In the text we read, my first impression is what Jesus seems to be saying to the woman he met:
“Let me tell you what you really need.”
A couple of thoughts as you continue:How do you present who you are to Christ?How do you present Christ to others?Verse 9 gives you a quick explanation of the awkwardness upon first meeting each other. She said it was because Jews and Samaritans almost never speak to each other, it was disdain.
(That tension being the actual origin of the Samaritans and which people were true to the original law of Moses.)
1. The Jews regard the intermarriage of Assyrian colonists and northern Israelites and the development of a mixedup religion as the origin of the heresy (a belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs).
2. The Samaritans claim to be descendants of the tribe of Joseph, and thus descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh. Their priests are from the house of Levi, descendants of Aaron. They consider the Jews a cult. There are actually four variations of the origin of Samaritans, neither of which can be proven. They each are sure of their own account.
Samaritans still exist today, although they have dwindled down to 4 families (of around 700 people) because they refuse converts.The real point of chapter 4 is not which people is right.Jews or Samaritans, or which people were using the correct mountain to worship on, Mt. Gerizim, or Jerusalem called Mt. Zion. Jesus narrowed it down to who had the “Best Water!” Or who who’s bottom line makes the most sense.
1. On one hand, you had Jacob’s well being in the Samaritan’s possession for generations,
2.or, the Jews that had a system of religion, but just happened to have the man called Jesus that was making converts in Israel offering LIVING WATER. Jesus got to the point without wasting time and said “if you drink from Jacob’s well, you will thirst again, but if you drink of Him, you would have a well of water springing up into everlasting life!”To Fast Forward This 2000 Years Up To Date For You:Let me say it like this... even today, Everybody’s got an opinion. Everybody thinks they are right and the others are wrong, just like the Jews and Samaritans. It doesn’t matter what country, nationality, or issue we look at in the news, someone thinks their personal OPINION gives them the right to be louder. Their ANGLE is right.
We as Christians, should understand Jesus’ perspective on this divine appointment at the well. He knew who he was talking to. He knew what was important to her and her people. He knew their pride and hurt feelings, He didn’t come to tell her she was wrong in her beliefs, only that she was living in SIN, and that HE had what she really needed.
Our understanding of this story is critical, if we want our future meetings to matter for Christ. Shall we take sides and risk upsetting the apple cart? or will we allow the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation and get to the real issue: That is that GOD LOVES YOU, He wants you to accept Jesus Christ as the answer to your personal condition. She changed the subject when He started talking about her sins, but He still got the Word in.
A major part of what we as Christians are doing wrong, is we take sides first. We bring our opinionated luggage to society everyday and hope to convince the world that we’re right.
ILLUSTRATION: I like the fact that Billy and Franklin Graham, don’t claim to be either Republican or Democrat, they evaluate everything according to what God says about the issue. It’s not a good move to endorse candidates, but we do need to know what they stand for. So maybe our first step should be to learn what God says. III. What we may find is that like the Samaritan woman... who was just living the only way she knew how to live, will end up getting what she really needed, and find that everlasting joy and eternal life that CHRIST gives. Today folks are just living the way they’ve been taught, by people who made the biggest impression on them, good or bad. Whether hopeless or hopeful, they are pressing toward an end. Christ gives Eternal life that breaks chains of regret, the cycles of sin, and generations of curses. We should learn how to lead a person to Christ, instead of developing a better argument. Learn how to make a friend and gain confidence instead of reading the news with an “Us and Them” mindset.Jesus Gave Us The “In Spirit and In Truth” AngleThat is, That God wants us to have a true relationship with Him. Forsaking all other Gods, traditions and doctrines of men, seeking who God really is and what He expects from us. Coming to Him, and acknowledging all of our sins instead of hiding them, or pretending they don’t matter.
Matt. 22: 37
That is, there’s more to it than just a Sunday relationship, I believe what the Bible says about Jesus, that He died for your sins, and mine, and I need to come clean with how I’m living.
I urge you to take a closer look at how Jesus won the lost, and do it His way. I urge you to take a closer look at how you’re living and talk to God about it.Pastor Philip C.
“Let me tell you what you really need.”
A couple of thoughts as you continue:How do you present who you are to Christ?How do you present Christ to others?Verse 9 gives you a quick explanation of the awkwardness upon first meeting each other. She said it was because Jews and Samaritans almost never speak to each other, it was disdain.
(That tension being the actual origin of the Samaritans and which people were true to the original law of Moses.)
1. The Jews regard the intermarriage of Assyrian colonists and northern Israelites and the development of a mixedup religion as the origin of the heresy (a belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs).
2. The Samaritans claim to be descendants of the tribe of Joseph, and thus descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh. Their priests are from the house of Levi, descendants of Aaron. They consider the Jews a cult. There are actually four variations of the origin of Samaritans, neither of which can be proven. They each are sure of their own account.
Samaritans still exist today, although they have dwindled down to 4 families (of around 700 people) because they refuse converts.The real point of chapter 4 is not which people is right.Jews or Samaritans, or which people were using the correct mountain to worship on, Mt. Gerizim, or Jerusalem called Mt. Zion. Jesus narrowed it down to who had the “Best Water!” Or who who’s bottom line makes the most sense.
1. On one hand, you had Jacob’s well being in the Samaritan’s possession for generations,
2.or, the Jews that had a system of religion, but just happened to have the man called Jesus that was making converts in Israel offering LIVING WATER. Jesus got to the point without wasting time and said “if you drink from Jacob’s well, you will thirst again, but if you drink of Him, you would have a well of water springing up into everlasting life!”To Fast Forward This 2000 Years Up To Date For You:Let me say it like this... even today, Everybody’s got an opinion. Everybody thinks they are right and the others are wrong, just like the Jews and Samaritans. It doesn’t matter what country, nationality, or issue we look at in the news, someone thinks their personal OPINION gives them the right to be louder. Their ANGLE is right.
We as Christians, should understand Jesus’ perspective on this divine appointment at the well. He knew who he was talking to. He knew what was important to her and her people. He knew their pride and hurt feelings, He didn’t come to tell her she was wrong in her beliefs, only that she was living in SIN, and that HE had what she really needed.
Our understanding of this story is critical, if we want our future meetings to matter for Christ. Shall we take sides and risk upsetting the apple cart? or will we allow the Holy Spirit to lead the conversation and get to the real issue: That is that GOD LOVES YOU, He wants you to accept Jesus Christ as the answer to your personal condition. She changed the subject when He started talking about her sins, but He still got the Word in.
A major part of what we as Christians are doing wrong, is we take sides first. We bring our opinionated luggage to society everyday and hope to convince the world that we’re right.
ILLUSTRATION: I like the fact that Billy and Franklin Graham, don’t claim to be either Republican or Democrat, they evaluate everything according to what God says about the issue. It’s not a good move to endorse candidates, but we do need to know what they stand for. So maybe our first step should be to learn what God says. III. What we may find is that like the Samaritan woman... who was just living the only way she knew how to live, will end up getting what she really needed, and find that everlasting joy and eternal life that CHRIST gives. Today folks are just living the way they’ve been taught, by people who made the biggest impression on them, good or bad. Whether hopeless or hopeful, they are pressing toward an end. Christ gives Eternal life that breaks chains of regret, the cycles of sin, and generations of curses. We should learn how to lead a person to Christ, instead of developing a better argument. Learn how to make a friend and gain confidence instead of reading the news with an “Us and Them” mindset.Jesus Gave Us The “In Spirit and In Truth” AngleThat is, That God wants us to have a true relationship with Him. Forsaking all other Gods, traditions and doctrines of men, seeking who God really is and what He expects from us. Coming to Him, and acknowledging all of our sins instead of hiding them, or pretending they don’t matter.
Matt. 22: 37
That is, there’s more to it than just a Sunday relationship, I believe what the Bible says about Jesus, that He died for your sins, and mine, and I need to come clean with how I’m living.
I urge you to take a closer look at how Jesus won the lost, and do it His way. I urge you to take a closer look at how you’re living and talk to God about it.Pastor Philip C.