starts with real broken worshippers? real worship starts with real broken worshiper

Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman two broken people Nicodemus seeking searching looking for answers in his religious mine and in his prediction and end in his experiences and in the Samaritan woman, let's just say she was a spiritual Giant.

But Jesus knew them both and he met them exactly where they were at.

It's not the way he always does it.

I mean he invites us to commune with him to love him to the celebrate his glory and his Humanity. It's the God man who gave it all.

And with the Samaritan woman. We see something very very important. Jesus breaks through the social and religious barriers to reach her.

Just like he does for us.

No one verse nine. He asks for a drink using a cup that she touched. that would mean that he would be ceremoniously unclean according to rabbinical law which which actually is more correctly translated directly from the Greek, but we see that she's a little more startled than normal by this whole thing. She states the obvious as most of us would wait a minute. You're a Jew and I'm a Samaritan verse 10 Jesus answered her if you knew the gift of God and who it was that asked you for a drink you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. Is another way of saying that first.

You have no idea.

If you knew who I really was. and what I was all about you'd be doing the asking. And I give you something way better. Consider this despite his human need to quench his thirst the focus of our worship Jesus Christ. The son of the Living God is offering this Outkast something greater. He's putting aside his exhaustion. And his Temple desire for a drink to address something greater.

her need

Point number to real worship 6 to fill our God created need for worship. but often our focus is elsewhere. Don't we always do that?

Pink Sunday morning. This is an exam. It's the wackiest day of the week.

How many of you get up? And just simply go off the church like nothing is wrong.

For me everything goes wrong.

I don't want to tell you what happened this morning. It wasn't pretty.

And we're supposed to show up at church looking like we got it all together. And we don't.

How about this happen to me often? I brew some coffee and I I get my Bible and I think I'm a journal and I'm reason to my chair and then I'm ready just to have a good quality solid time of the Lord and guess what happens? phone rings to be a former Colony guy could be the director riqueza could be one of my kids but I got it taken and guess what happened to my focus is elsewhere.

We live in a distraction filled world, don't we? I mean just pick your addiction. That's what it comes down to the thing that takes our Focus off of God becomes our addiction.

And in that it it always ends up focusing on ourselves. I'm going to have to take the call from my kids. I don't know what the problem would be and how I can see how I can solve it.

It's always our agenda our plan our time our interest our needs and then you might be able to justify it all by simply saying what God understands.

Really?

I seen in scripture time and time again God is calling himself.

And he saying come to me.

Remember the first commandment? God created us for worship and and we should be worshiping him.

And we think that hour or two a week here is going to do it.

Or maybe the listening to music that that would edifier shows or or opening our Bible and hitting a couple of songs and maybe a proverb here in there that's going to do it. I don't think so. Not too but God called us to do. the creator of the universe the creator of all things including us you just don't get it.

Consider the Samaritan woman. She wasn't getting it either by the way. So we're in pretty good company. She doesn't get the connection between the living water and the scriptures because in Jeremiah and Zechariah and later in the Book of John Living Water refers to the Holy Spirit.

The third person of the Trinity caught himself and God the son the second person to Trinity who's offering the Holy Spirit to this despised Samaritan woman.

She misses instead. What she's doing is what we do. We're focused on the mechanics of it. All right. She's so busy referring to the fact that she's sharing her drinking cup that's making him ceremoniously unclean and he talks about the depth of the water and she talks about the tradition of their shared Heritage and then she's so busy about her and her argument about about all this request that this this Rabbi has Follow along with me here in verse 11 sir. The woman said you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep how and where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the will and drank from it himself as he did with his sons and his livestock, by the way, if you read this in Greek, the question is posed expecting a negative answer. Chichi really is bathroom. She can't quite get this whole thing because she's hanging on to this pragmatic perspective like we do what can we do to fix the problem? What can we do to address the issues? How can we make this right?

And she's listening to what Jesus had said to her and she's in her best Jersey attitude. What's up with this guy?

I take a leap year, but it's a fair judgement. You read the scripture carefully you she things that she can hide her addiction.

From this Jewish rabbi after all she thinks this is the first time that they connected.

And that he doesn't know her.

Truth is he knew her before she was conceived?

He knit her. In the wall.

She was fearfully and wonderfully made.

verses 13 and 14 Jesus answer her Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst indeed the water. I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life and right there. He spells it out. The water in the well provides temporary satisfaction just like the things of the world.

But he has something better. Destroy the parallel to work personals distractions, doesn't it? The things that we feel is so important in life that we take put them way up on the priority scale. Sometimes we justify it by saying we'll God wants me to do blank.

The reality is God wants us.

He wants us to worship Him.

Whatever keeps our Focus off of God is really lighter. First 15 it's still all about her that way. The woman said to him sir. Give me this water so I won't get thirsty and have to get going back to draw the water.

Now those of us who have had jobs. We always got to find an easier way of doing this if we can't hire somebody to do it for us. That's exactly what she's looking for a nice easy way of managing her job. Okay. Mr. Rabbi figure a way out so that I don't have to carry these water jugs with me to go take care of this guy.

What we see here is John's peek into the consumer base Christian.

What's in it for me?

It's not what we all want anyway. Make my life simple. Make it easier make it better. That's how I know. God is blessing me.

If I have money if I have comfort if I have he's if I have peace of mind.

I know I'm in God's will.

Fact of the matter is that's a lie.

Christian Life is a hard life.

Real worship real worship. The man's a difficult challenging walk that also demands that we rely completely and totally on him. Isaiah 41:10, so do not fear for I am with you do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous, right?

Now Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. Her Brokenness first 16. He told her go call your husband and come back.

first 17 I have no husband.

Oh snap.

amazing

She opened up to this stranger.

Just give her some props for honesty and transparency.

Jesus said to her you are right when you say you have no husband in fact. the five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband. What you said is quite true.

And again, like all of us Jesus deals with the basic problem. What about the water wasn't about the jars was another job. He knew words per marital history and ending any new her life of sin, and he knew that she was broken and and she knew exactly who exactly what you needed. Did you have an addiction? I don't know. But what you seeking? Yes. But you probably didn't realize it verse 19 a woman the woman follows a similar pattern here that the addicts that we deal with at the County Emergency due also after all week. We tend to follow where we are comforted in our city our sinfulness. By the way, is it is it depicts a lot. That's up right away, but we're in the middle of it. And then also to take it.

So what if you do?

superflex

serve the woman said I can see that you're a problem not dealing with the husband thing anymore. our ancestors worshipped on this mountain but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem you see Samaritan movement religion held that the only place that they could actually worship that was divinely order was was on the top nearby now here is a On the other hand, the Jews were mandated to go to the Temple mount. I'm not dying. The Samaritan woman does what we broken people always do. change subject rather than dealing with her saying she throws up this religious controversy. And then she goes to this Rabbi for some answers. right again, we derail our worship opportunity with the unimportant.

We're busy trying to figure out what kind of shrubs to plant around the church.

Or whether or not we have enough money in the budget.

Or should be changed to worship time.

We fight over areas of church life that really don't matter.

And every church I've been involved in has had an argument about something that really doesn't matter. matter

Is the church that's us. worshipping the Creator Backpackers

It all comes down to one simple truth.

We just don't want to deal with a holy God.

It is so much easier. for us to do rather than Neil

we don't want to face the fact that we need to worship him and him alone week between our focus on anything and everything.

We don't want to focus on the Creator and his desire to be honored and pleased because when we do that, we see our sinfulness.

How can we stand in front of our holy God in our sinful State? We can't and what's the in between the Savior Jesus Christ and here he was talking to this Samaritan woman this multiple e married serial married woman

But here's the thing.

Jesus cares then and now first 21 Here's the money shot right here. Woman Jesus replied believe me the time is coming when you will worship the father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem you Samaritans worship what you don't know we worship what we do know for salvation is from the Jews yet a time is coming and now has come that the true worshippers will worship the father in the spirit and in truth for they are the kind of worshippers. father seeks God is spirit and his worshipers must Worship in the spirit and in truth. Point number 3 real worship centers on God in spirit and Truth

The Samaritan religion is very confusing. And it was raw because there's no salvation in the unknown salvation. Only came. from something nebulous and and the reality is that

they believed. That salvation was coming from a savior.

Here's the Samaritan woman in the Savior was standing right in front of her.

Looking for a drink of water.

And the only way you're going to get saved. It's the knowing.

Strip away all the ceremony all the trappings and all the performance and all the striving for perfection. And you get down to the brass tacks or what worship is really all about.

Jesus own words has recorded by the disciple that Jesus loved God is spirit and his worshipers must Worship in spirit and in truth.

Jesus announces the time is coming that will change everything and and he is demonstrating the ultimate Act of love. suffering and dying on a cross

for the sinful misguided worship. That we've been conducting. As we focus on ourselves.

No more with Jews and Samaritans have to try to figure out where to worship. It wasn't location-based. The reality is our worship is life based. Everywhere we go everything we do every breath we take every thought we have is all about worshiping in spirit and in truth.

Real worshippers recognized and embraced Jesus as their Savior and one and only way to the father.

John 14:6, it's right on the wall. I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me.

The worship in spirit is to focus on the new certainty that God the Father. Has revealed to us in his son.

And what's God looking for? honesty transparency vulnerability a god-centered life of praise for all he has done through the death and resurrection of his son. the gift of the Holy Spirit as the comforter the worship that transcends the Sunday Morning Experience Is deeper and more meaningful than any human emotion? or Surrender of the will

it's a response to God's spirit in US.

Did the spirit that is him?

Real worship through a real God through a real Savior by the direction of the holy spirit that drives a deep sense of humility and each one of us to recognize that we're not good enough.

How dare we look God in the eye?

and say we're equals.

You might have seen the bumper sticker that's been out. That was that their years ago with said God is my co-pilot. Guess what sitting in the wrong seat?

Got the pilot.

We're back in coach.

If we consistently see God the Father God the son and God the Holy Spirit as the total package the complete godhead. Necessary for us to come to a saving knowledge.

We get a slice of what it hundred what the understanding of it's all about and we can worship. unconditionally But anything less than that turns the focus back on us.

At this point in the story. The Samaritan woman created by God to worship turns her attention finally finally away from herself and her own self worship and starts to seek the savior in verse 25 take a look at it. The woman said, I know that Messiah called Christ. after August Americans that believe that there was someone coming to rescue them, but the truth when he comes he'll explain everything to us here. It is her tradition taught that the Messiah would be like Moses. Okay coming to solve all their problems.

Then Jesus declares. I am the one.

The one speaking to you. I am key.

Jesus met her at her need and she responded.

Real worship Point number for cannot be contained just can't be contained first 27 and just then his disciples returned. Right on cue and they were surprised to find him talking to a woman. But no one asked. What do you want or? Why you talkin to her?

Clearly they knew better. Then leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people come and see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah? It came out of the town and made their way toward him.

Is Outkast broken woman? Leaves her human Focus her job. And worships a Jewish rabbi by sharing the reveal and the disciples keep their mouth shut.

And as a result or evangelism drove others to the Lord. Do we have? confidence and faith

to worship a holy God By leaving the very jobs that we think God gave us. The turn our backs on that and worship Him totally by being an evangelist by sharing the good news. Where do we take the easy route and use our vocations and our houses and our cars and our stuff to say. What God wants me to have its while use it for him?

Are we willing to give it all?

I'm going to hold on to it thinking that we're doing God's work.

Because after all we give it all God gives us better.

The question that the Samaritan woman asks is simple. This could be the Messiah could it?

Kind of again in the Greek. It's like a negatively frame questioning and end in so she was talking to these people and and she expects the negative answer. Stead they get up and go see it for themselves.

Give me the rest of the story the disciples notice a change in their master. He wasn't hungry wasn't thirsty. It went out to get food. Remember and he standing by the well.

his passion instead

It's not for the temple need but rather. To do the will of his father. blessing for us

And the woman in the ones who went to go check it out. Well, if you continue to read the story you find out that we see their her testimony was actually driving people to Christ. Just to learn more about him and in this was a little Revival that breaks out. Jesus stays for 2 days. Ended the spies Samaria.

John uses the word abiding or remaining a lot of times. In his gospel. And as a result of all this many more became believers.

And what do you want to look at it from this way or not? That's up to you. But I see the Samaritan woman is a true evangelist because what happened is that she introduced Jesus to the others not taking a step to complete a Bible study class or go to Seminary. She heard it she believed it and she went.

But it took that personal encounter with the Messiah to actually, to a saving faith in him. Has a rich as a result, we can actually praise the name of who he is.

And as a result, we can worship Him in spirit and in truth.

user application

By the way, I forgot to mention this.

Jesus never did get his drink of water.

but the Samaritan woman got a big old Gulf of Living Water.

and eternal life

as a result toward a lot of other folks.

That would never have listened to a Jewish rabbi.

How many of us? So busy seeking a solution to a problem and try to employ an Earthly fix.

our problem Is the need to worship? Knock knock. Not worship the stuff of the world order. even legal or illegal substances or or

Anything along those lines?

Start desire to worship ourselves that needs to be redirected to the one that created us and to worship Him in spirit and Truth.

And we have to do all of that by navigating through a distracted world.

A world that's so busy. Trying to hammer us for the 24-hour news wheel. and Twitter accounts and busy traffic and Bill's And pain and hurt and disappointment.

Birds that don't go the way they should and death that are always breathing.

We seek answers in a distracted world and we may call it magic word Addiction, but the reality also comes down to it. Send.

You focus on ourselves and our worship become centered around us. the Focus On Christ It centers around him.

Let me create Idols that we can control we find out that they control us.

Only focused on Christ. We know that we've already surrendered to him.

Today is the day that Jesus is Seeking a relationship with each one of us. And I really don't care whether you've been saved for 65 years or 65 seconds. We all need a savior.

so if you have Idols in your life and you do

cuz I do I need to put those items where they belong.

And I need to focus on what really matters.

But the what is not a what the what is a Who?

We have to focus our total cells. and leave those idols at the foot of the cross

sure. And worship ourselves. I'm always hungry for more.

Or we can worship God. spirit and Truth

And be filled with living water.

Join me in prayer.

although I am so

overwhelmed by your truth You're a good and gracious God. Who teaches at every single day that you are who you are?

I thank you for the ministry of the Samaritan woman. Darker Lord, there would be people today. wouldn't know you

thank you for your son in the clear teaching that he gives us of what your expectation of worship is.

and it's not the argument Laurie between praise songs and hymns It's the focus of our worship.

Thank you Lord, because some You saved me.

from Shore Eternal death

and you didn't have to

pray for each person in this room and those that are not Today might be the day that if they have to make a recommitment to you. This would be it. And if it never made that commitment made this peak time.

We're pretty we're grateful because of the three holiday of Who You Are. Pretty things in the name of Jesus Christ cuz it is his name that we come to Worship in spirit and in truth.

amen

Oh, I turned off my Michael just screamed and I'll be fine. I want to thank you folks for what you have done this morning. You've given your time and you giving your hearts and I thank you for that. Now. That's a gopher and worship Our God not just in this building. But the world that needs to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. Father God, thank you. We are humbled. And we know Lord that you will take these people and use them in a mighty way as long as they allow you to. Father use this as an opportunity for us to grow closer to you as you grow closer to a world who so desperately needs you and we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ and all God's people said, thank you.

I will be here next week as well. And we look forward to what he has to say just a reminder for the next will be taking a picture right now. And also we encourage you to come back this evening truck will be here until having a sermon as well and he'll also be here Wednesday. We're going to keep these things going even though Pastor isn't here. So I encourage you all to take advantage of it. That's what makes Redline unique. We have a service Sunday night Wednesday night, we're different than a lot of places. So just remember that and God bless you always be like