I did choose thee. Todd's Road Grace Church would
like to invite you to listen to a sermon by our pastor, Todd
Nybert. We are located at 4137 Todd's
Road, two miles outside of Manowar Boulevard. Sunday services are
at 10.30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Bible study is at
9.45 a.m. Wednesday services are at 7 p.m. Nursery is provided for all services.
For more information, visit our website at toddsroadgracechurch.com. Now here's our pastor, Todd Nybert. In John 7, verse 37, the Lord
makes this glorious statement. He says, if any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. Only the Lord could make this
statement. If any man thirst, let him come
to me and drink." Now the verse says that this was the last day
of the feast when he made this statement. This is talking about
the Feast of Tabernacles. The children of Israel were required
to come to Jerusalem. For three different feasts, this
was the Feast of Tabernacles that commemorated their time
in the wilderness when they dwelled in booths. sometimes called the
Feast of Booths. And it was the eighth day, the
people were now going home. And on that last day, Jesus stood,
the scripture says, no doubt in a prominent place where he
could be heard and seen, and he lifted up his voice. He saw these people leaving as
empty as they came. And he cried, if any man thirst,
let him come to me and drink. If any man thirst. Now the gospel
is not for every man. It's not for everybody. There
are many people who do not believe. And there is, and I say this,
I hope, with the right attitude, but there is a place called hell.
And a lot of people populate that place. It was the Lord Jesus
who spoke most of hell. And he said, many take the broad
way that leads to destruction. There are a lot of people in
hell, but understand this, that doesn't prevent anyone from being
saved, if any man, if any man thirst. Now, are you in that
group? If any man thirst. The gospel's
for any man. If any man thirst. That doesn't shut you out. That
doesn't shut me out. If any man thirst, let him come
to me. Oh, I could never say that. I
couldn't say, if you're thirsty, come to me. I can't do anything
for you. But he can. He's the only one who can. If
any man thirst, let him come to me and drink. Now, what is meant by thirsty? If any man thirst, you're the
only people who come to Christ are those people with the thirst
he is speaking of. If any man thirst, let him come
to me and drink. What is thirst? Thirst is a need to drink. Thirst is a need. to drink. You're thirsty. When you're thirsty,
you need water. You need to drink. And you realize when you're thirsty
that you cannot provide that need, that water cannot come
from you. It must come outside of you.
It's not something you can produce. And furthermore, you know that
if you don't have this water, you're gonna die. A need. Did not our Lord say when he
described the believer in the beatitudes, the fourth beatitude
is, blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness. For they shall be filled. Now this thirst is a need for
righteousness. You know you must have righteousness
to be accepted by God. God's holy, God's righteous,
and you must have righteousness. You need righteousness. And you know you can't produce
that righteousness in and of yourself. You know it's something
that you cannot perform. It must come from outside of
you and be given to you. And you know if you do not have
it, you're gonna die. And that's what it is. You thirst
for righteousness. Do you thirst for righteousness?
Do you see your need of perfect righteousness before God? You
say you can't come up with it. You can't work it out. You can't
perform it. And you'll die if you don't have it. If any man
thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Need, the whole need not a physician. But they that are sick, and the
word sick there literally means evilly sick. The whole need not
a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance. Luke 9 verse 11 says, he healed
them that had need of healing. If any man thirst, if any man
need, Let him come to me and drink. The church of Laodicea
is the church that the Lord described as being rich and increased with
goods and having need of nothing. And what did the Lord say to
this church that had need of nothing? He said, you're lukewarm. And because you're lukewarm,
I'll spew you out of my mouth." This attitude of, I have no need. Oh, it's so offensive to Christ.
He says to the church at Laodicea, I will spew you out of my mouth. Need, need. If any man thirsts,
if any man needs, You know, the man after God's own heart, David,
described himself this way 10 different times. I'm poor and
I am needy. Poor, I can't provide anything
and yet I have great needs. I'm poor and I'm needy. The first
beatitude, blessed are the poor in spirit. He healed them that
had need of healings. Now this thing of needing, objectively, I see the Bible
teaches that the only righteousness there is is the righteousness
of Christ. I see the Bible teaches that. I need His righteousness. I don't have one. I see that
the Bible teaches that God is absolutely sovereign in salvation,
that He's the first cause of everything, that His sovereignty
means whatever His will is, it's done. I see the Bible teaches
that with regard to the character of God. He really is sovereign.
I need Him to be sovereign, to will my salvation, because if
He doesn't, I won't be saved. I see that the Bible teaches
that God chose who would be saved before time began. It's called
election, for the children being not yet born, either having done
any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election
might stand. That's what the Bible teaches.
Not only do I see objectively that that's what the Bible teaches,
I need God to elect me. I won't be saved if he doesn't
choose me. I see that the Bible teaches
salvation by grace. I need to be saved by His grace. I see that Christ, the Bible
clearly teaches that Christ laid down His life for the sheep.
That's what He said, I laid down my life for the sheep. Husbands,
love your wives as Christ also loved the church and gave himself
for it. Christ died for the elect and
accomplished their salvation. I see that so clearly. I need
him to die for me because if he doesn't die for me, I will
not be saved. I need Thee, precious Jesus,
for I am full of sin. My soul is dark and guilty. My heart is dead within. I need the cleansing fountain
where I can always flee. The blood of Christ, most precious. The sinner's perfect plea. I need Jesus Christ to preserve
me. Now I see from the scripture
that the Bible teaches that God's people are kept from falling,
kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. Now to
him that's able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless
before his presence with exceeding joy, I see the Bible teaches
that I need it. I need him to preserve me. I
need him to Present me before the Father faultless only he
can do that and I have a great need for this I need him to give
me faith. I need him to give me repentance.
I need thee that's the He healed them that had need of healing
and that's what this thing of thirsting is it is needing Now,
what does the Lord say with regard to this thirsting one? Are you
thirsty? Are you thirsty? Let not conscience
make you linger, nor fitness fondly dream. The only fitness
he requireth is to have a need of him. Are you thirsty? What does he say? If any man
thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Only the Lord can say that. No
son of Adam can say that. And this is given in the form
of a command to all who thirst. If any man thirsts, let him come
to me and drink. Now earlier in the preceding
chapter, John 6, the Lord made this statement. All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me. And him that cometh to me
I will in no wise cast out. Now listen, if you come to Christ,
He won't turn you down. I don't care what your condition
is. If you come to Christ, he has
promised he will not cast you out. He said in Matthew 11, verse
28, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden. Now that's talking about being
Press down under the sense of your own sin. Not somebody else's
sin, your own sin. Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Rest from your
labors, the rest of his finished work. He said in Revelation 21,
six, I will give to him that is a thirst of the water of life
freely. You don't need to bring anything
to have this. We read in Revelation 22 verse 17, the Lord says, let
him that's a thirst, come, come and welcome to the Lord Jesus
Christ. If you're thirsty, if any man thirst, let him come
to me and drink. Now I have no doubt that this
is taken from Isaiah chapter 55. Let me read this passage
of scripture to you. This is God speaking. Isaiah
chapter 55, verse one. This is God's word. This is not
simply Isaiah. This is God speaking in the first
person. And he says, ho, that's an intention
getter. Ho, everyone that thirsteth,
come ye to the waters. The only place your thirst can
be. Quench, the only way your need
can be met. Come ye to the waters. Now he further identifies who
he's speaking to. He says, he that hath no money. Come ye buy and eat, yea, come
buy wine and milk without money and without price. Who is called
upon to come? People who do not have anything.
You know, in any other trying to get someone to respond, well,
you want somebody that has the money to pay for it, not the
Lord. He says, he that hath no money, you that do not have one
thing to recommend yourself to God. You don't have one good
work to commend you. You don't have one sin that you
think you've overcome. You're bankrupt, bankrupt sinners
with no money. He says, come ye. He that hath
no money, come ye, buy wine and milk, without money and without
price. You don't bring anything to have
this. This is the gift of God. And then he says in verse two,
wherefore do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
and your labor for that which satisfies not? You're never going
to find any satisfaction in your works. You're not going to find
any confidence in anything you've done. It's always going to be,
have I done enough? Have I fought enough? Have I
been good enough? He says, why do you spend your
money on that which doesn't satisfy? You're never going to be satisfied
by your works. He says, hearken diligently unto me and eat ye
that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Incline your ear, listen carefully, God says, incline your ear and
come unto me. It's like the Lord said, if any
man thirsts, let him come to me and drink. And I will make
an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of
David. Now he says this to everyone
who comes to him. You come to me and I'll make
an everlasting covenant with you, the same covenant I made
with David. Now you can read about this covenant
in 2 Samuel 23, verse 5. The first verse of that chapter
said these be the last words of David. David's dying. David knows he's dying. And he says in verse 5 of 2 Samuel
chapter 23, although my house be not so with God. David's house was a mess. It was a mess. God told him it would be. He
said the sword will never depart out of your house. Look at the
problems he had with his children. Look at the problems he had in
his life from his family. David's house was a mess. And I have no doubt that David
also meant, although this house be not so with God. David was
very, very aware of the fact that he was a sinner. Not that he used to be a sinner,
but even when he was speaking, he was well aware of the fact
that he was a sinner. He said, my sin is ever before
me. So David makes this statement,
although my house be not so with God, yet hath he made with me
an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. Now, although my house is not
so with God, that doesn't take away from the fact that He made
an eternal covenant with me, one that was made before I was
ever born. And my salvation was guaranteed by Jesus Christ. And
everything in this covenant is ordered in all things, and it's
sure. And David said, this is all my salvation and all my desire. Now, if you're a believer, that
covenant that God made with David, he's made with you. And if you
come to him, you're going to have these sure mercies of David,
this covenant ordered in all things and sure. Oh, I want to
end on this, don't you? Incline your ear coming to me,
here in your soul shall live, I'll make an everlasting covenant
with you, even the sure mercies of David. Now, back to our text. If any man thirst, let him come
to me and drink." Now, what does it mean to come to Christ? Now, I've got to ask that question
because it's not something you do physically. In many religious institutions,
they'll have what's called an altar call. Come down to the
front of the church and receive Christ as your personal Savior.
Now, there's nothing in the Bible about that. That's psychological
manipulation. You don't come to Christ by walking
down an aisle and shaking a preacher's hand. You don't come to Christ
physically. You come to Christ without moving
a muscle. Now, what's that mean? Coming
to Christ and believing on Christ is the exact same thing. He said in John 6, verse 35,
He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth
on me shall never thirst. Come to Christ is to believe
on Him. You believe He is who He says
He is. You believe He is the Son of
God, the uncreated Creator, the Second Person of the Trinity,
the Son of God, the God-Man, the Man-Christ Jesus. Fully God, fully man, that's
why He's able to save. You see, I can't save you and
you can't save me, but He can save both of us because of who
He is. He's the God-Man. You trust who He is and you trust
what He did. You're relying on this, that
His righteousness is your righteousness before God. His shed blood is
your sin payment. You're looking for nothing else,
nothing more than Christ, nothing less than Christ, nothing else.
That's what it is to come to Christ. It's to believe on Him. Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Now he says, if any man thirst,
let him come to me and drink. But that's not all he says. He
says in verse 38, he that believeth on me. There it is. Neither believeth
on me. As the scripture hath said, out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." If you believe
on him, you're going to have something in you. Him, His Spirit,
the new nature. And it's going to be waters that
continually flow, and you'll always have your thirst quenched
looking to Him. Now I want to look at another
passage of Scripture in John chapter 4 that says pretty much
the same thing, but I hope this speaks on a very powerful level
to both of us. In John chapter 4, We read in
verse four, and he must needs go through Samaria. Now, the reason he had to go
through Samaria is one of his elect were there. Let's go on
reading. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria,
which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that
Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus
therefore being wearied with his journey, tired, hot, thirsty,
bone of our bones, flesh of our flesh, a real man. Jesus, therefore, being wearied
with its journey, sat thus on the well, and it was about the
sixth hour, about noon. There cometh a woman of Samaria
to draw water. Jesus saith unto her, Give me
to drink. First disciples were gone away
in the city to buy meat. Then saith the woman of Samaria,
How is it then that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which
am a woman of Samaria? She was astounded by this. You
see, the Jews hated the Samaritans, and they would do anything they
could to avoid even walking through their land. They just despised
the Samaritans. They didn't think they were true
Jews, and they didn't think they had God's favor. Jesus answered
and said unto her, if thou knewest the gift of God. the free gift with no strings
attached. And who it is that saith to thee,
give me to drink. If you knew who I am, thou would
have asked of him and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir,
thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. From whence
then hast thou that living water? She didn't really know what he
was talking about. Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which
gave us this well, and drank thereof himself, and his children,
and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto
her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. And that's true with regard to
everything this world has to offer. You drink. You'll thirst
again. 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. Now, if you ever trust Christ,
if I ever trust Jesus Christ as my righteousness before God,
I won't be looking for anything else. I'll find complete satisfaction
in simply being found in Him. I'm not going to look for some
other work. I'm not going to think, oh, maybe I don't have enough. No,
in Christ, I am complete. Colossians 2.10 says, in Him
dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete
in Him. If you ever trust Christ, you're
not going to be looking for anything else. you're gonna look to him
alone and find satisfaction in who he is and what he did as
everything needed to save you. You don't need anything else.
When the writer to the Hebrews said, let your conversation be
without covetousness and be content with such things as you have.
Well, if you have Christ, you have all, there's nothing to
covet. In Christ, this is not talking
about contentment with material things. It's talking about what
do you have in Christ? Well, I have God's acceptance.
I have perfect righteousness. I have justification. I have
a full sin payment. I have the promise of His Spirit,
the promise of His presence, His promise that He'll never
leave me nor forsake me, that I'm His forever. I'm content
with what I have. I'm not looking for anything
else. Now, this water, you drink of this water, It's going to
be a well of water springing up into everlasting life, rivers
of water that continually flow, the work of His Spirit. Oh, if you're thirsty, are you
thirsty? He said, if any man thirst, Let
Him come to me and drink. May the Lord enable you and I,
by His grace, to come to Him and drink and have the satisfaction
of resting in Him. To receive a copy of the sermon
you have just heard, send your request to todd.neidert at gmail.com. Or you may write or call the
church at the information provided on the screen.