First Southern Baptist Church of Coalinga
Worship Service Message Outline and Scriptures for Sunday, July 30, 2017
Today we continue our series on “The Exchanged Life”, by looking at personal quotes from Christian Biographies and comparing them with the truth of scripture.
There may be a moment in our Christian walk when we realize that we need to fully and completely give over our lives to Christ. It’s up to each of us to choose to make this decision. This is in effect, “The Exchanged Life” experience! Victor Raymond Edmond, the fourth President of Wheaton College in Illinois said,
“There is a life and there is a life more abundant, this is the exchanged life.”
John 10:10 NKJV
Now look at the end of that verse…
that they may have it (Greek: Be able to hold)
more abundantly (Greek: Beyond measure)
How many Christians, or even just looking at yourself, say that they are living an “abundant” life in Christ? This can only happen through “The Exchanged Life.”
Dr. Edmond also said,
“…only total abandonment to God could lead us to experiencing God’s fullest blessings.”
John 7:37-38 NKJV
If we thirst for the abundant life, drink in or receive Jesus and if we rely or believe on His Word from the depths of our heart (belly), then His truth will flow out of our lives like living water.
Interestingly so, a Commissioner of the Salvation Army by the name of Samuel Logan said,
“Every ambition for self was now gone. The pure flame of love burned it like a blazing fire would burn a moth.”
Consider also what the Irish Evangelist, William P. Nicholson said,
“…(I) found the joy and peace of the overflowing fullness of the Holy Spirit.”
When we are overflowing with the fullness of the Holy Spirit living through our lives, then and only then, is every ambition for self, burned up.
Isaiah 58:11 NKJV
The peace and joy of God overflows like a spring in our lives no matter what situation we face!
Finally, this quote from Hudson Taylor, a pioneer missionary to China:
“When we know Christ’s heart personally and intimately by the outflow of His Spirit, we experience the outflow of living waters.”
Now let’s look at a very special event that exemplifies the outflow of living waters through the exchanged life we learn about in John 4: 7 – 42.
John 4:7-42 NKJV
Let’s summarize quickly what happened here:
1. Jesus was witnessing to the Samaritan Woman at the Well.
2. As a result, she received the Living Water of Christ that He offered to her.
3. As a natural effect of her exchanging her old adulterous life for a slate wiped clean life in Jesus, the Living Water that Jesus gave her overflowed out of her with the truth of salvation and she witnesses to the men in town.
4. While she is out witnessing in town, Jesus’ disciples return and Jesus with his foreknowledge of what they are about to witness, takes a few moments to teach His disciples a lesson about truly living for Him. He informs them that there is a great harvest ripe and ready to be picked and He wants them to go reap it.
John 4:38 NKJV
John 4:42 NKJV
Many people in her town came to know Jesus because she let the Living Waters flow. We are to let the Living Waters Flow out of us to others, as well. Freely giving to others what we have been given. Witnessing to others and letting the works of God overflow out of you to others demonstrates “The Exchanged Life”.