Jesus Way Of Reaching People
John 4:3-30, 39-42
Intro: Have You Ever Had A Chance Encounter? Ill. I Met Reggie White In Mcdonalds. This Passage Has Been Described By Some As A A Chance Encounter. Hardly, Every Step Jesus Took On This Earth Was Planned From Before The Beginning Of Time. For Gods Son There Was No Opportunity That Came Along By Coincidence Or Chance. For Us To Walk With Jesus Christ Means That Every Encounter We Have With People Is To Be Looked At As A Step Along Gods Path And Plan For Us. Let Us Not Walk Past These Opportunities Without Trying To Touch Those People We Pass. Well Known Passage,
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Jesus Shows Us How To Reach People In These Few Verses. Three Things We Can Learn....
I. Jesus Positioned Himself For A Witness
This Encounter Should Never Have Happened. Why? They Were So
Different
1. Culturally - Pagan Not Religious
2. Racially - Half-Breed Jews (Assyrians, Black?)
3. Religiously - Not Welcome To Worship
But Notice...
A. V4A He Had To Go Through Samaria
He Made An Effort - Proactive
Not The Normal Route, Jesus Had A Need To In His Journey!
B. V6A He Sat Down By The Well. Only Place He Could Go To Reach
This Woman. He Waited
Jesus Positioned Himself Where The Lost World Was.
He Went Where The Religious (Jews) Would Not Go. - We
Work, Play, Eat In Places Where We Can Reach People
Outside Of This Building.
Truth - What Happens When We Position Ourselves To Witness?
It Puts Us Into The Center Of Gods Work!
II. Jesus Accepted This Woman Where She Was,
But Loved Her Enough To Offer Her More.
Lets Look At Where This Woman Was....
A. V7A A Samaritan Woman. Different
B. V9A How Can You Ask Me For A Drink?. Prejudice
C. V12A Are You Greater Than Our Father Jacob…
Judgment/Sarcastic
D. V15A Give Me This Water…
Self Serving False Spirituality
E. V17A I Have No Husband. Misleading/Liar
F. V18A You Have Had 5... Uncommitted/Immoral
As The World Saw Her She Had A Bad Reputation, A Bad
Attitude, And A Bad Lifestyle. Yet Jesus Accepted Her Right
Where She Was!
Truth - This Doesn’t Mean That Jesus Condoned Her Behavior. It Does Mean That Jesus Is Willing To Dwell Near Sin, In Order To Reach People Who Are In Sin.
Lets Look At What Jesus Offered Her...
A. V10A Living Water... Cleansing Forgiving Water
B. V14A Eternal Life... Heaven Not Hell
C. V20&23A Chance To Be A True Worshiper...
D. V25-26 Himself
V26AI Who Speak To You Am He.
His Presence In Her Life
Why? Because Jesus Saw Her Need Not Her Sin.
We Often Judge Peoples By What We See. People Reject Our Judgment Instead Of Accepting Gods Forgiveness. Jesus Saw The Hurt, Loneliness, Guilt, The Real Her. He Knew What She Needed, Forgiveness, Love And Hope.
III. Jesus Knew He Could Reach The Many Through The Changed Life
Of One.
A. V28-29 “Leaving Her Water Jar, The Woman ... Come, See A
Man Who Told Me Everything I Ever Did. Could This Be The
Christ?
What An Awesome Scene...A Life Changed By Jesus!
1. The Local Prostitute Becomes Sychars First Gospel
Witness! Changed
2. The Woman Of Shame Confesses There Is One Who Knows
Her Every Deed! Changed
3. The One Experienced In The Flesh Offers Testimony Of
The One Who Satisfied Her Spiritual Need! Changed
4. The Great Sinner, 6 Time Failure At Love, Shares The
Greatest Love Of All. Changed
5. The One With Whom The Men Of The City Would Never Be
Seen With In Daylight, Now Following Her In Mass To
See A Jew Their Enemy. V30 Changed
B. One Changed Life Brought A Harvest V31-35
V39A And From That City Many Believed In Him
Because Of The Word Of The Woman Who Testified.V42
Reach A Child And Family Soon Follows, Reach Wife- Kids
And Husband Follow Etc. The Greatest Advertisement Jesus And
His Church Could Ever Have Is A Changed Life!
Truth - Even 1 Life Changed By The Love Of Jesus Has The Awesome Potential To Impact The Eternity Of Many Others.
Invitation:
Christian … Pay Attention To World Events? The Time For Christians To Reach People With The Gospel Is Now. Commit To Reach Them Like Jesus Did…. Will You Do This?
Challenge Before Us –
By The End Of 2009 Will You Commit To Position Yourself For A Witnessing Opportunity. Let God Lead You To One Person Who Is Not A Christian And Let God Place You Where You Need To Be To Love Them And Give Them A Chance To See Christ Thru Your Life.
1. Look Around And Find Out Whose Life God Is Working
In. Position Yourself In Their Life And Help Them To
Follow Jesus Thru Your Life.
2. Recognize The Persons Need Not Their Sin. They Need
Love And Forgiveness, Not Condemnation And
Judgment. Help Them To Come To A Point Of Believing
And Choosing, Follow Christ Or Not.
3. Trust That One Changed Life, Yours Or Someone
Else’s, Can Obey Gods Word And Make A Difference In
Many Lives.
Are You Willing To Make This Commitment? By Dec. 31st I Will Find Someone I Can Engage In Reaching The Way Jesus Did. Hands
Gospel.
Pray
