Encounter

Intro:

In case you missed it, last Sunday was awesome. 4 children were dedicated and 5 folks were water baptized. Over the last couple of months we have been experiencing a move of God here at Parkside. There have been prophetic words, speaking in tongues, prophetic dreams, again child dedications, and water baptisms, all evidence of growth, spiritual growth. That’s exciting. Here’s what happens when a group of believers experience spiritual growth: people encounter Jesus that need Jesus. We start living out our faith and the culture, the world around us begins to change for the better.

This morning we will look at some encounters. I believe two things can happen when someone encounters Jesus. First, they have an opportunity to be refreshed. The woman at the well had an opportunity to accept salvation, she could have been refreshed and reborn. Secondly, we have an opportunity to be rekindled.

Today we are going to hang out at the well again. John 4.

While you are turning there, let’s recap for a moment. Last Sunday we journeyed together to this well. A Samaritan woman encounters Jesus here. We discussed why this Samaritan woman would be at this well at noon. It was hot. But there are reasons why she would pick the hottest part of the day. She probably had been ridiculed since she was a half breed. She was a woman. Women during that didn’t have rights like they do now. Also as we discovered she had been married 5 times. Can you imagine the shame?

Last week I talked about 3 things we need to deal with if want to be refreshed.

You have to Choose it.

Jesus will ask something of you.

You have to be honest with Jesus.

When we are refreshed we set ourselves up to be rekindled.

Have you ever seen someone that is on “fire” for God. Most of us have. Most of us at one time or another have been on “fire” for God. I wonder what happened?

This being on “fire” is when our spirit is rekindled.

Let’s continue on in John 4.

John 4:27–42 ESV

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. 31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. 36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” 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.”

The rest of the story of this meeting at the well is interesting.

The Disciples are shocked that Jesus is talking with a woman, which confirms just how the culture was. Judging by outward appearances rather than seeing value in God’s creation.

Remember the disciples just arrived from buying food. They are hungry and assume Jesus is hungry also. It can become rather easy to see through are natural eyes and miss what God is doing spiritually.

Jesus tells the disciples His nourishment comes from doing the will of God.

Is ministry a job? Story of Pastor Sal at Teen Challenge.

Psalm 40:8 NIV

8 I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

Jesus viewed ministry as delight.

Jesus talks about the harvest. He takes what the disciples saw with their natural eyes of hunger and told them how to be spiritually nourished. What we often call being on fire.

Then we Samaritans coming from the town to meet Jesus. Remember the Samaritan woman asked for Jesus to give her the water He was speaking of.

An interesting thing to take note of. When Jesus and the disciples approached Samaria I wonder if the disciples said or thought that could be no harvest here, since Jews were despised there and that the people would have no use for their message. Remember the Samaritans were looked down upon by the Jews and despised the Jews for it.

How Does This Relate To Rekindling?

I often can relate to the disciples. Why? Because I need Jesus just like you. Why? Because I need revelation just like you. When we are refreshed we set ourselves up to be rekindled. Take the bike ride for example again. When I drank the coffee it didn’t help me to complete the ride, it made the ride more difficult. When I drank the water I was refreshed and had strength that made completing the ride easier to accomplish.

Same with our spiritual walk with Jesus. Sometimes we try to refresh ourselves to help us in our walk with Jesus only to find it makes it more difficult. But when we are refreshed it makes it easier to accomplish our mission. When we realize we are refreshed we have hope, and hope creates a burning desire to accomplish the mission.

Spiritually our mission is to tell the good news and make disciples.

There is no equation on how to be refreshed or rekindled. The answer to both of those lies within our relationship with Jesus. I can tell you:

Step 1: is to accept what Jesus is offering(refreshment). Which will require us to choose, answer the call, and be honest with Jesus.

Step 2: will be taking action(rekindled), sharing with others what Jesus is doing in and through our lives and sharing with others what Jesus is doing in the church.

The Samaritan woman was refreshed and rekindled and many Samaritans came to Jesus that day.

What would it look like if each of us would accept what Jesus is offering and then took action in faith? Being refreshed and rekindled looks a lot like bold evangelism.

Let’s pray.