INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• What would a celebration be without gifts?
• God wants us to celebrate our salvation.
• Each and every day, we have reason to celebrate when we belong to Jesus!
• Today is a day in which we can celebrate! We have learned that when we come to the W-E-L-L God has offered to us, we can receive refreshment that will satisfy us forever!
• SLIDE #2
• Now that we have learned about the gifts of God’s work, energy, lordship, and love, we must actively receive them.
• These gifts are reason for us to celebrate; however, there is something we need to remember.
• What is the use of coming to a fountain and not drinking? Why accept a gift and never open it? What is the use of starting something and never finishing it?
• God describes Himself as a “fountain of living water” in Jeremiah 2:13.
• SLIDE #3
• Listen to the invitation of the still-running fountain.
• John 7:37 (ESV) On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.
• Today we are going to re-examine four wonderful gifts that God gives to us when we come to Him for refreshment.
• I hope that you have been coming to the well of God’s refreshment!
• SLIDE #4
SERMON
The first gift worth celebrating is that:
I. God has given you his work.
• This is a wonderful gift for us to celebrate because it does so much for us. How many of us have tried to work ourselves to the bone trying to forgive ourselves, trying to live a life that is pleasing to God.
• How many of us have tried to save ourselves. We have tried pleasing God with our own efforts to save ourselves.
• How many of us have felt the futility of trying to save ourselves?
• I found that when we rely on our own work, we fall dreadfully short. WE know something is missing but we just do not know what it is.
• You can celebrate the fact that God has given you His work for the following reason.
• SLIDE #5
A. His grace frees us from guilt, worry and fear.
• God’s work is centered on His grace. This grace is why He can accept sinful man; this grace removes the guilt we have for our past sins. This grace removes the worry that we have concerning our future with God.
• This grace removes the fear of the future we once held.
• SLIDE #6
• Ephesians 2:8 (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
• The great thing about grace is that you do not have to nor can you earn it.
• Grace is unmerited favor.
• God’s work frees you from the guilt and stain of sin.
• SLIDE #7
• Romans 6:23 (ESV) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
• God’s grace gives us eternal life!
• WE no longer stand condemned before God, because of His grace we do not have to worry about the future!
• SLIDE #8
• Romans 8:1 (ESV) 8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
• What “work” does God offer to us?
• SLIDE #9
B. Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection are why we are free!
• The reason we are free from guilt, worry, and fear is because of the work Jesus did on the cross on our behalf.
• The wages of sin is death; Jesus paid your price on the cross! You did the crime and He did the time.
• SLIDE #10
• Romans 5:6 (ESV) For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
• It did not end with His death, the resurrection followed! A dead savior is no savior; Jesus was raised on the third day!
• SLIDE #11
C. Jesus has done the work for you!
• You can celebrate because the work has been done for you by Jesus!
• You can quit the futility of trying to figure our some way to save yourself.
• You can enjoy salvation and forgiveness because of what Jesus has done for you.
• God wants you to come to the well and enjoy His work!
• SLIDE #12
The second gift worth celebrating is that:
II. God has given you his energy.
• It is wonderful to receive God’s work through Jesus on the cross, but then we have this life to live and this life is very challenging.
• We are faced with temptations around every corner. We are faced with opposition from the world; we have friends and family who at times will try to get us to abandon Jesus.
• Temptation can be hard to overcome.
• Being Christ-like is not easy.
• Do you find it easy to do everything God wants you to do? Have you ever had to forgive someone you just knew you could not forgive?
• Living for Jesus on our own strength is impossible.
• But, we have a blessing from God!
• SLIDE #13
A. With His Spirit we are not left powerless.
• God does not leave us powerless to fight the battles we face, He has given us His Spirit which empowers us!
• SLIDE #14
• Ephesians 3:16 (ESV) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
• When we are immersed into Christ, we are given the indwelling presence of the Spirit.
• This gift is something that can do amazing things with us and through us!
• SLIDE #15
B. You can do all things through Christ, who gives you strength. (Phil 4:13)
• When you start to think about what it takes to be like Jesus, you come to realize you cannot do it on your own, but through Jesus, you can do all things!
• SLIDE #16
• Philippians 4:13 (ESV) I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
• This passage says all things. When you need to forgive that unforgivable person, you can do it through God’s strength!
• When God calls you to do something, He will give you the energy and strength to do it!
• SLIDE #17
C. You do not have to live life on your own strength!
• God empowers you, He does not want or expect you to do it all on your own.
• The gift of His energy is one for us to celebrate and embrace!
• SLIDE #18
The third gift worth celebrating is that:
III. God has given you his lordship.
• How many of us like to be in control?
• Now think about this one, how much can we really control?
• How helpless do we feel when we cannot control what goes on around us?
• Well, another gift God gives us that we can enjoy, embrace and celebrate is His lordship!
• SLIDE #19
A. We can trust that God is in control.
• Think about how good it feels to know that the creator of heaven and earth is in control of things. There are many things we cannot control, He can control everything!
• When He is in control, we can trust His judgment and His ways. When He is in control, we can relax and know that He is God!
• Think about how good it feels to have someone who you trust be in control of something for you, it makes life good!
• SLIDE #20
B. He is in charge and He looks out for you. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
• Not only is He in charge, but He looks out for you. We do have a part to play; we must trust Him and His ways.
• SLIDE #21
• Proverbs 3:5–6 (ESV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
• Proverbs 3:5-6 gives us a wonderful promise, it is a conditional promise.
• Being able to do this takes trust. We can trust that He that He will do what is best. WE MUST allow Him to operate.
• SLIDE #22
C. We can give Him control when He is our Lord.
• I like the saying, “Let go and let God.”
• When we trust Him to be our Lord, we can give up control to Him.
• This is a wonderful gift to celebrate!
• SLIDE #23
The fourth gift worth celebrating is that:
IV. God has given you his love.
• This is the greatest gift, His love. Oh, how many people need to experience His love? God loved you so much that He gave up His Son for you! (John 3:16)
• Slide #24
• Romans 5:8 (ESV) but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
• God loved you when you were rebelling against Him. He loved you while you were still a sinner.
• God’s love for you is unconditional.
• SLIDE #25
A. Nothing can separate us from His love.
• We looked at this last week, so I will not spend much time on it, but we need to understand that NOTHING will make God hate you, He will always love you even if you chose not to follow Him and be a part of His family.
• It will hurt Him to see you not be with Him in heaven, but His justice will ensure that those who reject Him will not be with Him.
• God loves you; do not let sin and Satan tell you otherwise!
• SLIDE #26
B. He paid a high price to show you His love for you.
• Your redemption was not cheap; god did not just throw out some spare change to save you!
• SLIDE #27
• 1 Peter 1:18–19 (ESV) knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.
CONCLUSION
• This sermon series may be over, but your need to return to the W-E-L-L has not ended.
• We still need to receive God’s work, energy, lordship, and love.
• God’s provisions are still there to meet our needs. Now that toy know what God wants you to receive, don’t allow your heart to become dry and brittle again.
• Heed your thirst. Turn up the familiar path to the well.
• Return to His fountain, and drink deeply.
• Drink, and keep on drinking!
