The Romans Road
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Over the last several weeks we have spent time studying about two of the most well known cults, Mormonism and Jehovah’s Witness.
We took time to examine what they believe and reflecting on our own beliefs as well, taking the time to make sure that they align with what the Bible teaches.
We learned how to effectively witness to them and refute their claims regarding their beliefs.
But what is more important, winning a debate or winning them to Christ?
Today we are going to learn how we lead someone to Christ when we are speaking to them one on one.
If we are going to learn anything about how to bring someone to Christ we must learn from the best teacher, Jesus.
4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
We find Jesus in this passage speaking to a woman of Samaria. The beginning of the conversation starts with Christ asking for water.
What was the initial response of the woman?
Why is a Jew asking me for water? The Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
It was common for the Jews during this time to avoid Samaria as they had bad blood between them. Most Jews of this time would actually take a difficult road by crossing the Jordan and passing through Peraea instead.
St. John (Vol. I) Chapter 4
Samaria, as a name of the small district of central Palestine, arose from the name of the city “Samaria,” built by Omri, and made the site of the kingdom of Israel (1 Kings 14:24), and that of the Baal—and of the calf-worship. Samaria suffered from the siege, and the city was depopulated by Shalmanezer (Sargon), and colonized with Assyrians under Esarhaddon. It was destroyed by Hyrcanus and rebuilt in splendour by Herod the Great, and by him dedicated to Augustus, and called Sebaste after him. Though Shechem (equivalent to Sichem) was the more famous site, and overshadowed Herod’s city by its historical interest, yet “Samaria” was the name which has survived all others, and covered a larger space. Jesus was probably on the borders of Samaria, in the Judæan country, before he commenced his journey. Samaria was included in the tetrarchy of Archelaus, and formed part of the province under the procuratorship of Pontius Pilate; while Herod Antipas reigned over Galilee and Peræa.
Today’s class will be a bit different in that we will look at Jesus’ example and I will also share how I deal with individuals when I talking to them about receiving Jesus as their Savior.
Reveals Need for Water
Reveals Need for Water
Notice that Jesus when He speaks to the woman asks her questions that then peak her interest.
How does the woman respond in verse 11?
How are you going to get this living water?
Her interest here is in how to source the water.
Who is the source of this water?
Jesus.
Notice how Jesus reveals it to her. He tells her that if anyone drinks from the water that He gives they will never thirst.
This would be more impactful if we actually had to draw water from a well several times a day.
What Jesus is revealing here is that she is thirsty for more, not physically but spiritually.
How does the woman respond to Jesus’ words?
Give me this water.
This is truly the cry within the heart of every living person. A cry for life that inwardly feels like a well that is constantly flooding their heart with joy, love, and peace.
It is a greater feeling of refreshment in the soul than having a cool glass of water on a hot day after you are parched from work.
It is in the intrigue portion that Jesus builds the conversation and her need for Him.
Reveals Herself
Reveals Herself
Here Jesus takes a moment to have the woman reflect about her life a bit and to reveal that He knows her life.
He commands her to go get her husband and to bring him. It is here that she states that she has no husband. Jesus acknowledges this truth and follows it up with the fact that she has been married 5 times in the past.
Why did Jesus do this?
call thy husband—now proceeding to arouse her slumbering conscience by laying bare the guilty life she was leading, and by the minute details which that life furnished, not only bringing her sin vividly up before her, but preparing her to receive in His true character that wonderful Stranger to whom her whole life, in its minutest particulars, evidently lay open.
I think he did this to show her that she is not perfect and the way of her life is not godly.
How does the woman respond to this?
She begins to talk about religious worship. I think this is further evidence that Jesus was pointing out that she was not living a godly life and it needed to change.
Because the woman wanted to point out that she had some religious knowledge or in someway attempting to excuse herself from her immoral lifestyle.
Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 4
4:20 this mountain Refers to Mount Gerizim, the holy mountain for the Samaritan community. The mountain was visible from the well where Jesus and the woman were speaking.
you people say The woman moves quickly to change the subject from her immoral lifestyle to the ongoing religious controversy between the Jews and Samaritans over sacred space.
4:21 neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem Jesus does not take up the debate over legitimate holy places. Rather, he points to a future time of salvation when worship will not be limited to any local sacred site, neither Mount Gerizim nor Jerusalem. How one worships is more important than where one worships.
Jesus then turns to the future and the present. In which the place of worship will not be as important as how one worships.
This sparks the woman to respond.
What did the woman believe?
That the Messiah would come.
Reveals Himself
Reveals Himself
Notice lastly that Jesus reveals Himself. He rarely ever did this to His own people but He does this here to this woman.
This revelation to the woman has an eternal impact on her life.
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. 40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his own word; 42 And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.
Now let’s talk about my approach when dealing with people.
I follow what is called the Romans Road.
Romans Road
Romans Road
Has anyone here heard of the Romans Road before?
It is a method or style of soul-winning that was popular for a long time at least as long as I can remember.
It follows as it suggests several verses in the book of Romans, hence, the Romans Road.
When I am working with someone on a personal level, I will always ask them:
Do you have a question? or Is there something you would like to pray about?
I ask this because I want the person to initiate that they want to know the Lord.
This is because I found that some people will just simple repeat a prayer with no emotion. It will also signal to me that they are convicted about salvation.
When they tell me that they want to know the Lord, I take them to the book of Romans.
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
I typically follow this verse up with talking about how we all have sinned, whether it is a small lie or something great.
This is a time to be personal, use your own life as an example.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
I usually take a moment here and explain that I think of wages as the salary of my life and thus the salary of sin is death.
If I choose to live a life without knowing God then I have decided I am ok with a life that will end in spiritual death.
But the verse does not end there. The gift of God is eternal life. There is a gift that one can receive that will change their life.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I used this reverse to remind the person that God demonstrated His love to them by dying on the cross for them.
One might die for a friend but the verse here states that while we were yet sinners, despite our broken relationship with God and despite that we were a state that was not deserving of God’s love. Christ died for us.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
This is the point where you want them to make a decision.
I usually will ask them if they believe if they called on the Lord if He would save them?
Usually they will say yes.
Now here I take an extra step and bring in a few other verses before this one.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
I use these verses to reinforce that we are believing in Christ as our Lord and Savior and the confession we are making is the belief that is within our heart that God has raised Him from the dead.
Furthermore that we are not ashamed of the Him or what we have believed.
It is normally at this time I will ask them if they believe the scriptures. If they say yes and want to receive the Lord as their Savior, then I will pray with them.
I usually do have them repeat words after me.
I normally follow up with someone who has received the Lord if it is possible. Usually I will tell people that:
God will take you as you are but He loves you way too much to leave you that way.
This simply means that God receives all who are broken and come to Him for salvation, but that He loves us way too much to not work in our hearts to develop/sanctify us as we follow Him.