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We are. can a little laugh it videos like this don't lie in and

and laugh but so often there's truth to laugh about isn't there sometimes when thinking of church and are looking for a church we are. oftentimes become so focus on me and what suits me What is going to satisfy me and and my need my expectations? We consider questions like what Ministry is available for this need in my life. how it The fit me what will this hurt to do for me in the area of and you fill in the blanks and we come up with all sorts of quest. but I wonder I wonder if we miss an even more important question. What is the church Jesus would attend? And more importantly.

Are we not church?

And I began to consider that question. Jesus what kind of a church would you attend if you were walking the Earth in 2017? What kind of church would you attend? And are we? that church and I believe that. John chapter 4 hold some key characteristics of a church that Jesus would attend and I want to invite you to turn with me the John chapter 4.

And will begin at verse 3.

It says that he Jesus left Judea and the part it again for Galilee and he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria called ficar near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's Well was there so Jesus we read as he was from the journey was sitting beside the well, it was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water and Jesus said to her give me a drink for his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him. How is it that you a Jew? Ask for a drink from me a woman of Samaria? Are Jews have no dealings with Samaritans Jesus answered her if you knew the gift of God and who it is that same to you. Give me a drink you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. The woman said to him, sir. You have nothing to draw water with and the well is deep. So, where do you get that Living Water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drink from it himself. Is it his sons and his livestock. Jesus said to her everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty. Again. The water that I will give him will come in him will be coming him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. 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. Jesus said to her go call your husband and come here the woman answered him. I have no husband. Jesus said to her you're right and saying I have no husband. We've had five husbands and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.

now as we continue reading through the passage we see that the disciples came back and and and the woman

it says in scripture here that the woman left her jar of water. And she went to the townspeople.

And when she went to the townspeople, she said you've got to come come with me and see this man who told me everything. That I have done.

And it says in verse 39 many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. He told me all that I ever did so when the Samaritans came to him They asked him to stay with them and he stayed there two more days and many more believe because of his word and inverse 32. It says they said to the woman it's 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.

Now that you would speak to our hearts through your word. Let your word Pierce our hearts and our soul this morning conformis into your image through the power of your word in your Holy Spirit in Jesus name. amen

Jesus had been in the festival. and he left that Festival we see in scripture and he was traveling he had to travel through Samaria to go back to Galilee and he ended up at this at this well,

I see a characteristic. What I believe is a characteristic in a church that I Think Jesus would attend and that is a church that displays friendliness look with me if you would at Verses 4 through 8.

MyON.

Amion

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hey will keep will keep moving along believe God has something for us this morning.

A church that displays friendliness and you might ask. How do you see that in those versus will I think first we have to do a comparison. Jesus was having a conversation at the beginning of chapter 4 here. We just read it. But we look back at chapter 3. He was also having a conversation but he was having a conversation with a totally different person. He was having a conversation with a man named Nicodemus.

He was having a conversation in chapter 3 with a man. Who had a name his name was Nicodemus? Which means people's Victory. Hey this man if you read it in chapter 3, we find that he was a Pharisee. So he had prestige in his community where he came from. There was a procedure. He was part of the Jewish religious leaders. And so there was press seeds of the following him and he was a Jew

now when we look at chapter 4

is speaking to a woman and we don't know her name. Her name isn't mentioned visit. And women at that point in time were looked at his property. Not by Jesus, but by others K. So she's a woman that we don't know her name. Because she was a woman she was a person of low status. In fact a good Jewish man each day would give thanks to God and do you know what he would give thanks for he would say thank you God that I am not a slave. Thank you God that I am not a gentile and thank you that I am not a woman so she did not hold a prestigious position like Nicodemus dead and she was not Jewish. She was Samaritan and the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans.

And Jesus says in verse 7. to this

A drink of water give me a drink of water and with this one sentence that might seem very menu in Al. Bible and the whole course of this conversation with just that once Drink G's Ross barriers and broke down walls.

Then he took down one was a cultural barrier. Jesus not only spoke to a woman she ate that never happened even when a man and a man and he didn't initiate the conversation.

Jesus did he initiated the conversation?

there was a social barrier that

he reached out to a man that was prestigious and chapter 3.

The man that had position in society, but then he reaches out to an individual of low position who was most likely an outcast and treated as an outcast. So Jesus cross the social barrier. Most women this is interesting most women during this time. Would draw water in the morning and in the evening because it was the coolest time of the day. So several women would come together and they would all draw water at the same time and you can imagine what happened during that time. They would talk and visit and my guess is there was probably a little gossip that took place and and and went on during that time but Jesus was at the well we see. In these versus at the sixth hour, which would have put him there about noon that the hottest part of the day. And the Samaritan woman unlike all of the other women came to draw her water at the hottest part of the day. Most likely she came during the hottest part of the day because she knew that no one else was going to be there. She was avoiding having to see the looks of condemnation. Or hear the words of judgement spoken about her or to her. She was trying to avoid. Added pain that she was probably already experiencing and her life because of choices that she had made in her life. Maybe she didn't want to hear the voices of those that she would come into contact with.

on this particular day

And with just this one sentence Jesus cross racial barriers. The woman was a Samaritan. there was hostility between Jews and Samaritans at this time. In fact as I was studying for this message one of the commentaries that I Said that if a Jewish person really really wanted to get at another Jewish person and really give that person a slamp. Or a big and salt he would refer to them as a Samaritan. That's how much intense hostility there was between the two at this time. But Jesus with his one-sentence cross all of those lines and all of those barriers and I want to challenge you this morning with this thought. I believe it's not only in society that we Fine Wines. and barriers

cultural social racial. I don't think it's Dustin Society, but we find them within the church as well.

When it all comes right down to it those lines are all snobberies. Can I use that word snobberies in our society? Let you know what I think oftentimes snobberies make their way inside the four walls of the church.

We can find them. in many different areas Princeton Stewart 10 to converse or hang with those in our acceptable Social Circle

look at others with a critical judgmental. I And avoid them.

Cuz they don't meet. our expectations for our standards Or they don't make the choices that we feel they should make.

Have we fallen into the Trap of going along with Society? and disregarding or treating people because of their age

and make people feel that if there a certain age will they're too old to be of benefit or use in our midst so we send them out to pasture.

Have we falling into the Trap of saying you're too young and you haven't been around the block enough time. So there is no way God can use you an arm it so we put them in a holding pattern.

Do we disregard people because they don't have certain gifting Sur. Maybe they're a little bit more unique and They're not able to do things quite like we are able to do them.

strawberries can show themselves even in a church But I believe that Jesus is calling us to cross those lines and those barriers that we have placed in our church.

And I want to share with you something that I recently heard a speaker share. about Gandhi many of you have read about Gandhi in your history books and and everything but some on into South Africa and he actually went and visited several churches in South Africa Christian churches. And in the church and did he was either asked to leave the church completely because of his coloring. Or he was asked to go stand at the back.

And here's what he said. he said I read your Bible. And I like the sayings of your Jesus and I like your Jesus.

But I don't like your Christians.

and he said If I had found just one Christian. That lived what Jesus said? I would become a Christian.

I believe that Jesus is calling us to cross lines and barriers that we placed. in our church

a second characteristic that I see in a church that Jesus would attend is found in Verses 9 and 10. a church that point people to Christ

the Samaritan woman said to him. How is it that you a Jew? Ask for a drink from me a woman? awesome area

and inverse 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 when he would have given you living water. See she began to focus on those issues that were hindrances to her that humans were looking at and saying you're deficient in these areas. She began to look and focus on those issues, but that wasn't what Jesus focused on he didn't focus on differences. He didn't focus on shame. He didn't focus on inadequacies instead. He pointed her to who he is and I believe that God wants us to point and vegetables to who Jesus is the one who uniquely creates us. We are uniquely formed when we read in Psalms 139 verses 13 and 14. We see that we are Fearfully and wonderfully made Jesus God created each and every one of us ending unique fashion. And he has a plan and a purpose for each one, but he doesn't want us to look at the differences and and inadequacies in and flaws that we have but he wants us to draw people to focus on who he is and secondly. He drew her attention. Her Focus to what God wants to give his spirit.

It is the very Breath of God his very spirit that he pours into our being that flows out from us that satisfies us that quenches us and it Springs up within us in it flows out so that we can Minister and touch those around us that God has called us to go and to minister to and to bring them into the family of God.

there was a man a minister a pastor Who was asked to speak at another ministers conference? Hey, so we have a pastor asked to speak at a Minister's conference and he was preparing his message to go. Oh and encourage fellow ministers and pastors at this conference and he came out of his study and told his wife. I really sense that. God is wanting me to speak. a message on salvation at the Pastors Conference and his wife looked at him and said Well, if God told you to preach it then you better preach it.

At the same time unbeknownst to him. There was another man and a church that had been ministering on the streets to people especially to prostitutes and He was discouraged because it seemed like even though he's pouring his time in his energy. He Casino progress nothing was changing. Nothing was happening in the lives of these individuals that God had sent him to minister to and he just took some time and he just really spent time alone with God and prayer seeking God on what he needed to do. And God put a thought. In his heart and mind and gave him instructions and he thought wow that is really radical. I'm going to go talk to my pastor. He went to the pastor. This is a totally different Pastor than the one coming to speak at the conference. Okay, so this man went to his Pastor instead. I really feel that God has spoken to my heart and wants me to do this. What do you think Pastor said? Wow, that is really radical. Have you talked with your wife? So the man went home and he talked with his wife and shared with him her what God had placed on his heart and told him to do and she said wow, that is really radical. Have you talked with the pastor?

So he explained to her that he had indeed spoken with the pastor and so he did what God told him to do. And what God told him to do was take out all his money that he and his wife had in their savings account. Take the church bus. and go hire prostitutes

Now what he did was? He took the church bus. He stopped he went to the first prostitute and he said How much would you charge for 4 hours and she told him he gave it to her and said get on the bus. He went down the street a little ways came to the next one instead. How much would you charge for 4 hours? She told him and he said get on the bus. He did this 14 times. Now, there was a crowd that gathered around his bus. It was a church bus and here he is a man in a suit and he's got 14 The Tucson has bus. And when they were all on their he turned to them instead now I have paid you. for 4 hours of your time And this is what I want you to do. I want you to go to church. So he took that bus with the women. And there was only one church that was open that night and it just happened to be a church that was holding a ministers conference.

And all these women came in with him to this conference.

And they sat down.

And I heard the minister that God has spoken to.

Share a message. salvation you shared with him how there's a better way.

and at the end of that service 14 women got up 14 women went to the altar. And 14 women gave her heart to the Lord that night.

3 years after that

the minister that was asked to speak at the conference. Came back and visit to the church.

There were 14 women. Who had previously been prostitutes? That we're still serving God. Still in the church. But they were no longer prostitutes. Instead they were mentors in the church. leading others to God pointing others to who Jesus is the one That can satisfy.

And they are now pointing others to the gift that God. Wants him to have his holy spirit.

It would be easy for us to look at those 14 women with a critical eye and it judgmental heart. And to try to avoid them.

But I believe that rather than focusing on what's wrong and the inadequacies.

The God wants us to be a church that always wants people to him.

Now should we encourage people to have a life-changing experience? Absolutely. Because when we place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, he calls us to stop living our old life and participating in those old activities and he calls us to begin a new life in him. And our old self is put away. And we become a brand new creation. So, yes, we want to encourage people that come into our meds to have that life changing experience no longer. Doing those things and activities and places that we went to as that old creation. But we become a new creation but always pointing people to Christ. Another characteristic of a church that I Think Jesus would attend that I see in this passage is a church that lovingly speaks truth to people and I see that in verses 16 and 8 through 18. Jesus said to her go call your husband and come here the woman answered him. I have no husband. Jesus said to her you're right in saying I have no husband for you had five husbands and the one you now have is not your husband, but you said is true. How is pointing out a flaw or something wrong that she has done speaking truth? You might ask that question. We have to look at the situation in its entirety. See Jesus is really good at meeting people. Right where they're at.

She was right at the well this woman understood water. This is what she had to do everyday. She understood water. She understood the importance of water and when the body is thirsty, it's got to have water and sometimes you gotta dig down deep into that well to get the water sea she knew this and she knew that that water quenches and satisfies a need that is in our body. Right. She understood that but see.

Jesus was looking much deeper in the physical body. He met her where she was at and began to speak a language that she could understand. And so he began to talk water. But the water that he was talking about was the spirit of the Living God that could bring wife into her depth and stole he could bring satisfaction in life into This Woman's soul and make her a brand new person.

This woman had a spiritual thirst and she had been looking to satisfy that spiritual thirst and other places. She was looking to satisfy that emptiness and that thirst in men.

She had been looking to satisfy a physical need when it was actually a spiritual need and this led to a simple lifestyle and that simple lifestyle guilt and shame I just shared this with you. Sin will always take us where we never intend to go. And that is true for all of us.

Jesus spoke Truth by pointing out the void that she had in her life. See people cannot fill a void that we have in our life these men that she had been with could not fill or satisfy the void that she had had.

And she had been with and it couldn't quench The Thirst that she's so desperately trying to satisfy. But he gave her an opportunity to fill that void that spiritual void with the gift that God desire to give her and God wants us to know today.

If there's a void in your life.

And you are thirsty or something.

We can come to him and we can find satisfaction. It's not through relationships, whether that's with a friend or marriage or work through alcohol through drugs or any other physical means of satisfaction, but it is through Jesus Christ and through him alone. Ask for 12 tells us there is salvation and no one else for there is no other name under Heaven given to up among men by which we must be saved. I don't know what you've been told. Maybe you've been told that there's many ways to get to God maybe there's many ways to get satisfied and bring a satisfying quench to a thirst that you have deeply had but let me tell you that is a Lie from the enemy Jesus Christ has said in his word that he is the one and only way to Salvation. He is the one and only one that can fill and take care of a void or a thirst that we have deep within our spirit Ephesians 4:25 tells us there for having put away falsehood Let each One of you speak the truth with his neighbor for we are members. One of another we must be a church that lovingly points people to the truth. And the last and final characteristic that I want us to look at today. That I believe is a characteristic that would be in a church that Jesus would attend is a church that reaches our community. If you look at verse 28, it says so the woman left her jar and went away into the town and said to the people verse 29 come see a man who told me all that I ever can this be the Christ.

This is the same woman who at the beginning of chapter 4 we saw was the one trying to avoid those very people that she just went to. She was trying to go draw her water at a time when she wouldn't have to face anyone or be around them. But Jesus had changed her life that she had to go and she had to tell them so she went to the townspeople and she said come you've got to see this man. He told me everything that I had done.

Jesus had changed her life.

When we go on to verse 39 through 42 many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. He told me all that I ever did so when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them and he stayed there two days and many more were believed because of his word. I said to the woman it's no longer because of what you said that we believe for we've heard for ourselves and we know But this is indeed the savior of the world. I believe that God wants us to take Example and apply it to ourselves in the body of Christ and that is to reach our community and the way we do that is to do what she did push past the fear of rejection push past the fear of ridicule and danger and look for an opportunity to meet our community where they are at Jesus met her at the well where she was at she even went and met the townspeople were they were at didn't she? She's doing the same thing as Christ now.

and I believe but we need to follow her example and see people through God's eyes.

This woman who from every indication in scripture was treated as an outcast saw the same people rejected her most likely her and looked at as mental.

She saw them as people who were in need. She didn't look at them with resentment. She didn't look at them with anger.

She didn't look at them and say well I found something but I'm not going to tell you because I remember how you treated me. But she saw them through God's eyes as people who were in need of the same Living Water. That she had been in need of it only Jesus could give and she invited invited them to and to see and to hear into taste.

She left wing. How she had an agenda we all have an agenda. Don't worry. We all have schedules. We all have places to go people to see things to do. I get that this woman laughed what she was doing and she sees the opportunity the need that were around her. And she testified she was changed and she shared what God had done for her. And I want to tell you one more story.

There was a pastor. Who would often times go to a cafeteria a cafe? It was in a not-so-good part of town and he would go. In the off hours at night when most people are sleeping. and

he would go and he would just have a meal and many of prostitutes would come in. To have a meal 1/2 in the morning. They would come in and they would talk and Be with each other and one night. He overheard one of them. Say tomorrow is my birthday.

And the other lady said to her what do you want us to do about that have a birthday party or something? And she said no. No, I was just venting. I've never had a birthday party in my whole life, but I was just mentioning that it's going to be my birthday. So they left in this pastor felt God impressed something on his heart. He went to the cafe owner and he said hey. If you'll get some balloons and just kind of decorated up until all those other ladies to come here before she does I'm going to have my wife bake and decorate a cake, and we're going to have a birthday party for her. So the next night the cafe owner he put up the balloons and the decorations and the minister came in with the birthday cake and had it displayed on the table and all the other women came in before her. Lights were out and when she walked in, you know how it goes. They all yelled surprise and happy birthday, and there was this cake. And they said okay make a wish and blow out your candle. She blew out her candle and they said okay now Cut the Cake. She said I don't want to cut the cake. I never had a birthday cake in my whole life. And this is just so beautiful. I don't want to cut it and you know, she didn't she picked up her cake and she walked out the door.

A party ended there was this minister with a cafe owner in the cafe about 2 in the morning with a room full of prostitutes. What do you do with that?

So the minister said let's pray. So he prayed for the women and this Cafe owner and the women left and so he was helping this Cafe owner to clean up all of the residue in this Cafe owner said hey, you never told me that you were a minister and he said I just didn't think it was important to me and he said what kind of a church do you go to? And he said the kind that will come out to a cafe at 2 in the morning and have a birthday party. We're lady who needs God. And the cafe owner said wow. I think I would like to attend a church like that. And you know what this morning I want to let you know. I Think Jesus would attend to church like that.

I don't know about you, but I desperately want our church, which is made up of each one of us individuals. To be the kind of church Jesus would attend. A church that crosses lines and barriers of snobbery and displaced friendliness. A church that's not quick to judge or criticize point out shortcomings and shaming. But always pointing people to who Jesus is and what God wants to give. to us a church that lovingly speaks truth to people. Always speaking of the Redemptive Covenant relationship that Jesus desires to have with each one of us that will bring satisfaction. That's so desperately sought after.

a church that

will reach its community.

push past the fear of rejection and ridicule and Danger

tell our community.

if there is one satisfy

I would ask that you would now your heads.

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