TURNING RELIGIOUS RELUCTANCE-X—John 4:1-26+(:1-42)
Turning the Religious Lost
Attention:
In 1975, A 790ft. container ship was built by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. of Chester Pennsylvania. The ship was named ‘Puerto Rico’ as its major ports of call were in Puerto Rico. In 1991 the Puerto Rico was purchased by a western shipping company which renamed her, ‘Northern Lights.’ It ran between Tacoma, WA & Anchorage, AK. In February 2003, the vessel was chartered by the United States' Military Sealift Command as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom where the vessel ferried Marines & supplies from San Diego, CA to Kuwait. While in the Persian Gulf, the vessel came under fire from missiles but sustained no damage or injuries. The ship helped served out it’s dual domestic & military purpose until 2006 when it was purchased by another company which returned it to it’s original purpose as a lifeline between the US & Puerto Rico. It was renamed ‘El Faro’ which is a Spanish name meaning “The Lighthouse.”
On September 29, 2015, at 8:10 p.m., El Faro left Jacksonville, Florida for San Juan, Puerto Rico, carrying a cargo of 391 shipping containers, about 294 trailers & cars, & a crew of 33 people. El Faro’s Captain Michael Davidson, charted a course that would place the vessel 200 mi.(a safe distance) from Tropical Storm Joaquin that was churning in the islands where they were headed. Though the El Faro passed all it’s required annual seaworthiness requirements in February, March, & June, some former crew members said the vessel was "a rust bucket" that "[was not] supposed to be on the water." They also said that El Faro suffered from drainage issues & that leaking was common in the Galley Compartment. They said that the ship was covered in rust & its decks filled with holes as recently as August.
The ship continued its course toward now Hurricane Joaquin. By late Sept. 30th, the storm had reached Category 3 intensity with maximum sustained winds of 115mph. Around 7:30 a.m. the next day on October 1, the ship had taken on water & was listing 15 degrees. The last report from the captain, off of Cat Island, Bahamas, indicated that the crew had contained the flooding. Shortly thereafter, El Faro ceased all communications with shore.
The ship & all hands on board were lost!
The ship was dedicated/committed to a specific route.
But aware of the imminence of disaster, the ship needed to be turned!
IF the people charged with the boat’s direction would have taken the storm seriously, & truthfully considered the weakness of the ship, then the ship & crew would have avoided disaster.
Think Twice Before Continuing on your current ‘route’! The Church exists to & you are saved to turn the world away from it’s errant way!
Everybody lives by a ‘religion’—a set of spiritual & secular values that they hold to. These may be right or wrong.
Everybody has a belief system to which they subscribe—right or wrong.
Even atheists have a religion & are religious people.
These may be ‘reluctant’ to turn, But by the power of God, they are turnable nonetheless!
*We are all called as God’s witnesses to turn those who are on the route to disaster...“Go therefore & make disciples of ALL the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father & of the Son & of the Holy Spirit, teaching THEM to observe all things that I have commanded you; & lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”!(Matthew 28:19-20)...
Jesus divulged/bore witness of/ His Messianic identity to a reluctant/hesitant but religious woman.
God’s people bear witness of Messiah’s/Jesus’ identity to reluctant religious people.
How/When will God’s people turn the reluctancy of the religious?
OR--What will turn that religious reluctancy around?
Some insights toward turning religious reluctance to God.
Previously we have found that,
Turning religious reluctance to God requires...
1. SERVICE Insight(:1-3)
2. CONSEQUENTIAL Insight(:4-6)
3. COMPASSIONED Insight(:7-8)
4. BLIND/UNHINDERED Insight(:9)
5. POSSESSIVE Insight(:10)
6. TRUTHFUL Insight(:11-14)
7. LIFESTYLE Insight(:15-18)
8. PLACE Insight(:19-20)
9. DECISIVE Insight(:21-24)
10—Turning religious reluctance to God requires...
IDENTITY Insight(:25-26)
Explanation/Argumentation::(:25-26)
:25—“The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.””
:26—“Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
The woman knew that “Messiah’s” arrival “(who is called Christ)” was promised by God for the sake of His people. Obviously some Samaritans held to the future arrival of the Christ(“Messiah”). True godly worship then is directly tied to “Messiah”(Cf.-:23-24).
“The Samaritans expectation focused on the Taheb, a prophet-like figure similar to Moses, whom they believed would be able to answer all the vexing questions of the law(which for them was the Samaritan Pentateuch).”—NAC.
However, that being said, the woman informs Jesus that “Messiah is coming”, so that though the majority(?) of Samaritans may have proffered a ‘Taheb’ concept, she is expecting “Messiah.” Additionally, Jesus had not previously put the word ‘Messiah’ in her mouth.
The woman had no set timeframe for “Messiah’s” “coming.” However, in her understanding “Messiah’s” coming was obviously promised & anticipated. The woman believed “Messiah” would indeed arrive.
“Messiah” here is qualified as the One “who is called Christ.”
John makes this clarification for a Koine Greek speaking audience.
John is known to have eventually ministered in western Asia Minor(currently Turkey) among people who would have spoken Greek fluently. In fact, Irenaeus states that “a Gospel” was written by the apostle John “during his residence at Ephesus in Asia”—Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp, who had been a student of the apostle John.—MNTC.
Koine Greek was also a ‘business, trade or bridge language’ of sorts, in that though it was not the native tongue of many, it was employed over a wide-range of countries & cultures as a common cross-cultural means of communication, in a way that is similar to English today.
True godly spiritual worship is tied directly to recognition of “Messiah”, because she knows that “He will” truthfully “tell us all things.” That is, in her estimation, “Messiah” will reveal “all” the answers to every spiritual concern & question of God’s people.
Jesus did not reject this statement of the woman’s belief(Cf.-:26) because it was & is true. “Messiah” Jesus is come to reveal “all” God’s truth to “us.”
Indeed all your answers of life are found in Jesus!...
...And who better to reveal the things of God than His only-begotten Son by & in whom we see the Father!(Jn. 14:9).
Heb. 1:1-4—“God, who at various times & in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory & the express image of His person, & upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.”
Jn. 14:3-10—“And if I[Jesus] go & prepare a place for you, I will come again & receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, & the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, & how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, & the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; & from now on you know Him & have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, & it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, & yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, & the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.”
Jn. 1:14-18—“And the Word became flesh & dwelt among us, & we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace & truth. John bore witness of Him & cried out, saying, This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” And of His fullness we have all received, & grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace & truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”
Jn. 16:13-15—“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; & He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine & declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine & declare it to you.”
Jn. 3:35-36—“The Father loves the Son, & has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; & he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Matt. 11:27-30—“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, & no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, & the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. Come to Me, all you who labor & are heavy laden, & I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you & learn from Me, for I am gentle & lowly in heart, & you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy & My burden is light.””
OR--
Lk. 10:21-24—“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit & said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven & earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise & prudent & revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight. All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, & no one knows who the Son is except the Father, & who the Father is except the Son, & the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.” Then He turned to His disciples & said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see; “for I tell you that many prophets & kings have desired to see what you see, & have not seen it, & to hear what you hear, & have not heard it.”
Jesus immediately let’s the woman at the well know that the knowledge which she has shared with Him of “Messiah”(:25) is factual....that all God’s truth will come to bear upon mankind thru the promised “Messiah.”
True godly spiritual worship is tied directly to Jesus being THE promised “Messiah.” “Jesus” Himself is in fact, THE promised “Messiah”(Dan. 9:25-26). Jesus is also much more than the limited ‘Messiah’ of men’s envisionings. He is the “I am.”(Jn. 8:58; Jn. 6:35, 41, 48, 51; Jn. 8:12 & Jn. 9:5; Jn. 12:36; Jn. 10:7, 9; Jn. 10:11, 14; Jn. 10:36; Jn. 14:6; Jn. 15:1-5; Jn. 12:13; Jn. 13:13; Jn. 18:4-6; Jn. 18:36-37).
Jn. 8:58—“Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
Jn. 6:35, 41, 48, 51—“And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, & he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”.....“The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.”.....“I am the bread of life.”.....“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; & the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.””
Jn. 8:12; 9:5—“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”.....“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.””
Jn. 12:36—““While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, & departed, & was hidden from them.”
Jn. 10:7, 9—“Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.”.....“I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, & will go in & out & find pasture.””
Jn. 10:11, 14, 36—“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”.....“I am the good shepherd; & I know My sheep, & am known by My own.”
Jn. 10:36—“do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified & sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?”
Jn. 14:6—“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, & the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Jn. 15:1-5—““I am the true vine, & My Father is the vinedresser. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; & every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “Abide in Me, & I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, & I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Jn. 12:12-13—“The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees & went out to meet Him, & cried out: “Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!””
Jn. 13:13—““You call me Teacher & Lord, & you say well, for so I am.”
Jn. 18:4-6—“Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward & said to them, “Whom are you seeking?” They answered Him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am He.” And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. Now when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back & fell to the ground.”
Jn. 18:36-37—“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, & for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.””
Your ‘subjective’ view of Messiah needs to be changed & aligned with the ‘objective’ REALITY that Jesus is the Messiah of God!
This “Messiah” has come. It is a historical fact that the Lord’s Christ—the “Messiah”, the One known as ‘Jesus’, has come & ministered among men & women in flesh & bone, as a man Himself!—Php. 2:5-11[:7]—‘Emptied Himself’(of Divine privilege); Mat. 1:23—‘Immanuel’--God with us...
Therefore, all who deny Jesus of Nazareth as being the One uniquely Anointed of God—Jewish or otherwise—actually deny themselves God’s hand of mercy, grace, purpose, & joy, as well as denying themselves their promised heavenly home!...
And beyond that, those who do not hear Him, have determined for themselves the very same fate!
Jesus is the One who speaks now & here among us today! We who declare Jesus are mere ‘earthen vessels’ thru which the real treasure—of God’s truth & grace in Christ—are transported(2Cor. 4:7).
2Cor. 4:3-7—“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, & ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God & not of us.”
“Woman”(See :7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 27)—gunh—
“Know”2X(See :10, 22, 32, 42; :29—“see”)—eidw/oida—Perfect Active Indicative 1st Sing.—
“Messiah”—Messiav—Noun Masc.—Messias = “Anointed”—1) The Greek form of Messiah; 2) A name of Christ. Strong—of Hebrew origin [xyvm maw-shee'-akh]; The Messias(i.e. Mashiach), or Christ. Used 2X.
“Coming & Comes”(See :21, 23)—ercomai—
“Called”(See :33, 28—“said”)—legw—Present Passive Participle Nominative Sing. Mas.—1) To say, to speak—1a) Affirm over, maintain, 1b) To teach, 1c) To exhort, advise, to command, direct, 1d) To point out with words, intend, mean, mean to say, 1e) To call by name, to call, name, 1f) To speak out, speak of, mention. Strong—a primary verb; properly--To "lay" forth, i.e. figuratively--Relate (in words [usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas epw & fhmi generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while rew is properly, to break silence merely, & lalew means an extended or random harangue]); by implication--To mean.
“Christ”(See :29)—Cristov—Adj.—Christ = “Anointed”—1) Christ was the Messiah, the Son of God; 2) Anointed. Strong—Anointed, i.e. The Messiah, an epithet of Jesus.?From—criw—probably akin to craomai[to furnish what is needed; (give an oracle, “graze”[touch slightly], light upon, etc.), i.e. (by implication--To employ, or by extension--To act towards one in a given manner] through the idea of contact; To smear or rub with oil, i.e. by implication--To consecrate to an office or religious service.
“When”(See :1, 23)—otan—Particle—1) When, whenever, as long as, as soon as. Strong—Whenever(implying hypothesis or more or less uncertainty); also causatively(conjunctionally)--Inasmuch as.?From—ote—At which(thing) too, i.e. When.—&—an—a primary particle, denoting a supposition, wish, possibility or uncertainty.
“Tell/Declare/Explain”—anaggellw—Perfect Active Indicative 3rd Sing.—1) To announce, make known; 2) To report, bring back tidings, rehearse. Strong—To announce(in detail).?From—ana—1) Into the midst, in the midst, amidst, among, between. Strong—properly--Up; but by extension(used distributively)--Severally, or locally--At(etc.).—& the base of—aggelov—1) A messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God. Strong—from aggellw[probably derived from agw[to lead; bring, drive, go, pass(time), or induce]; compare agelh[a drove]](to bring tidings); A messenger; especially--An "angel"; by implication--A pastor.
“Us”—hmin—Personal Pronoun 1st Dative Plural—1) Us, we, our. Strong—dative case plural of egw[emphatic “I”]; To(or for, with, by) us. “All”(See :39)—pav—Adj.—1) individually—1a) Each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; 2) collectively—2a) Some of all types. Strong—apparently a primary word; All, any, every, the whole.
“I”(See :14)—egw—Pronoun—1) I, me, my. Strong—a primary pronoun of the first person I(only expressed when emphatic).
“Speak”—lalew—Present Active Participle Nominative Sing. Masc.—1) To utter a voice or emit a sound; 2) To speak—2a) To use the tongue or the faculty of speech, 2b) To utter articulate sounds; 3) To talk; 4) To utter, tell; 5) To use words in order to declare one's mind & disclose one's thoughts—5a) To speak. Strong—a prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; To talk, i.e. Utter words.?Lalew means an extended or random harangue, while legw means to relate, in words[usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas epw & fhmi generally refer to an individual expression or speech respectively; while rew is properly, to break silence merely].
“Am”—eimi—Present -X- Indicative 1st Sing.—1) To be, to exist, to happen, to be present. Strong—the first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary & defective verb; I exist(used only when emphatic).
“He”—Added & understood for English clarity.
Illustration:
When I leave for work on foot—I tell our dog, “You be a good watchdog ‘cause I have to go to work.”/He will watch thru the window as I go to the church house./He continues to watch for my return/IF he has indeed been watching thru the window for my return, he will see me either come around the corner at First Street or exit the building from the Fellowship Hall & walk toward the house/If I look attentively toward our window, I can see that he has recognized me because rather than barking, his tail is wagging/If he has recognized me, when I come thru the door he will be facing the door with a chew toy in his mouth anticipating my entry(the toy somehow helps channel his uber-excitement keeping him from jumping on me)/IDENTITY Insight
As with the opener about the ship...In order to re-direct the ship, the one who is knowledgable about the controls of the ship & the one with proper authority to control the ship must be identified, imploringly approached! If not, the ship you’re on WILL NOT TURN AWAY from disaster!/IDENTITY Insight
Application:
?Your IDENTITY Insight readily Turn others to Christ/God’s way?
?You instrumental in Turning the Religious Reluctance of others into a Confident Relationship with God?
Perhaps you are still waiting on ‘YOUR’ Messiah...‘YOUR’ anointed One...One of YOUR own choosing.
Perhaps your ‘PREFERRED’ Messiah is One who does not require such an ‘all in’ commitment....One who would only require ‘sentiment’ & observation on corporate worship days, but no real personal involvement A personally subjective ‘Messiah’ rather than actual passionate commitment to God’s Anointed One.
Perhaps your ‘preferred’ Messiah truthfully, really answers to you instead of you answering to Him!
But He says to you & implores you as well, “I who speak to you am He.”
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Captain Michael Davidson wrongly dedicated/committed his entire ship, crew, & cargo to their demise. That demise could have been re-directed & avoided altogether.
Action:
Turning religious reluctance to God requires...
10. IDENTITY Insight(:25-26)
1. SERVICE Insight(:1-3)
2. CONSEQUENTIAL Insight(:4-6)
3. COMPASSIONED Insight(:7-8)
4. BLIND/UNHINDERED Insight(:9)
5. POSSESSIVE Insight(:10)
6. TRUTHFUL Insight(:11-14)
7. LIFESTYLE Insight(:15-18)
8. PLACE Insight(:19-20)
9. DECISIVE Insight(:21-24)
Pt.# 10 only! presented 01/13/2019am to:
FBC Cbelle
206 Storrs Ave.(SE Ave. A)
Carrabelle, FL 32322
