Additional Notes to last Sunday's message (9/24/23)
I wanted to share a bit more about the visual imagery that I shared about the Jordan River:
"In Judges 7, we learn about Gideon’s army being pared down in size at what is now known as 'Gideon’s Springs.' The source of the water at Gideon’s Springs (The Well of Harod, Judges 7:1) is a cave flooded with water bubbling up continually. Fed by a spring, the depth of the cave is unfathomable. The cave is also known as 'The Gates of Hell' because of its bottomless depth.
Idol worship took place there because of the flow of life-giving water. This spring, and two other tributaries converge downstream and become the Jordan River. The river creates a fertile valley, before emptying into the Dead Sea."
That's a huge contrast, from a fertile valley to a Sea that can support no life. These words should prompt some serious thinking about becoming a Christian. The water from Gideon's Springs converges with two other sources of water. One is small river whose headwaters are in Lebanon, and the other is melt-off from the glaciers atop nearby Mt. Herman. The Jordan River begins at the convergence of these three water sources. The true imagery is of our 3-in-1 God, unified into a stream of life-giving water, as with the woman at the well in John chapter 4. The river itself is life from God. And as it continues southward to the Dead Sea, the water collects contaminates, compromising the lives of humanity, and dirtying the water. The river's end is at the Dead Sea, which can support no living thing. Fresh H2O has evaporated, leaving a slimy/watery substance upon all who once found refreshing in the river. The human race is in the waterflow, eventually heading for death because of life's contamination. Death is a sure thing.
BUT! But as the river passes by the area of the Allenby Bridge, and the City of Jericho, a man called John was there baptizing people into repentance, and a return to holiness in their lives.
BUT! But as the river passes by the area of the Allenby Bridge, and the City of Jericho, a man called John was there baptizing people into repentance, and a return to holiness in their lives.
From our life-giving Three-in-One, God grants us life. But before we reach certain death, He offers a reprieve, saving us from death, and returning us the Three-in-One.
The only ones to escape death are those that stop along the way and are converted by faith after baptism.
All man has a choice. Death is inescapable, unless we repent and are saved.
Pastor Bob Lawrenz
