Experiencing the Fullness of Life in Christ

 

Summary

In the Gospel of John, chapter 4, verses 13 and 14, Jesus speaks to the woman of Samaria about the living water that leads to everlasting life. This passage encapsulates the essence of Christianity, which is not merely about intellectual acceptance of creeds or temporary experiences of happiness, but about receiving the fullness of Christ, a life that is ever-growing and expanding in grace. The question posed is whether we have this well of water within us, springing up into everlasting life, or if we are content with a superficial understanding of faith.

Many Christians fall short of this fullness due to various hindrances, as illustrated in the story of the woman of Samaria. These include national and social prejudices, spiritual dullness, evasiveness, and wrong ideas about worship and God. True worship, as Jesus explains, is not about location or ritual but about worshiping in spirit and truth. It involves bowing down before God, adoring Him for who He is, beyond the blessings He provides.

Worship is a unique and special act, distinct from living a life in service to God. It is about falling down in awe and adoration of God's majesty. This is the high watermark of our relationship with God, and we must not be content with anything less. The Bible provides clear instructions on worship, emphasizing that it is God who teaches us how to worship, not human traditions or innovations.

Understanding who God is, as revealed through Jesus Christ, is crucial to true worship. God is Spirit, omnipresent, and not confined to any physical location. Yet, He is also our Father, personal and loving, who seeks a relationship with us. This dual understanding of God as both Spirit and Father enriches our worship, allowing us to cast our cares upon Him, knowing He cares for us deeply.

Key Takeaways:

- True Christianity is about receiving the fullness of Christ, a life that is ever-growing in grace, not just intellectual acceptance or temporary happiness. We must ask ourselves if we have this well of water within us, leading to everlasting life. [02:06]

- Many Christians are hindered from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ due to prejudices, spiritual dullness, and wrong ideas about worship. These obstacles prevent us from knowing the full blessing of salvation. [04:56]

- Worship is a unique act of bowing down before God, adoring Him for who He is, beyond the blessings He provides. It is distinct from living a life in service to God and is the high watermark of our relationship with Him. [16:08]

- The Bible provides clear instructions on worship, emphasizing that it is God who teaches us how to worship, not human traditions or innovations. We must submit ourselves entirely to the teaching of the Bible concerning worship. [27:44]

- Understanding God as both Spirit and Father enriches our worship. God is omnipresent and not confined to any physical location, yet He is also personal and loving, seeking a relationship with us. This understanding allows us to cast our cares upon Him, knowing He cares for us deeply. [43:31]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Introduction to John 4:13-14
- [00:44] - Essential Christianity
- [01:32] - Grace Upon Grace
- [02:40] - The Question of True Faith
- [03:57] - Hindrances to Fullness
- [05:26] - Spiritual Dullness and Evasiveness
- [06:39] - Wrong Ideas About Worship
- [09:38] - The Essence of True Worship
- [12:03] - Worship vs. Service
- [16:08] - Bowing Before God
- [19:32] - Historical Examples of Worship
- [27:44] - Biblical Instructions on Worship
- [36:07] - True Ideas of God
- [43:31] - God as Spirit and Father

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- John 4:13-14

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Jesus mean when He refers to "living water" in John 4:13-14? How does this concept contrast with the water from the well? [00:28]

2. In the sermon, what are some of the hindrances mentioned that prevent Christians from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ? [04:56]

3. How does the sermon describe the difference between worship and living a life in service to God? [12:03]

4. What does the sermon suggest is the essence of true worship according to the Bible? [16:08]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the concept of "living water" relate to the idea of receiving the fullness of Christ and a life that is ever-growing in grace? [02:06]

2. What role do national and social prejudices play in hindering one's spiritual growth, according to the sermon? How can these be overcome? [04:56]

3. The sermon emphasizes worshiping "in spirit and truth." What does this mean in practical terms for a believer's daily life? [07:42]

4. How does understanding God as both Spirit and Father enrich a believer's worship experience? [43:31]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current understanding of faith. Do you feel you have this "well of water" within you, leading to everlasting life? If not, what steps can you take to deepen your faith? [02:55]

2. Identify any prejudices or misconceptions you might hold that could be hindering your spiritual growth. How can you address these in your life? [04:56]

3. Consider your current worship practices. Are they more focused on rituals and locations, or do they truly reflect worship "in spirit and truth"? How can you shift your focus if needed? [07:42]

4. Think about a recent worship experience. Did it lead you to bow down in awe and adoration of God's majesty? If not, what might have been missing? [16:08]

5. How can you cultivate a deeper understanding of God as both Spirit and Father in your personal prayer and worship time? [43:31]

6. Reflect on a time when you felt overwhelmed by God's presence. What was different about that experience, and how can you seek similar encounters in your spiritual journey? [22:55]

7. How can you ensure that your worship is not just a routine but a genuine act of adoration and submission to God? What changes might you need to make in your approach to worship? [23:12]

Devotional

Day 1: The Fullness of Christ in Our Lives
True Christianity is not about mere intellectual acceptance or fleeting happiness; it is about receiving the fullness of Christ, a life that is ever-growing in grace. This fullness is likened to a well of living water within us, springing up into everlasting life. Many people may find themselves content with a superficial understanding of faith, but the call is to delve deeper into the richness of a life in Christ. This involves a continuous journey of growth and expansion in grace, where the presence of Christ transforms every aspect of our being. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we have this well of water within us, leading to everlasting life. [02:06]

Isaiah 12:3-4 (ESV): "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. And you will say in that day: 'Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.'"

Reflection: What steps can you take today to move beyond a superficial understanding of faith and experience the fullness of Christ in your life?


Day 2: Overcoming Hindrances to Fullness
Many Christians are hindered from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ due to various obstacles such as national and social prejudices, spiritual dullness, evasiveness, and wrong ideas about worship. These hindrances prevent us from knowing the full blessing of salvation. The story of the woman of Samaria illustrates how these barriers can be overcome through an encounter with Jesus. By addressing these issues, we can open ourselves to the transformative power of Christ and experience the abundant life He offers. It is essential to identify and confront these hindrances in our own lives to fully embrace the grace and truth of the Gospel. [04:56]

Ephesians 4:22-24 (ESV): "To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Reflection: Identify one hindrance in your life that prevents you from experiencing the fullness of Christ. How can you address this obstacle with God's help today?


Day 3: Worship in Spirit and Truth
Worship is a unique act of bowing down before God, adoring Him for who He is, beyond the blessings He provides. It is distinct from living a life in service to God and is the high watermark of our relationship with Him. True worship is not about location or ritual but about worshiping in spirit and truth. This involves a deep reverence and awe for God's majesty, recognizing His worthiness of our adoration. Worship is a profound expression of our love and devotion to God, and it is essential to approach it with sincerity and humility. [16:08]

Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV): "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart of true worship today, focusing on adoring God for who He is rather than what He provides?


Day 4: Biblical Instructions on Worship
The Bible provides clear instructions on worship, emphasizing that it is God who teaches us how to worship, not human traditions or innovations. We must submit ourselves entirely to the teaching of the Bible concerning worship. This involves a willingness to set aside personal preferences and cultural practices that may not align with biblical principles. By adhering to the guidance of Scripture, we can ensure that our worship is pleasing to God and reflects His glory. It is crucial to approach worship with a heart that is open to learning and growing in understanding. [27:44]

Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Reflection: Are there any traditions or practices in your worship that may not align with biblical teachings? How can you seek to align your worship more closely with Scripture today?


Day 5: Understanding God as Spirit and Father
Understanding God as both Spirit and Father enriches our worship. God is omnipresent and not confined to any physical location, yet He is also personal and loving, seeking a relationship with us. This dual understanding allows us to cast our cares upon Him, knowing He cares for us deeply. Recognizing God as Spirit helps us to appreciate His infinite nature, while seeing Him as Father reminds us of His intimate involvement in our lives. This understanding transforms our worship, enabling us to approach God with both reverence and trust. [43:31]

2 Corinthians 6:18 (ESV): "And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."

Reflection: How does understanding God as both Spirit and Father change the way you approach Him in prayer and worship today?

Quotes


This is what means to be a Christian that we have within us a well of water springing up into everlasting life that whatever may happen to us we never thirst this is the great offer of the Gospel we are concerned to demonstrate this as we've been concerned to demonstrate the same point in the earlier portions the first three chapters of this gospel. [00:01:00]

True Christianity it isn't merely an intellectual acceptance of Creeds that's included but it doesn't stop at that all that is meant to lead on to this that we receive of his fullness and Grace upon Grace a developing expanding growing glorious life but here our Lord puts it to the woman of some area the same thing in these words. [00:02:08]

Why should we live as popers when we are meant to be princes why should we be in a state of penury when we're meant to enjoy plenty there's nothing more tragic than Christian people who have stayed at the beginning remain children still concerned about the first principles of the gospel of Christ and who know nothing about the exceeding Riches of his grace. [00:03:23]

We are given in a very remarkable manner an account of some of the main hindrances and obstacles to the receiving of this great gift that the Son of God came from Heaven to this world to give us it's extraordinary how it comes out here we've seen a good deal of it already people generally take this in an Evangelistic way that's quite all right. [00:04:20]

The hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and in truth for the father seeketh such to worship him God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth now last Sunday morning we considered the false ideas we all have and have had and perhaps may still have concerning worship. [00:07:46]

The root meaning of the Hebrew word which is translated by The Word Worship in the Old Testament means to bow down to bow down and that is the essence of true worship it means that we bow down in the presence of God this is something that I could illustrate to you at Great length take for instance what we are told in the Ten Commandments. [00:10:00]

The whole life of the Christian should be lived in the service of God but the whole life of the Christian is not worship worship is a very special act our whole life I say should be lived to the glory of God but to say therefore that the whole of one's life is worship is just a confused terms and indeed it is a very dangerous confusion. [00:12:00]

Worship is that it is this bowing down before God himself and being concerned about God himself apart from what he does what he does to us and all the blessings we've had or just because he is God that we fall before him bow before him and worship him adore him now there are many examples of this. [00:16:37]

This is the high Watermark of the whole of our relationship to God and that's the thing about which our Lord is speaking to the woman of Samaria she's got a mechanical Notions in this mountain so many today you can only Worship in a given type of building and ceremonial and ritual and the things we were dealing with last Sunday morning. [00:18:58]

We must submit ourselves entirely to the teaching of the Bible concerning this matter now our Lord puts it like this he turns to the woman and he says ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jew now that's the most important statement from every standpoint what it means in its Essence is this. [00:27:44]

God is Spirit but we can't conceive of that but when I'm told that God is father I know that that eternal spirit is personal personal now you've read that these notorious books that have come out in the last few years that are meditating against the idea that God is personal that's why they don't pray of course and that's why they know nothing about worship. [00:44:08]

God is Spirit but God is my father in and through my blessed Lord and Savior these my dear friends are the preliminary to worship and until we are right about these things we shall know very little about the well of water springing up into everlasting life God grant that this particular hindrance wrong ideas about worship wrong ideas about God. [00:50:14]

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Transcript
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