Friday, August 31, 2007

The Living Water: Lesson Sixteen

"And I heard, as it were,

the voice of a great multitude,

as the sound of many waters

and as the sound of mighty thunderings,

saying, 'Alleluia!

For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!'"


Revelation 19:6




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Hello ladies, let's start with prayer........


"To our Lord God Omnipotent, I come here this morning to praise Your holy name. Thank You, Lord, for Your holiness and providence. You give us comfort in that we can know You are in control of all things that happen to us.


I pray that You will forgive me of my sins and wash me clean. Forgive me of the hidden sins of my heart and the sins I do openly.


I pray that as each lady reads this lesson here today, she will learn something new about You in Your word. I pray that she will be healed and renewed. I pray that her burden will be lifted as she reads about You, her savior.



in Jesus' name.........amen."



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John 4: 22-




"You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is from the Jews."





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"You worship what you do not know....."





Jesus confronted the Samaritan woman about her sin, then she quickly changed the subject to theology. Instead of chastening her further, Jesus engages in the talk about theology.




We have been reading here lately about proper worship and what it means. In the last verse, we looked at how the Samaritans worshiped incorrectly the God of the Hebrews...like many people claiming to be Christians today.....and Jesus hinted at how the time of the temple worship would soon come to an end.



Now He bluntly informs her that the way of the Samaritans is futile: they do not even know God.



Please read:



2 Kings 17:27-35



Jesus informs her that the worship of the Samaritans was not authorized by God and neither was it acceptable by God:



Heb 11:6



Their false ways of worship had been invented by man without the Lord's approval. God had created and approved of the Jewish worship of Him because He had chosen them and given them the complete instructions (or plan) on how to worship Him.



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False Teachers




"These are the wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." 2 Pet 2:17



Wells without water...constrast that with what Jesus says in John 4:13-14




The Lord lovingly places verses in His word to warn us about false teachers who will come from within the church and lead us astray with their false gospel messages:



Matt 7: 15-20



Matt 24:23-25



The messages of these false teachers, or prophets, will cause divisions among believers:



Rom 16:17




Eph 4:11-14




1 Tim 1:3-4



1 Tim 6:3-5




The Lord's warning: "beware" is a strong warning indeed. That is why we are to stay in God's word...to know it inside and out like we know our own hands, bodies, voices. That way, if a teacher does stand and preach another gospel, our ears will hear it and know that it is not of God.




I read a book by Joe Dallas who was once in a homosexual relationship after he left his wife. He and his gay friends attended a community church in the Los Angeles area where homosexuals were welcomed. While listening to the pastor preach, Joe Dallas recognized that the pastor was twisting the words of Paul in the book of Romans in order to justify homosexuality. Even in his sinful state, he knew that what the Pastor was doing was wrong: you don't mess around with scripture!




He eventually left the homosexual lifestyle and surrendered to Christ. Now he speaks out about the sin of homosexuality and about the saving grace of Jesus. I recommend his book: A Strong Delusion.



I found it amazing how the Holy Spirit opened Joe Dallas' ears to the abuses of God's Word even when this man was deep in sexual sin. But the Lord's sheep hear His voice........





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"We know what we worship...."





As Christians, we must know the "sound doctrine" that is, the gospel, if we are to teach it and preach it and take it to the nations.



So, I ask, what do we worship?





Please read:



2 Pet 1:16



1 John 1:1-4



The apostles were eyewitnesses to what they worship. They handled the Lord Jesus and heard Him speak as well as saw Him with their own eyes.



But what about us? Do we know what we worship that intimately?



1 John 5:13



That is why the Bible was given to us....that we may know.



1 Tim 1:8



That we may know the law is good....



The sound doctrine of Jesus:



John 7:16-17



It is from God.



Peter spoke the doctrine of God:



Acts 2:14-21



He knew it intimately. You can read the maturity in Christ in Peter's voice in this passage. He had the Holy Spirit.



What is the gospel that we are to teach and know intimately?



Acts 2:32-33-This Jesus.



Acts 2:38-39- Repent!



Acts 4:1-4- Jesus the resurrected from the dead.



Acts 4:8-12- The name of Jesus.



This is the sound doctrine we are to know:



Rom 7:17-18



1 Tim 1:9-11- The glorious gospel of God.



Titus 2:9-10- being faithful so we may adorn the doctrine of our God and Savior. Remember the story I wrote about the missionary who wore the "cloak of Christ well"? We are to adorn ourselves with the doctrine of God.



So, what is this doctrine that we are to know?



Titus 2:11-14





  • deny ungoldiness and wordly lusts


  • live soberly


  • live righteously


  • live godly in this present age


  • look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of Jesus-our great God and Savior


  • who gave Himself up for us


  • that He might redeem us from every lawless deed


  • that He might purify for Himself His own special people (Ez. 34:11)


  • who are zealous for good works.


This is the gospel...this is the doctrine we should know as Christians. This is what we worship. We do not worship the Bible, but the One whom the Bible reveals.



Paul commands us to "speak these things!" Exhort, rebuke with all authority:



Titus 2:15



Peter commands us to "do these things" so we will never stumble:



2 Pet 1:10-11



Yes, we worship what we know.......



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"....salvation is from the Jews."



The Jewish people are among the most hated people on earth. They are hated because they were chosen by our God and Creator. They were separated unto Him from among the nations. They were marked.


It was through the Jewish nation that the Messiah was given: Jesus was born to a Jewish mother.


The Lord Jesus here reveals to the Samaritan woman that salvation comes from the Jews because they were appointed by God to receive His message and to be His messangers. The Scriptures and the Law were given to them:


Please read:


Ex 28:15-30- the Breastplate was given by God as a way for the priest to make intercession for the Lord's people. He gave them a way to meet with Him and be forgiven.


Is 2:3


Luke 24:46-47


Rom 1:16


Rom 3:1-2


Rom 9:3-5


Rom 11:1-4


So then why is Jesus talking to a Gentile woman?


Rom 11:11-12


To provoke God's people to jealousy, the Lord made us Gentiles part of His family. Why does God want to provoke His people?


Rom 11:7-10


Because they rejected the Cornerstone...their Messiah, their Christ....and they still reject Him today.


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Life Application



Today was a longer lesson because there was so much in this one verse to study, but that is what I love about God's word. It is so rich and full of...Him!


But how do we apply what we have just learned? Well, we are to be wise to what false teachings are out there. We are to make sure we know what we worship: the Gospel of God and sound doctrine.


We are also to know that God's chosen people now includes us: Gentiles. In His mercy and grace, He predestined us to His glory.


Please read:


Matt 7:13


But the way is not broad. The broad way leads to destruction. Narrow is the way that leads to life. Passing through the narrow gate will be difficult. And few will find it.


Stop here to praise God that you were chosen....that He showed you the narrow way and that He lead you to find it.


Praise God indeed.


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Until next time..........


"This righteousness of Christ imputed to men is that tree of life (Revelation 22:2) which bore various manners of fruit, and that every month, and whose leaves were for the healing of the nation. This tree of life is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by His merit and Spirit, converts heathens into saints, and makes saints bring forth the saving fruits of righteousness. Philippians 1:11: 'Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, which are unto the glory and praise of God.' The woman who is joined to a man is one flesh, and the man who is joined to Christ is one spirit. The same mind is in him which was in Christ Jesus, and he is, in his desire and endeavor, the same manner of life, which is for obedience to the will of God."


-Obadiah Grew (1607-1689) (The Lord Our Righteousness, 1669, p. 100)


Blessings,


Ruth
























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