Hydrate

You got a long scripture this morning, but I think it's all vital and is that was? Kind of reflecting on this. There's no way I could Encompass all of it. But the thing is all of these all these verses are a narrative they all interconnect and so it's really hard to separate reach vert verse by verse but I'm going to try but subtly living water the same thing us on our journey of Life. Jesus sustains us on our journey of life without price. We are nothing is the premise of what we're going to talk about. This world we live in is a pretty crazy place. I mean last week this whole coronavirus stuff. I wasn't even thinking about and to be honest with you. I wasn't really thinking about it till late last night and some of you guys got my text messages because I am trying to think you're what to do with the church all these churches closing now, and I'm starting to take notice. I'll tell you when I really took notice is when Disney World decided to cut milk billions of dollars are going to lose in my retirement for folio. My Disney stock all crashed, right there's something going on right when when Disney decides to shut their doors. Starting to take notice really Saturday and I'm trying to figure out what's going to happen getting the last time I could really think about this was the military state of Louisiana after Katrina. That's what I kind of start is starting to feel like, you know, they're talking about restrictions of going to the store coming to church and I'm thinking of Martial law when we were we just were not allowed on the streets and who knows that could happen. There was a noose up in New York buddy of mine up there sent me a screenshot on the TV of them telling them what's going to happen. They're going to start martial law in Philly. But the best thing for us to do as Christians right is again to be peacemakers to create an environment of Hope. A Christians provide hope and so I think it's really interesting that the president calling for a Day of Prayer. Where can I buy guilty? I'm sorry in this country. If you know we believe God and then as soon as something bad happens, we're going to call prayer for ever and we're going to endorse God and we're going to endorse a relationship with the Lord, but we could do that all the time. We need to endorse Christianity are Fey and you'll have brothers and sisters in different religions, but I still stand true that Christianity Jesus is the way the truth and the life and then nobody goes to the father except through Christ. I'm sorry, that's where I'm at. So as Faith communities, we really told a couple things in scripture about times of Chaos. We're told first to use our brains we are. We were told in Genesis. You know the very first two chapters Jesus gives permission for Adam and Eve and and they tell them the name the animals and and God gives us a brain and some free will which I Rejoice that I am glad that I am not a puppet on strings where God dictates from Heaven what I'm going to do every hour of my life. How many times I'm going to brush my teeth for that day. God gives us a brain. God tells us not to live in fear 100% right? We are not to be fearful of things going on around us because we know what's the worst thing that can happen. We die and go to heaven. Absolutely. That's the worst thing that could happen to us. And what a glorious day when we go to heaven and we're told to be peacemakers and it's not about a Personal Agenda political agenda. It's about bringing peace to this earth. It's about the human race. Because today again we're going to open up with a message that talks about being hydrated on the water of Jesus the water of eternal life and we're going to dig deep into the ology in soap. I'm going to give you a $10 or whatever hundred-dollar work. All right, so we're going to talk about what we call a general atonement. What does that mean General atonement basically means that every single one of us. If you're here this morning, you have the opportunity to acknowledge Jesus as a savior of your life. That is what we're going to talk about. These very versus are so critical to our view of atonement. What did Jesus actually do for us on the cross because we're going to talk about how Jesus? More of a dad joke, right? So we're talking about vaccines and all this stuff how Jesus is the vaccine right for us as Christians, you know, there is a deadly disease called sin and which Jesus on the cross paid for and gave us a vaccine that we need to have eternal life. Jesus is there that Jesus provides secure and Jesus is the only way. There's no other way around it. So Jesus is the answer. It's early again this time to the country where we got to go back to God and and return the country back to a god-centered life. I mean our state motto in God we trust right on our state flag. It's on the license plates. It's on cop cars. It's everywhere in God we trust what does that mean? If we don't live it, right God is our is where our hope and our trust and our refuge is God is the Living Water for us during these times. Ghetto, it's our hope to provide that strong stance for families. You know, we're going to have families that are going to be really wondering what's next some of those questions were answered if you get sick for example, and your hospitalized in quarantine for a month who's going to take care of your kids, so I'm glad that some of those things are being question and answer for us. But the church has to stand strong and be there the church has to be we were the first social organization in the world was the church. Somehow we lost some of that. but and our first Pebble versus here 1314 we're going to talk about how the Living Water gives us eternal life Jesus as it point-blank my water will let you live forever. What does that mean? I'm free, right everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.

Whoever drinks from the water that I will give will never be thirsty and the water that I give will become become in those who drink of it as spring of water that bubbles up to eternal life.

Puppies very vs. Are so critical to who we are is the baptized children of God. We've been talking a lot about baptism why cuz it's important. God claims us at our baptism. He claims us while we were in our mother's womb knows who we are. You knows the hair on our head according to the Book of Jeremiah. My my favorite minor prophet.

The gospel story going to so interconnected that Jesus really says one thing and these verses I am the Christ. I am the Messiah. Is any verses that Jesus gives us the people of God wonderful. Hope can I am the Living Water? I am eternal life and it's really simple. So these familiar passages could be used that up a funeral or memorial service right that When we die, we will never thirst again. We will never have pain we will never have a need unmet but we know that that's not true on earth, right? We're always going to have toddler suffering and pain and hopelessness. but in Christ We really don't we don't have to because we know what's going to happen when we die and leave this earth.

He's talking about leaving these Earthly bodies and going to the kingdom of heaven. Have a good question is where is Heaven Is It Up? Somewhere else. Is that all work? That's a whole other not even a sermon series, but it in-depth Bible study didn't have to really go through. What is happening? How is having? How does it look? Now Jesus has many titles in one of those titles is the last Adam or the second half. Anybody familiar with this I hear nor I'm here in Norman is that's good. So the second Adam really is this theory that this theology that Adam messed it up right Adam and Eve Adam gets all the blame though. Adam gets the blame. He messed it up and we know that when he messed up now, we die in this body. We know that our our laborers are going to be tough the ground we try to work is not going to produce the fruit that it wants to reduced. We are all these days but Jesus came as the last Adam to redeem us from that sin by once again allowing us to live forever. It's quarter who we are. That's Christian. so as the question is how did this happen? And so I think I'm an old song which has been redone, which I really love is Jesus Paid It All And Jesus Paid It all states cuz Jesus Paid It all all to him. I owe sin had left a Crimson Stain he washed it white as snow beautiful. It's gruesome to think about how Jesus exactly paid for our debt because we have a debt to pay but he paid for it on a cross. In the leading up to the Cross he paid for it with his blood with his suffering. And this is why atonement matters.

all Christian, I don't care what denomination grew up in with a probably all agree that Jesus said yes, I walk through the streets of Israel and and saw Stations of the Cross where Jesus suffered where he was whipped and where he dropped across and marriage become so real so real. In John for Jesus becomes the Living Water by taking up death and sent so we have these him knows what time is morning you open up to the Creed's here? 881 the Apostles Creed we read it this morning. Now you all know. I've been all over the mat and you know if I had my time and in the Lutheran Church and ordained there and when we started saying the Apostles Creed. I thought this was the strangest thing and Jesus descended into hell. That is weird right right there in the bottom of our him. No on 8 81 82 it reads and I remember reading this as a kid in church. Prudential user the screen includes these words he descended into hell. Jesus descended into hell. So what does that mean? Where do we get that from the question? What is the importance of Jesus?

So there's another Creed called the athanasius Creed. And we don't say that it's a very long it's about maybe three pages. I bet you've done in a worship service one time in my life and it basically says that Jesus is the way the truth and the life those who choose not to believe in Jesus or not safe and go to hell so it's not a very loving you know what to do in service. But the point here is that Jesus suffered death. Hell and was buried So we read a couple vs. Here in scripture 1st, Peter 4:6. The good news was also preach to the day. This happened to it. That although they were judged as humans according to human standards. They can live by the spirit. According to Divine thing. I don't get enough attention for 9 by what does he ascend mean that he descended into the lower parts of the Earth? the Jesus in atonement Jesus actually went to hell and free those who were punished to hell for their sins and transgressions like Abraham Moses all the great and Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. Why because we know that through the law we are unsavable. There is no way we can save ourselves Jesus is the only way now it sounds like something off of a scary movie know Jesus died. And the first thing we think of is what Jesus dies goes to heaven meets its right next to his father in this glorious seat next to write on the right side of God the father, but in fact what we read in the cree from the scripture is that Jesus actually want the hell the three centers. The free centers and for probably 1500 years 1600 years. We said that every Sunday is for sure. Somewhere I got lost and so why does that matter for me? It makes me think about what Jesus went through. What he did? He suffered so much for us out of his love. Geology really matters. It really does our understanding of how Jesus actually pay for our sins another so many folks that they said well, you know, all these Pathways sleep to heaven and I'm not trying to get on a soapbox, but that is so true then why did Jesus need to die? Why didn't even need to come up on this Earth You know, Jesus is the answer. So we're going to read through this couple verses of this interaction with the Samaritan woman. And it's it's a lovely interaction. I'm going to tell us something here. We need to repent and we need to change. And so it says the woman said to him sir. Give me this water so that I will never be thirsty. And I will never need to come here to draw water in Jesus enter. Go get your husband and come back here. And the woman replied I don't have a husband.

You are right to say I don't have a husband.

I'm trying to think in my head. What was the purpose of this dialogue? You know, you've had five husbands and the man you are with Now isn't your husband at all you spoken truth?

pizza sauce continue the story we enter into what would certainly be for me a very awkward conversation out in public for people can hear it. Right. I certainly do not like calling people out for their nonsense out the public. I wouldn't want my stuff called out front of a bunch of people. Really? I would prefer it when my wife calls me out of stuff and the privacy of our home. But Jesus is not afraid to do stuff cuz he's Jesus. Jesus can call you out for your stuff. And he starts by Jesus telling the woman to go get her husband, which we know he says no, you don't have a husband. That you had five now you're living with somebody. So, you know, we've had a repeat of behavior. You know, it's what wasn't I messed up 1 2 3 4 5 and I'm going to fix it. No, I'm going to continue to mess up in the same area of my life. I'm not going to I'm going to repent and not mean it.

but she acknowledges that Jesus is speaking truth right Jesus acknowledges that the woman is being true do we have this dialogue so tells me a few things the verses that Jesus and the woman acknowledged that she has sent in this is ensign and again I'm not going to stand up here and call anybody out for their sense because then you'd have to call me out to But in the same set we have to be okay with Jesus actively calling us out on our stuff. We have to be okay with Jesus putting are sent out on the table and dealing with it. Second Jesus thinks it's a good thing to get our sin out of the darkness. You know when we when we don't get our sent out when we allow it just a faster in our hearts and Minds mannequin destroy. So I'm not Roman Catholic and never will be but you know, they had these confessional booths and it's in some way. It's a good thing. You know, why because you get to publicly declare. This is Ron messing up. Now I don't want to know don't come to me and it sucks. But unless I don't make you feel better, but go to somebody you need to get that sent out of your heart and mind you need to let somebody know to hold you accountable for it. I think about it. If you're a thief and you steal the worst thing that could happen is once you're found out about that person just doesn't do anything about it. Just if you know what I know you're a thief but I forgive you but there's no accountability. Right there needs to be some type of Consequence the help that person get better and I've dealt with this in churches and in my own life with people you have to have accountability once we figure out our sense. Because we have to fix it. Emmys versus Jesus is in favor again of getting our stuff out on the table and working. The woman in the story again simply tells Jesus you have spoken tree. And I wonder if Christians today where that honest with each other. If Christians can honestly say this is where I'm sending and that's myself my family you I'm sorry. Let's work on it and build a trusting relationship. Now, it's difficult sometimes on a smaller church or smaller Community. It's so much easier to get to know one another right but you know what the danger is, we live in a small town and word gets around right? And so we don't want to be open and share everything because we know it's going to get back to people and add a community. Nobody cares who you are millions and millions of people so it's really difficult to get to know people and that's the hard part about living in a big town and at the church so you have to be really intentional about having a small groups and holding each other accountable. That's what my sister has a small group at her church in New Orleans has live life together and we have some of that going on here. We have a lot of people that live life together. So honesty, you know that Ray Stevens song back in the day about the squirrel that went through the church, right? That's what I think about. I think about it, you know, sin and isolation is a horrible thing. Set in isolation. You don't want to be isolated when you have said in your life and it get hot. I see this is Ashley and people that have addiction issues. That's the only place it's just an area that I have done a lot of work in and have seen tragedy when especially when recovering people that fall, you know, they've been clean for 10 years. They mess up once they feel horrible and it's the downward spiral right? We have to be able to be open and honest with each other when we messed up. That's what I try to do. And if I don't get called out on so we all can worship though. That's the point. So we hear in those first couple verses Jesus Paid It All We here then from the Samaritan woman and Jesus. Hey, you're a sinner just admit it. Let's work on. Right, let's two things we have for the first couple verse is here. And then we move on so we've we've accepted Jesus as paying our sins and being the savior of the world. We've admitted that were sinners. That we need that water, but now once we've have repentant hearts. We're trying to be different and change now according to the scripture we can worship God. 19426 lemon Setzer. I see that you are a problem. Our ancestors worship on this mountain but you and your people say that it is necessary to Worship in Jerusalem.

And Jesus said to her believe me woman. The time is coming. I would never address some of that one woman, you know.

If I was coming when you and your people will worship the father neither on this stop nor and Roofing. And you and your people worship what you don't know. That's America, right? We worship what we know because salvation is from the Jews. But the time is coming and this year when true worshippers will worship in spirit and Truth put a big highlight Mark right there in the father looks for those who worship Him and this way. Alright spirit and Truth the Father the father is going to look at me. I think I'm going to take notice fear for those who worship him in this way. And God is spirit and of necessary to worship God in spirit and Truth.

And the woman said I know that the Messiah has come the one who is called Christ for he comes he will teach everything to us can take note and Jesus said to her I am. The one who speaks with you. So again, we've we taking this living water. We've confessed our sins. And now that we admit that we are dirty centers in need of a savior. We are a new creation hydrated by refreshing water. So who's ever had like this really good water, really good tasting water so I can think of like one instance. Oh and when I was bring it back when I was out at camp in Oregon we went to this waterfall and I see you know at the waterfall, but I'm going to drink some of it. I just wanted to see what is a taste this water and there was no taste to it. No take it was so clean and refreshing right there for the palm of God. I feel Right. No sin of the world had interacted with this water no pollution. It was all good and refreshing the Wake God made it. Did the 23rd verse tells us hear that true worship of the Lord is in spirit and Truth? For us. What does that mean? It means not allowing the sin of the world to infect the church with a virus. It means being unified in our body. It means being of one mind and a scripture cause at one Accord and one purpose. We have one purpose and that purpose is Jesus. It means accepting each other for Who We Are. centers made white as snow my loving Jesus what's interesting is next versus is that what Jesus is doing for? The first time is really clarifying that anyone. Through him can know God. He is the way you don't have to be in Israel and Jerusalem to worship God. You don't have to go there and give up your your sacrifices write your unblemished lamb for he is the unblemished Lamb.

It is vital because again for some folks they think when we get to heaven, right we're going to get up there. We're going to be in St. Peter. We're going to walk through the gates and then depending on what denomination we belong to we're going to have our own separate entrance. Right anybody, right? You know the group that doesn't believe in musical instruments in church over here will have the really liturgical people over here with the incense and will have you know, the Baptist over here at the Methodist here. It's craziness.

It's crazy, right? That's why that's my ecumenical heart. I just I don't see it. God doesn't see all this we have different beliefs and I'm proud of the way, I believe and what I believe about scripture and and I had those conviction. But it doesn't mean that it's the right way. I guess it was that book I wanted to do a study on you don't have to be wrong for me to be right. There is some gray area and there is some black and white but the point is God loves us all week. And no matter what church were in it for worshiping Jesus. It's okay. They're all gonna happen in the same place.

because it won't happen and God loves us who we are but Jesus the theological truth in here is Jesus says I am I am I am the Messiah. I am God right for those claims. They were punishable by Death. And we know the rest of the story he is punished to death for making these claims.

These are vital to our theology that Jesus claims that he is the Divine and then he backs up those claims life of filling the law by telling the Old Testament. So he doesn't you say I mean, there's crazy people all over the place trying to be God. I mean you could turn on the news. But Jesus verified he claimed it and he verified it and that's where we are. That's why we are here 2000 years later. Cuz Jesus is the real deal.

We have to acknowledge who he is. Going to get no matter what country we belong to no matter what we look like, you know, no matter how we talk we can all be Christians brothers and sisters in Jesus. And again, we may have a different view on everything. But we can be unified for Christ. Not like the March for Life rally that just happened in Washington DC. I watch the crowds the masses of people how many different face droops denominations were represented their unified under that belief. and for Jesus the belief is simply tide on this process for us for Sinners Like Me and You This dialogue between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. We have to take as Believers a few things first. daily acceptance of the Living Water

So, you know, I have Assurance of my belief, you know, I believe if I were to go out in the car right now and died in a car crash. I'm going to go to heaven. I have security and my belief in Jesus 100% but I also know that I have to daily say make a decision that I am a believer in price and I have to have a daily time of repentance with Jesus. That I'm a sinner. And again, we look at the world around us. It is not hard to send and we are filled with it. Are we not? You can make some really horrible choices really fast. We try our best to protect our children and our grandkids. I'm sure from the world of the worlds here. And third the third Tri we have acceptance of the Living Water Jesus as the way the truth and the life we have second daily repentance of our sins. And third we have to worship God in spirit and truth. And so what does that mean spirit and Truth for me? That means I come to worship or I'm worshipping God from a humble and truthful heart that is not just routine. That is not something I do just because my parents brought me to church if it's a choice. The truly humbly Worship the Lord because of my love for him. See the difference there. There's a lots of people we call them like culture Christians and I had some friends that served over in Russia as Missionary Man everyone claims to be a Christian. They all go to the the Russian Orthodox church, but many of them were not really Christian. They just did that as a routine. And at least the church is there that's a good thing. We need to make sincere Choice a sincere choice to follow Christ. That makes sense. And for our congregation and for this Fallen World, we have to take steps to change it. And so all three of us would say we love God love neighbor, right? And we love our neighbor because we love.. And many of you are living at up. I mean, I've had personal interactions with most at you and I know what you're doing for your friends and family and it's really incredible to witness how you know in this community how you love each other. We just got to continue to do that. And the reason that we do that is because we love God Write the reason for example Encore does its work hopefully is because they believe in Jesus and love their neighbor and they do incredible work right reason. We give money for missionaries. Hopefully right is the love God love neighbor and so in today's message in which it was kind of hard for me to think through as I'm processing what's going on in the world unlike. Okay. How does this apply to our situation? And I think it applies to our situation because we're going to have some people that are going to be hurting in the coming days emotionally financially, even if it's not in Chiefland. And we have a great opportunity to spread Jesus to him. So I hope that would take that opportunity. A lot of folks are moving Church online on Facebook live and all these things man. There might be some people that know they're coming to Jesus Through It. Let's think about that. So I'll let us continue to worship and let's let's prayer. almighty God through your your word and John we hear a few things we hear that we are to To accept you to acknowledge your free gift of Living Water. We hear God that we are to be repentant daily. Where are NASA? bow to you and our neighbors And third guy that we're supposed to worship you in spirit and Truth we come to worship you because we we have a true love for who you are and what you did for us. To God make us live into those commands from you. Help us live into what it means to be the Christians that you have called us to be according to your word. In the coming days of this virus going across the world. May we as a church be a Beacon of Hope for both Chiefland and the communities around us, I can meet people in Gainesville especially are not able to find churches where they can worship God maybe some of them will it will see us online or come visit us. Let us be hope for them. God guide our steps is a congregation in the coming days and guide our Global Connection of churches how we making Praise You In Christ name? Amen?