Stepping out of the Comfort Zone

Welcome/Series Recap/Prayer

Crossing the Line Stepping Out of Our Comfort Zone.

Illustration of When the cop pulled us over Coming home from Bible Study. Caution tape

We are going to learn from this episode in John 4 How to step out of OUR comfort zone in THREE areas when it comes to sharing testimony this morning.

Who

What

where

Before we explore those three area’s I want to unpack the background and context behind this story that we find in the in the first six verses.

Context: Stepping into Samaria (Verse 3-4)

In the text we see that Jesus was traveling from Judea to Galilee and We see that Jesus Chose to go through Samaria. Now youve probably heard this a thousand times. Jew and Samaritain’s didnt get along and we will unpack that a little more in the who section, but we know that Jews would travel around Samaria. They would avoid that space. You can probably imagine the disciples saying, but Jesus we dont go there. We go around but you know what. Jesus stepped out of the disciples comfort zones. The Jews didnt go there. But Jesus did. Just to prime the pump are there spaces that you avoid? Parts of Town. Are there spaces we steer clear of because those people are there? (Pause) Just remember, when no one else was willing to go to samaria, Jesus did.

Stepping Out of OUR comfort zone with WHO we share with. (Verse 6—9 Slides)

History and Hurt Holding US Back

I said, earlier that there was some history behind this controversy. When the assyrians invaded the northern Kingdom hundreds of years before they transplanted people into the Northern Kingdom. Outsiders, Gentiles, Foreigners The people of Samaria began to intermingle with these transplanted people. They lost there racial purity and for the Jews they samaritains were not worthy to be called Jews because of this. Yet, this wasnt something that present day samaratins had any control over. It happened hundred of years before in their history. The Jews were hurt by the loss of the north and the loss of the ten tribes and they blamed that hurt on present day samaratins.

This really speaks to us today Church in two ways: history and hurt. Are there people in our lives that we avoid or even hold ill feelings toward because of something that happened in our history? Maybe as a child we were criticized so whenever someone comes to you, you live in that history rather than the present? Maybe there is a hurt that you have held on to for a very long time and that hurt is feels like a mountain between you and others. Sometimes we like the Jews hold something against a person or a group, not because of something they did in the present, but because of our history and our hurt. Jesus doesnt let this history and hurt keep him from stepping out of his comfort zone.

Cultural and Personal Holding Us back

Jesus is willing to share with a Samaratin woman alone at a well. This is a big no-no. Jewish men did not speak to woman in public. In fact , there was a rabbinic teaching around this time that said, when men are in public they should not speak to woman, not even there own wife. We already know that this woman was socially ostracized and rejected by everyone. That is why she is at the well in in the middle of the day. When and where no one else would be. The reality of the situation is that a first century reader would barely expect Jesus and the woman to acknowledge each others presence much less speak to each other.

What this teaches us is that Jesus was willing to speak to those outside of his comfort zone.

(Like talking to someone on an elevator- except much more awkward)

Who are we willing to step out of our comfort zone to speak with? What boundaries keep us from stepping out of our comfort zone?

The next part of the conversation, pushes boundaries of what we are willing to share with others.

Stepping Out of OUR comfort zone with WHAT we share! (Verses 15-18)

Stepping into Intimacy.

In verses 15 to 18 the conversation takes a very intimate Turn. Jesus tells the woman to go get her husband. The woman responds with a curt, “I have no husband”. Jesus lays it on her and said thats correct. You've had 5 husbands. The man you are with now is not your husband. (Pause) Could you imagine the woman’s embarassment? (Pause) Thats not a conversation topic, she wanted to deal with. We know because she switches the topic. But I want us to take a look at verse 29 (slide) she said, a man who told me everything I ever did. Do you think there were parts of her story that Jesus touched that were off limits after that conversation?

Sharing Our Whole Story

You know when I share about my conversion testimony, there are parts that I am uncomfortable with sure, but for the most part I am able to share how I went from a depressed, suicidal, alcoholic to a follower of Jesus, but one part of my story that I rarely share is that that moment may have changed my life, but my life didnt completely change after that moment. I like to share about my conversion, but I dont like to share how I was still a jerk for months after that experience. I dont like to share that I still struggled with the thoughts and impulsed I had before.

His Story, Not Ours.

God has touched every part of our lives, thus every part of our lives should avaible for him to use as testimony. Now, I am not saying that EVERYONE should hear EVERY part of our testimony. BUT We must remember that this is God’s story not ours.

(These next three points may seem off topic, but the Lord has put it on my heart to share this)

Welcome Mat and Unlocked Door

The First step to being willing to share is a welcome Mat (Prop) and an unlocked door. Alot of us have these welcome mats in front of our houses. They are an inviting way for people who come into our house. Many of us would also say we have a “welcome mat” lives where we want to be open and transparent. Where we would welcome people in. BUT the harsh reality is the welcome mat is often just a front. A fake smile. a cute hug. its a “im good” when someone says how are you. We like to think we are welcoming to others, in reality the doors to our lives, the good, the bad, the ugly, theyre LOCKED. We don’t want people to see and share in the mess of our lives. We don’t want people to see the struggle. We like to say, You can stand out front in look in, but we dont really want you to see inside.

In reality, you wouldnt let everyone into your house thats why we have locks. I think we need to be wise about who we let into our lives just as much of our houses.

BUT TAKE A LOOK AROUND YOU CHURCH. these are our brothers and sisters, we are family we should be in each other’s messy housestand lives. We are called to do life togethe, to bear each other’s burdens to walk together! My question is what’s holding you back from unlocking the door to your life today?. So How do we step our of our comfort zone in this area? We start by unlocking the door.

Vulnerability inside is the first step outside

We need to take that step to unlocking the door and being radically vulnerable with each other. That means being willing to share the messy parts of your life with others in this space. Being willing to trust the church family enough to be honest about your story. Being honest about our feelings and struggles.

If there is a “BUT” coming up in your head right now when you hear this, I want you ask, am I not willing to trust, because of something in my history or a hurt that I carry? if so we need to move toward healing that hurt and living in the present. Vulnerability requires truth and love

Speak the Truth in Love

That means if I have hurt feeling toward someone I need to be honest with myself where they are coming from (history or hurt). I have to also be honest with the other person too. But when we are honest we also must speak in love. That means when we speak, we allow our selves. To express our emotions but we dont allow our emotions to control us. We must speak to others with gentileness and humility (Fruits of the Spirit) . Not in accusations, but in expressions of feelings. We have to remember that feelings are not facts. When you are tempted to accuse take a step back and ask a question instead.

For example, if we think someone did something and it hurt us, we can say what you did caught me off guard can you tell me more about this?

When we are able to be vulnerable and honest with each other in gentleness, kindness, and humility in here. Thats the practice for sharing testimony in vulnerability outside. You see, if we dont unlock the door, we cant let others in but we also cant go out either.

Stepping Out of OUR comfort zone with WHERE we share! (Verses 28-29)

In the beginning of the Sermon, we talked about how Jesus went were many Jew would not Go, but I want to look at where the woman goes with her testimony. The text says that she left her water Jar and went back in the town to share testimony. Most scholars believe that this woman went way out of her comfort zone to share this. We already talked about how women and men dont, speak in the same spaces in public, but this women went into the public spaces, where typically a only men would go and testified.

The story of the Grocery store cashier. Asked us what type of event we were having for Evangelism and I didnt share. Where do we need to step out of our comfort zones to share? Can we start with the places we already frequent but feel uncomfortable? Are we willing to let God take us our of our comfort zone?

Recap: There are three areas that this encounter at the well is calling us to step out of our comfort zone.

What are they church?

Why should we step out of our comfort zone with testimony?

Jesus did on every level of this story.

Equally important is the way that God worked in this story. Because Jesus went where no one else would and talked to a woman no one else deemed worthy. The whole town came to know Jesus as Messiah through the testimony of this woman. (Verse 39-Slide)

If we are willing to step out of our comfort zone, to cross that line, there is no limit to How God can use us. Imagine How our community could change if we each stepped out of our comfort zone this week? how many people could hear about the good news? It all starts with one person having the courage to step out of their comfort zone.

Would you pray with me?