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As stated in the book of Isaiah:
"Tell the righteous it will be well with them,
for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds."
(Isaiah 3:10, NIV)
I hope you’re believing this for yourself today!
I’d like to quickly share a little of what the Holy Spirit is making me passionate about here at Cornerstone Church,
Authenticity!! I believe that is exactly what Jesus was communicating to the woman we
have affectionately come to know and call "the woman at the well". I believe this woman was very sincere, and that
her sincerity was what opened the door to this very revealing conversation with Jesus himself.
Jesus in his
conversation with this woman beautifully illustrates the difference between sincerity and authenticity.
As important as it is to be sincere, sincerity is insufficient in and of itself to bring us into an authentic experience and
ever deepening relationship with God. This "authenticity" is much, much more than sincerity. The fascinating truth
that Jesus reveals about this sincere woman was, in all of her sincerity, she had no idea of what true worship
and relationship with God really was, what God really desired from her, or what He had to offer her.
This woman understood her ancestry and her place of living to be what constitutes a meaningful relationship with God.
How impersonal and unsatisfying could her religion be? It’s no wonder she struggled in her human relationships. They were consistent with her
relationship with God, totally impersonal and unfulfilling.
Our wonderful Savior, Jesus, has so much more to offer us. He offered this poor, empty soul the very thing she needed,
LIVING WATER! The living water was a personal (authentic) relationship with Him. No prejudice, no condemnation, but
satisfaction deeper than our very humanity.
Jesus called this "worshipping the Father in Spirit and in Truth!" It can also be rightly called Authentic (genuine)
Christianity. Anything that is not authentic is a distortion to the true image and revelation of God and therefore distorts the
worship we bring to Him. The end result is that we lose out in our experiencing the fullness of God’s mercy, grace,
love, forgiveness, and all that we call abundant life. This is descriptive of the woman at the well. She missed out on all of God's goodness.
Finally and maybe most importantly, out of this great encounter we discover that Jesus knows every detail of our life
and still loves us. He is far more interested in where we are going than where we have been. He is longing and waiting to change the direction of our life for good.
Likewise, many sincere people today are disillusioned because of the lack of authenticity they have experienced in there religious journey. If this describes
you, I encourage you to join us at Cornerstone Church where, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are seeking an ever
increasing revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ who is waiting to be worshipped in spirit and in truth. For in Him alone
we will find the living waters that satisfy and quench the thirst of our soul.
“Woman at the Well” Scripture reference found in St. John 4:1-42
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