Encountering Christ (Part 1)

This is a message from leading the way with Dr. Michael. You sat we pray that it will encourage you in your walk of faith.

If you would like to learn more about Dr. you Seth on leading the way, please visit LTW.I have an opportunity to watch an interview with Dr. Patrick Carnes who is recognized as the foremost authority in this country and this whole issue of sexual addiction and pornography and pornographic addiction. Dr. Carl's description of what we are as a culture in this regard is enough to send shivers in the spine of every parents and every grandparents were sitting here today.

He called this type of addiction, the tsunami that could threaten the human race, and I don't think this man is given the exaggeration is set among other things, that two thirds of kids are watching pornography while they're doing their homework. 34% of them will become addicts now see why he calls it the tsunami that's about to hit our nation among other things, he said there is no spouse in the whole world that can live up to their expectations of pornography and pornographic expressions. Then he added he said while nicotine can stay in the brain of a person when he smoke his or her first cigarette 30 days linger in the brain is pornography lingers in the brain. After just one scene four months and imagine the repeated actions pornographic addiction moves. He said in a downward direction which leads to addiction and bondage is it is all starts as an impulsive act.

Then it goes into a compulsive behavior and then ultimately into a full-blown addiction. 40% of them and listen carefully. Mom and dad 40% of men state that they started looking at pornography at the age of 10. I must confess to you and him confessing publicly that I had my head buried in the sand about this issue for too long with Dr. Collins, referred to as the coming tsunami is what he also said that women are the fastest growing group to become sexual addicts, mostly because of the Internet. But enough of statistics and the depression that it can cause I want to move on and I want to tell you about the power of God to deliver us from whatever it is that holdovers who Iraq on this one because one of the magnitude is huge. While the numbers of addictions alarming the cause of this is not new.

The elements those driving people into this bondage of sexual addiction are not new for 2000 years ago plus Jesus had an encounter with a woman who was not unlike many in our culture today.

This woman in John chapter 4, who has an encounter with the living Lord Jesus Christ could be just like somebody lives next door like somebody who works in the office down from you is like somebody who shares the dormant college with you is like some member of your social club or it could be you regardless. We thank God for the power of Christ to can deliver you and can deliver you today. The problem is on the outside. Most of these folks whatever addiction they are into. They appear on the outside. They have a good time but on the inside. There are living in misery on the outside. They look like they've got it all together, but deep down they longing for true fulfillment. Deep down there longing for true intimacy. Deep down there longing for a peace of mind. Deep down there longing for a deep emotional and spiritual victory in the life and the way Jesus reached out to this woman of sexual addiction is the same way that he would reach to every one of us to everyone who longs to be set free.

Jesus wants to do that to everyone along for true contentment in life to everyone who is tired of inner conflict and confusion and pain. Jesus is sitting at the well of your life and his calling out to you will you respond to him will you respond to him.

This encounter took place more than 2000 years ago and yet in many ways this story is a very modern story in every way. It's really modern story in terms of the expression of racism of prejudice of the decline of morality of human loneliness and of the longing for true love and for true intimacy and for true acceptance when he reached out to this desperate Samaritan woman. It was nothing short of a revolutionary trust me when I tell you this, and when I explained to you further. You will understand what I mean. You see, Samaria is where the West Bank today under the Palestinian rule of modern-day Israel. That's where Samaria was from Galilee to Jerusalem.

You have to go through Samaria about 72 miles of track. Now most people traveled on foot. You have to be very rich to have a donkey so most people traveled on foot there were 72 miles.

You know how long it took him to walk 2 1/2 days 2 1/2 days to walk from Jerusalem to the Galilee area. Do you think most of the Jews did that not on your life, they would not go this 2 1/2 days walk. They went around to Jericho, then up to the Jordan Valley River all the way back east to Galilee, to Nazareth, to all the cities around the gallery. That trip took five days 2 1/2 days versus five day's but guess what 99.999% of the Jews would go for the five day walk, rather than the shortcut of going through Samaria they would do whatever it takes not to go through Samaria that will do whatever it takes in order not to talk to the Samaritan or have anything to do with the Samaritan and the Samaritans return the favor. They did not like the Jews either you talk about prejudice prejudice and bigotry were so deep that there would rather go five days on foot than 2 1/2 going through Samaria but not Jesus. Not Jesus. He wanted to go to Samaria, which gave his disciples a case of the heebie-jeebies Samaria who go through Samaria okay were he knows what is doing, but then made it worse when they saw him talking to a Samaritan woman he would not please.

This is important.

Jesus came from heaven, so that he may redeem and forgive all people from any sin and addiction.

It doesn't matter what race a person might be.

It doesn't matter what job a person holds. It doesn't matter what ethnic group a person belongs to. It doesn't matter what nationality there may be, it doesn't matter what their status in society may be as long as there's someone who is desperate for forgiveness. As long as as someone who is conscious or so burdened with the flat of guilt as long as someone who wanted to be relieved from the crushing weight of the chains of sin and addiction. Jesus is staying at the well of your life as long as somebody needing salvation that only Jesus can give, Jesus will come and meet you at the point of you need.

So he gets to Samaria, weary of his walking tired. He sits at the well, but was known as Jacob's well back Jacob, the grandson of Abraham… Well, I'm going to hold the Samaritan woman comes out and draw water from the well again, you just got to understand the enormity of that incredible risk the Jesus was taken. It's incredible. I mean, a Jewish man, be sent out a good Samaritan man. But this is a Jewish man talk the Samaritan woman. Think about this 2000 years ago. Not today.

To this day.

To this day. Today 21st century a Orthodox rabbi would not shake the hand of a woman if a Jew really wants to ruin his own reputation, be seen talking to Samaritan man developing a warm, but that's not all. Jesus comes from the very high ethernet apex of righteousness, sinlessness and holiness. He is God in human flesh, and she is at the bottom of the degradation of sin. This woman had so many things going against her. I don't care what you're facing in life that you could never faced the degradation and the pain that she was going through. You cannot comprehend all the things that are going against the worst of what you are experiencing would not even measure very close to what you going through her breasts rendered her the object of hatred.

Her gender rendered her inferior morality could have brought the wrath of the self-righteous pharmacies.

But Jesus knew her desperation. Jesus knew that he and he alone can set him free. Jesus knew that he alone can forgive all of her sins. That is not soon be on his forgiveness. Jesus knew that her most desperate need is for his redeeming love and he can do the same for you today. He can do the same for you today. Whatever you are, whatever your situation, he can do that for you today.

All of conventional wisdom. Back then would have said Jesus, you should've laughed a moment. This woman showed up, but thank God he didn't thank God he didn't all conventional wisdom would've said Jesus, this woman cannot help who she and Jesus were the said that's false belief. That's false belief because I came to give life and give it more abundantly. Jesus, this woman is not predisposed to moving her addiction and Jesus would've said that's a fallacy can set the captive free.

She is desperate for salvation that only I can give her all but Jesus the Samaritan woman is student deep into her alternative lifestyle. Jesus, this woman is half gentle and have July call the Samaritans.

She cannot be saved. Jesus, this woman is beyond depravity for her lifestyle. But Jesus was that you don't understand.

You don't understand my power came to do the impossible. Jesus addictions have gone to deep and too far, nothing is impossible for Jesus. Jesus. This is the way she's born. And Jesus said I came to save everyone who returned to me every one of any ethnic group, a venue, it doesn't matter what religion you belong to the fact you're born a Muslim or born a Hindu or born a Jew report.

It doesn't matter if you come to me as the only Savior and Lord will set you free. But Jesus this woman is happy in her life. You don't understand my eyes see you through all that's inside of her and I know she's not happy. I know that her conscious is on fire. I know the truth. I know how she feels this woman like anyone was living in sin and in bondage and in the chains with which we are born, and then would practice like all will put a mask. Some of you my walked in here in this church with a big mask.

She had a mask actually shut several masks this woman felt so degraded, so disillusioned and so dissatisfied.

You see, whatever glamour that you once had. She knew is fading away fast. Whatever excitement in her senses.

She is now bailing them out, or burning themselves out. All that she got left is the drudgery of coming in and draw water from that well indirectly as this is important. Like all of those who are enslaved to sin, whatever that sin might be. She drew temporary satisfaction from the bondage.

But that's not all like all people who wanted to also serve chains of sins.

She ended up being cynical.

She knew enough religion to make a dangerous, in fact, the hardest people who turn to Christ are those who are inoculated with a little bit of religion. It keeps them from coming to know the truth.

Religion kills Jesus gives life to the put the religious mask on and the rattle of the scanner answer sooner.

That is just got them all tanned and they rattle them.

I don't really need God because I'm a good person or a regular guy would have to accept me because I live by the Golden rules are born that way, the list goes on and on and all the canned answers religious masks are but there are flimsy, the flimsy excuses for not coming to the only one who can truly give you life and set you free. Forgive your sins and assure your eternal life in heaven. Thank God.

Jesus would not be distracted by her cynicism. You noticed how many times you trotted get them off track. Well, you know you Jews do this and we Samaritans do that. He let the past evaluate your business marginal is retrogressive led the passage he did not want to get into a theological debate with her none on us in the Hebrew language.

There are two words for water. Those who translate the Bible into English. Try to distinguish between those two words by using the word living water. She was using one word he was using another word she was referring to stagnant water. He was referring to a bubbling spring water as if Jesus was saying to her, and not in a very subtle way, bodily lady, you are into dead religion lady you are into dead rituals lady you are into traditions that can never give life. They can never deliver you from the pain that you feel on the inside that can never deliver you from the guilt and shame that your feeling on the inside.

They can never give you inner fulfillment and satisfaction in this life and for all of eternity.

Religion can never save you religion can never permanently forgive all of your sins. If you knew the gift of God and who it is, is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would've given you that living water. All of that other stuff of religion is like stagnant water, it stinks all of the stuff of religion that you are into is like saltwater. Those of you improve the experience to if you first in your swimming in the ocean and you think so that water in you get more thirsty the more you drink it, the more you thirst, you can't wait to run out to the beach to get some cold pure water to drink to quench your thirst.

That's the water of the world is salty water, it can never, never, never, never satisfy.

They can never give you that inner contentment can never give you that inner peace. I was thinking about this and I thought about the man in history who once was in prison and he said if I be set free from prison. That's all I would want in life, so he was set free. Then he said all if I would only have the necessities of life resources in life. I would want no more. You got that that is all. But if I only have a high position. I would want no more.

He got that many cried out all if I would be a magistrate, I would want nothing else in life. He got that then the cryonics at all but if I were to be a prince, I would want nothing else in life. He got that. Then he said no but if I be a king. I would want nothing else in life you got that then is another know if I become an emperor are I would want nothing else in life you got that many cried out as Fabienne drove the whole world. I would want nothing else. He got that in history tells us that Alexander the great wept when there was no more worlds to conquer saltwater more you drink it. This can never be enough they could never satisfy you. The more you drink it, the more you thirst the more you drink it, the more thirst. It's all I it's a deception my beloved friend life away from Christ will never satisfy you will never satisfy the waters of this world will never give you that inner contentment.

You looking for today.

Jesus wants to give you the living water was to give you himself and set you free. And that is why Jesus had to walk through Samaria another avoided like most people did to this woman had five failed marriages new business coming out of Hollywood seriously.

Five. Obviously, she reasons in her head. The problem must be the marriage itself.

So she was shacking up with number six, July give up marriage. She did not realize that her real thirst for satisfaction in life could only come from the Lord Jesus is here desperate need in life is for Christ to come into her life and give her true contentment and joy before Christ found me every time I try I said I'm going to do better. I'll try harder until I stopped running away from him until I came to the end of myself.

What about you, you come to the end of yourself.

Good news because Jesus is right there at the end of yourself. Are you ready to receive his living water. This woman when she was confronted by the truth when she accepted the truth. The truth transformed her.

She ran back to the very people who degraded her and she said, see the one who told me all my secrets. Here is the Messiah, meet the one who listed my burden: see the one who forgive all of my sins, and see the one who brought my bondage. He can do the same for you.

You can do the same for you. Father only you can see the secrets of our hearts like you just saw the secret of that woman's heart and no matter what image we tried to project you know the truth.

You see through us. You know our thoughts before we think them and therefore we have comfort in that. And we ask you please come give us that living water for father. We know only Jesus can give it to us because he's the one who paid the price for that and his only one who can take us to have and therefore we pray in the name of Jesus that we would have an encounter I would not forget.

Just heard next few hours or so, but father we constantly thinking about those things that are meaningful. That will make life in abundance.

Pray this in Jesus name