Text: John 4:1-19
“A Declaration of War”
Introduction:
Matthew 5:9
”Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
Peace does not come unless it is made. If we are to be peacemakers, we need to live to make the peace. Sometimes that requires war. We need to declare war on everything that would rob us of our peace.
War has been declared against God. Every one of us is living in a war zone.
There is a war going on, whether you realize it or not. As always, Christ is our example. Please study carefully John chapter 4. Note the tactical steps that Jesus took as he led his disciples in battle.
1. We need to declare war on Complacency.
Jesus was experiencing great success in verse one. But he was not satisfied with just raising numbers. He was on a mission to seek and to save that which was lost.
He said that he must needs go through Samaria. When the disciples went off to find food, Jesus set out to reach the lost.
Someone might have said to Jesus, “Let the Samaritans deal with their own problems. We are not our brothers keeper.” That is the statement so often associated with those who hold up their placards and homemade peace signs. The truth is, these people are not peace “makers.” They are peace forsakers.
2. We need to declare war on Unbiblical traditions
Jesus moved against the popular traditions that isolated men. He was going to talk to Samaritan. She was a woman. She was of another religion. Jesus would move against everything that was supposed to be “Politically Correct” in his day. He was more concerned about people than popularity.
If Jesus had been only concerned with popularity, he would have never moved away from verse one of our text.
3. We need to declare war on Ignorance.
Jesus told the woman, “You worship, you know not what.” Only a true, born again Christian, knows what he believes in. All other religions and philosophies of men are mere guessing games.
In the great commission, Jesus told us to “Go into all the world, and teach all nations.” Many people are lost and going to Hell because they have never been given a gospel witness. Surely their blood will be upon our hands.
4. We need to declare war on Sin.
Jesus told the woman, “The man that you are living with now is not your husband.” She was guilty of adultery.
Before a person will ever come to Christ he must believe two things: That he is a sinner, and that his sin will cause him to die.
From the pulpit, we need to be declaring war on sin. Sin brings death to the family, death to people, and it will bring death to our great nation. If we are to be peacemakers, we need to declare war on sin. Sin will rob us of our peace.
5. We need to declare war on The Devil.
On another occasion, Jesus told the story of a man who had left Jericho, and was attacked by thieves. It was a Samaritan, in this same story, who befriended the man who had been left bleeding alongside the road.
Satan is the thief and the robber of everything that is holy and good. We need to declare war on the Devil. He would rob us our peace.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace. We are to be like him. We are to be “peacemakers.”
Prayer: Lord, use my life to make a difference. Help me to be a peacemaker by declaring war on that which destroys peace.
