ELDER GLENN BURGESS
Sunday Morning, October 30th 2011
Three Old Wells
Growth is important, we should constantly be growing. A baby is in a crib for about a year or so but, if in five years the child is still in a crib then there’s a problem. The child needs to grow and mature. In the church there are new babies. New babies in the church need to grow at a normal, steady pace. They need to be rooted and steadfast in their salvation.
(Reference stories of wild boars and pit bulls)
A pit bull dog will fight with confidence and aggression. We need to have that same kind of fight in us. We should understand that the devil is no match for us. We can be encouraged, knowing that God is on our side.
We need to keep a song of life in our hearts. Murmuring and complaining will cause you to not have joy. You’re not going to have much joy if you’re slouching around God.
If we have the springs of living water in us we’ll make it through hard times. Water is the substance that will bring life and will sustain you. Without water we have nothing productive.
Isaiah 12:2, 3
“2Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
3Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”
In John 4:14 Jesus told the lady at the well, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
The Well of Repentance
Matthew 4:17
“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Mark 6:12
“And they went out, and preached that men should repent.”
2 Corinthians 7:12
“Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.”
You can’t hold on to God and the world at the same time. You’ve got to find repentance. Some people bypass repentance, but you have to fill your bucket from the well of salvation and get repentance.
Some people are so full of pride that they can’t come and kneel at the altar. We need to pray that God will forgive us, even of our unknown sins.
When you repent and unload, you will feel better. Repentance is more than just shedding a few tears at the altar. When one truly repents they are a changed person. Repentance will bring joy to your world. Repentance is turning 180 degrees away from sin; it’s saying you’ll never again do what you’ve been doing; totally turning around. When you grasp true repentance you forsake sin, you make an about face and you know that you’re not going back.
The Well of Baptism
Acts 4:12
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
Romans 6:3-6
“3For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
4God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
5But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man)
6God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world?”
Once you’ve repented you need to drink from the well of baptism. When you’re baptized in water, in the name of Jesus, it washes away all sin. We’re clean and new. We become a “new creature in Christ.”
The Well of the Holy Ghost
Acts 2:38
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
This is the well that holds the springs of living water!
