From Outsider to Insider

Review points from last week.

Jesus offers living water.

Jesus will force you to contend with your sin when he offers you this living water (conviction)

True worship comes is presented to God in Spirit & Truth

Read John 4:27-42

Key Points

1. Jesus spent time with outsiders.

-This surprised the disciples. Though they did not question Jesus about it. Other times Jesus was questioned about it.

Mark 2:15–17 NIV

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

-At the core of Jesus motivation for such a “rebellious” act is love.

-The church in America has become click-ish and this is perhaps one of the reasons that over all churches are in America are shrinking.

-Is it possible we have fallen in love with the idea of loving our neighbor but do not actually love them?

The churches would soon be filled if outsiders could find that people in them loved them when they came. This love draws sinners! We must win them to us first, then we can win them to Christ. We must get people to love us, and then turn them over to Christ.

Dwight L. Moody

-Now I will admit that we run the risk of turning people in projects so we must be careful. Jesus never looked at people outside the kingdom as a “project” he saw them as a lost lamb.

-The greatest evangelism that we can do is love people where they are, make them feel special or importa

nt.

-What happens next is then introducing them to the one who loves us, Jesus. Motivational speakers can make you feel good about yourself so this is crucial. Without Jesus, which leads to salvation, we are like the farmer who prepares the ground, plants the seed, waters the seed but never harvests the plants.

Let’s move on, the woman goes into town to tell others about this man Jesus she has just met. And this gives Jesus an opportunity to teach his disciples.

They suggest Jesus eat something, his response “I have food to eat that you know nothing about" is a little confusing to them. Essentially Jesus is saying I find satisfaction from doing the will of the Father. And when he says “finish his work” Jesus is clearly communicating he understands his mission, his redemptive work.

Jesus explains that the the one who sows and the one who reaps share a common goal and should rejoice when the hard work pays off and there is bountiful harvest.

Of course we understand that Jesus is using a common image to communicate a spiritual truth.

2. Watching someone go from the outsider to insider is a joyous occasion

-Perhaps Jesus includes this so that we don’t become prideful.

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3. Jesus words are transformational.

-I think this most important point I can make today.

-Acts 4 is a great example

Application

1. We have to change our opinions about who the gospel is for.

Illustration: Bus ride to Cheyenne

2. Jesus says the work of evangelism that we do over time may be labor intensive but the planter and reaper work together towards a common and glorious goal; the salvation of souls.

-I’m convinced that every Christian should find them playing one of these two rolls almost all the time.

3. Are you allowing Jesus words to transform you?

What transformation is Jesus making in your life? Do his words make a difference in how you live.