Sharing Testimony

Introduction

Last week we looked at the Ministry of Reconciliation / Evangelism

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 ESV

18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Tonight we approach a Jesus moment and witness the POWER OF A CONVERSATION AND A TESTIMONY. We actually going to divide & conquer with this passage. HS are going to study the CONVERSATION and MS are going to study the TESTIMONY.

Before we each take our adventure, lets read John 4. Be ready for one of the wildest conversations in Scripture.

John 4:1–30 ESV

1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (2although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” 27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.

John 4:39–42 ESV

39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

Middle School - we are getting ready to send you in Study Groups. Take note of this conversation Jesus had with the woman at the well. She was offered LIFE, TRUTH, & HOPE. She returned home and shared a TESTIMONY of what she witnessed about Christ.

A STORY THAT HIGHLIGHTED CHRIST’S FORGIVENESS & LOVE.

Such a powerful story that completely changed this town — ONE STORY = ONE TOWN

God has a powerful story with you: how you came to Christ and how Christ continues to take care of you

God has a powerful story for you: how you can come to Christ and what Christ wants to do in your life

GOD CHOOSES STORIES AS ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS PEOPLE COME TO KNOW HIM!

Now MS, we invite you and your leaders to join your groups in the available classrooms.

HS, we invite you to gather in the center as we look at Jesus’ conversation.

GOD USES CONVERSATIONS TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND INVITE THEM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE

HIGH SCHOOL INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest fear every Christian has is a Gospel conversation with a friend or stranger. Most Christians will find an exiting pivot strategy. I don’t just know this because I’ve seen it. I know it because I have been guilty of it.

(BARNA STUDY: three in 10 Christians (31%) strongly agree they have a personal responsibility to share their faith. )

https://www.barna.com/trends/faiths-shrinking-influence/

The Exiting Pivot is our attempt to avoid…

awkward conversation

possible rejection/mockery

habitual sin in one’s life

Tonight, lets study Jesus ‘example and renew our mind to approach Gospel conversations with an Encouraging (God sees you, God is for you, and God wants to work through you) Purpose — not an Exiting Pivot

In the Moment (vs 6-9)

John 4:6–9 ESV

6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

Beginning of John 4

Where are we?

What is the significance of wells during this time?

Think of wells being the Heart of the City/Village where people gathered, caught up on life, hang out, meet new people.

Here we have Jesus appear to be taking a break. He did not have to go through Samaria. This was a deliberate choice other Jews never made. They hated the Samaritans, they considered them to be racial and religious half breeds. So they went around two longer routes to avoid them. But Jesus went through Samaria because there was someone He had to see there.

Jesus started a conversation IN THE MOMENT! They were both at the well needing water. She had a jar, Jesus did not. He asked a favor of her, put himself in a position of need. Common place. Common Conversation.

What we’re about read again and see is how Jesus uses that conversation to share saving truth with her, because He knows her real need.

The common human defense to this point is the term JESUS JUKING.

Jesus juke as happening when someone turns a light conversation into something serious and “holy.” An example of a Jesus juke can be seen in this conversation: Friend 1: “I can’t believe I spent six hours watching that show!” Friend 2: “What if you’d spent six hours in prayer instead?”

There is no specific set of sentences to transitions your conversations, but let’s work through some examples:

Friend 1: “Super stressed; hard day”

Friend 2: “ Can I ask why?”

Friend 1: “**whatever struggle”

Friend 2: **listen to them; pray for Scripture verse; share how prayer helps you and offer to pray with them.

Most Jews would have society expectations when approaching a Samaritan. Most Samaritans would have society expectation when approaching a Jew.

Jesus did not have society expectations when approaching the Samaritan woman, but she did! Jesus led the conversation PEACEFULLY avoiding the societal expectation and bringing her to truth.

Jesus also knew when this work — conversations with the Pharisees

Jesus put himself in a place of need that peaked her interest since Samaritans were typically ignored. Jesus masterfully transitions the conversation to reveal her true need — transitioned to be ABOUT THE MESSAGE

About the Message (vs 10-14)

John 4:10–14 ESV

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

I want us to best capture verse 10 — some versions the wording is tricky.

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, you would have asked him, ‘Give me a drink,’ and he would have given you living water.”

The woman looks around puzzled: “first you asked me for a drink and now you’re talking about giving living water — with what bucket? This well has been here for 2000 years from Jacob. Are you greater than him?”

A response like this is what most Christian want to avoid:

awkward conversation

possible rejection/mockery

Jesus continues forward, looking past the awkwardness and possible rejection, and moves to being ABOUT THE MESSAGE.

John 4:13–14 ESV

13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

People are dying of thirst! Even with our abundance of water supplies — $4 case of 40 water bottles form Sams — still thirst!

Sin makes our heart like a desert — drying up hope, evaporating love, offering a mirage. Jesus knows this about the Sin Desert and that is why He is ABOUT THE MESSAGE

The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up (GUSHING WATER) to eternal life.”

Continues forward in conversations, looking past the awkwardness and possible rejection, and move to being ABOUT THE MESSAGE!

Don’t tiptoe around the idea of the Gospel

Don’t spring and charge people with the Gospel

Walk steadily, listening attentively, loving faithfully — present the Gospel

While in the moment — be about the message — ultimately leading people to the Messiah!

To the Messiah (vs 19-26)

John 4:19–26 ESV

19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

Through this entire conversation, Jesus has been leading this woman to see HIM — the source of living water — the MESSIAH — CHRIST!

It is all about inviting, bringing, and leading people to Jesus — the SOURCE OF LIFE!

Follow Jesus’ response:

hour coming — worship towards the Father will be somewhere else

worship what we know

true worshippers — in spirit and truth

Father seeking such people to worship Him

Woman’s response:

I know the Messiah is coming…

He’s going to tell us all the things we need to know

Jesus’ response:

I who speak to you am He

What would have her expression been like? Not even just physically. But how Jesus looks at the heart — the moment of realization and acceptance!

Closing

GOD USES CONVERSATIONS TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND INVITE THEM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

God wants to use your conversations to meet people where they are and invite them where they need to be.

Will you pause and think through your day. Where is your WELL? What is your regular gathering area?

Classroom

Sports Team

Dance club

School club

Band

Practice

Wednesday nights

Work

When you determine WHERE YOUR WELL IS — you have found the place where “God wants to use your conversations to meet people where they are and invite them where they need to be.”

I have a second cousin by the name of Smith (5th grade - Hahira Elementary) — mom share this story with me (EXTRA: read Bible, pray, cool dude)

Emergency at school; teachers wear lockdown buttons; teacher fell and button got pressed

Different classroom with Smith; students have no idea what is going on; students in classroom were scared;

A friend of Smiths expresses fear; what if we are in danger; what happens if we die; I’ve seen you pray and talk about Jesus - can you pray for me

Cool dude Smith comforts his friend; prays with his friend; affirms that they will go to heaven and see Jesus if anything happens

God wants to use your conversations to meet people where they are and invite them where they need to be.

Jesus ‘example is to renew our mind to approach Gospel conversations with an Encouraging (God sees you, God is for you, and God wants to work through you) Purpose — not an Exiting Pivot

God sent a fresh song on my playlist today that was very fitting for this message:

SEU Worship - Send Me

And they say

Come Lord Jesus

Come Lord Jesus

Come Lord Jesus, Come

They're singing out

Come Lord Jesus

Come Lord Jesus

Come Lord

But if You don't come today

Then send me

Send me

Oh, l'll be waiting, I'll be praying but Send me

Will you take your open Bible and open notebook and make an alter at your chair or up here and pray…

GOD USES CONVERSATIONS TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE AND INVITE THEM TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

People that are at your well: be in the moment, about the message, to the Messiah

Pray “Come Lord Jesus” and pray “Lord Send Me”

If you have never tasted of the living water of Jesus — while we’re praying, lift your head, make eye contact with a leader, and let them know you want to know more about the living water of Jesus

EXTRA

Luke 10:16 ESV

16 “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

John 15:18 ESV

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.