The Compelling Nature of Christian Ministry

Introduction: John Newton and the Similarities of Samaritans

Think of the worse, most immoral person you could imagine. [Pause]

The power of God is so strong and present in this world, that such a character can be saved and used for God’s eternal purpose.

There was a slave trader [John Newton] in the 18th century, known for his immoral lifestyle and direct opposition to religion. Some of his sins included:

Slave Trading: Newton worked on slave ships, transporting enslaved Africans across the Atlantic. He was directly involved in the brutal and inhumane conditions of the Middle Passage, where countless individuals suffered and died.

Harsh Treatment: As a sailor and later a captain, he often exhibited a callous attitude towards the enslaved people he transported, treating them with cruelty and disregard for their humanity.

Rebellion Against Authority: Newton had a rebellious streak and was known for his defiance, which included engaging in activities that put him at odds with authority, such as deserting a ship and facing severe punishment.

Blasphemy and Immorality: He lived a lifestyle characterized by drinking, swearing, and engaging in various forms of moral depravity. He was known for his irreverent attitude toward religion.

Involvement in the Slave Trade’s Horrors: Beyond just trading slaves, he participated in the broader system that dehumanized and exploited countless individuals for profit.

Many people believed it was impossible for John Newton to become a Christian. They thought his blasphemous and immoral character were signs of his irreparable heart. Not even God could save him.

Today, we read about a group of people who would have had the same reputation during Jesus’s time. Jews considered Samaritans fools, idolaters, apostates, unclean, and a people destined for hell.

The Gospel according to John 2. Living Water (4:4–14)

The reason for the hostility of the Jews to the Samaritans goes back a long way. When the Assyrians took Samaria captive they deported large numbers of the inhabitants and replaced them by people from all over their empire (2 Kings 17:23–24). These people brought their own gods with them (2 Kings 17:29–31), but they added the worship of Yahweh to their other practices (2 Kings 17:25, 28, 32–33, and 41). In time their polytheism disappeared, and they worshiped Yahweh alone, though their religion had its peculiarities. For example, they acknowledged as sacred Scripture only the Pentateuch. They thus cut themselves off from the riches in the Psalms, the Prophets, and other books. Their religion was also marked by a pronounced bitterness toward the Jews. When the Jews returned from exile in Babylon the Samaritans offered to help them rebuild their temple, but the offer was refused (Ezra 4:2–3).

Accordingly, Jews would often avoid Samaria and take the longer route to nearby towns and villages, even when in a hurry.

The Nature of Jesus’s Ministry: A Friend of Samaritans

However, Jesus was altogether different. John 4:4 says, “4 He had to go through Samaria on the way.” The phrase “he had to go…” in other Greek writings is used when one intends to explain “rapid travel.” That is, Jesus was on a mission to get to a certain place by a particular deadline and the Samaritans, while offensive to others, were not offensive to Him. So, He went through the village of Sychar in Samaria.

Application: Jesus never pushed the sinful away; He publicly engaged them to share the good news.

One notable example is the story of **Rosaria Butterfield** and her interactions with the church community during her journey to faith. Before her conversion, she was a tenured professor at Syracuse University and an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights. Many in her life, particularly those within conservative Christian circles, viewed her lifestyle and beliefs as incompatible with Christianity.

Initially, when a local pastor, Ken Smith, reached out to her, he faced skepticism from others who believed that someone like Rosaria—living openly as a lesbian and opposing traditional Christian values—was not a candidate for God's love. Despite this, Smith's approach was marked by genuine curiosity and respect rather than condemnation. He invited her to dinner, engaged her in thoughtful conversation, and showed her the love of Christ through his actions.

As Rosaria explored faith, she encountered significant resistance, both from her academic peers and from some within the church, who thought her background made her unworthy of grace. However, her eventual conversion is a powerful testament to the idea that no one is beyond the reach of God’s love, and her story has become a powerful narrative in discussions about grace and redemption in the Christian faith.

Much of us appear as the disciples of Jesus who did not understand this peculiar nature of Christian ministry. The woman in our passage had two disqualifying attributes:

She was a Samaritan

She was a woman

She was loose woman

Women normally travelled to the well together, except when un-welcomed by the women of the community (normally for inappropriate marital relationships see John 4:7 c.f. John 4:16-18).

However, Jesus is found in our text communicating to a woman who no one else, not even her own community, would affiliate with.

**Discuss the significance of the following in John 4:5-26:

Jesus’s exchange concerning living water (John 4:5-15)

Jesus’s acknowledgement of the sin in her life (John 4:16-19)

Jesus’s invitation to worship the Father (John 4:20-26)

When Jesus was confronted about his unprecedented behavior, He claimed everything He was doing was the will of His Father (John 4:28-38).

Application: It is always God’s will if it leads someone to better relationship with Him.

We never need to question whether something is good, purposeful, or necessary if it affords another opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Powerful Ability of Christian Ministry

There’s a very small detail that has been burning in my heart for the last two weeks. This entire sermon, for me, finds its root in one single verse:

John 4:28 “28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone,”

If you recall, this woman came to Jacob’s well to draw water, but after one encounter with Jesus none of her previous concerns were a priority.

Application: When we have a true encounter with Jesus, spiritual things become of greater importance than natural things.

I cannot explain it. However, the moment I had an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ through the gospel of the kingdom of God, I was never the same and the natural things of life took a back seat to spiritual things.

Augustine was born in 354 AD in North Africa. He was highly educated, well-versed in rhetoric, and enjoyed a life filled with worldly pleasures, including a lavish lifestyle, fame, and relationships. He sought fulfillment through various means, including philosophy, sexual relationships, and the pursuit of status. Despite his accomplishments, he felt a persistent emptiness and dissatisfaction.

Augustine's conversion began with a significant moment in a garden in Milan around the age of 31. He was wrestling with his inner turmoil over his sinful lifestyle and his desire to follow God. While sitting in the garden, he heard a child's voice chanting, "Take up and read." Interpreting this as a divine command, he picked up a nearby scroll of the letters of Paul. The passage he read was Romans 13:13-14, which urged him to abandon his old ways and put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

This moment marked a radical transformation in Augustine's life. He experienced a profound sense of peace and clarity. He immediately turned away from his pursuit of earthly pleasures and began to focus on his faith. He was baptized by St. Ambrose, the Bishop of Milan, and embraced Christianity wholeheartedly.

Following his conversion, Augustine dedicated himself to serving God. He returned to North Africa, where he became a priest and later the Bishop of Hippo. He spent his life preaching, teaching, and writing extensively about Christian doctrine. His works, such as "Confessions" and "The City of God," have had a lasting impact on Christian theology and Western thought.

After this encounter with this woman was never the same and the text shares that she went back to her villages and told everyone about Jesus:

John 4:28–29 “28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?””

John 4:39–42 “39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.””

Here’s the question I want to leave with you today: What water jars have you dropped lately? What things in your life are placing aside because of the impact Jesus is having on your life? Where is the active expressions of thanks because of the relationship that was restored that permits you to worship the eternal Father?

Conclusion: John Newton

In our introduction, we spoke about a man who was a rebellious and immoral slave trader. During a terrible storm at sea, this same man cried out to God for mercy. This moment marked the beginning of his transformation. Over time, he became a Christian, eventually becoming an Anglican minister and an abolitionist. The same man who traded slaves, later helped save them because of his encounter with Jesus Christ. This man was John Newton writer of the well-known hymn, "Amazing Grace," which is a reflection of his journey from darkness to faith in Jesus Christ.

Closing Question/ Thought: What songs will you write? What’s will be the hymn of your life?