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< Back Are You Chasing the Wind? Pastor Nate Brosher Jan 7, 2024 Are You Chasing the Wind? Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 NLT 14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear him. 15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again. Ecclesiastes represents the painful autobiography of Solomon who, for much of his life, squandered God's blessings on his own personal pleasure rather than God's glory. He wrote to warn subsequent generations not to make the same tragic error. Solomon said, “God makes the same things happen over and over again!” Life is a big cycle. Our response determines our cycle of life. What are we chasing after? If we are chasing and pursuing after anything but God, we are chasing the wind. Isaiah 66:12 ESV 12 For thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. God gives us peace like a river. How do we explain peace to someone who is distraught and in pain? Philippians 4:6-7 NLT 6 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Don’t worry about anthing! 1 Timothy 6:6-8 ESV 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. Godliness – (Reverence, respect towards God) with contentment (a perfect condition of life in which no aid or support is needed) is great gain! Solomon’s final words Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NLT 13 That's the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone's duty. 14 God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad. Only we can answer the question internally of what we are chasing after or pursuing. Previous Next

< Back Romans 12: Character Pastor Nate Brosher Feb 8, 2024 Romans 12 Series: Character Romans 12:12-21 NLT 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble and keep on praying. 13 When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD. 20 Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads." 21 Don't let evil conquer you but conquer evil by doing good. 1. Be Patient! Galatians 5:22-23 ESV 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience , kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Ephesians 4:1-3 ESV 1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience , bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The adjective eager describes someone is excited about or impatient for something. 2. Be Disciplined! Discipline is the quality of being able to behave and work in a controlled way which involves obeying particular rules or standards. Galatians 2:20-21 NLT 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die. Matthew 11:28-30 NLT 28 Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." 3. Be Structured! When something is structured, it's arranged according to a specific plan. When someone is structured they are organized so that the parts relate well to each other; having a clear structure. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34 NLT 33 Don't be fooled by those who say such things, for "bad company corrupts good character." 34 Think carefully about what is right and stop sinning. For to your shame, I say that some of you don't know God at all. Let’s begin to walk this life of Integrity by showing character. Previous Next

< Back The Journey Series Pt. 2: Open Arms Pastor Nate Brosher Nov 10, 2024 Luke 15:11-24 NLT 11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: "A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, 'I want my share of your estate now before you die.' So, his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 "A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 "When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, 'At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, "Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant."' 20 "So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.' 22 "But his father said to the servants, 'Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.' So, the party began. 1. Lost in your Journey. Anxiety or being anxious about your current situation or even future, depression or the feeling of being depressed, bitterness through (holding on to broken dreams), loneliness or the sense of (discontentment). What foreign land are you wandering in? What are we allowing to consume our thoughts? Luke 15:28-32 NLT 28 "The older brother was angry and wouldn't go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, 'All these years I've slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!' Lack of Understanding of his father’s love for his children. 31 "His father said to him, 'Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'" 2. The Love of the Father We take for granted His Love. The Focus is always on us. Previous Next

< Back Heroes of the Faith Pt. 2: Identity Pastor Nate Brosher Aug 10, 2025 Genesis 17:1-6 NLT - 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am El-Shaddai--'God Almighty.' Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants." 3 At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 "This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 5 What's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them! 1. God’s Identity El-Shaddai – God Almighty Yahweh – I AM El Shaddai emphasizes God's power and ability to provide, while “I Am” Yahweh emphasizes God's covenant relationship and active presence with his people. We allow doubt to slow down our process. Charles Spurgeon: “I believe that the happiest of all Christians and the truest of Christians are those who never dare to doubt God, but take His Word simply as it stands, and believe it, and ask no questions, just feeling assured that if God has said it, it will be so.” James 1:4-8 NKJV - 4 But let patience have [its] perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting , for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 [he is] a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Are we willing to allow the Lord to change our identity? Genesis 17:9, 15-17 NLT - 9 Then God said to Abraham, "Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. ... 15 Then God said to Abraham, "Regarding Sarai, your wife--her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. 16 And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants." 17 Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. "How could I become a father at the age of 100?" he thought. "And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?" 2. God’s Infinity When God is in it, there is no limit! How do we deal with Identity Theft? Romans 8:28 NLT - 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Previous Next

< Back New Testament Church Series Pt. 7: Where Are You Going? Pastor Nate Brosher May 26, 2024 Psalms 37:23-25 NLT 23 The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. 24 Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand. 25 Once I was young, and now I am old. Yet I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread. Where have we been walking? Proverbs 14:12 CSB There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death. Are we out of position? God can direct/order our steps, but we must be willing to walk and accept that path he has presented to us. Acts 9:1-6 ESV 1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" 5 And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do." Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a person. John 16:2-3 CSB 2 "They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 "They will do these things because they haven't known the Father or me. We must evaluate our steps to make sure we are in obedience and submission to his word. John 10:27 ESV My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Who are you following and where are you going? Previous Next

< Back Christmas Pastor Nate Brosher Dec 22, 2024 Levirate – is the practice of a man marrying the widow of his deceased brother who died without children. 1. In the beginning was the Word Jesus is the Living Word. John 1:1-2 KJV – 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. The fall of Adam, the rebellion of man. Genesis 3:15 NKJV - 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel." Micah 5:2 NLT - 2 But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel will come from you, one whose origins are from the distant past. 2. Jesus is God incarnate. (In the flesh) Isaiah 7:14 NLT - 14 All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means 'God is with us'). God is with us! Luke 1:31-33 NLT - 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end! " Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT - 6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen! God had predestined this since the beginning of time. Previous Next

< Back Letters from Paul Pt. 11: Safeguarding Our Faith Pastor Nate Brosher Nov 21, 2024 Philippians 3:1-2 NLT - 1 Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord. I never get tired of telling you these things, and I do it to safeguard your faith. 2 Watch out for those dogs, those people who do evil, those mutilators who say you must be circumcised to be saved. - KJV, “False Circumcision” which translates in the Greek, ( katatomē ) – To cut up, mutilate. ■ R.C Sproul, “Everyone is a theologian, but not everyone is a good Theologian.” ■ Theology – The study of the nature of God and religious belief. Romans 10:14-17 ESV - 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. ■ Heresy – belief or opinion that is contrary to Orthodox Christian doctrine. Ligonier ministries and Lifeway research did a study asking US adults and Evangelicals in 2016 that “Who agree that the “bible” like all sacred writings, contains helpful accounts of ancient myths but is NOT literally true. 2016 – Evangelicals (17%) US Adults (44%) 2022 – Evangelicals (26%) US Adults (53%) 4 Heresies that are growing rampant in the church today 1. Jesus isn’t the only way to God. 56%—of evangelical respondents affirmed that “God accepts the worship of all religions, including Christianity, Judaism and Islam,” John 14:6 ESV - 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 2. Jesus was created by God. 73% agreed with the statement that “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God.” This is a form of Arianism 4th century Roman empire - believed that Jesus was a created being, not divine, and was separate from God the Father. John 3:16 NKJV - 16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 14:9 NKJV - 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 3. Jesus is NOT God. 43% affirmed that “Jesus was a great teacher, but he was not God,” John 10:30 KJV - 30 I and [my] Father are one. 4. The Holy Spirit is NOT a personal being. 60% believe that “The Holy Spirit is a force but is not a personal being.” Act 5:3-4 NKJV - 3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back [part] of the price of the land for yourself? 4 "While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5. Humans AREN’T sinful by nature. 57 percent also agreed to the statement that “Everyone sins a little, but most people are good by nature.” Pelagianism - a 5th-century Christian heresy taught by Pelagius and his followers that stressed the essential goodness of human nature, and the freedom of the human will. Romans 5:12 NLT - 12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Psalm 51:5 NLT - 5 For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me. Philippians 3:3-11 - 3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, 4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! 5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin--a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. 6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. 7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! Previous Next

< Back Introduction to Life Groups Chase Radford Mar 7, 2024 Learn more and sign up here: https://www.bridgewaylive.us/lifegroups Pastor Nate or Chase will get back to you via email (give is about a week or so to give other people to sign up). Previous Next

< Back Love Matters: Love Your God Pastor Nate Brosher Feb 18, 2024 Exodus 20:2-4, 7-8, 12-17 ESV 2 "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 You shall have no other gods before me. 4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ... 7 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. 8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. ... 12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's; 1. Manual of Life The Bible is the inspired (breathed upon), inerrant, infallible word of God. Titus 1:1-3 NKJV 1 Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, 2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, 3 but has in due time manifested His word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior. Mark 13:31 KJV Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. a. We must embrace its truth and live according to what he is asking of us to do. The first 5 commandments deal with God and our relationship with him. (Man’s relationship with God) The last 5 commandments deal with people. (Man’s relationship with man) “YOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER gods, BESIDES ME” “YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FOR YOURSELF AN IMAGE . . .” “YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD YOUR GOD IN VAIN” Matthew 7:21-23 ESV 21 Not everyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" 23 And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness." “REMEMBER THE SABBATH, AND KEEP IT HOLY “HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER” Craig Keener (American Theologian): “The first commandments in this list remind us to: - Obey God because God is our source in creation - Obey God because God is our savior - Obey God because He judges and blesses - Obey because God is the perfect Lover and Authority of which even the best parents are only faint reminders.” Previous Next

< Back House of Prayer Pt. 2: Constancy in Prayer Pastor Nate Brosher Jul 13, 2025 1Thessalonians 5:14-22 CSB - 14 And we exhort you, brothers and sisters: warn those who are idle (lazy), comfort the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good. 22 Stay away from every kind of evil. Basic Instructions - Lazy/Idle - Discouraged - Weak • Be Patient with Everyone! 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 CSB - 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray constantly, 18 give thanks in everything; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. • Cultivating a Spirit of Thankfulness. - Rejoice Always! Why is it important to rejoice always? ■ Rejoicing/Praise is a key component to prayer. Psalm 107:1 NKJV - 1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for [He is] good! For His mercy [endures] forever. Continuous Awareness of God’s Presence - “Pray without Ceasing” – KJV Psalm 34:1 ESV - 1 I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 150:6 ESV - 6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Praise the LORD! • A Mindset of Dependence. - How is your posture? James 5:16-17 NKJV - 16 Confess [your] trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. What are we putting our energy into? Previous Next

< Back Romans 12: Use Your Gifts Pastor Nate Brosher Jan 25, 2024 Romans 12: Use Your Gifts Romans 12:4-11 NLT 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So, if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. 9 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 1. We are many parts of one body. Each part has a special function. Function - an activity or purpose natural to or intended for a person or thing. Functionality - the quality of being suited to serve a purpose well; practicality. (Practical, useful, plain, simple, serviceable, effective, operative.) Dysfunctional - not operating normally or properly. (Broken, debilitated, decayed, defective, deteriorated, inhibited, maladjusted, malfunctioned, sick, undermined, unfit, wounded.) Romans 12:6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So, if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. You must define the gift that God has given to you for the body of Christ. Nobody is gift-less. Romans 12:7-8 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. 2. Serving, Teaching, Encouraging, Giving, Leading, Kindness. Serving – (diakonia) which means attendance as a servant, minister, assistant/administrator, which is where we get the word deacon. Teaching – (didasko) To impart instruction, to explain or expound, to hold discourse with others to instruct them, deliver didactic discourses. Encouraging – (parakaleō) Comfort, exhort, pray, to encourage, strengthen. Giving – (metadidōmi) to give over, share: —give, impart. (Generously – bountiful with liberty) Leading – (proistēmi) to stand before, (in rank) to preside, or (by implication) to practice: —maintain, be over, rule, to care for. Kindness/Showing Mercy – (eleeō) to help one afflicted or seeking aid to help the afflicted, to bring help to the wretched. Romans 12:9-11 Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 3. Don’t be a Pretender. Pretend – unfeigned, undisguised, sincere-without dissimulation. (Hypocrisy) Being a person of character and integrity means you are what you proclaim to be, this is why Paul says, never be lazy but work hard! Serve the Lord enthusiastically! Another word is fervently – (zeō) Zeal for what is good. Previous Next

< Back Distractions: The Decision Chase Radford Feb 1, 2024 John 4:1-26 4 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” Definitions Faith can be defined as complete trust or confidence in someone or something. It can also be in reference to the doctrines (set of beliefs) of a religion. It is because of our faith (trust) in something or someone that we are faithful to a thing or person — defined as to remain loyal; true to the facts; to give our full attention . To be faithful to someone or something is to be focused on or give full attention to that person or thing. To distract is to prevent someone from giving their full attention to something or someone. A distraction is a thing that prevents someone from giving their full attention to something or someone else. Who were the Samaritans? The Samaritans were a group of people who believed they were the true descendants of Israel and keepers of the Torah. During the time of the New Testament, their chief religious site was Mount Gerizim. The Samaritans believed that the Jerusalem temple and priesthood were illegitimate. They were unfaithful to the Scriptures and as a result, unfaithful to God. This is why in v 23-24 Jesus says to the woman, who believed that she, as a Samaritan, was from the lineage of Jacob, “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Truth must always be at the core of what we believe because what we believe is what ultimately determines how we live. Our worship, our lives, everything must be tethered (connected) to truth. Unfaithful This woman not only carried the baggage of being Samaritan, and as a result, unfaithfulness to God and His word. She was also unfaithful in her personal relationships with men. In v 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” But why was she unfaithful? Because of her false beliefs about God, who she was and how she was to live. It’s here where I consider the text and I consider the landscape of the church at large — and when I think about the woman at the well I can’t help but see a reflection of so many people in the Church, the Bride of Christ today. Far too many people who claim to be Christians seem to be having a very hard time making up their mind with what they believe — e.g. the Bible. Jesus said in v 22, ”You worship what you do not know;” Distracted From Truth: State of the Church There were theological surveys conducted in 2022 and 2023. The data is from people who claim to be Christian. Survey Data: https://www.arizonachristian.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/CRC_AWVI2023_Release_03.pdf https://thestateoftheology.com 56% believe attending and belonging to a local church doesn’t matter 56% believe God accepts the worship of all religions — Christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc. Only 46% believe God has a purpose for their life Only 65% believe the purpose of life is to know, love, and serve God with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul. And only 50% believe success can best be described as consistent obedience to God Only 44% believe Jesus lived a perfect life 67% admit to not reading or studying the Bible at least once a week 52% admit they are not committed to living out their faith Every aspect of our life and how we live it ties back to the essential truths of the Bible — and whether or not we believe them. Ps. 145:18 says the Lord is near to all who call on Him in truth. Too many have gotten distracted and have lost their focus on the truth of who He is to them. The Decision Jesus loves us so much that He comes to us. This is what we see in the story of the woman at the well. We see an example of Christ meeting us where we are — not that we will stay where we are, but that we will respond. That we will make the decision to truly follow Him. How did the woman at the well respond? What was her decision when she was approached by Christ? John 4:28-30; 39-42 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him. […] 39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” What are you going to believe? What you believe determines how you respond to Christ’s call and how you live. It’s a decision we must make every moment of our lives. Extended Sermon Notes : https://parrots-notice-iuv.craft.me/GOMud8YqNJc8uu Previous Next