Believing in the Savior of the World

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Well, we continue our series through the
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Gospel of John. It's been a wonderful, wonderful journey as we've come all the way to chapter 4.
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Chapter 4, and I'd like for you to turn there. Chapter 4, just four verses
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I'd like for us to look at about believing in the Savior of the world this morning. Believing in the
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Savior of the world. Keep in mind, following the interlude of verses 31 to 38, in which we've already touched on in the
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Gospel of John, we see the Samaritans re -enter. The narrative of the story builds to a very powerful conclusion here.
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This is the conclusion of what is taking place here. And we've seen this wonderful story of the
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Samaritan woman. And this is the conclusion, the application to it. So I'd like to give it an application.
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And today, we look in at verse 39 to verse 42.
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Verse 39 to verse 42 of John chapter 4. Hear the word of the living
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God. And many of the Samaritans of the city believed in Him.
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Because of the word of the woman who testified, He told me all that I ever did.
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So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them.
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And He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own words.
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Then they said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of what you said, but we ourselves have heard
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Him. And we know that He, that this is indeed the
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Christ. The anointed one. The Savior of the world.
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Amen. May God bless the reading of His word. From our ears to our hearts this morning, please bow with me in prayers.
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We seek the Lord's face and His blessing. During this hour of worship as we hear from heaven and hear
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His holy word. Our Father and our great God, hallowed be
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Your name. Our prayer this morning, Lord, was simple. Simple as a child.
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And Lord, we humbly submit this to You in Your presence. Open the eyes of our hearts.
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That we would only see Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, transform us forever.
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May each and every one of us, even the children, Lord, leave here changed, supernaturally, by Your power and Your Spirit and Your mercy.
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As only You can change a soul. May we never be the same.
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And Lord, as David prayed this and said this unto You, I personally pray this to You, Lord.
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Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight,
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O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. And we will be careful to give
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You all the glory and the honor. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. There is nothing that can compare with an encounter with the living
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Christ. To transform a soul forever for the glory of God.
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Nothing can compare to it. That's what the Lord does, and that's why
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Jesus came. To save us to the uttermost.
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What a Savior He is. And I'd like to ask the question, if you're a believer this morning, actually, what are you saved from?
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What are you saved from this morning? That's a good question. Are you saved from yourself? Are you saved from hell?
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Most people would say, I'm saved from hell. Absolutely. That's a great benefit, isn't it? That God saves us from hell.
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But mainly Jesus came to save us from our sins. I shall call
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His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. That's what
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He saves from. And He saves us, not only from ourselves and our sins, He saves us ultimately from the wrath of God.
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And that's the great Savior our Lord Jesus Christ is. He comes to save us from God's wrath.
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And what a difference, actually, was made in the life of this Samaritan woman that met
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Jesus at the well. She met the Savior of the world. She goes from a hopelessly needy wayward soul to boldly proclaiming her testimony and witnessing for Jesus.
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She witnesses to her fellow townsmen. He told me everything
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I ever did. Utterly, she's weary. She had to be heavy laden.
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She was weary of her deadness and her unholy calm.
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And now she becomes a burning and a shining light as John the
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Baptist was, but she was quite a witness, folks, to the glory of God. Proclaiming the praises of Him that called her out of darkness into His marvelous light.
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And that is exactly what took place here in our text. We see that she was transformed by the power of God Himself in the presence of Christ, the
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Messiah. He told me everything that I ever did. She repented of her sins, even though the text does not necessarily bring out the word repentance.
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We do know that she believed and we know that there's a change in her life because that's what repentance wroughts.
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It changes a person's mind. The Greek word for repentance is actually a change of mind.
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It transforms, it turns. The person turns a complete 180 degrees away from the world, from self, from the devil and turns toward God.
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And can I say this? What an unlikely vessel our Lord chose.
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Would you like to think about that? And it's all by His grace, for His glory.
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Had it been up to me or you, I believe we would have looked for somebody like upstanding and very moral, a moral citizen and to rely on such a treasure to choose.
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But it wasn't up to us, right? It was up to God and up to our Savior and notice who
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He chooses. Technically a very immoral woman. And He takes this lost
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Samaritan woman that once was lost, now she's found. The Lord came and met her.
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The Lord found her. Scripture says there's none that seek after God.
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Jesus sought after her. Then she was turned completely around and then she goes to witness to the lost
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Samaritan people in her own town. This is what happens when a person believes.
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They become a witness. Their life is a witness. And our
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Savior takes the time and think of it. He took personal time to speak the truth to her.
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This poor Samaritan woman, the prostitute and how totally like the
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Lord and how thankful we are that she was changed.
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He took a cracked, broken up vessel of clay like clay pots and put her life back together.
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That's what Jesus does. He doesn't promise everything will be easy.
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Matter of fact, it's not easy. The Lord says the way is straight and it's narrow.
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Jesus never said one time it will be easy. Actually He said the opposite. There's a cross to bear.
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Matthew Henry the Puritan said this concerning the text here. He said,
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God is sometimes pleased to use very weak and unlikely instruments for the beginning and carrying on of a good work.
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How great a matter a little fire kindles. Our Savior by instructing one poor woman spread instruction to a whole town.
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Let not ministers, now He's speaking to preachers, be either careless in their preaching or discouraged in it because their hearers are few and humble.
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For by doing good to them God may be conveyed to more.
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See how good it is to speak experimentally of Christ. Those are the most likely to do good who could tell what
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God has done for their souls. And I pray today as I minister the word of God to you that that will be the case of us as well.
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The Apostle Paul tells us this great truth in 1
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Corinthians chapter 1. You can turn with me. There, 1 Corinthians chapter 1.
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And we think, you know, how does God think when He chooses someone?
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Look at verse 18. And I like to read it all the way to the end of the chapter because it speaks so much. This is the
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Christ is the power and the wisdom of God. And then the scriptures, Paul says for the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
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For it is written I will destroy the wisdom of the wise I will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
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Then he gives these questions. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe?
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Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
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For since in the wisdom of God the world through wisdom did not know
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God it pleased God. Listen to that. It pleased
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God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
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For Jews request a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom but we preach Christ crucified.
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To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness but to those who are called and he is speaking here of the effectual calling both to Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God because the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
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For you see your calling brethren and I think about the Samaritan woman here folks this is why
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I'm bringing this into reference. He says you see your calling brethren that not many wise according to the flesh not many mighty, not many noble are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty and the base things of the world and the things which are despised
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God has chosen and the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are and he tells us in verse 29 exactly why he does it that no flesh should glory in his presence but of him you are in Christ Jesus who became for us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption isn't that glorious that is as it is written he who glories let him glory in the
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Lord and I thought about the Samaritan woman here that the Lord chose you could say that also the thief on the cross at the end of the
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Lord's ministry two thieves was dying and one came to him, one rejected him one received him as the
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Messiah pretty much represents the whole world one rejects and one receives him but see
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God chooses the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise God chose the weak things and this
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Samaritan woman is no doubt very weak and she's she's the most unlikely vessel that none of us would have chose her in here
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I can guarantee but the Lord chose her and used her in a mighty way look how simple her testimony appears yet such a small spark a flame began to blaze our own testimonies and witness unto the
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Lord is one powerful witness as who can refute a transformed life by the power of the living
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God who can refute that that God changed me I'm a different creation I'm a new person
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I'm a new creation Apostle Paul says much about this the power of God can do through the word of God we see this all through the scriptures we see in Romans 10 isn't it wonderful how the
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Lord works in Romans 10 I won't read the whole chapter but I will
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I will read just a little here in verse 4 let me back up here in verse 8 let me start with 8 but what does it say he speaks about the word of God what does the word say
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I love Paul he says it's not what man's opinion says it's not what this person says it's what does
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God say about it what does it say what does the scripture say and he says the word is near you in your mouth in your heart that is the word of faith which we preach and then he says that is if you confess there's a confession that must be made a confess with your mouth the
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Lord Jesus now we're talking about his Lordship he's Lord Lord Jesus and believe in your heart not just your mind it processes through your mind but it must be in your heart that God has raised him from the dead that you will be saved it must be with the heart and then he says that for with the heart one believes unto righteousness with the mouth confession is made unto salvation so there is a confession but the heart must believe that's the whole being for the scripture says again he quotes the scriptures whoever believes on him will not be put to shame and there is no distinction between Jew and Greek and for the same
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Lord over all is rich to all who call upon him now what does it mean to call upon the name of the
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Lord that means to repent we call on God in prayer and we go to business with God and say
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God change my heart change my life and then he says in verse 13 for whoever calls on the name of the
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Lord shall be saved another translation of being saved is being delivered he delivers us verse 14 questions questions questions notice the questions how then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard how shall they hear without a preacher how shall they preach unless they are sent as it is written notice he goes to the scriptures folks he doesn't give his own opinion here he gives the scriptures how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace and who bring glad tidings of good things but they have not all obeyed the gospel notice that word obeyed there's belief then there's obedience there's faith but the faith that believes is a working faith a faith that is active it's a living faith but he says all of them have not obeyed the gospel so there has to be some obedience because it shows and demonstrated in our lives we'll look at that in a few minutes as we go to the epistle of James but for right now he says
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Isaiah says Lord who has believed our report and then he nails it right here in verse 17 so then faith comes by hearing this is how faith comes we must hear
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God's word and hearing by the word of God it's active it's living it's powerful it's sharper than any two -edged sword and it pierces and it changes us it's a living instrument a living faith that takes place when we are changed in our hearts confessed with our mouth the
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Lord Jesus Christ but I say have they not heard yes indeed he says their sound has gone out to all the earth and their words to the end of the world but I say did
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Israel not know first Moses says I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation and I will move you to anger by a foolish nation but Isaiah is very bold to say
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I was found by those who did not seek me and I was manifest to those who did not ask for me did you notice that for those that did not even seek
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God for those that did not ask for me God moves from the realm to from the
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Jewish people which they rejected the gospel they rejected Christ and God takes it to someone else that believes a heathen
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Gentile nation but to Israel he says all day
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I have stretched out my hands to a disobedient contrary people may we never fall in that kind of category and take for granted the word of the living
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God and be apathetic toward his stretched out hands see this
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Samaritan woman as we know they were mixed breeds she was an unlikely person a candidate for the
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Lord Jesus Christ now as we speak about her in John 4 verse 39 to 42 we pick up the story here as Jesus visited this woman as I said at the well and then transformed her by his word in Samaria and then
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Jesus goes to spend a couple days in Samaria this was the actually
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I like to put it this way that was Samaritans day of visitation the
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Messiah had come it wasn't for judgment that day it was for because of mercy that the
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Lord spent two days there and it was for their salvation in these four verses we will see this morning the belief of the
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Samaritans they heard and they tested verse 39 we will see our first point many
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Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony he told me all that I ever did so the first thing we observed in this text is this they believed the word of the woman who testified they believed in the word of the woman who testified let's look at it he told me all that I ever did she made a public confession concerning Jesus Christ she was a true believer because she became a true witness are you a witness for Jesus Christ this morning are you a witness to everyone that you talk to throughout the day do you speak to someone about the
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Lord Jesus Christ she made a public confession concerning Jesus Christ this is really a remarkable statement isn't it the woman
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Jesus met at the well was not considered to be again a reliable witness as we spoke about earlier she was scorned as we saw from her townspeople as a very immoral woman a prostitute remember she came to the well at midday as we looked at noontime because of other women would shun her but Jesus pointed out her sin and he did it without compromise and he pointed it out graciously but it did convict her because we know that she changed the subject if you see that in John 4 she changed the subject she started talking about religion she started talking about worship isn't that interesting and Jesus just told her in verse 18 of chapter 4 you have had 5 husbands the one whom you have now is not your husband
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Jesus knew how in his wisdom to point out the sin and that's what he comes to do she had 5 different husbands and was currently living with a man at that time in fornication look at this then she changed it she changed it why did she change the subject she became very uncomfortable isn't it interesting when we start to talk to people about the
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Lord Jesus Christ and you start talking about repentance and then you start really meddling and getting down to their sin that God commands all men to repent of their sin and to believe the gospel then you start talking about the sin people get very uncomfortable have you noticed that they don't like to talk about the truth she changes the subject then she begins to talk about worship isn't that interesting
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Jesus in his wisdom was such a soul winner wasn't he he succeeded he succeeded because whom the father draws will come to the
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Lord Jesus Christ and those who come to the Lord Jesus Christ he says I will no wise cast them out that's a great promise folks don't ever think he would cast you out because if you come to him and you mean business with him this morning and you aim to go to God in prayer and business and you want to change and really want to change
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God can change your heart he's a soul winner he desires for you to come to him actually he tells those who are burdened and laden by the law the burden of religion he says come unto me all you labor and heavy laden
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I will give you rest take my yoke upon you and learn of me my yoke is easy my burden is light what a soul winner the
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Lord Jesus Christ is a great fisher of men so we can all agree that this woman did not have a good track record right the question is this let me ask some questions here what was it about this woman's witness that was so compelling what was what made the townspeople listen to her people were used to ignoring her and scorning this woman because she was very moral she was known as a prostitute no one wanted to be associated with such a person so what changed something changed here something really happened in this woman's life it just was not just a mere confession even though she confessed the
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Lord Jesus Christ but people listened and they heard her something happened to her think of that she was saying what she was saying must have sounded like she was beside herself they said that about the
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Lord Jesus Christ he's beside himself he's like crazy think of that he's filled with the spirit of God brother
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Keith was talking about the writer of Psalm 119 he's like a drunken person with the spirit of God Psalm 119 176 verses
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I believe I like to say that's 176 reasons to love God because that chapter is commentary of God's word on his word oh to be filled with the spirit of God and to have this kind of urgency that this
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Samaritan woman had she was totally changed but think about those questions they thought she was crazy beside herself the
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Messiah was coming to the Samaritans to this mixed breed unlikely bunch of people that were rejected and here
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Jesus chose this unlikely vessel chooses the weak things of the world the unlikely things of the world to confound the wise to those that think they got it all figured out
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God says no my plan my ways are not your ways my thoughts are not your thoughts as high as the heavens are above the earth so is my ways not your ways where the
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Lord knows exactly what he's doing doesn't he because he's an all wise God actually
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I'd like to look at the change a little bit in her life there had to be a change in her life because for the
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Samaritans to hear her in her confession they had to take in something because something happened in her life she was full of energy and urgency and joy and she was totally completely a different person isn't that what
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Paul the Apostle says in 2 Corinthians 5 17 therefore if anyone listen to this if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation old things have passed away and what does it say
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I love that word behold don't you it says look behold look all things have become new it's like the
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Samaritan woman look they saw a change in her life she was transformed by the supernatural power of God the change in the woman must have been so dramatic so compelling it literally drove the people to go to meet
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Jesus think of that can you honestly say that a change has happened in your life so dramatic so powerful that it points people to the
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Lamb of God I like what one preacher said if you were to have been arrested as a
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Christian and stand on trial in court would you be found guilty to say yes that person is a believer in Jesus it's important to remember when we are dealing with others other people people respond different don't they because when we give the gospel the
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Lord Jesus Christ it is very offensive the message of repentance is very offensive because the truth always offends people
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I like what MacArthur says here let the truth offend God's the one that really is offended it's
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God that's offended let them be offended let people be offended actually
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Paul says if I seek to please men
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I'm not the servant of Christ do we fear men or do we fear
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God that's the question and Jesus said we should fear
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God because he's the one that can destroy body and soul into hell man can only touch our physical being and take our life from us but see
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God's the one that can destroy the soul this is important to remember a change took place and that was observed in the
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Samaritan war by the way if we're dealing with people it doesn't mean that we don't present the hope that is within us what
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I'm trying to say is your life confesses something the way you behave and this is convicting to me because a lot of times my behavior isn't always what it should be in the standard of holiness and righteousness and sanctification
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God's still working on me but you know we're far from the way the
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Lord Jesus Christ is and I say stop we should not compare ourselves with that person and that person we can always find someone that's more sinful than us and we think of ourselves somebody but how about comparing ourselves to the
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Lord Jesus Christ he's the perfect one isn't he I would say this the first thing that speaks best for our life for us is our own lives the way we live our walk and then there's the confession there is a confession a witness and where do we find this is all through the scriptures
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Jesus says you confess me before me and I'll confess you before the Father a witness is someone that testifies to the
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Lord Jesus Christ but unto the Lord Jesus Christ and actually if you look in Acts 1 .8 Jesus says you shall be after that the
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Holy Spirit come upon you you shall be witnesses unto me that word witnesses means martyrs and that's what the early church was they were martyrs unto
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Jesus and I like to look at witnesses unto Christ unto God do you look at your life as a witness unto
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God before his face before the face of God and then before men the first and foremost thing we should be looking at is
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God his face shining upon me Peter said this in 1
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Peter 3 15 and 16 but sanctify that means set apart the
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Lord God in your hearts and always be ready to give in a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you that is in you with meekness and he tells us how to do it with meekness that means humility and fear what a beautiful what a beautiful balance that is meekness and fear having a good conscience listen to that that when they defame you now he's talking about when someone rejects your message they defame you as evil doers those who revile your good conduct your good conduct there's your life and Christ may be ashamed that they may be ashamed for it is better if it is the will of God to suffer for doing good than for doing evil where does
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Peter get this Peter was on the sermon on the mount and Jesus himself said this in chapter 5 of Matthew verse 10 through 12 blessed you know what the word blessed means extremely joyful extremely happy are you extremely joyful when somebody persecutes you we can't handle somebody speaking bad about us what about real persecution he says blessed are you when he says are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the kingdom of heaven then he says again blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my name's sake verse 12 listen to this how do you react he tells us how the believer the disciple is to react when you are being persecuted and people are saying all things evil against you falsely it's not true they're telling lies against you for the sake of Jesus Christ rejoice and be exceedingly glad for great is your reward in heaven for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you you know what
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Jesus is doing he's given us the proper perspective he's given us the eternal perspective at the way we should view persecution to those who live for Jesus Christ sometimes the message of the gospel is not always received and most of the time it won't be but by the lost people with open arms so to speak but it is when it is rejected and it comes with hatred and I say this and it's only by the help of the power of the
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Holy Spirit that can help us demonstrate the love of God and to rejoice before God because we're saying what a privilege it is to rejoice for righteousness sake for the sake of the gospel for the sake of Jesus Christ that's why
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Paul and Silas had a joyful celebration after they were beaten in chains and they were chained up in a dungeon and then they started singing unto the
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Lord and the Lord broke through and brought an earthquake and broke them loose well be exceedingly glad Jesus gives the right eternal perspective and also not only the eternal perspective but he also tells us how to have the right motive we should have a right motive if our heart has been really transformed we say
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Lord I love that person you look beyond that person in the flesh you know the purpose in why persecution is coming because of hatred of the gospel of truth it's not because they hated you it's because they hate
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Christ because he's the light of the world and now you become that light reflecting that light and the light shines in darkness and get this the darkness can't stand it when the light shines on why because bugs start showing up you see the sin is exposed have you experienced this when you tell people about the
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Lord Jesus Christ and truth well people don't gladly receive it do they not all the time sometimes they do but most of the time people reject it with hatred so when people see a transformed life in your conduct of the gospel and the power demonstrated in the love of God and holiness you see it points to the glory this is something
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God has wrought this is something God has done and we can honestly say just like the forerunner of Jesus Christ John the
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Baptist he says behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world we point people to Jesus because it's not us not unto us oh
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Lord not unto us well that's pretty much the first point these people they believe the word the woman who testified the second thing is in verse 40 they invited him to stay they invited him to stay notice this so when the
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Samaritans had come to him they urged him to stay with them and he stayed there two days so when people came out to see
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Jesus they asked him to stay for a while that is a very important step in growing in faith is examining the evidence for yourself there are many many people who are they go to church they are religious they are they're very active in church associations kind of like a social club situation and that's never come to a saving relationship of Jesus Christ by faith they've never really truly repented of their sin so they never really met the master like this
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Samaritan woman and can I say this very quickly and you hear this about a personal relationship today with God did you know
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Satan even has a personal relationship with God it's not just having a personal relationship with God how about a saving relationship that's something
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Satan can't have do you have a saving relationship with God we can know about God and not know
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God actually James says a lot about that and James go with me very quickly to James and this is talking about faith that works and can
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I say this that the Samaritan woman had this kind of faith because she had living faith not dead faith look at James chapter chapter 2 look at verse 14 what does it profit my brethren if someone says he has faith but does not have works can faith save him if a brother or sister is naked or destitute of daily food and one of you says to them depart in peace be warm to be filled it's kind of like saying
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God bless you go your own way you don't want to meet that person's need he says but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body what does it profit thus also faith by itself by itself listen to what he's saying if it does not have works it's dead in other words it's not works that saves us it's faith alone in Christ that saves us but that faith is not alone it by before God this is what
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Paul was talking about justifying faith is before God alone but it's just not alone
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James is saying it's not just mere profession it's possession and he says the faith what he's saying here the faith that's living and active from God works it has obedience to it it does not if it does not have works to it if it does not have fruit to it what he's saying it's dead it's dead faith see people can have dead faith
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I ask you today do you have living faith or dead faith and then he says but if someone say you have faith and I have works show me your faith without your works and I'll show you my faith by my works in other words the faith that's living and active works notice what he says in verse 19 this is what
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I'm talking about you can have a personal relationship and be lost say you have a personal relationship with God and be lost because Satan knows about God he was in heaven he's a great theologian he says you believe that there's one
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God you do well it's almost sarcasm there but the truth is there folks listen to what he's saying you believe that there's one
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God oh fine everybody says they're believing God everybody's a Christian yeah but do you have living faith he answers that even the demons believe and they tremble they believe and tremble but it's a different kind of belief folks they have a knowledge they know
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God exists they know he's holy they know he's got wrath and actually a lot of the demons is reserved in chains of darkness until the day of judgment but then he says this in verse 20 but do you want to know oh foolish man that faith without works is dead he gives the answer was not
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Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar in other words he did something there was something that moved him to demonstrate his living faith before God it was active can
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I say this that true faith and living faith in God is not dead it is living it is active it's never passive do you see that faith was working together with his works and by works faith was made perfect and the scripture was fulfilled which says
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Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God and you see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only likewise was not
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Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way it's a question and then he gives the answer verse 26 very important for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also what he is saying is there is a faith that is dead and there is a faith that is living the living faith is the faith that is saving faith folks the faith that works so the
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Samaritans they came to know Jesus just not by knowledge but they by a living active change in their life like the
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Samaritan woman like Acts love Acts 17 11 what does it say it speaks about the
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Bereans what is it talking about Bereans here these were more fair minded there is another translation that says they were more noble they were more fair minded in other words that word fair minded they were serious minded they feared the
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Lord they wanted to know what God had to say not what just mere men said reminds me a lot folks here at Redeeming Grace Church you want to see for yourself what chapter and verse says praise
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God well they were fair minded more noble than those in Thessalonica and they received the word of God with all readiness oh don't you love that they were hungry to receive that word from God they wanted to hear thus saith the
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Lord and what did they do they searched the scriptures weekly no they searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so to see if it is right to see if it is true they were daily in the word of God they were reading the scriptures they were meditating on the scriptures day and night like Psalms 1 says chapter and verse chapter and verse what does
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God's word say check the preachers what is he saying is it lining up with the word of God well the
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Samaritans just didn't take her word for it did they they desired to hear
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Jesus himself praise God and it's necessary that to have a first hand faith rather than a hand me down faith this happens when we examine the scriptures search the scriptures for ourselves folks to see if it's so your faith will be in God's word alone excuse me get some water here well just so much said
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Hebrews 11 that chapter of faith we understand by faith that the worlds that we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God by faith because of God's word by faith faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen by faith
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Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain by faith Enoch was taken away taken away so that he did not see death we know this by faith verse 6 but without faith it is impossible to please him that he who comes to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him by faith
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Noah being divinely warned of things yet not seen moved with godly fear he prepared an ark for the saving of the household by which he condemned the world became an heir of righteousness which is according to faith by faith
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Abraham obeyed by faith he dwelt in the land of the promise by faith
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Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed by faith by faith these all died in faith not having received the promises having seen them afar off or assured of them embraced them confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on earth all this by faith by faith by faith the just shall live by faith and it's working faith it's obedient faith by faith
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Abraham was tested offered up Isaac by faith
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Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning these things to come by faith Jacob by faith
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Joseph by faith Moses when he was born was hidden three months by his parents because they saw he was a beautiful child they were not afraid of the king's command by faith
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Moses when he became an age refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter what did he do choosing rather to suffer that's what faith does that's what the
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Christian does he chooses to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt for he looked to the reward by faith by faith he forsook
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Egypt see our Egypt's the world have you forsaken the world not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured he persevered as seeing him who's invisible by faith he kept the
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Passover by faith they passed through the Red Sea by faith the walls of Jericho fell by faith the harlot
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Rahab did not perish by faith by faith what about this one shall
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I say more for the time would fail me to tell Gideon Barak and Samson and Japheth and David and Samuel and the prophets through faith they subdued kingdoms worked righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword and out of weakness were made strong because of valiant in battle turned to flight the armies of the aliens others had trials mocking scourging yes chains of imprisonment some were stoned they were sawn in two tempted slain with the sword they wondered about in sheep skins goat skin being destitute afflicted and tormented you know isn't it striking that the word of faith movement talks about all the good times and by faith that you're going to have this great life and your best life now is that talk about your best life now there and all this is by faith real living faith all these having obtained a good testimony through faith did not receive the promise and God having provided something better for us this should not be made perfect for us wow by faith by faith folks well the third point is this we observe that they believe because they heard for themselves they heard for themselves
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Jesus Christ in verse 42 then they said to the woman now we believe and not because of what you said for we ourselves have heard him and we know we know that this indeed is the
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Christ he is the anointed one he is the savior of the world there is no other name under heaven while under heaven where we could be saved but through Jesus Christ so after Jesus taught in Samaria for a couple days they believed of what they had heard they seen
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Jesus himself they heard for themselves the Christ and believed he was savior of the world they listened to the witness of the woman yes but they checked out the facts for themselves and isn't that what we should do it came to a point where saving belief in Jesus for themselves this is the way it happens for most believers that come to a saving relationship with the
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Lord Jesus Christ someone shares the gospel with us they witness Christ to us we examine the evidence to see if whether those things are so the spirit of God takes the power through the power of the
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Holy Spirit the word to the word to the letter to our hearts and changes us transforms us to the glory of God and you are a new creation
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I don't know exactly how it all happens but we know it happens amen God does it let me give some application and this is going to be pointed and this is going to be powerful as much as I can but I like to base this upon two verses of scripture a few verses of scripture
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John 1 12 through 12 and 13 but as many as received him to them he gave the right to become the children of God to those who believe in his name who were born not of blood it's not because of our heritage or religious or who you born to in a relationship we are of the seed of Abraham so to speak
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I'm of this certain clan and I'm a good person no it doesn't happen that way all born lost sinners all have sinned come short of the glory of God nor is it not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor of the will of man no it's not a decision but it's of God you must be born again being born again very quickly let me give you a
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I want to run through this as fast as I can but pay close attention this is so so critical this is so important and we must all do this folks we must check the scriptures
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Spurgeon said this every person's a missionary or imposter my question to you are you a missionary or imposter are you truly genuinely saved by the grace let me ask another question how can we tell what is false faith dead faith and what is genuine faith we must test ourselves brother
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Keith preached on this a few weeks ago and brother Ben's been picking it up about holy violence and a sanctified life and our fruits of obedience unto
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God and unto men but we need to be living faithfully and the just shall live by faith and there must be fruits of repentance that follow so how can this all happen if we how can we examine this what scripture says is in second
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Corinthians 13 5 examine yourselves to whether you are in the faith test yourselves do you not know yourselves notice what the verses say do you know yourselves test yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you are disqualified and do not stand to test in other words we don't want to fall in that category do we well you know something can
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I say this the hearts deceitful and wicked and we really don't know our hearts folks but God does and Jesus is the searcher of our hearts so I say this in all the love that I can give to this morning in truth and love examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith test yourself now here's a test this is not original with me
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I get this by from John MacArthur if you happen to have a John MacArthur study bible it's in the bible there's evidence that neither prove nor disprove one's faith and there's fruit and proofs of authentic true
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Christianity then there's the conduct of the gospel now let's look at the evidence that neither prove nor disprove one's faith
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I don't have time to go through all the scriptures but there are many verses of scriptures that back this up here are evidence that neither prove nor disprove one's faith you can have visible morality you can have intellectual knowledge of the bible in other words you can be very moral and be heading to hell and lost you can be very intellectual toward the things of God you can know the scriptures by memory and not be saved you can be outwardly moral and not be saved you can have religious involvement and not be saved you can be there's people that are in hell today as we're speaking that have gone to church all their life and I'm not saying
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I'm against church when you are saved you want to go to church but going to church doesn't make you saved you can be religiously involved you can have active ministry there are many pastors as I'm speaking right now are not truly born again they can know the word of God but they may not be genuinely saved and converted to Christ or repented so visible morality does not prove or disprove one's faith and it's not to say there's not a place for visible morality okay and it's not to say intellectual knowledge is important my people perish because of lack of knowledge but what he's saying here is these things in of itself does not save us religious involvement does not save us knowing about God does not save us visible morality does not save us active ministry does not save us going to church does not save us conviction of sin a person can be convicted of sin and not be saved you can even think you have assurance and not be saved there's a lot of people right now that think they're okay and have a false assurance and one of the biggest lies is come to the altar and make a decision for Christ that'll get you saved say the sinner's prayer that'll get you saved folks those things do not save us well how does authentic faith look like then it looks like this let me give it in question okay do you have a true love for God do you have holy affections do you truly love
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God with all your heart do you have a repentant life from sin do you repent from sin do you have genuine humility do you have a devotion to God's glory do you have continuing prayer in your life do you have see the direction it's not perfection it's direction
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MacArthur said that do you pray do you love to pray and pray for the right motives do you have selfless love how about separation from the world are you separated from the world you must be separated from the world love of the world
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I take you to hell you can't have the love of God and the love of the world at the same time spiritual growth are you growing spiritually are you obedient living by faith are you obedient to God's word are you faithfully living by faith as we looked at earlier are you loving
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God do you repent from sin do you have genuine humility do you have a devotion to God's glory continue prayer selfless love separation from the world spiritual growth obedient living and he says this if that list is true of a person then what is
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I mentioned earlier is false there is cause to question the fidelity
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I'm sorry of one's profession of faith yet if the list
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I just mentioned is true about authentic faith then the top list will be also that's very serious we are missionaries or we're imposters which one are you are you a true witness to the
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Lord Jesus Christ if you're a true witness of Christ then this is what the conduct of the gospel will look like you will proclaim it you will live for it you will defend it you will demonstrate it you will share it you will even suffer for it and you won't hinder it and you're not ashamed of it you will preach it by your life you will be empowered by it and you will guard it let me close with this
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Psalm 139 Psalm 139 and let me say this the
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Lord desires you to come to repentance folks more than you if you don't know the
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Lord he desires you to come more than you yourself desire to come verse 1 he said he begins like this
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Lord oh Lord this is David you have searched me and known me you know my sitting down my rising up you understand my thought afar off you comprehend my path and my lying down you are acquainted with all my ways for there is not a word on my tongue but behold oh
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Lord you know it all together you have hedged me behind and before and laid your hand upon me such knowledge is too wonderful for me it is high
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I cannot attain it and then he gives the question here he says where can
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I go from your spirit or where can I flee from your presence if I ascend into heaven you are there if I make my bed in hell behold you are there if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me this should be encouraging if I say surely the darkness shall fall on me even the night shall be light about me indeed the darkness shall not hide from you but the night shines as the day and the darkness and the light are both a light to you no one can hide from God oh don't you love this for you formed my inward parts you covered me in my mother's womb that's appropriate for Mother's Day you covered me in my mother's womb
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I pray I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are the works your works and that my soul knows very well my frame was not hidden from you when
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I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth your eyes saw my substance yet being yet unformed and in your book they are all written of me the days fashioned for me yet when as I yet there were none of them how precious also are your thoughts to me oh
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God God's thoughts toward you is precious God loves you more than anyone else loves you how great is the sum of them and if I should count them they would be more than the number than the sand and when
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I awake I am still with you and notice what he says coming to the conclusion here oh that you would slay the wicked oh
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God depart from me therefore you bloodthirsty man for they speak against you wickedly see he hated what
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God hated he loved what God loves do you love what God loves do you hate what
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God hates your enemies take your name in vain and then he says it here do
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I not hate them oh Lord who hate you and do
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I not loathe those who rise up against you I hate them with a perfect hatred and I count them my enemies so he he was so in tune with God that he knew like the heartbeat of God he might have not known his mind
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God's mind but he knew his heart do you know God's heart today are you near to the heart of God well let's close it down notice how he began this psalm he first made a statement oh
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Lord you have searched me and known me you have searched me you know everything about me and now he says this search me oh
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God isn't that interesting he says first you have searched me you have searched me now he says search me it's almost like he's saying this again search me again and again and again because I do not know my heart folks you don't know your heart
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I don't know my heart but I'm telling you we need to have a heart searching and allow God to search our hearts oh
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God and know my heart you know my heart search me through and through try me test me and know my anxieties he knows all about your anxieties he knows everything about you and Jesus even says that the father knows every number of the hairs of your head today and that should be encouraging because it's not something discouraging he knows everything about you because he loves you that much isn't that glorious and he ends it with this and see if there's any wicked way in me isn't that your prayer today folks
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Lord search me and see if there's anything wicked in me and bring it to light so I can repent and turn from it and lead me in the way of everlasting
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Jesus is the way folks there's no other way there's no other way he's the way the truth and the life let's pray father we thank you for this time together we thank you for your word we bless you
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Lord may this take heart in us and may it come to fruits of obedience to you to obey the gospel just not hear the gospel
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God save us from apathy from your word give us a steadfast love for yourself a steadfast love that never ceases mercies that never come to an end a mercies that are new every morning new every morning great is your faithfulness oh
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Lord to the very end we praise you we thank you