Jesus said to the woman at the well: “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”

Water was drawn not only for drinking, but for the ritual washings of those who kept the law of Moses. Washing with water prepared the priests for temple duties and to enter the tent of meeting. It was a symbolic act that provided temporary cleansing only.

With the coming of the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers, there is no longer a need to wash with water. Instead, the Holy Spirit is a fount of “living water” flowing from within every believer to satisfy spiritual thirst and cleanse us from within. Thus the external act of washing with water, which was never able to clean the hearts of men is replaced by the internal act of washing by the Spirit.

In fact, the 6 stone water jars Jesus turned into wine at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, were for washing and purification. By turning the water into wine, Jesus first miracle symbolically marked the end of externalized rituals and the advent of being cleansed from within by the new wine of the Spirit.

Leaving religious Babylon, or man’s church if you will, was difficult on many levels. The stories I share may give the impression that I left because I was hurt or bitter, but the truth is, I was deeply devoted to “the church” because that’s where I was when Jesus revealed himself to me. Admittedly leaving was more difficult for me because I was a performing song-writer and the church was my defacto concert venue. A weekend concert ministry once took me into churches all over the Puget Sound region. My home church on the other hand had no interest in me except as an occasional guitar player in the praise band. Like the prophets, performing musicians are also without honor in their home town (John 4:44). That’s what I concluded anyway. There is one funny experience that stands out in my memory as the epitome of my musical frustrations with my old home church.

The pastor was planning to deliver a sermon about the difference between Jesus, King of Heaven and Elvis, King of the World. It was a funny message, contrasting Jesus humility and truth with Elvis glitz and commercialism. To introduce the sermon, the pastor asked the praise band to play a few bars of an Elvis tune. We chose “Can’t Help Falling In Love” and one by one each of us sang a few lines to audition for the part of Elvis.

When brothers separate themselves from one another, a difference in doctrinal belief(s) is often cited as the reason. It is unfortunate when on occasion someone haphazardly refers to such difference as preaching “another gospel”. The word “gospel” means “Good News!” and was first announced by the angels, the night Jesus was born. They proclaimed:

“Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11 ESV)

Christ the Lord, our Savior is the gospel. He alone is The Way, The Truth, The Life and the only name under heaven by which we may be saved.

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:14 ESV)

The early morning contemporary service opened with welcome and announcements, followed by 3 or 4 songs led by a small band with piano, acoustic guitar and bass. That particular Sunday found Karen and I sitting among the congregation while another of the rotating worship bands led the singing. It’s an attractive and well kept sanctuary with beautiful stained glass windows to the north and south, curved ceiling with oak beams and woodwork.

Like most believers, I viewed “my church” with “rose colored” glasses, that is until God ambushed me with a single question, asked at 3 different times during the service.

“My son, what do you see”, asked God.

“I see a pipe organ, Lord.”

God replied: “That’s right, this church worships a pipe organ.”

His answer shocked me out of my stupor and left me cross-eyed, as if I’d just been hit across the forehead with a spiritual 4×4. “What do you mean they worship a pipe organ”, I protested.