Sermon Central
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Doing Close Up Work Series
Contributed by Ralph Andrus on Dec 7, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: I. No Soul Is So Lost But The Lord Can Find It II. No Situation Is So Small But The Lord Can Use It. III. No Strength Is So Feeble But The Lord Can Increase It. IV. No Start Is So Small But The Lord Can Magnify It
- You need another lens to do close-up work
- Macro lens on water
+ Without water, you can’t have life!
- Water covers about 70% of the Earth’s surface
- Mayo Clinic Guideline 8x8 (8 oz x 8 glasses)
- An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than a typical person in a developing country slum uses in a whole day.
- A bathtub holds 34 gal. of water.
- Someone in a slum may only get 7 gal for all their daily needs
- Across the globe, about one in eight people lack access to safe water, according to the United Nations
- More people in the world have cell phones than access to a toilet
- Every week, about 42,000 people die from diseases related to low-quality drinking water and waterborne diseases.
- Every 20 seconds a child dies from a water-related disease
> 6 x Pix – Water related problems
+ America’s Water Bottle
- Coke sells Dasani – Pepsi sells Aqufina
- Making more than their soda product
> Wikimedia list 106 brands of bottled water
> Bottled Water is a $10 billion industry and it is the fastest-growing beverage category in the U.S
> It cost 1000x more than tap water
> 40% is taken from tap water
> It takes 3x the amount of water to make the bottle than to fill it
+ Close-Up of Two Lives
> Named Nicodemus > Unnamed Woman
> A Jew > A Samaritan
> A Man > A Woman
> Religious Leader > An Ignorant Woman
> Highest Class > Outcast
> Wealthy > Poor
> Came @ Night > Came @ Noon
> Recognized Jesus > Had No Idea Who Jesus Was
They couldn’t be more different!
+ Living Water - Abundant & Freely Available
> 1. What is it? - Eternal life through the HS (Jh 7:38-39)
> Jn 7:38-39KJV
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
> Its source - A gift of God. (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8-9)
> Ro 6:23KJV
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
> 3. Availability - IF thirsty drink of this living water. (John 7:37)
> Jn 7:37KJV
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
> 4. Abundance - A Fountain Of Living Water.
> Jn 7:38KJV
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
- It springs up into everlasting life, not only for the one who drinks, but for those who benefit from their witness.
Jn 4:39-42KJV
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
+ Distance between “Give me to Drink” v.7 & I am He” v.26
> I. No Soul Is So Lost But The Lord Can Find It.
- Carelessness was natural to this woman.
- She had lived without control and morality.
- People said she was hopeless
- Christ turns to her because she is a soul whom the Father has given Him to save.
> II. No Situation Is So Small But The Lord Can Use It.
- The woman comes to draw water
- A days routine
- Can be a life changing event
- The least trifle may become in God’s hand a means of salvation:
- A word spoken at random,
- A familiar scene,
- An unforeseen hindrance,
- The monotony of life,
- The influence of a friend.
- God’s seeking grace encompasses us like the air we breathe.
> III. No Strength Is So Feeble But The Lord Can Increase It.
- Few could have been morally weaker than this woman.
- She lacked the power to understand Christ and to know herself. - Christ had to awaken everything in her.
- Christ asks in order that He may give.
