Sermon Central
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The Well Is Deep Series
Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Oct 10, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: We can go to God to receive REAL refreshment. We can go to the W-E-L-L. This series is based on Max Lucado's book "Come Thirsty"
INTRODUCTION
• SLIDE #1
• Over the next few weeks we are going to spend time on a journey called Come Thirsty. This series is inspired by Christian author and Minister Max Lucado’s book by the same title. Today let’s begin by asking the question…
• Why are we thirsty? What are we thirsty for? Have you ever craved some certain item to drink and until you got it, you were not going to be satisfied?
• You may have wanted a tall cold glass of tea, but you had to settle for some water.
• The water sort of took care of your thirst, but it did not satisfy what you were longing for.
• Advertisers try to tell about the best thirst-quenchers. A new car, some new clothing or the latest gadget.
• The problem that we have with continuing to thirst no matter what we get comes from the fact that we are thirsting in a way we do not know.
• There are a lot of people who are going through life thirsty, they are looking for satisfaction and purpose in life only not to find it in anything they have done or tried.
• SLIDE #2
• Can you feel the frustration dripping from the pen of Solomon as he writes the opening verses of the book of Ecclesiastes?
• Ecclesiastes 1:1–3 (ESV) The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?
• We are like the person who is a float at sea, we are dying of thirsty, and there is the ocean water all around us.
• We start to drink from it, and we seem to have our thirst quenched only to later die, the very water that we thought was helping us was actually poisoning us.
• Think about how many things in life do that to us!
• We are dealing with a spiritual thirst! That emptiness you feel inside of you is your soul crying out for something that you are not giving it right now.
• Jesus has something for you, something that will satisfy your thirsty soul.
• SLIDE #3
• John 7:37–38 (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. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”
• SLIDE #4
• God has provided everything to satisfy our spiritual thirst. We all need to go to the W-E-L-L of God’s provision.
• From God’s well the heart will receive everything it needs!
• This “well” is the prescription for quenching your dry hearts. So, this morning, let’s go to the well and see what God is doing for us!
• This is a time where we get to focus in on what God has done and will do for us if we will just allow Him to!
• Today we are going to learn about the W-E-L-L of God’s provision!
• SLIDE #5
SERMON
I. W- GOD’S WORK
• The “W” in the word “well” stands for God’s work!
• I wonder if we sometimes feel that God is through working or that He quit working a couple of thousand years ago when Jesus ascended into heaven.
• If we believe or think this, we will not be too enthused about coming to God’s well to drink because we will feel like it is empty!
• There is something very important you need to realize about God.
• SLIDE #6
• God is actively working in you and for you. We cannot save ourselves. Salvation is God’s work!
• We can receive that work on our behalf and rely on it with confidence!
• We can stop trying to do it ourselves, we can stop reducing our Christian life to a bunch of doing and we can focus on being like Christ!
• You will not get to heaven on a checklist of good deeds, being a good person or any other way than through God’s work!
• SLIDE #7
• We are saved by His grace. Grace defines us!
• Ephesians 2:8–9 (ESV) For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
• We are saved by the Grace of God! WE serve because of what HE has done for us, not to earn our salvation!
• Jesus died on the cross for you, you did not die for Him, although when you give your life to Him, you will die to self!
