LESSONS FROM LIVING WATERS: ABOUND IN CHRIST John 4:7-15; 7:37-38; Isaiah 41:17-20; 44:3 December 13, 2015 Providence INTRODUCTION: What role will the church play in the years ahead? Threats abound on all sides violence from ISIS, or from brutal criminals, or for the unborn, unwanted baby make our world feel unsafe blatant sensuality and rampant immorality undermine the moral fiber of our nation followers of Christ face marginalization and mockery and persecution and even martyrdom educational bias, whether racially, socio-economically and ideologically threatens to undo our national commitment to literacy infrastructures show signs of crumbling with no plans or funds allocated to maintain them politicians and government leaders struggle to offer hope to a divided nation and world. So are we without hope? Does the church simply crawl into holy huddles and wait for the worst? Or in this dry and weary land where there is no water will we dare to raise our voices and declare Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters of the Savior, Jesus Christ! We must never fear the desert when He is our fountain who alone can satisfy the deepest thirsts we face as we live in a dusty, arid world! THESIS: God knows we live in a dry and weary land and our souls are parched whenever they are not planted by the streams of living water available only in Christ. In Isaiah 41, the Lord speaks to the issue of spiritual dryness. We will take notice of two key issues: the desert and the river. I. THE DESERT Isaiah 41:17 The afflicted and needy are seeking water, but there is none, And their tongue is parched with thirst --Apart from the Lord, life becomes an unbearable journey, parched with a thirst for something that will satisfy our souls. ILLUS. Years ago on a mission trip to Haiti, I experienced that kind of parching thirst and have never forgotten it! One afternoon, four of our group decided to hike over the mountain and see the Caribbean on the other side. Our guide assured us it was not too far. So off we went with one canteen of water for the four of us! As we made our way through desert-like conditions with cactus and thorns tearing at our clothes and piercing our shoes, we finally reach the peak of the mountain. Hot and thirsty, we decided to wait until we had reached the top of the mountain to have a drink, in spite of the scorching sun and baked sand under our feet. Imagine our dismay when we reached the top and discovered that this was only the first mountain between us and the sea! We now realized that we would have to ration our water if we were going to make it back without someone passing out from the heat and exhaustion. We made it back with no serious incidents, but we were absolutely worn out and felt completely dehydrated by the time we completed our adventure. We rushed to the nearest source of liquid refreshment a small stand selling Cokes and Fantas. They could have charged us anything they wanted, and we would have paid. We needed a remedy for a thirst that was as great as any I have ever known. I bought two Cokes and guzzled the first one in one big gulp. The second one I savored because it was not only wet, but cold! But something unexpected happened. Although there was immediate relief, the high sugar content of the soft drinks effectively made me more thirsty in a very short time. The satisfaction I needed could only come from a pure source of water, which I eventually found and the remedy was a welcome relief from a difficult time of extreme dryness --The church will either fall in the desert, or we will flourish and abound by the living waters of Jesus Christ. Psalms 63:1 O God, Thou art my God; I shall seek Thee earnestly; My soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. --We live in a desert when we allow any distance to develop between where we are and the river of living waters promised by Jesus Christ. John 7:37-38 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.
2 --How do we then come so often to live in a spiritual desert, that dry and weary land where there is no water? A. THE DESERT IN A FALLEN WORLD --Living in a world marred by the fall of the human race into sin places us in a spiritual wasteland, a place where drought is normal, dryness is the natural state and apart from a work of God to transplant us by the streams of living water, we are all consigned to this deadly wilderness. --Some have never known what it is to live in the lush, fertile environment of a well-watered world desert dwellers have no points of reference when they hear about trees planted by the water, abounding in greenery and fruitfulness. B. THE DESERT OF GOD S JUDGMENT 1 Kings 17:1 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word. --The drought lasted three and half years (Luke 4:25; James 5:17) as the Lord demonstrated His judgment against the evil reign of King Ahab in the land of Israel. --God has the right to cut us off from the flow of His life-giving streams of mercy and rivers of abundance when we have defied Him and denied Him again and again! ILLUS. Later on in the history of Israel, when Babylon had sought to completely devour God s people, the Lord pronounced His judgment against that empire. The language of His condemnation of them speaks of them as a wilderness, a parched land and a desert (Jer 50:12) a parched land and a desert, a land in which no man lives, and through which no man passes (Jer 51:43). Often the Lord speaks of the way He shows His disfavor in terms of a lack of water, a drought and the land a desert wilderness! C. THE DESERT OF OUR OWN CREATION --But there are also times when we effectively create our own desert environment and distance ourselves from the living waters of the Lord by the choices we make. 1. The Flow Is Restricted a. By the Presence of Unconfessed Sin --Since sin blocks our relationship with the Lord, it is hardly surprising to realize that our spiritual dryness can be the result of sin in our lives. Psalms 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; --Sin breaks the fellowship and severs the flow because the barrier you have put between you and the Lord leaves you unprotected from the searing winds of a guilty conscience! b. As a Consequence of Unresolved Conflicts --Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness will drain the waters of spiritual vitality from your soul as quickly as anything. --Fiery encounters with others can generate enough heat to wilt you and dry up what remains of the reservoir of living water. --Somehow people cannot figure out that if we fail to be reconciled with others, we can never expect a heart clogged by bitterness to be flooded with the waters of life. 1John 4:20 If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.
3 c. As a Result of Unwilling Attitudes --If we have chosen to turn a deaf ear to God s will and have place limits on how far we will allow Him to take us in our walk with Him, a damn constructed of stones of disobedience can cut off the rivers of living waters. ILLUS. If you have decided that no matter what anyone says or does, you refuse to become as fanatical as some to be as expressive as others to allow yourself to go overboard spiritually and let it start impacting the non-religious aspects of your life you are in danger of restricting the flow of streams of refreshment and nourishment God intends for you. d. By the Toleration of Unfulfilled Commitments --When we excuse our failures to keep our commitments to ourselves and to the Lord, we actually tolerate what should never be acceptable to those who care enough to make promises to God. --So many Christians cannot understand why they find themselves in a period of spiritual dryness, yet they have allowed themselves to go without regular times of refreshment with the Lord. --No one can expect to abound in Christ and abandon their commitments to be with Him. 2. The River Is Abandoned ILLUS. One of the sad realities we must face is that there are some who come to the water, see its refreshing flow, but turn away to try to quench their thirst elsewhere. Whether it is the student heading off to college wanting to taste the bitter fluids of rebellion the bored and discontented man or woman who thinks there might be satisfaction in another fountain. Our hearts break as they turn away from the River of Life in Christ and seek to satisfy their parched souls in another way. a. To Follow Wilderness Roads and Desert Lands --With the river at our backs, we take off in the opposite direction in the pursuit of life on our own terms never taking into consideration that we have made no provision, nor can we, for an alternative source of water. --We complain about our thirst while there is an abundance of water right behind us! --The paths we are inclined to choose lead us away from the water and its fullness, while the path the Lord shows us leads us to the fruitful pleasures of God s delights. Psalms 16:11 Thou wilt make known to me the path of life; In Thy presence is fulness of joy; In Thy right hand there are pleasures forever. b. To Rely on Broken Cisterns and Dry Wells --People cannot live without the water of life so they are constantly trying to find alternatives instead of simply trusting the Lord. Jeremiah 2:11-13 Has a nation changed gods, when they were not gods? But My people have changed their glory For that which does not profit. 12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this, and shudder, be very desolate, declares the LORD. 13 For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. --How long will they settle for leaking vessels of stagnant liquids when God promises to give us the fountain of living waters?
4 --The result of all these things is that life gets dry, parched and we find ourselves desperately struggling to survive in the desert when God has promised a way to flourish in the well-watered land of His presence. II. THE RIVER --After a week of watching the ravages of dry conditions igniting the San Diego area in flames from wildfire and after ten days in drought stricken Zimbabwe and after a few months of exceptional water shortages here in the southeastern US, who would choose the desert over the river? Psalms 36:8-9 They drink their fill of the abundance of Thy house; and Thou dost give them to drink of the river of Thy delights. 9 For with Thee is the fountain of life; in Thy light we see light. A. AN AWAKENING OF LIFE BY THE RIVER --There are two striking pictures of what appear to be the same event, one in Ezekiel 47 and one in Revelation 22. --In each case, a river flows from the Temple in Ezekiel and from the Throne of God and of the Lamb in Revelation (for there is no temple in it, for the Lord God, the Almighty and the Lamb, are its temple (Rev 21:22). --Several points need to be noted as the river of life flows from the Lord: 1. The River Deepens as It Moves Ezekiel 47:2-5 -- From a trickle at the threshold, ankle deep after 1000 cubits, knee deep after 1000 more, loin deep after 1000 more and too much to ford from that point all the way to the Dead Sea. --Under normal conditions, water spreads and grows shallower the farther it gets from its source, but since the Source of this river is the Lord, it grows ever deeper and gives life. Note: Like this rising water, the early encounters we have with the truths of God are easier to understand then comes a level of insight that requires more depth of wisdom from the Spirit then we find that the vast depths of His knowledge and truth leave us in wonder and awe and nothing to do but bow in adoring worship! 2. The Wilderness Flourishes as It Spreads Ezekiel 47:8-9 -- Everything lives where the river goes! --From Jerusalem east toward the Dead Sea is the most desolate wilderness and desert imaginable, barren land if ever there was any! 3. The Dead Sea Freshens from Its Flow ILLUS. When Cathy and I visited the Dead Sea several years ago, we did what everyone does we went for swim! We were advised that 1) the density of the mineral content would keep you afloat whether you are good at that or not; and 2) you better not shave or have any nicks or cuts because you will suffer the burn from the salt! It was a unique experience to say the least!! Ezekiel 47:8-10 The Dead Sea is so saturated with salt and other minerals that it presently cannot sustain life, but when the river from the Temple hits it, it will be refreshed and a source of abundant life. Note: Unlike other sea water, the water of the Dead Sea contains 24-26% minerals as opposed to 4-6% for other seas. No fish or other aquatic life can be found there. 4. The Trees Prosper on Its Banks Ezekiel 47:12 Trees bearing all kinds of fruit for food and leaves that never wither or fall will be nourished along the shores of this river.
5 Revelation 22:2 River of the water of life in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. The Tree of Life Fruit in Abundance Leaves for Healing --So a wilderness and desert land with no water will be flooded with the river of living water, the life-giving water which flows from the throne of God. --Jesus promises that all who drink from that water will never thirst again: John 4:14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. --If your thirst has never been satisfied by all that you have tried, Christ invites you to come and trust in Him and drink deeply of the living water that only He can give! B. AN ABUNDANCE OF FRUIT BY THE RIVER Psalms 1:3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. --Once that life has begun, there are so many factors that can limit the fruitfulness of it, as we all well know. --Beginning life through the fountain of life eternal does not mean that there will never be any dryness just as we have already noted in our thoughts about life in the desert. --But if we are to bear much fruit, as Jesus says we must, we cannot abandon our place by the river of life if we expect to avoid dry spells and barren periods in our walk with Christ. C. A SUSTAINING OF VITALITY FROM THE RIVER --When life gets hot and dry, we can count on drawing refreshment from roots that plunge deep into the moist soil along the edge of the river of life. --When our life juices begin to diminish, it is time to check to see if our roots are embedded in the bank along the river. --Sometimes we can know the promises and believe in the faithfulness of the Lord, but we still feel lifeless, fruitless and helpless against the hardships of life. D. A PROMISE OF REJUVENATION FROM THE RIVER --Inevitably, we find ourselves run into times of spiritual dryness and need to be reminded that God Himself has promised to rejuvenate us and restore us to the abundant life to which Christ called us. Isaiah 41:17-20 --Armed with this promise, we can count on the Lord to open the rivers for us and pour out on us the floods of His goodness and the overflow of His love. CONCLUSION: How will Providence respond in the years ahead? The dryness around us will not go away until Jesus comes again and the river of delight flows from the place where His glory dwells. How will you face the future with your back to the river, or will you plant yourself by the stream of living waters and bear much fruit for Christ?
Our response to this promise? 6 1. Do not postpone your return to the water! --You will only find refreshment when you get back, so why delay when you know that nothing else can satisfy your thirst? 2. Prepare to spend extra time and attention to restore what has been lost by refocusing on the Word and prayer. --If the dryness is serious, and it is, you cannot treat it as business as usual and hope to overcome it. 3. Let someone know what you are going through so they can encourage and pray for you. 4. Hold onto the hope that Christ is pursuing you even more diligently than you are Him. --As you are seeking Him, He is seeking you and longs to restore you to your rightful place by the streams of living water and then allow the fountain of life eternal to flow again through you. John 7:37-38 Jesus stood and cried out, saying, If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water. Come Lord Jesus! Let the River flow! December 13, 2015 Providence Baptist Church David Horner, 2015 Sermon outlines are copyrighted in the event of future publication. They may be used for preaching and teaching purposes but may not be published or sold.