Doing what’s right isn’t always easy. There are times that standing up for God will mean standing alone against a mountain of opposition. The media of this country is often outraged by what the Bible teaches us is right, and has infected the minds of many against the truth. We know there will be immense pressure for us to change our ways if we stand up for what’s right. It would be much easier if we conceded, and accepted the status quo.
Elijah dealt with this way back in 1 Kings. At this time many of those in Israel had turned from God, and instead worshipped the Baal’s. Even those who did stay loyal to God not were unwilling to stand up and declare that God is Lord, for they feared how they might be persecuted. It caused Elijah to make this statement in 1 Kings 18:22:
“I alone am left a prophet of the Lord; for Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.”
Elijah was alone, and yet He didn’t back down. Elijah was alone, but He remained steadfast. Elijah was alone, and yet He stood up for the Lord. Elijah did this because He understood the truth. There may have been 450 prophets of a false God opposing him, but He had one real God on His side. It may not have looked like it, but Elijah had the upper hand. That became clear when God consumed those false prophets later in the passage, and Elijah had a great victory.
If you are 1 vs. 450. 1 vs. 5, or 1 vs. a million you have the upper hand if you stand up for the Lord. Many people may say that it is wrong for us to claim that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the light, and one can only come to God through Him. Many may say it is wrong for us to claim only our religion is right. Many may say that it is old and outdated for us to think a person should wait until marriage to have sex. Many may call us fools for committing our lives to an ancient religion.
None of that matters. What many claim is nothing compared to what one God says. The many that oppose us have no power compared to the one God who is for us. Do not fear when they call you stupid, offensive, or wrong. Don’t hide in the shadows, and not let anyone know what it is you believe. Stand up for the truth as Elijah did, and know that God is with you. What God is with no one can stand against. What God has created no one can destroy. Stand alone if you must, but stand. God will always be on your side.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
So Drama
There is something I’ve noticed in many of the churches I’ve attended that has made me uncomfortable. It’s during a point in the service when someone, maybe the worship leader or preacher, wants to heighten the drama. They sometimes do this by saying a prayer where the words are used to lead into a song, or to start back into another song. It’s supposed to be dramatic. I think it’s wrong. Don’t use God for your drama.
Prayer is amazing. Being able to know, speak to, and have a relationship with the living God of the universe is a great blessing. When we use our relationship with God to heighten drama, however, we don’t honor Him. We cheapen our relationship with Him. We make it little more than a tool for us to use when we want.
God does not let us speak to Him so we can make our worship songs more moving. God did not give us prayer so we could abuse it for our drama. He gave us prayer, and introduced Himself to us so we could be transformed into a new person saved by grace. He did not do it so we could be dramatic.
Prayer is amazing. Being able to know, speak to, and have a relationship with the living God of the universe is a great blessing. When we use our relationship with God to heighten drama, however, we don’t honor Him. We cheapen our relationship with Him. We make it little more than a tool for us to use when we want.
God does not let us speak to Him so we can make our worship songs more moving. God did not give us prayer so we could abuse it for our drama. He gave us prayer, and introduced Himself to us so we could be transformed into a new person saved by grace. He did not do it so we could be dramatic.
Monday, January 24, 2011
At the Well: One Lost Person
This story ends in a powerful way in John 4:39-41:
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word.”
What this shows is the amazing impact witnessing to one lost sinner can have. Many of the Samaritans came to believe because one sinful woman was witnessed to, and she witnessed to others. Jesus did not judge this woman, did not condemn her, and did not refuse to speak to her. He addressed her, forgave her, and offered her salvation. Through this singular act many came to believe in the truth.
We should never turn our backs on one lost person. We should never think anyone is too depraved to be saved, or they’re not worth saving. Jesus reached out to one sinful woman, and countless people were saved as a result. Countless more could be saved if we would witness to just one. Just one person can transform the world.
We should look for such people in our lives, and witness to them as Jesus witnessed to the woman at the well. We never know what our witness could accomplish through them. Even if we only save them it is enough. The heavens rejoice when one lost person is found.
“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all that I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word.”
What this shows is the amazing impact witnessing to one lost sinner can have. Many of the Samaritans came to believe because one sinful woman was witnessed to, and she witnessed to others. Jesus did not judge this woman, did not condemn her, and did not refuse to speak to her. He addressed her, forgave her, and offered her salvation. Through this singular act many came to believe in the truth.
We should never turn our backs on one lost person. We should never think anyone is too depraved to be saved, or they’re not worth saving. Jesus reached out to one sinful woman, and countless people were saved as a result. Countless more could be saved if we would witness to just one. Just one person can transform the world.
We should look for such people in our lives, and witness to them as Jesus witnessed to the woman at the well. We never know what our witness could accomplish through them. Even if we only save them it is enough. The heavens rejoice when one lost person is found.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
At the Well: Unexpected Sources
Why did the woman leave her waterpot? Where did she go? John 4:28-30 tells us:
“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city, and they came to Him.”
The woman left her waterpot because she went to go tell others about Jesus. This woman who just earlier in this same day had been the sinning woman who had five husbands, was now living with a man who was not her husband, and had to go to the well on her own because she was such a social outcast was now the witness to the grace of Jesus Christ.
It is unlikely that any of these Samaritan men thought this woman would be the witness that would bring the good news of Jesus Christ to their land, but that’s what happened. The woman witnesses. She is an unexpected source, but she is listened to. The men go to see Jesus because of her.
We may be sinners. There may be people around us who know the ways we’ve stumbled, and we may fear what they can say about us if we ever confess the name of Jesus. We must not let that stop us. Jesus used this woman as an unexpected source, and He can also use us. He can use those around us we have always known to be great sinners. We should not be afraid to listen to unexpected sources of wisdom in our day.
Jesus can use us to witness to His power no matter the depraved state we were in before we knew Him. How evil we were before we knew Him demonstrates His power, for when we’ve changed as this woman did it shows just how good Jesus is. He can turn us sinners into good. He can transform us. He can witness through all of us.
“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, ‘Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?’ Then they went out of the city, and they came to Him.”
The woman left her waterpot because she went to go tell others about Jesus. This woman who just earlier in this same day had been the sinning woman who had five husbands, was now living with a man who was not her husband, and had to go to the well on her own because she was such a social outcast was now the witness to the grace of Jesus Christ.
It is unlikely that any of these Samaritan men thought this woman would be the witness that would bring the good news of Jesus Christ to their land, but that’s what happened. The woman witnesses. She is an unexpected source, but she is listened to. The men go to see Jesus because of her.
We may be sinners. There may be people around us who know the ways we’ve stumbled, and we may fear what they can say about us if we ever confess the name of Jesus. We must not let that stop us. Jesus used this woman as an unexpected source, and He can also use us. He can use those around us we have always known to be great sinners. We should not be afraid to listen to unexpected sources of wisdom in our day.
Jesus can use us to witness to His power no matter the depraved state we were in before we knew Him. How evil we were before we knew Him demonstrates His power, for when we’ve changed as this woman did it shows just how good Jesus is. He can turn us sinners into good. He can transform us. He can witness through all of us.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
At the Well: Waterpots
The starting words of the next verse are perhaps the most impactful of this entire story. They show the reaction of the woman to all Jesus has told her about himself. She doesn’t need to tell us if she’s accepted the truth. These starting words are in John 4:28:
“The woman than left her waterpot,”
They may not seem like much, but these words are like an explosion. They’re huge. The woman went to the well because she was thirsty, and then she left her waterpot. How could she do this? It was more than just her being forgetful. The woman got what Jesus taught her.
The truth so touched the woman she forgot her need for water because the love of Jesus so filled her. That really is amazing, and shows what the truth can do to a person. When we finally accept the grace Jesus Christ offers us we can forget all these other things we use to fill ourselves up. We won’t need to constantly find a new person to have sex with, for we’ll find that grace fills us more than those hollow relationships ever could. We won’t need to always find new ways to acquire money, for Jesus can make us more rich than wealth ever could. We won’t always need to buy new video games when we accept Jesus can offer us so much more than created experiences ever can. We can leave these things when we bow down to the throne of righteousness, and accept that what we really need to be filled with is the living water offered to us by Jesus Christ.
The woman left her waterpot. What do we need to leave? We can leave it, for Jesus can make us never go thirsty again. We can abandon our sin. We can overcome it. We can continue to have things like money, video games, and sex (with our spouses), but we can live free of the chains such things can put on us. We can realize we don’t need to turn to such things to be filled. The only thing that can really fill us, and leave us full is Jesus. We can leave our waterpots. We can be filled with Him.
“The woman than left her waterpot,”
They may not seem like much, but these words are like an explosion. They’re huge. The woman went to the well because she was thirsty, and then she left her waterpot. How could she do this? It was more than just her being forgetful. The woman got what Jesus taught her.
The truth so touched the woman she forgot her need for water because the love of Jesus so filled her. That really is amazing, and shows what the truth can do to a person. When we finally accept the grace Jesus Christ offers us we can forget all these other things we use to fill ourselves up. We won’t need to constantly find a new person to have sex with, for we’ll find that grace fills us more than those hollow relationships ever could. We won’t need to always find new ways to acquire money, for Jesus can make us more rich than wealth ever could. We won’t always need to buy new video games when we accept Jesus can offer us so much more than created experiences ever can. We can leave these things when we bow down to the throne of righteousness, and accept that what we really need to be filled with is the living water offered to us by Jesus Christ.
The woman left her waterpot. What do we need to leave? We can leave it, for Jesus can make us never go thirsty again. We can abandon our sin. We can overcome it. We can continue to have things like money, video games, and sex (with our spouses), but we can live free of the chains such things can put on us. We can realize we don’t need to turn to such things to be filled. The only thing that can really fill us, and leave us full is Jesus. We can leave our waterpots. We can be filled with Him.
Monday, January 17, 2011
At the Well: For the Helpless
Up to this point Jesus was alone with the woman at the well. John 4:27 shows what happens when the disciples return to Him:
“And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said ‘What do you seek?’ or, ‘Why are You talking with her?”
The disciples judged. That’s what it means that they marveled. Not that they were amazed with Him. Instead they wondered why He, a Jewish rabbi, was lowering himself to talk to some lowly Samaritan woman. They judged her as unworthy of His time. This is a good example of a time the disciples teach an important lesson by doing something stupid.
They should not have judged, and yet they did. So do we in such times. When someone confesses the name of Jesus we often feel anger toward them because we get offended for others. When they break through social taboos to share the gospel, as Jesus did here, we are more concerned with the rules they break than with the truth they share. When we consider witnessing or reaching out to others in the name of Christ we often ignore the needs of those who are homeless, drug addicts, or consumed by perversion because we are better than that. We are too good to witness to such people. We are above them, and would have to lower ourselves to be in their presence.
This ought not to be. If we must lower ourselves then we should. The homeless person under the bridge deserves the chance to hear Jesus as much as the rich guy in the gated community. We are not called to share the gospel with only certain types of people. All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. All need to be redeemed. We shouldn’t refuse to go on a mission trip to Africa because we might get a little dirty. It is wrong to leave a pregnant teenage girl to fend for herself when she’s been thrown out of the house because of the mistakes she’s made. We are called to help the helpless, and to love the unlovable.
That’s the example Jesus set when He witnessed to a fallen Samaritan woman. We should never judge as the disciples did when we see others loving the unlovable as Jesus taught them to. We should join in. We represent Christ, and we should be like Him. Look beyond your own social circles, and see there’s a whole world out there that needs salvation. Get down, and get dirty to make sure others can know Jesus. Humble yourself. Help the helpless. Love the unlovable. Share the love of Jesus.
“And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said ‘What do you seek?’ or, ‘Why are You talking with her?”
The disciples judged. That’s what it means that they marveled. Not that they were amazed with Him. Instead they wondered why He, a Jewish rabbi, was lowering himself to talk to some lowly Samaritan woman. They judged her as unworthy of His time. This is a good example of a time the disciples teach an important lesson by doing something stupid.
They should not have judged, and yet they did. So do we in such times. When someone confesses the name of Jesus we often feel anger toward them because we get offended for others. When they break through social taboos to share the gospel, as Jesus did here, we are more concerned with the rules they break than with the truth they share. When we consider witnessing or reaching out to others in the name of Christ we often ignore the needs of those who are homeless, drug addicts, or consumed by perversion because we are better than that. We are too good to witness to such people. We are above them, and would have to lower ourselves to be in their presence.
This ought not to be. If we must lower ourselves then we should. The homeless person under the bridge deserves the chance to hear Jesus as much as the rich guy in the gated community. We are not called to share the gospel with only certain types of people. All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. All need to be redeemed. We shouldn’t refuse to go on a mission trip to Africa because we might get a little dirty. It is wrong to leave a pregnant teenage girl to fend for herself when she’s been thrown out of the house because of the mistakes she’s made. We are called to help the helpless, and to love the unlovable.
That’s the example Jesus set when He witnessed to a fallen Samaritan woman. We should never judge as the disciples did when we see others loving the unlovable as Jesus taught them to. We should join in. We represent Christ, and we should be like Him. Look beyond your own social circles, and see there’s a whole world out there that needs salvation. Get down, and get dirty to make sure others can know Jesus. Humble yourself. Help the helpless. Love the unlovable. Share the love of Jesus.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
At the Well: In Spirit and Truth
In the verses I discussed in the last entry I mainly noted how the woman was trying to find a way to distract Jesus. Her question, however, is an important one that is still often raised today. As a reminder, what she said is in John 4:19-20:
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
She is really asking where it is God ought to be worshipped. Jews said in Jerusalem. Samaritan’s said elsewhere. This fight reflects one that still happens among the denominations today. Should we worship God in a Baptist church, or in a Lutheran church? Should we worship God as Catholics while taking mass, or as Pentecostals while speaking in tongues? What denomination has the best claim to worship? Who has it in with God? Jesus answers this in verses 21-24:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, or in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus gives a good answer to the question of where we can worship. The answer? Anywhere. Catholics, Baptist, Jews, Gentiles, Americans, Arabs, and anyone else can worship God from anywhere because God does not reside in a building. God is not walls, or steeples. God is not a mountain. “God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
With the coming of Jesus the Holy Spirit now resides within us when we accept the truth that Jesus came to die on the cross for all our sins, and to redeem us from death. We don’t need to be Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist, or anything else to worship. We only have to have the conversation the Samaritan woman has with Jesus in verses 25-26:
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.”
Believe those words Jesus said, and worship in Spirit and Truth. Worship Him in your house, at your job, on the beach, in your car, and everywhere else. Worship Him by living with Him. Go to church, but also be the church. Don’t fight over who has the greatest claim to Jesus. Thanks to His redemptive power we all can claim His grace. We all can worship Him from where we are.
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
She is really asking where it is God ought to be worshipped. Jews said in Jerusalem. Samaritan’s said elsewhere. This fight reflects one that still happens among the denominations today. Should we worship God in a Baptist church, or in a Lutheran church? Should we worship God as Catholics while taking mass, or as Pentecostals while speaking in tongues? What denomination has the best claim to worship? Who has it in with God? Jesus answers this in verses 21-24:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, or in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
Jesus gives a good answer to the question of where we can worship. The answer? Anywhere. Catholics, Baptist, Jews, Gentiles, Americans, Arabs, and anyone else can worship God from anywhere because God does not reside in a building. God is not walls, or steeples. God is not a mountain. “God is Spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth.”
With the coming of Jesus the Holy Spirit now resides within us when we accept the truth that Jesus came to die on the cross for all our sins, and to redeem us from death. We don’t need to be Baptist, Catholic, Episcopalian, Methodist, or anything else to worship. We only have to have the conversation the Samaritan woman has with Jesus in verses 25-26:
“The woman said to Him, ‘I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). ‘When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.”
Believe those words Jesus said, and worship in Spirit and Truth. Worship Him in your house, at your job, on the beach, in your car, and everywhere else. Worship Him by living with Him. Go to church, but also be the church. Don’t fight over who has the greatest claim to Jesus. Thanks to His redemptive power we all can claim His grace. We all can worship Him from where we are.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
At the Well: Something to Debate
The woman at the well was not finished trying to keep the truth she’s heard from changing her. She already tried to distract Jesus on two different occasions, and has failed each time. She uses a different tactic in her third attempt. It is seen in John 4:19-20:
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
This is a very common tactic put on display here. She is like many of us, and when presented with a truth she doesn’t understand, or want to accept, she tries to debate little pieces of that truth. With her sin exposed the woman tries launching into theological debate to avoid the topic of salvation. This tactic of trying to debate over religious matters is used by those who fear the truth of salvation. They do this because if they are able to look at the words of Jesus more as a thing to debate than life or death they can more easily ignore their need for Him. It’s another trap not to fall into.
Any person, especially in a Western society, is familiar with the Bible, and knows some of the stories. They even know some of the debate that surrounds them (was Jesus really born in a manger? Was He a carpenter? Did the whole world really get flooded? Creationism vs. evolution. Etc.). It gives the unsaved lots of things to bring up as distractions when the truth is being presented to them. We cannot fall into this trap. Avoid such debates, for they can keep you from discussing the really important truth. What really matters is getting someone to accept that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
Do not debate such matters, but follow the example Jesus has shown every time there is an attempted distraction. Use whatever is said to continue revealing the truth about the salvation of Jesus Christ. Notice that Jesus never condemned the woman for all her attempts to distract him with offense, history, or theology. Her revelation of her sin did not stop Him from speaking to her. He used everything to reveal more of the truth about Himself to her. This is one of the most important lessons from this story. Don’t get distracted, but always witness.
“The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
This is a very common tactic put on display here. She is like many of us, and when presented with a truth she doesn’t understand, or want to accept, she tries to debate little pieces of that truth. With her sin exposed the woman tries launching into theological debate to avoid the topic of salvation. This tactic of trying to debate over religious matters is used by those who fear the truth of salvation. They do this because if they are able to look at the words of Jesus more as a thing to debate than life or death they can more easily ignore their need for Him. It’s another trap not to fall into.
Any person, especially in a Western society, is familiar with the Bible, and knows some of the stories. They even know some of the debate that surrounds them (was Jesus really born in a manger? Was He a carpenter? Did the whole world really get flooded? Creationism vs. evolution. Etc.). It gives the unsaved lots of things to bring up as distractions when the truth is being presented to them. We cannot fall into this trap. Avoid such debates, for they can keep you from discussing the really important truth. What really matters is getting someone to accept that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
Do not debate such matters, but follow the example Jesus has shown every time there is an attempted distraction. Use whatever is said to continue revealing the truth about the salvation of Jesus Christ. Notice that Jesus never condemned the woman for all her attempts to distract him with offense, history, or theology. Her revelation of her sin did not stop Him from speaking to her. He used everything to reveal more of the truth about Himself to her. This is one of the most important lessons from this story. Don’t get distracted, but always witness.
Monday, January 10, 2011
At the Well: Condemnation
In the previous verse Jesus called the woman to get her husband, and come back. There is a problem with this request, and it is dealt with in John 4:17-18:
“The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You have said well, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
Jesus challenged the woman, and she responded truthfully. He responds by telling her he knows what her sins are. He doesn’t do this by condemning her. He only states the facts. His handling of this, and using it to reveal some of the truth about himself to the woman, is an important lesson for people today.
Essentially, the woman’s sin was that she and her boyfriend were living together. This is a common problem today as anyone who opens their eyes knows well. When many of us find out people are living sinfully in such a way we are eager to condemn them. We are righteous, and want them to know they are not. The Bible is clear there is not to be sex before marriage, and a man and a woman should not share a bed until there are two rings on that woman’s finger (engagement ring and wedding band). This is right. Our handling of knowing this truth is not always right.
Is living together, sleeping together, and doing all that stuff together before marriage wrong? Yes. Is condemning it right? No. Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well, and we are not to condemn. We are to respond to sin by continuing to make sure a lost and broken world feels the love of Jesus. We are not to condemn, but to help Jesus redeem.
The reason for this is simple. When one accepts Christ He comes to reside within them. The things they do in their life that are sins against Him will be made known to them by the Holy Spirit residing within them. This Spirit will help turn that person’s will into God’s will, and they will be transformed by it. This is true of us all. Our life is a walk with Jesus, and not a sprint. It is the job of those of us who are saved to allow Jesus to do the redeeming, and we can only do this if we cease the condemning.
Someone who sins should repent. Someone who condemns should not. Someone who witnesses should help Jesus redeem.
“The woman answered and said, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You have said well, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
Jesus challenged the woman, and she responded truthfully. He responds by telling her he knows what her sins are. He doesn’t do this by condemning her. He only states the facts. His handling of this, and using it to reveal some of the truth about himself to the woman, is an important lesson for people today.
Essentially, the woman’s sin was that she and her boyfriend were living together. This is a common problem today as anyone who opens their eyes knows well. When many of us find out people are living sinfully in such a way we are eager to condemn them. We are righteous, and want them to know they are not. The Bible is clear there is not to be sex before marriage, and a man and a woman should not share a bed until there are two rings on that woman’s finger (engagement ring and wedding band). This is right. Our handling of knowing this truth is not always right.
Is living together, sleeping together, and doing all that stuff together before marriage wrong? Yes. Is condemning it right? No. Jesus did not condemn the woman at the well, and we are not to condemn. We are to respond to sin by continuing to make sure a lost and broken world feels the love of Jesus. We are not to condemn, but to help Jesus redeem.
The reason for this is simple. When one accepts Christ He comes to reside within them. The things they do in their life that are sins against Him will be made known to them by the Holy Spirit residing within them. This Spirit will help turn that person’s will into God’s will, and they will be transformed by it. This is true of us all. Our life is a walk with Jesus, and not a sprint. It is the job of those of us who are saved to allow Jesus to do the redeeming, and we can only do this if we cease the condemning.
Someone who sins should repent. Someone who condemns should not. Someone who witnesses should help Jesus redeem.
Friday, January 7, 2011
At the Well: Go, Call, and Come
After the Samaritan woman has admitted her desire for living water Jesus shows her another lesson that is important to us. She learns that faith in Christ is more than just an insurance policy, or something to make us feel good. Faith in Christ is a call to action. Jesus shows this in John 5:16:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.”
Jesus has witnessed to the woman, and she has accepted to truth. Now he commands her to follow His example, and witness herself. He acted, and wants her to act. This is true of all those who accept Christ. He did not call us to fill up pews. He did not call us to sit in hallowed halls, and debate matters of the Bible among ourselves. He did not call us to condemn, or to think we are better than everyone else because we know Jesus. He calls us to go, call, and come.
Jesus teaches us here how vitally important it is for us to act on the faith we claim. We need to witness to the truth. James spells it out for us in his book, and teaches that faith without works is dead. Jesus calls the woman to immediately act on this faith that she does not yet fully understand. He does not tell her to wait until she’s gone to seminary, or to wait until she’s studied, and come to a more full understanding of what faith is. He wants her to act now. Once again, the same is true of us.
Every reason we use for not trying to reach the lost is just an excuse. Jesus knows we’re not perfect. We wouldn’t need Him if we were. Our lack of perfection doesn’t matter. He is perfect, and He resides within us once we accept Him. We are prepared to reach others the moment we accept Him because the Holy Spirit within us is always ready to speak through us. Don’t hide behind excuses. Listen to the command of Jesus. Go, call, and come.
“Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.”
Jesus has witnessed to the woman, and she has accepted to truth. Now he commands her to follow His example, and witness herself. He acted, and wants her to act. This is true of all those who accept Christ. He did not call us to fill up pews. He did not call us to sit in hallowed halls, and debate matters of the Bible among ourselves. He did not call us to condemn, or to think we are better than everyone else because we know Jesus. He calls us to go, call, and come.
Jesus teaches us here how vitally important it is for us to act on the faith we claim. We need to witness to the truth. James spells it out for us in his book, and teaches that faith without works is dead. Jesus calls the woman to immediately act on this faith that she does not yet fully understand. He does not tell her to wait until she’s gone to seminary, or to wait until she’s studied, and come to a more full understanding of what faith is. He wants her to act now. Once again, the same is true of us.
Every reason we use for not trying to reach the lost is just an excuse. Jesus knows we’re not perfect. We wouldn’t need Him if we were. Our lack of perfection doesn’t matter. He is perfect, and He resides within us once we accept Him. We are prepared to reach others the moment we accept Him because the Holy Spirit within us is always ready to speak through us. Don’t hide behind excuses. Listen to the command of Jesus. Go, call, and come.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
At the Well: Need for Living Water
Jesus deflects the woman’s attempts at distracting Him in John 4:10 by telling her about the living water He is capable of giving her. The woman is not done trying to distract Jesus after this. Their debate continues in John 4:11-14 as Jesus overcomes her challenge once more, and repeats that he can give her water that can bring her salvation. Her response to this is in verse 15:
“The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
This verse shows that the woman wants what Jesus has to offer even if she doesn’t fully comprehend it. This reveals an important truth about all people. Everyone is built to want a relationship with the divine. All people throughout history have found something to worship, for we are built to worship. Whether Zeus, the land, the sun, Balaam, Shiva, or anything else all people have been aware of their need for what is divine.
We are built to know that we need Jesus, and we need salvation. Even those who don’t fully comprehend the truth, or have never heard of Jesus understand this. They get it. Even those that deny it with atheism or something else so they can spend their lives worshiping themselves understand this. This woman showed her understanding that she needed salvation when she was first exposed to it. She may not have fully comprehended what she was asking for at the time, but she knew she needed it. All people know they need it.
A key reason we need to witness is so all people can be exposed to what their need to worship is made to help them realize. Those not exposed to the truth will find something else to worship, for we have to worship something. Whatever it is will leave them in want. It is the job of those who are saved to help the unsaved find their way to the living water that comes from Jesus Christ.
“The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
This verse shows that the woman wants what Jesus has to offer even if she doesn’t fully comprehend it. This reveals an important truth about all people. Everyone is built to want a relationship with the divine. All people throughout history have found something to worship, for we are built to worship. Whether Zeus, the land, the sun, Balaam, Shiva, or anything else all people have been aware of their need for what is divine.
We are built to know that we need Jesus, and we need salvation. Even those who don’t fully comprehend the truth, or have never heard of Jesus understand this. They get it. Even those that deny it with atheism or something else so they can spend their lives worshiping themselves understand this. This woman showed her understanding that she needed salvation when she was first exposed to it. She may not have fully comprehended what she was asking for at the time, but she knew she needed it. All people know they need it.
A key reason we need to witness is so all people can be exposed to what their need to worship is made to help them realize. Those not exposed to the truth will find something else to worship, for we have to worship something. Whatever it is will leave them in want. It is the job of those who are saved to help the unsaved find their way to the living water that comes from Jesus Christ.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
At the Well: Get Dirty
Jesus broke through cultural taboos to speak to the woman, and her response to His doing so is the type of response many of us fear when we consider witnessing. John 4:9 says:
“Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, ‘How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?”
Translation: she’s offended. She knows Jesus shouldn’t be speaking with her, and she tells him. I believe, however, that the source of her claimed offense is different than what she says. What she’s really wondering is how can someone clean, like a Jewish rabbi, speak to someone unclean like her? This is a profound statement, and shows a problem those of us in the Christian community have allowed to arise.
Many who are unsaved look at those who are saved, and believe we consider them unworthy of us. They are nothing more than those who need to come to our way of thinking to be considered clean. When we address them they can wonder why we perfect Christians can talk to fallen sinners. They claim offense largely because of the social boundaries we ourselves have put in place. This is what the Samaritan woman did. She was a social outcast already, and her offense was largely for Jesus’ sake, and not her own. She believed He should consider Himself too good to speak with her.
Many we witness to can think the same about us. They can think those of us who are clean, or saved, can become dirty when we talk to those who are dirty, or unsaved. They get offended because things we’ve said and done tells them they should. As I’ll discuss in later entries Jesus didn’t let this stop Him, and neither should we. He spoke to unsaved people, and didn’t let this Samaritan woman scare Him away because she decided to get offended.
We need to make sure unsaved people know we don’t think we are better than they are. All that separates us is we’ve accepted a truth they haven’t yet. We should be willing to address them to make sure they accept that truth.
“Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, ‘How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?”
Translation: she’s offended. She knows Jesus shouldn’t be speaking with her, and she tells him. I believe, however, that the source of her claimed offense is different than what she says. What she’s really wondering is how can someone clean, like a Jewish rabbi, speak to someone unclean like her? This is a profound statement, and shows a problem those of us in the Christian community have allowed to arise.
Many who are unsaved look at those who are saved, and believe we consider them unworthy of us. They are nothing more than those who need to come to our way of thinking to be considered clean. When we address them they can wonder why we perfect Christians can talk to fallen sinners. They claim offense largely because of the social boundaries we ourselves have put in place. This is what the Samaritan woman did. She was a social outcast already, and her offense was largely for Jesus’ sake, and not her own. She believed He should consider Himself too good to speak with her.
Many we witness to can think the same about us. They can think those of us who are clean, or saved, can become dirty when we talk to those who are dirty, or unsaved. They get offended because things we’ve said and done tells them they should. As I’ll discuss in later entries Jesus didn’t let this stop Him, and neither should we. He spoke to unsaved people, and didn’t let this Samaritan woman scare Him away because she decided to get offended.
We need to make sure unsaved people know we don’t think we are better than they are. All that separates us is we’ve accepted a truth they haven’t yet. We should be willing to address them to make sure they accept that truth.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
At the Well: Be Taboo
In my last entry I didn’t even get to when the woman at the well shows up. That happens in John 4:7:
“A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.”
All sorts of things are going on here. Much of it has a lot to do with the culture at the time. When we witness to people we are often told to be careful not to violate any cultural rules. While it is often true that working within the culture is the best way to reach the lost it should not be forgotten that witnessing to the truth is far more important than following cultural rules. Jesus made a very strong case for this in this single verse.
In the times of Jesus it was completely taboo for Jesus to do any of the things He did here. It was a cultural rule that a man should never talk to a woman in an uninhabited place with no witnesses. Kenneth E. Bailey’s Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes teaches that this is still taboo today in this part of the world. Jesus should have avoided even making eye contact with her. What culture dictated is Jesus should have gone far off when the woman approached. As a man, a Jew, and a rabbi He never should have spoken with her, looked at her, or even been near her.
But He did. He ignored all these cultural rules and more so that He could witness to her. He did whatever was required so this woman could be made aware of the salvation she could receive through Him. He did whatever he had to, and broke through cultural boundaries so she could be saved. We should follow His example, and be just as concerned with salvation for the lost as Jesus was. Cultural rules are not more important than making sure all people know Jesus. Follow them if you can, but ignore them if you must. Witness to the truth so people can be transformed by it. That is our calling. It’s so stupid when we’re more concerned with not offending than saving the unsaved. It’s better to offend a thousand people than to let one person go to hell who could be saved. Be taboo. Witness.
“A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.”
All sorts of things are going on here. Much of it has a lot to do with the culture at the time. When we witness to people we are often told to be careful not to violate any cultural rules. While it is often true that working within the culture is the best way to reach the lost it should not be forgotten that witnessing to the truth is far more important than following cultural rules. Jesus made a very strong case for this in this single verse.
In the times of Jesus it was completely taboo for Jesus to do any of the things He did here. It was a cultural rule that a man should never talk to a woman in an uninhabited place with no witnesses. Kenneth E. Bailey’s Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes teaches that this is still taboo today in this part of the world. Jesus should have avoided even making eye contact with her. What culture dictated is Jesus should have gone far off when the woman approached. As a man, a Jew, and a rabbi He never should have spoken with her, looked at her, or even been near her.
But He did. He ignored all these cultural rules and more so that He could witness to her. He did whatever was required so this woman could be made aware of the salvation she could receive through Him. He did whatever he had to, and broke through cultural boundaries so she could be saved. We should follow His example, and be just as concerned with salvation for the lost as Jesus was. Cultural rules are not more important than making sure all people know Jesus. Follow them if you can, but ignore them if you must. Witness to the truth so people can be transformed by it. That is our calling. It’s so stupid when we’re more concerned with not offending than saving the unsaved. It’s better to offend a thousand people than to let one person go to hell who could be saved. Be taboo. Witness.
Monday, January 3, 2011
At the Well: Seek the Lost
One of the most important moments recorded from Jesus’ ministry is when He encountered the woman at the well. Many are familiar with this story, for it is a very good story. It’s filled with lessons on witnessing, sin, and many other things. Most of all it is a lesson on forgiveness.
The scriptures I’ll be referencing as I teach from this story are from John 4:1-42. A lot of verses, and I won’t teach from all of them (though I could). Instead I’ll pick out verses to teach on things I believe God has laid on my heart. I’ll start with two verses. John 4:3-4:
“He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.”
These verses are easily ignored, but the implications of these verses are very important. In Jesus’ day most Jewish Rabbi’s would have gone around Samaria to avoid becoming unclean in the presence of the Samaritans. The Jewish disdain for the Samaritans was so strong that avoiding them was a religious matter. Jesus would have been expected to go around Samaria, but He didn’t. It says He needed to go through Samaria.
Why did Jesus need to go through Samaria? Because He knew that’s where those in need of His message were. He knew Samaritans needed to be saved just like anyone else. They were dirty and unclean, and that’s precisely why Jesus went to them. They needed to be cleansed.
This speaks to us today. As Christians many of us today isolate ourselves from the sinners of this world. We consider this a religious matter. We must stay away from sinners. They have not been cleansed as we have, and we should stay away. That is not what Jesus teaches us. He teaches us to go out, and seek out the unclean people of this world. Find those in need of salvation, and offer it to them. Don’t avoid them. Go to them. These sinners don’t just need us. We need to go to them so they can find out about Jesus, and accept Him. They need to be cleansed, and we are to witness so they can be.
The scriptures I’ll be referencing as I teach from this story are from John 4:1-42. A lot of verses, and I won’t teach from all of them (though I could). Instead I’ll pick out verses to teach on things I believe God has laid on my heart. I’ll start with two verses. John 4:3-4:
“He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.”
These verses are easily ignored, but the implications of these verses are very important. In Jesus’ day most Jewish Rabbi’s would have gone around Samaria to avoid becoming unclean in the presence of the Samaritans. The Jewish disdain for the Samaritans was so strong that avoiding them was a religious matter. Jesus would have been expected to go around Samaria, but He didn’t. It says He needed to go through Samaria.
Why did Jesus need to go through Samaria? Because He knew that’s where those in need of His message were. He knew Samaritans needed to be saved just like anyone else. They were dirty and unclean, and that’s precisely why Jesus went to them. They needed to be cleansed.
This speaks to us today. As Christians many of us today isolate ourselves from the sinners of this world. We consider this a religious matter. We must stay away from sinners. They have not been cleansed as we have, and we should stay away. That is not what Jesus teaches us. He teaches us to go out, and seek out the unclean people of this world. Find those in need of salvation, and offer it to them. Don’t avoid them. Go to them. These sinners don’t just need us. We need to go to them so they can find out about Jesus, and accept Him. They need to be cleansed, and we are to witness so they can be.
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