Because of Jesus, you were made right with God. That means there’s no mess or mistake big enough to keep you from His mercy!
THANK YOU, FATHER.
WE BLESS THE NAME
OF JESUS, AMEN?
I WAS AT THE WORTHAM CENTER,
WATCHING A THEATRICAL PLAY
WITH ABOUT FIVE
OF MY FRIENDS.
WE HAD DECIDED TO GO
KIND OF AT THE LAST MINUTE,
AND OUR SEATS WERE WAY
BACK IN THE BACK.
THEY WEREN’T GOOD SEATS AT
ALL, SO THERE WAS FIVE OF US
IN BAD SEATS WITH ONE PAIR
OF BINOCULARS.
YEAH, THAT’S
REALLY INTERESTING.
ONE PAIR OF BINOCULARS
AMONG FIVE PEOPLE, YEAH.
I CAN REMEMBER WATCHING
THE PLAY, AND I FELT SO
DISCONNECTED FROM THE STORY
BECAUSE I REALLY COULDN’T SEE
THE STAGE WELL ENOUGH,
AND I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’RE
OVER 40 IN HERE TODAY,
BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU
CAN’T SEE, YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU CAN’T HEAR.
SO I WAS WAITING AND WAITING
AND WAITING FOR THOSE
BINOCULARS TO MAKE THEIR WAY
INTO MY HANDS,
AND WHEN THEY FINALLY DID,
I WAS SO EXCITED.
I PULLED THOSE BINOCULARS UP
TO MY FACE AND FOCUSED IN
ON THE STAGE,
AND IT WAS AMAZING.
I COULD SEE THE EXPRESSION
ON THE ACTORS’ FACES.
I COULD HEAR SO WELL.
IN FACT, I FELT LIKE I WAS ON
THE STAGE WITH THEM
AND PART OF THE STORY.
YOU SEE, MY PERSPECTIVE HAD
TOTALLY CHANGED BECAUSE
THE DISTANCE BETWEEN MY SEAT
AND THE STAGE WAS CLOSED.
SEE, ONCE WHICH WAS FAR AWAY
BECAME NEAR TO ME.
EPHESIANS 2:13 SAYS THIS:
“IN CHRIST, YOU WHO
WERE ONCE FAR AWAY
HAVE BEEN BROUGHT NEAR
BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS.”
YOU SEE, WE’VE ALL BEEN
FAR AWAY FROM GOD.
WE’VE ALL EXPERIENCED
BAD SEATS, SO TO SPEAK,
BUT CAN I TELL YOU THIS,
THAT THROUGH THE BINOCULARS
OF JESUS CHRIST,
GOD HAS DRAWN US
NEAR TO HIM?
HE HAS CLOSED THE GAP BETWEEN
GOD THE FATHER AND US
THROUGH THE BINOCULARS
OF JESUS CHRIST.
SEE, GOD IS AN UP CLOSE
AND PERSONAL GOD TODAY,
AND HE WANTS TO DRAW
YOU UNTO HIMSELF.
HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT
THERE DOESN’T HAVE TO BE
DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU.
HE WANTS YOU TO KNOW TODAY
THAT THERE MAY BE 7 BILLION
PEOPLE ON THIS PLANET,
AND IT’S EASY TO THINK, “GOD,
OUT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE,
HOW DO YOU SEE
LITTLE OLD ME?
YOU’VE HEARD MY PRAYERS, GOD.
I FEEL LIKE THINGS AREN’T
CHANGING QUICK ENOUGH.
I’M STILL IN THIS SITUATION.
GOD, HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN,
OR CAN YOU EVEN SEE ME?”
WE’VE ALL HAD THOSE THOUGHTS.
WE’VE ALL FELT THAT DOUBT,
BUT THAT DOESN’T STOP GOD.
THAT DOESN’T CHASE GOD OFF.
GOD IS RIGHT THERE WITH US.
HE IS IN OUR STORY.
HE IS ON OUR STAGE.
WE’VE JUST GOT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT HE’S AS CLOSE
AS THE VERY BREATH
THAT WE BREATHE,
AND THAT THE DISTANCE
BETWEEN US HAS BEEN CLOSED
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
YOU SEE, SOME PEOPLE THINK
THAT THEY NEED TO CHANGE
THEIR LIFE BEFORE THEY CAN
DRAW NEAR TO GOD.
THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP
A FEW THINGS.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES
JUST THE WAY WE LIVE
OUR LIFE MAKES US FEEL
DISTANT FROM ALMIGHTY GOD,
BUT CAN I TELL YOU TODAY
THAT YOU CAN’T CLEAN
YOUR OWN LIFE UP?
YOU CAN’T BRING
THE CHANGE THAT GOD WANTS
TO BRING IN YOUR LIFE
UNTIL YOU REALIZE
HE’S RIGHT THERE WITH YOU,
AND YOU ACCEPT HIM INTO YOUR
LIFE, AND YOU GO TO HIM DAILY
BECAUSE IT’S GOD WHO WORKS
IN US AND THROUGH US.
YOU SEE, THE GAP
HAS BEEN CLOSED.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT GOD
CANNOT DO FOR YOU
THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.
THERE’S NO MESS THAT YOU MADE
THAT HE CAN’T HELP YOU
CLEAN UP.
THERE’S NOTHING ON THE INSIDE
OF YOU THAT WOULD MAKE YOU
DISTANT FROM GOD.
YOU SEE, HE LOVES YOU
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE.
IN FACT, THE BIBLE SAYS,
“WHEN WE WERE STILL SINNERS,
WE WERE FAR AWAY BECAUSE
THAT GAP WAS FULL OF SIN.
HE CAME TO US THROUGH
JESUS CHRIST.”
HE CAME TO US.
WE DIDN’T COME TO HIM.
TODAY, HE’S WITH YOU.
HE’S DRAWING YOU.
DON’T LET ANYTHING STAND
BETWEEN YOU AND GOD
THE FATHER.
HE WANTS A RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOU TODAY.
IT’S AS EASY AS THAT.
EVERY SINGLE DAY, NO MATTER
WHAT WE’RE CARRYING,
NO MATTER WHAT WE FEEL,
NO MATTER WHAT WE DID,
HE STILL WANTS A RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOU.
THERE’S A BEAUTIFUL STORY
IN JOHN 4.
JESUS WAS COMING FROM JUDEA
HEADING TO GALILEE WITH
HIS DISCIPLES.
HE SAID, “I HAVE NEED
TO GO TO SAMARIA.”
NOW, SAMARIA WAS
ON THE WAY TO GALILEE,
BUT JEWISH PEOPLE
NEVER GO THROUGH SAMARIA.
IN FACT, THEY WOULD TAKE
THE LONG WAY AROUND
JUST TO AVOID GOING
THROUGH SAMARIA
BECAUSE JEWS AND SAMARITANS
DIDN’T LIKE EACH OTHER.
THEY DIDN’T MIX,
BUT HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLE,
“I HAVE TO BREAK PROTOCOL.
I HAVE TO BREAK THE RULES.
I NEED TO GO TO SAMARIA.”
HE NEEDED TO GO TO SAMARIA
BECAUSE HE HAD AN APPOINTMENT
WITH A WOMAN AT THE WELL.
THE WOMAN CAME
WITH HER WATERING JAR.
THAT’S WHERE ALL THE WOMEN
CAME TO COLLECT WATER
FOR THEIR DAILY NEEDS.
SHE CAME WITH HER
WATERING JAR.
SHE THOUGHT IT WAS JUST
A NORMAL DAY.
SHE DID NOT REALIZE THAT
SHE HAD AN APPOINTMENT
WITH LIVING WATER.
SHE GOT THERE THAT DAY WITH
AN EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE.
HAVE YOU EVER HAD
AN EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE?
“I’M JUST GOING TO WORK.”
“I’M TAKING MY KIDS
TO SCHOOL.”
“I’M DOING THE DISHES.”
“I’M RUNNING MY ERRANDS.”
SHE CAME THAT DAY WITH
AN EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE.
SHE DIDN’T REALIZE SHE
WAS GOING TO LEAVE WITH
A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE.
YOU SEE, JESUS DREW HER
UNTO HIMSELF.
SHE THOUGHT SHE WAS
JUST DRAWING WATER,
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE
A TEMPORARY FIX FOR
THE DAY, BUT HE OFFERED
HER SOMETHING GREATER
THAN THAT.
HE OFFERED HER LIVING WATER.
SO SHE GOT A LITTLE CLOSER
TO HIM.
NOW, YOU HAVE TO REALIZE,
THIS WOMAN CAME
TO THE WELL AT NOON,
AND THE STORY IS THIS.
SHE WANTED TO AVOID
THE OTHER WOMEN
THAT CAME IN THE MORNING
AT THE COOL OF THE DAY,
SO SHE SAID, “I DON’T CARE
IF IT’S HOT.
I WANT TO GET IN,
AND I WANT TO GET OUT.
I WANT TO AVOID THE WOMEN
AT THE WELL.
I WANT TO STAY TO MYSELF.
I WANT TO STAY ISOLATED.”
YOU SEE, THE ENEMY
WANTS US TO BE ISOLATED,
BUT JESUS SAID,
“YOU DON’T HAVE
TO BE ISOLATED.
I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU
THIS GIFT OF LIVING WATER,”
AND AS THEY BEGIN
TO HAVE A CONVERSATION,
HE SAID TO HER,
“GO GET YOUR HUSBAND.”
SHE PAUSED AND SHE SAID,
“I DON’T HAVE A HUSBAND,”
AND HE SAID,
“THAT’S THE TRUTH.”
HE SAID, “YOU’VE HAD FIVE
HUSBANDS, AND THE MAN
THAT YOU’RE WITH NOW
IS NOT YOUR HUSBAND.”
WELL, THAT REALLY GOT HER
ATTENTION BECAUSE SHE’S
THINKING, “THIS GUY
KNOWS ALL ABOUT ME,
AND HE’S STILL TALKING TO ME.
HEY, THERE’S PEOPLE THAT
THINK A LOT OF THINGS ABOUT
ME, AND THEY WON’T TALK
TO ME, BUT THIS GUY
KNOWS THE TRUTH,
AND HE STILL WANTS TO HAVE
A CONVERSATION WITH ME?
HE STILL WANTS TO GIVE ME
THIS LIVING WATER?”
BECAUSE, SEE, SHE THOUGHT
HE WAS GOING TO SAY, “OH,
YOU DON’T HAVE A HUSBAND?
MM-HMM, I KNOW,
FORGET THE LIVING WATER.
YOU DON’T DESERVE
THE LIVING WATER.
YOU’RE NOT LIVING RIGHT.
ONLY PERFECT PEOPLE DESERVE
THE LIVING WATER.”
BUT JESUS SAID, “WHEN YOU
DRINK FROM THIS WATER,
FROM THIS FOUNTAIN,
YOU’LL NEVER THIRST AGAIN.”
YOU SEE, HE WAS GIVING HER
A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE.
SHE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND
ALL OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING,
BUT SHE CERTAINLY
GOT TO KNOW HIM A LITTLE
BETTER AND REALIZE,
“THIS MAN IS DIFFERENT.
THIS MAN IS DRAWING ME
UNTO HIMSELF.
THIS MAN IS
BREAKING PROTOCOL.
THIS MAN IS OFFERING ME
LIVING WATER.”
DO YOU KNOW WHAT I LOVE
ABOUT THIS MAN, JESUS?
WE CAN COME TO HIM
JUST LIKE WE ARE.
YOU SEE, HE HAD A NEED
TO GO TO THIS WOMAN,
AND HE BROKE PROTOCOL
TO GET TO HER.
JESUS HAS A NEED
TO GET TO YOU.
HE IS OFFERING YOU LIVING
WATER, BUT ALL WE HAVE
TO DO IS SAY YES
AND DRINK THAT WATER.
YOU SEE, SHE CAME TO THE
REALIZATION THAT THIS WAS
THE MESSIAH OFFERING
HER SALVATION.
HER PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT
THE MESSIAH FOR YEARS.
SHE LITERALLY LEFT THERE
AND RAN TO THE TOWN SQUARE,
THE PEOPLE SHE WAS TRYING
TO AVOID, GOT RIGHT IN THE
MIDDLE OF THEM, AND STARTED
SAYING, “COME MEET A MAN THAT
KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT ME,
AND HE STILL LIKES ME.
IN FACT, HE LOVES ME.
YOU’VE GOT TO COME SEE
THIS MAN.
MIGHT HE BE THE MESSIAH
BECAUSE HE SURE
ISN’T LIKE YOU?”
YOU SEE, THE BIBLE GOES
ON ABOUT JESUS TALKING
ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WILL BE
WORSHIPERS, WORSHIPERS
IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
THAT’S WHO GOD IS SEEKING,
AND WHAT I WANT US TO SEE
TODAY, THAT GOD IS LOOKING
AT US THROUGH HIS BINOCULARS
OF JESUS.
THE DISTANCE THAT WAS ONCE
THERE, HE’S BROUGHT US CLOSE.
HE HASN’T BROUGHT US CLOSE
BECAUSE WE’RE PERFECT,
BECAUSE WE DO
EVERYTHING RIGHT.
HE’S LOOKING FOR PEOPLE
WHO WILL WORSHIP HIM
IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
WHEN SHE SPOKE TRUTH TO HIM,
HE SAID, “THAT’S RIGHT,”
AND THEN SHE CONTINUED
TO WORSHIP HIM.
SHE CONTINUED TO GET CLOSE
TO HIM BECAUSE SHE
DIDN’T FEEL JUDGEMENT.
SHE DIDN’T FEEL CONDEMNED,
AND HE SAID, “THESE ARE
THE PEOPLE I’M LOOKING FOR,
PEOPLE THAT’LL DRAW CLOSE
TO ME IN ALL OF THE TRUTH OF
WHO THEY ARE, PEOPLE WHO WILL
TAKE THIS LIVING WATER
AND LET IT QUENCH THEM
EVERY SINGLE DAY.”
SEE, THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
“WE ARE TO WORK OUT
OUR SALVATION.”
SEE, WHEN YOU SAY YES
TO JESUS, YOU MAY BE SAVED,
BUT YOU’VE GOT SOME JUNK
IN YOU THAT NEEDS
TO BE WORKED OUT,
AND GOD IS SAYING,
“THIS LIVING WATER
IS AVAILABLE TO YOU
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO RUN
FROM ME.
YOU CAN RUN TO ME.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO TRY
TO QUENCH YOUR THIRST
BY GOING TO OTHER PEOPLE,
BY BAD HABITS,
BY THINGS OF THIS WORLD
HAS TO OFFER.
COME TO ME AND LET
THE LIVING WATER,
WHICH WILL BUBBLE UP
OUT OF YOU BE THE POOL
OF REFRESHING FOR YOU,
FOR YOUR THIRSTY SOUL.”
LISTEN, IF YOU’VE BEEN IN
THIS WORLD LONG ENOUGH,
YOU REALIZE YOU CAN GET
THIRSTY MIGHTY QUICK.
LISTEN, THERE’S A LOT
OF THIRST GOING ON,
BUT JESUS SAID,
“WHEN YOU DRINK
FROM THIS LIVING WATER,
IT WILL BE
A CONTINUAL SPRING.
IT WILL WASH YOU.
IT WILL WASH AWAY THE DESIRES
THAT YOU REALLY DON’T WANT
ANYMORE ANYWAY.”
BUT YOU’VE GOT TO BE
THAT PERSON WHO IS WILLING
TO WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT,
HIS SPIRIT,
AND IN THE TRUTH OF WHO
YOU ARE, THE TRUTH
OF WHO YOU ARE BECOMING.
YOU SEE, WHEN YOU ARE
ONE WITH HIM,
WHICH YOU ARE, THE BIBLE
SAYS THAT “HE MADE
THE TWO OUT OF ONE,”
JESUS AND US BECAME ONE.
HE IS THE BINOCULAR THAT GOD
IS LOOKING AT US THROUGH.
HE DOESN’T SEE YOUR FAILURES.
HE DOESN’T SEE YOUR MISTAKES.
HE SEES YOU IN JESUS CHRIST.
HE SEES YOU AS RIGHTEOUS.
HE SEES YOU AS WHO YOU ARE.
LISTEN, DON’T LET YOUR
EARTHLY PERSPECTIVE KEEP YOU
FROM LETTING THAT REFRESHING
COME TO YOU EVERY DAY,
BECAUSE WITHIN YOU IS
A HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE.
YOU’VE JUST GOT TO LATCH
ON TO IT.
YOU’VE GOT TO TAKE HOLD OF
IT, AND YOU’VE GOT TO KNOW
THAT GOD IS WORKING IN YOU
TO WILL AND TO DO
HIS GOOD PLEASURE.
LISTEN, YOU DON’T NEED
ANYTHING BUT JESUS CHRIST.
JESUS CHRIST
AND JESUS CHRIST ALONE
IS GOING TO CHANGE
YOUR LIFE.
SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU,
JUST LIKE THAT WOMAN,
YOU NEED TO COME AND DRINK
OF THE LIVING WATER.
DON’T TRY TO CLEAN
YOURSELF UP FIRST.
LET GOD DO THE WORK IN YOU.
LET HIM WORK OUT THOSE THINGS
THAT YOU SO DESPERATELY
WANT TO GET RID OF,
AND YOU WILL ENJOY
THAT HEAVENLY PERSPECTIVE,
AND GOD WILL GET YOU
TO EVERYWHERE THAT YOU
NEED TO BE, AMEN?
HE’S AN AWESOME GOD.