Turning Religious Reluctance-8

TURNING RELIGIOUS RELUCTANCE-VIII—John 4:1-26(:28-30, 39-43)

Turning the Religious Lost

Attention:

Think Twice Before Continuing down the path you’re on!

The Church exists 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 to serve God in spirit & in truth, AND to...“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)...

God’s people(the Church) are to actively reach, invite, & urge(without the confines of fleshly prejudice) others, to become disciples of Jesus.

Thru the symbolism of baptism, God’s people are to publicly declare a person’s belief & allegiance to the body of Christ in the name of the Trinitarian God(Father, Son, & Holy Spirit).

God’s people are to continually teach themselves & others all that God has done, is doing, & will do thru Christ.

God’s people are to encourage each other thru Christ’s eternal presence.

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 as we looked in these verses we 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—Turning religious reluctance to God requires...

PLACE Insight(:19-20)

Explanation:(:19-20)Inquiring/Correct/Right/Localize

:19—“The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.”

Thru Jesus’ telling the woman something personal that He could not have possibly known(:18) apart from Divine revelation, “the woman” now recognizes Him as a “prophet” of God.

She knows that He had no way of knowing her colorful history with men, except by the hand/word of God. “Jesus’ precise knowledge of her past proves Him to be”[at a minimum] “inspired.”—D.A. Carson

Given that God is speaking thru this “prophet”(Jesus), she now knows that she can safely, trustingly, & sincerely confirm or repudiate the spiritual knowledge to which she holds & which she defends & with which she wrestles.

“Woman”(See :7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 21, 25)—gunh—Noun Fem.—1) A woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow; 2) a wife—2a) Of a betrothed woman. Strong—A woman; specially--A wife.

“Sir”(See :11)—kuriov—Noun Masc.—1) He to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord. Kuriov has a wider meaning[than despothv], applicable to the various ranks & relations of life & not suggestive of either property or of absolutism. Strong—from kurov(supremacy); Supreme in authority, i.e. as noun--Controller; by implication--Mr.(as a respectful title).

“Perceive/See”—yewrew—Present Active Indicative 1st Sing.—1) To be a spectator, look at, behold—1a) To view attentively, take a view of, survey—1a1) To view mentally, consider; 2) To see—2a) To perceive with the eyes, to enjoy the presence of one, 2b) To discern, descry, 2c) To ascertain, find out by seeing. Yewrew is a word not used of an indifferent spectator, but of one who looks at a thing with interest & for a purpose; would be used of a general officially reviewing or inspecting his army. Strong—To be a spectator of, i.e. Discern(literally, figuratively--[experience] or intensively--[acknowledge]).?From a derivative of—yeaomai(perhaps by addition of oraw[to stare at, discern clearly, attend to, experience, appear])—To look closely at, perceive or to visit.

“You”—su—Pronoun 2nd Person Sing.—1) You. Strong—Thou.

“Are”—ei—Conjunction—1) If, whether. Strong—a primary particle of conditionality; If, whether, that, etc.

“Prophet”—profhthv—Noun Masc.—1) in Greek writings--An interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things; 2) One who, moved by the Spirit of God & hence his organ or spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, & in particular such as relate to the cause & kingdom of God & to human salvation—2a) The OT prophets, having foretold the kingdom, deeds & death, of Jesus the Messiah., 2b) Of John the Baptist, the herald of Jesus the Messiah, 2c) Of the illustrious prophet, the Jews expected before the advent of the Messiah, 2d) The Messiah, 2e) Of men filled with the Spirit of God, who by God's authority & command in words of weight pleads the cause of God & urges salvation of men, 2f) Of prophets that appeared in the apostolic age among Christians—2f1) They are associated with the apostles, 2f2) They discerned & did what is best for the Christian cause, foretelling certain future events. (Ac 11:27), 2f3) in the religious assemblies of the Christians--They were moved by the Holy Spirit to speak, having power to instruct, comfort, encourage, rebuke, convict, & stimulate, their hearers; 3) A poet (because poets were believed to sing under divine inspiration)—3a) Of Epimenides (Tit 1:12). Strong—A foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy--An inspired speaker; by extension--A poet.?From—pro—a primary preposition; “Fore”, i.e. In front of, prior(figuratively--Superior) to—&—fhmi—To show or make known one's thoughts, i.e. Speak or say.