From Gary... The Last Laugh

Red Skelton on the Ed Sullivan Show

This man was funny- and without dirty jokes.  A humble man, with a sense of humor unequalled in its originality.  When I thought his humor for awhile, I wondered- Does God have a sense of humor?  Well, of course he does!  Just think of all those funny looking animals out there- Kangaroos, Anteaters, Snails, Giraffes, to name just a few.  And not just with animals- remember the episode with Sarah- how she laughed at the prospect of having a child at her advanced age and a year later God had here name her son "Issac", which means he who laughs. Today, some people think they are too smart, or sophisticated to believe in the Bible and those who do are stupid and funny; ridiculous creatures to be pitied. But, like Issac, God has the last laugh on those who think they are above all that "religious stuff".  I remember a passage from the book of 1st Corinthians that fits right in here...

1 Corinthians, Chapter 1

  4  I always thank my God concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus; 5 that in everything you were enriched in him, in all speech and all knowledge;  6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:  7 so that you come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ;  8 who will also confirm you until the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.  10 Now I beg you, brothers, through the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  11 For it has been reported to me concerning you, my brothers, by those who are from Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” “I follow Apollos,” “I follow Cephas,” and, “I follow Christ.”  13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized into the name of Paul?  14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, except Crispus and Gaius,  15 so that no one should say that I had baptized you into my own name.  16 (I also baptized the household of Stephanas; besides them, I don’t know whether I baptized any other.)  17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Good News—not in wisdom of words, so that the cross of Christ wouldn’t be made void.  18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.  19 For it is written, 

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”

  20  Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.  22 For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,  23 but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,  24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.  25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  26 For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble; 27 but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;  28 and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are:  29 that no flesh should boast before God.  30 But of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:  31 that, according as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

Don't make a million dollars a year? Be happy!  Don't have a Rolls Royce sitting in your driveway?  Smile !! Don't have fancy parties with the rich and famous knocking on your door? Be content!!! Why? Because God has chosen the lowly of this world- those who have little in the way of "things" to be open to understand the riches that are in heaven.  And some people will always laugh at you for your beliefs, but God doesn't. Christians may be a joke to some people, but the fact that Jesus died for us is no joke.  Let people laugh - God always wins in the end.  And I can't wait to get to heaven to answer just one more thing that is on my mind- I wonder if God tells jokes???  If so, I bet that they will be funnier than anything Red Skelton could ever dream up!!!!!

From Laura Dayton... RESTORE ONCE MORE LOVING GOD WITH A WHOLE HEART

RESTORE ONCE MORE LOVING GOD WITH A WHOLE HEART

How do we please God? In the previous two articles we looked at two duties of man necessary in order to please our God and be blessed in our walk with Him. Understanding the importance of fearing the Lord is the beginning of gaining wisdom for life. (Proverbs 9:4) The second directive is dedicating ourselves to walking in God’s ways so as to ensure entrance into eternal life with our Father in heaven.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 reveals yet another aspect of pleasing God – LOVING Him with all our hearts. How then do we accomplish this in real life? To answer this question we can look to Scripture to help us. Covenant love with God and others is more a matter of will and decision than it is about how we feel. Faithfulness to those attitudes and actions revealed in Scripture is a key to success.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 outlines how to love God evidenced by how we love others. In fact, scripture says that if we do not know how to love, “we are nothing!” (vs. 2) How do we love? We are to be long-suffering, kind, not envious, not proud and needing to be the center of attention. Love is not rude, isn’t self-seeking, is not easily provoked and does not gossip. Love is not happy to see others fall. Love acts truthfully and bears up, believes, hopes, and endures to the end! Scripture says in 1 John 4:20 a truth concerning loving God. He who loves God, must love his brother! This week, let’s pursue love!

From Bill Dayton... A GIFT FOR OUR SAVIOR

A GIFT FOR OUR SAVIOR

This is a special season in America. It is a time of remembrance, family love, reacquainting ourselves with friends and the giving of gifts. It is a time when the world remembers the birth of the Savior, the greatest gift ever given mankind! As we remember, let’s not forget to praise and thank our God.

As children, we were taught to express appreciation upon receiving a gift or special treat? We were trained to: write a note, give a verbal thank you, show affection, or share our blessings with others. Today, many show little gratitude but rather possess a sense of “entitlement.” This has become a sickness in America’s heart.

The Psalmist David wrote a beautiful reminder for us in the 103^rd Psalm concerning this perspective. Here he encourages us to express to God our appreciation for all His gifts. In verses 1-2 David admonishes us to: “… bless the lord” with our whole being and never forget all His benefits. To bless the Lord is to call Him holy, to state our love and gratitude, to worship, praise and celebrate His utter perfection. To bless the Lord is to speak well of Him and tell others of His mercy and goodness.

 In verses 3-5 David enumerates God glorious benefits: He heals, redeems, crowns, and satisfies His people. As we remember Jesus during this lovely time of year, let’s not forget to BLESS THE LORD make a new resolution toNEVER FORGET all His benefit!  

From Jim McGuiggan... God doesn't WANT to forgive

God doesn't WANT to forgive

Mark 4:10-12 has the apostles asking Jesus about his parables and he says, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, 'They may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.' "

What are we to make of that? The surface and shallow reading of the text would say that Jesus didn't want them to repent because he didn't want them to be forgiven and that's why he taught in parables. There are those who take just that view and don't mind saying so. Their claim is that before he created humankind God determined that the entire human family (after Adam) would be born morally and spiritually blind and deaf and incapable of turning to God. Out of the entire human family, we're told, God decreed that he would work a moral miracle on a tiny minority and not only would they be able to turn to God they would be unable to resist turning to God. The rest would remain morally and spiritually incapable of wanting to repent and therefore incapable of wanting to be forgiven. This text is used to support that awful doctrine.

Whatever else we are to say about that doctrine and how it uses this text, at least we have a clear picture: God doesn't want these people to repent because he doesn't want to forgive them. Make up your mind to this: the doctrine insists that before he made them God ordained them to be sinners and didn't want them to turn from sin because he didn't want to forgive them!

But if the doctrine were true Jesus would be making no sense. On a sheerly surface reading Jesus thinks his teaching in parables is what disables these outsiders. If the above doctrine were true, even if Jesus had spelled out the truth in baby-language with full explanation for every phrase, these people still couldn't have heard him because God ordained them incapable of it even before he made them. Jesus might as well have been talking to a stone wall. Parables or no parables they were born incapable of receiving truth and they were born that way because God purposed before he created them that they would be born that way.

The OT text Jesus works with here is Isaiah 6:9-10 and it is addressed to a nation that has chosen its treachery and its wickedness and has no intention of turning from it. 6:9 is laced with irony and we know that because God is commanding them to sin! God is commanding them to sin! [The speech is in command form—J.A Alexander.] Jesus in Matthew 23:32 scathes the worst kind of Pharisees and says, "Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers." On the surface we have Jesus ordering these men to sin (he uses an imperative) when it's clear that no such thing is happening. He knows what they will do because he knows them and though it saddens him without limit (23:37) he says to them, "Well, get on with it then!" God commands no man to sin! James won't even allow us to believe that God tempts men to sin (James 1:13) so you know Isaiah 6:9 is God speaking to a people bent on wickedness and he's saying something like, "Go ahead! Ruin yourself!"

When Zechariah sums up the past history of his people under the prophets before the fall of Jerusalem he says they stubbornly stopped their ears and hardened their hearts and wouldn't listen (Zechariah 7:7-11).

There is nothing in these texts (Mark 4 or Isaiah 6) about eternal reprobation and election for they are both dealing with people who havechosen to reject the word of God that called them to obedience. It's the case that when God sends a word to a sinner or a sinful people to repent or to obey in some matter that God knows how they will react and yet he sends the command. In sending the command God provokes a moral crisis in the one to whom the command is sent and for that reason the result is laid at God's feet. "Let my people go!" he said to Pharaoh even though he knew Pharaoh would refuse. But Pharaoh's refusal was Pharaoh's choice and not God's choice for Pharaoh. God has the sovereign and moral right to demand that Pharaoh obey even though he knows Pharaoh will refuse and that God will use his refusal to serves his own good purposes.

But no case of hardening in scripture refers to a pre-creation purpose of God. Hardening has nothing to do with eternal reprobation and election. God hardens only sinful nations or individuals that have already freely chosen to be sinful.

Every good gift comes from the Holy Father and those who are blessed with faithful hearts have been blessed by him and all who those who hear the gospel of the kingdom and are "outside" are "outside" because they would have it so and not because God doesn't want to forgive them!

Notice in Mark 4:11 that Jesus said to those on the outside "everything is said in parables." The fact is that that wasn't literally the case—you only have to read the Gospels to see he wasn't speaking literally. He might well have been saying, "With hearts like theirs even plain speech isn't clear."

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Eternal torture and courtesy

Eternal torture and courtesy

Central facets of the debate between Calvinists and non-Calvinists revolve around this question: Would God create multiplied billions of his creatures only to glorify himself by subjecting them to eternal conscious torture? Consistent Calvinists like Pink, Clark, Piper, Owen and Calvin himself insist that God not only would do it—he has done it! Click.

Calvin thought that such a divine decree was “horrible” though he accepted it as God’s decree. Still, realizing just how profoundly shocking it is he effectively argues that since God decreed it, it must be a righteous decree though we have no way of knowing how it can be, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 3.23.2. Besides, he reminds us, we have no right to question God for we’re merely pots and pans and God’s the potter (quoting Paul in Romans 9, supposing that Paul’s agenda there was the same as his own).

Unlike my speech in this area which is rarely measured—I think the doctrine is degenerate and God-dishonouring—Ben Witherington wrote a good-spirited but plainly worded protest against the doctrine. I judge it was right on target but what struck me was that one of the respondents was hurt by how he saw the tone of the piece and accused Witherington of being discourteous. I’ve read that kind of response more than once and I have to say it astonishes me.

These don’t bat an eye at a God who consigned billions to eternal conscious torture independent of any behaviour on their part (they say this on the basis of their interpretation of scripture) but they’re all exercised at whatthey judge to be discourtesy and lack of respect.

Someone who feels passionately opposed to that Calvinistic caricature of God who has shown himself in and as Jesus Christ must tip-toe around while he expresses his profound objections? Before the face of the world God is made to look worse than the Mephistopheles of Bertrand Russell’s imagination and consistent Calvinists are upset about matters of “courtesy” and “scholarly respect”? The God pictured by consistent Calvinists because it pleases him to do so creates billions of his children for no other destiny than to be hell-fodder so that he might be glorified (3.23.6) and we’re to worry about the niceties of how we talk about it (3.23.1, 3, 4)?

These people tell us that billions of our fellow-creatures, babies included (3.23.7), utterly independent of anything they think or choose or do (3.23) are to burn eternally in conscious torture to please and glorify God and we’re urged to keep a civil tongue in our heads?

Does that not startle you?

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Jim McGuiggan... Created for eternal damnation

Created for eternal damnation

‘It was God’s eternal intention to save sinners by bringing them into a living union with Jesus Christ. God himself would take the initiative. By the sacrifice of himself (in the Son) he would provide the basis on which the ungodly could be justified. By God’s eternally offered grace, sinners would trust the complete work of Jesus Christ. God’s eternal intention is to save people through deeds he eternally ordained for his Son, Jesus Christ. That eternal intention is proclaimed to us in a foreordained message. Sinners are saved through the foreordained Christ (Acts 2:23, 1 Peter 1:19-20), by a foreordained gospel message (1 Corinthians 1:21) in order that they should live a foreordained way of life (Ephesians 2:10) and they are said to be a foreordained community of brothers and sisters (Romans 8:29-30) who bear the image of the Christ.

Compare what you’ve just read with this by John Calvin. "Not all men are created with a similar destiny but eternal life is foreordained for some, and eternal damnation for others. Every man, therefore, being created for one or the other of these ends, we say, he is predestinated either to life or death." (Institutes, Book 3.23.) Calvin himself thought this to be a "horrible decree."

It wouldn't be so bad if Calvin allowed us to believe that God destined billions for eternal torture on the basis of what he foresaw them doing; if he had, so to speak, looked ahead and seen that these billions would freely choose terrible wickedness and in light of that he pronounced them damned to eternal torture. Not a bit of it! Calvin won't allow that. In 3.23.6 he says, "If God merely foresaw human events, and did not arrange and dispose of them as his pleasure, there might be room for agitating the question, how far his foreknowledge amounts to necessity; but since he foresees the things which are to happen, simply because he has decreed that they are to happen, it is vain to debate about prescience, while it is clear that all events take place by his sovereign appointment."

[This is the doctrine that modern hardline Calvinists defend though they are not as up-front as Calvin.]

We cannot look at Christ who embodied and proclaimed the will and character of God and talk of God "having the right" to do what he wills with his creation! We cannot call tyranny and sadism "glorious" even if it should happen to be "divine" tyranny and sadism. God has spoken of the death of the unrighteous and says he finds no pleasure in it (Ezekiel 18:23,32). His "glory" involves his love for the whole world (John 3:16-17)  for whom he sent Christ as a sacrificial offering (1 John 2:2).’

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Light Of The World (Jn.8:12)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                     The Light Of The World (8:12)

INTRODUCTION

1. The gospel of John records at least seven remarkable claims by
   Jesus...
   a. "I am the bread of life" - Jn 6:48
   b. "I am the light of the world" - Jn 8:12
   c. "I am the door" - Jn 10:9
   d. "I am the good shepherd" - Jn 10:11
   e. "I am the resurrection and the life" - Jn 11:25
   f. "I am the way, the truth, and the life" - Jn 14:6
   g. "I am the vine" - Jn 15:5

2. In making such statements, Jesus reveals much...
   a. About the world around us, and the lives we live
   b. About Himself, and what He has to offer to us

3. In this study, we will focus our attention on His claim to be "The
   Light Of The World"...
   a. As recorded in Jn 8:12... "I am the light of the world. He who
      follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of
      life."
   b. Made by Jesus in the treasury of the temple (part of the Court of
      Women) - cf. Jn 8:20
   c. In which there were "two colossal golden lamp stands, on which
      hung a multitude of lamps, lighted after the evening sacrifice
      (probably every evening during the feast of tabernacles),
      diffusing their brilliancy, it is said, over all the city"
      - Jameison, Fausset, and Brown

[As we examine the words of Jesus, we notice what is implied about the
world in which we live...]

I. THERE IS DARKNESS IN THE WORLD

   A. THE SYMBOLISM OF DARKNESS...
      1. Used metaphorically to symbolize distress, mourning,
         perplexity, ignorance and death - Isa 9:1-2; Job 5:14; 12:
         24-25; 10:21; 17:13
      2. Used figuratively of moral depravity - cf. Jn 3:19; Ro 13:
         12-13; Ep 5:11

   B. THE REALITY OF DARKNESS...
      1. Seen in the news (terrorism, war, oppression, sexual abuse,
         greed)
      2. Viewed in the media (pornography, filthy language)
      3. Experienced in life (adultery, physical and verbal abuse, false
         religions)
      4. As described by the apostle Paul, many walk in darkness...
         - cf. Ep 4:17-19
         a. In the futility of their minds
         b. Darkened in their understanding
         c. Alienated from the life of God
         d. Ignorant because of the blindness of their heart
         e. Past feeling, given over to lewdness
         f. Working all uncleanness with greediness

[While there may be varying degrees of darkness in which people find
themselves, if they live in the world they must contend with darkness.
To those in darkness, Jesus offers hope...]

II. JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

   A. HE IS THE LIGHT...
      1. A claim made elsewhere in the gospel
         a. In the prologue - Jn 1:4-9
         b. By Jesus on other occasions - Jn 9:5; 12:35,46
      2. He is the light, not a light
         a. Indicating that He alone provides the true light
         b. Even as He alone provides the true and living way - cf. Jn 14:6
      3. As the light, Jesus is the source of life - Jn 8:12c
         a. The abundant life (with peace, joy, love) - Jn 10:10; cf. 

            Jn 14:27; 15:10,11
         b. The eternal life (including the resurrection) - Jn 11:25;
            17:2
      4. We must be wary of those who proclaim to offer "light"
         a. Some may be servants of Satan - cf. 2Co 11:13-15
         b. At best, one can only reflect what light Jesus has already
            bestowed

   B. OF THE WORLD...
      1. Not for the Jews only, but for Gentiles (the nations) as well
         a. As foretold by the prophets - cf. Isa 49:6; 60:1-3
         b. As commanded of His apostles - cf. Ac 26:15-18
      2. Available to all who believe, not an elect few
         a. To everyone who believes in Jesus - Jn 12:46
         b. To those who follow Jesus - Jn 8:12b

[How wonderful to know that in a world of darkness, we can have the
light of life through Jesus Christ, the light of the world!  Yet we
should reiterate that He is truly the light...]

III. FOR THOSE WHO FOLLOW HIM

   A. BY BECOMING HIS DISCIPLE...
      1. Note the connection between following Jesus and being a
         disciple
         a. The word "disciple" means a follower, a learner
         b. Only those who follow Him will have the light of life
         c. Therefore only those who become His disciples will walk in
            His light
      2. How one becomes a disciple (or follower) of Jesus
         a. It begins with faith - Jn 12:46
         b. It includes baptism - cf. Mt 28:19-20; Mk 16:16

   B. BY ABIDING IN HIS WORD...
      1. Only by abiding in His Word...
         a. Are we truly His disciples (followers) - Jn 8:31
         b. Do we truly have Christ - cf. 2Jn 9
      2. As we abide in His words, we not only walk in light, we become
         light!
         a. Reflecting the light of Christ - cf. Php 2:15-16
         b. Proving what is acceptable, exposing that which is not - cf.
            Ep 5:8-14
         c. The light of the world, bringing glory to our Father in
            heaven - cf. Mt 5:14-16

CONCLUSION

1. Are you confused, stumbling in a morass of darkness, making a mess of
   your life...?
   a. Come to Jesus, the light of the world
   b. Follow Him, who will give you the light of life

2. You can become a light to others walking in darkness...
   a. As you reflect the light of Christ in your own life
   b. As you abide in His teachings, and follow His doctrine

In a world of darkness, let us walk in the light of Him who leads us to
both the abundant life and eternal life...!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

From Mark Copeland... The Promise Of The Spirit (Jn.7:37-39)

                          "THE GOSPEL OF JOHN"

                  The Promise Of The Spirit (7:37-39)

INTRODUCTION

1. During the Feast Of Tabernacles, there was a daily ceremony involving
   water...
   a. Each day, the priests and the people would joyfully make their way
      to the pool of Siloam
   b. Using a golden pitcher, water was drawn, taken back to the temple,
      and poured on the altar of burnt offering
   c. The words of Isa 12:3 were then sung:  "Therefore with joy you
      will draw water from the wells of salvation."

2. On such an occasion Jesus used the opportunity to extend a wonderful
   promise...
   a. Inviting those who thirst to come to Him and drink - Jn 7:37
   b. Those who believe in Him will have "rivers of living water" flow
      from their hearts - Jn 7:38

3. The apostle John explains that this promise concerns the Holy
   Spirit... - Jn 7:39
   a. Whom those who believe would receive
   b. Who had not yet been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified

[What else might we glean from the Scriptures concerning this promise of
the Spirit?  Let's first take a closer look at...]

I. THE NATURE OF THE PROMISE

   A. FROM THE TEXT...
      1. A promise foretold by the Scriptures - Jn 7:38; cf. Isa 44:3;
         58:11
         a. "The reference is not to any single passage, but to the
            spirit of the Scripture, notably such passages as Isa 55:1;
            58:11; Ps 36:8-9." - B. W. Johnson
         b. "...referring not to any particular passage, but to such as
            Isa 58:11; Joel 3:18; Zec 14:8; Ezek 47:1-12; in most of
            which the idea is that of waters issuing from beneath the
            temple, to which our Lord compares Himself and those who
            believe in Him." - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
      2. A promise that makes one a blessing to others - Jn 7:38
         a. "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water"
         b. "When a man turns himself to the Lord, he shall be as a
            fountain filled with living water, and his streams shall
            flow to all the nations and tribes of men" - Kuinoel
         c. "...those who are Christians shall diffuse large, and
            liberal, and constant blessings on their fellowmen" - Barnes
      3. A promise offered to believers - Jn 7:39
         a. Not to those who have yet to believe
         b. Which is why I do not believe it refers to the ministry of
            the Spirit through the Word alone, for such occurs even on
            those who do not believe - e.g., Jn 16:8
         c. Note this observation by Robert Milligan:
            1) "He manifestly refers in this passage to something which
               had hitherto been enjoyed by no one, and which could be
               enjoyed by none until after that he himself was
               glorified." - Robert Milligan, Scheme of Redemption,
               p.283
            2) "This, it would seem, could not have reference to the
               mediate agency of the Spirit, through the written word
               and the ordinary workings of God's providence; for
               through these media the Spirit had always operated on the
               minds of both Jews and Patriarchs." - ibid.
            3) "Christ is speaking here of what is peculiar to his own
               personal reign and administration." - ibid.
      4. A promise extended to all believers - Jn 7:39
         a. Not just to select disciples with special tasks, such as
            apostles and prophets
         b. Which is why I do not believe it refers to miraculous
            manifestations of the Spirit, such as the gifts of the
            Spirit, for not all Christians had such; note also:
            1) This promise of the Spirit had not yet been given
            2) Yet miraculous manifestations of the Spirit had been
               experienced prior to the glorification of Jesus - e.g.,
               Lk 1:41,67
      5. A promise given after Jesus was "glorified" - Jn 7:39
         a. I.e., after His resurrection and ascension to heaven
         b. "The first and second chapters of the Book of Acts is the
            best comment upon this passage. When Jesus ascended to the
            right hand of the Father and was glorified, he sent forth
            the Spirit upon his apostles on the day of Pentecost, and
            the apostles in turn promised the gift of the Spirit to all
            who would believe, repent, and be baptized." - J. W.
            McGarvey (Fourfold Gospel)

   B. FROM OTHER TEXTS...
      1. We conclude that it refers to the gift of the Holy Spirit
         a. Promised to all who repent and are baptized - cf. Ac 2:38-39
         b. Given to all who obey - cf. Ac 5:32
         c. Imbibed by all who are baptized - cf. 1Co 12:13
         d. Sent into our hearts because we are God's children - cf. Ga 4:6
      2. We conclude that it refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
         a. Who indwells all that belong to Christ - cf. Ro 8:9-10
         b. Making their bodies a temple of the Spirit - cf. 1Co 6:19

[That this promise refers to the gift or indwelling of the Spirit given
to all Christians becomes more apparent as we now focus our attention
on...]

II. THE BLESSINGS OF THE PROMISE

   A. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT...
      1. Remember what Jesus said of those who receive the Spirit - Jn 7:38
         a. "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water"
         b. I.e., they will become a blessing to others; note again:
            1) "When a man turns himself to the Lord, he shall be as a
               fountain filled with living water, and his streams shall
               flow to all the nations and tribes of men" - Kuinoel
            2) "...those who are Christians shall diffuse large, and
               liberal, and constant blessings on their fellowmen"
               - Barnes
      2. Especially when they bear the fruit of the Spirit in their
         lives- Ga 5:22-23
         a. Such as love, joy, peace
         b. Such as longsuffering, kindness, goodness
         c. Such as gentleness, faithfulness, self-control
      -- Bearing such fruit of the Spirit, they bless the lives of
         others!

   B. THE AID OF THE SPIRIT...
      1. The fruit of the Spirit becomes possible with the aid of the
         Spirit
         a. Who helps us to put to death the deeds of the body - Ro 8:
            12-13; cf. Col 3:5-8
         b. Who enables us to be filled with joy and peace, abounding in
            hope - Ro 15:13
      2. For the Spirit is God's instrumental agent to strengthen the
         Christian
         a. Strengthening with might through the Spirit in the inner man
            - Ep 3:16
         b. With a power working in us - Ep 3:20
   -- We are able to be a blessing to others, with the aid of the Spirit
      working in us!

[Jesus therefore offers us the opportunity to be blessed by the Spirit's
indwelling, so we can be useful in blessing the lives of those around
us.  But to ensure that we receive this blessing of the Spirit, let's be
careful to consider...]

III. THE RECEPTION OF THE PROMISE

   A. GIVEN TO THOSE WHO OBEY...
      1. By believing in Jesus Christ
         a. The need to believe emphasized twice in our text - Jn 7:
            38-39
         b. For faith is necessary to receive "life in His name" - cf.
            Jn 20:31
      2. By repenting of our sins
         a. The gift of the Spirit promised to those who repent - Ac 2:
            38-39
         b. Those who repent will experience "times of refreshing" (what
            could be more refreshing than "rivers of living water"?)
            - cf. Ac 3:19
      3. By being baptized for the remission of our sins
         a. Those baptized are promised the gift of the Spirit - Ac 2:
            38-39
         b. They are made to drink into one Spirit - cf. 1Co 12:13
      -- As Peter put it, God gives the Holy Spirit to those who obey
         Him - Ac 5:32

   B. EXPERIENCED BY THOSE WHO GROW...
      1. By singing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs
         a. We are to be filled with the Spirit - Ep 5:18
         b. Which we can do by singing - Ep 5:19
      2. By studying the Word of God
         a. Which is the sword of the Spirit - Ep 6:17
         b. The means by which the Spirit teaches and instructs the
            Christian, for it contains the revelation of God given by
            the Spirit to inspired men who wrote it for our benefit- cf.
            1Co 2:9-13; Ep 3:5-7
      3. By praying, making requests regarding the Spirit
         a. That God would fill one with all joy and peace in believing,
            abounding in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit - Ro 15:13
         b. That God would strengthen one with might through His Spirit
            in the inner man - Ep 3:16
      4. By turning away from sin
         a. Lest they grieve the Spirit - cf. Ep 4:29-31
         b. Lest they quench the Spirit - cf. 1Th 5:19

CONCLUSION

1. What a wonderful promise Jesus offers in our text...
   a. The Holy Spirit to those who believe in Him
   b. A refreshing drink that can become rivers of living water
      1) First refreshing our souls
      2) Then refreshing the souls around us by His impact on our lives

2. How sad if we quench the Spirit Who is intended to quench our
   thirst...
   a. By failing to obey the Lord
   b. By failing to grow in the Lord

May our attitude and heart's felt desire be similar to that of the
Samaritan woman, when Jesus spoke to her at Jacob's well...

   "Jesus answered and said to her, 'Whoever drinks of this water
   will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall
   give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him
   will become in him a fountain of water springing up into
   everlasting life.' The woman said to Him, 'Sir, give me this
   water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.'" (Jn 4:13-15)

Are you willing to say to Jesus, "Sir, give me this water, that I may
not thirst" by coming to Him in faithful obedience...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011