No Matter The Opinion
Notes
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Intro:
In the back country of North Carolina lived an old man called Randall. From a young age his life has been filled with pain and disappointments. As a teenager he lost his father to a logging accident. A few years later his mother passed in her sleep from a heart attack. Left all alone at a young age, the boy found himself homeless and with any family to care for him. He drifted from place to place until he join the military at the age of 18. WWII was in full swing and the man saw more then his fair share of fighting and death.
While life had dealt him a bad hand, the man tried to find his place in life. He realized as he got older that the pain was to great for him to carry. Not knowing what to do, Randall stumbled into a small church in the back country hill where he lived. The preacher was in rare form that morning as he preached about the love of Jesus.
Randall wondered if this Christ could love him and fix what was broken in him. He was thirsty and nothing would satisfy his longing. As the alter call was given, Randall made his way down front where he prayed to receive Christ. It was in that moment he found what he had been looking for, a drink from a well that would never run dry.
Today we will look at the story of what happened when this woman drank from the well that never runs dry!
The Awkward Encounter
The Awkward Encounter
27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”
Even the disciples found themselves tied to religious traditions. There was three thing wrong with this encounter.
She was a Samaritan.
The Jews considered them outcast. It was a feud that had deep seeded emotion and animosity tied to it.
In so much as, they would avoid them because they considered then heretics.
What about us? Do we avoid people because they don’t think the same way we do?
She was a woman.
A Jew would not have engaged a woman by himself in that day, let alone a Samaritan woman.
Cultural barriers keep people from engaging other for Christ.
“Ex.” Race, social standing, political affiliations, age, and much more.
She was an adulterer.
The implications found with associating with her would have been a character assassination to Jesus.
What would people say? Her reputation would stir up the rumor mill!
How often have we walked away from sharing Jesus out of fear of what people may label us as?
The Overwhelming Engagement
The Overwhelming Engagement
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,
29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”
30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
This woman abandoned her task to go tell others about this man. Keep in mind, she is an outcast and she knows it. So for her to want to engage the very people that had shun her was a huge thing.
When the excitement out weighed the shame. v.28
When real change takes place in a person, the shame of their past becomes a Trophy of His grace.
Revisit that excitement often!!
The message is bigger then the barriers. v.29
She didn’t let her past stop her from telling the story.
Your personal barriers have already been torn down.
Do not let Satan build them up again.
There is power in the simple message of the Gospel.
It did not matter that she was the one telling the story.
The message of Christ has no qualifier as to who can tell it.
Jesus gave a command that we all go and tell.
23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
The One Matters
The One Matters
31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?”
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
Jesus was laser focused on this woman. She mattered to Him just as much as any other person.
Seeing the hurting takes spiritual vision. v.31-32
Jesus told the disciples that his food was the encounter He just had.
The food He had was satisfying.
Leading other to Christ will satisfy a need. It’s good for the soul!
Other may not understand. v. 33
The disciples could not see pass what was in front of them to see what was really going on.
Jesus did not let the disciples view distract His work.
Do not let the limited view of other Christian derail what God has called you to.
They may not even know what their doing/asking.
Noticed the disciples, their concern for Jesus was legitimate, but their vision was impaired.
His father’s mission came before his own needs. v.34
Aligning ourselves to Christ through surrender, will drive us to see other the same way Jesus saw this woman.
When is the last time we focused our energy onto another person with the intent of sharing Christ with them.
His father’s call came first!
Conclusion:
I’m reminded through this story that I was just like that woman. Regarding my sin, I was no different. The well of our life is a real place. A place where we must come face to face with the one that can change our life for eternity.
As a conclusion to this though, remember, Everyone will have a well encounter! What will be your story?