John Chapter 4,
beginning in verse 4.
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The Bible says,
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"But He needed to
go through," where?
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"Samaria.
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So he came to a city of Samaria,
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which is called Sychar
near the plot of ground
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that Jacob gave
to his son, Joseph.
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Now Jacob's well was there.
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Jesus, therefore being wearied
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from His journey
sat thus by the well,
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and it was about the sixth hour,
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that's about noon time.
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And a woman of
Samaria came to draw water.
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Jesus said to
her, "Give me a drink"
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for his disciples had gone
away into the city to buy food.
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Then the woman of
Samaria said to him,
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"How is it that you being a Jew,
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ask a drink from
me, a Samaritan woman?
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For Jews have no
dealings with Samaritans."
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Verse 10, "Jesus
answered and said to her,
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'If you knew the gift of God,
and who it is who says to you,
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'Give Me a drink,'
you would have asked Him,
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and He would have
given you living water."
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Now let's pause
here for a second.
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Here in Chapter 4,
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Jesus had been
working in the area of Judea.
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But because of all the prejudice
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of the Pharisees
and all the obstacles
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they put in His
path, Jesus felt as though
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it was time to go to a
different field of labor.
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So they decided
to move from Judea
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and start working in the
areas that was known as Galilee.
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Now in order to go
from Judea to Galilee,
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that was at least
a full day's journey.
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So Jesus and the
disciples decide to get up
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at the crack of dawn
early the next morning
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and travel as far
as they possibly can.
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Now, why do you
suppose they decided to travel
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at the crack of dawn?
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What do you think?
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It's the
coolest part of the day.
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Nobody wants to travel along
the hot dusty roads of Israel,
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while the afternoon sun
is beating down on your back.
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It's best to travel in
the coolest part of the day.
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And when truth be told,
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that's probably
what you and I do
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whenever we have to
go on a long road trip.
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I know there have been
many times for Marquita
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and I, we travel a lot,
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that if we have to
go on a long road trip,
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and we're driving,
we prefer to get up
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early in the
morning when it's cool
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and to go as fast as we can.
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However, the
reason that we did it,
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that was more
because of the kids.
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See, we had a strategy.
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And what we would do is
this, we thought, you know,
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if we just get up at
like 4 o'clock in the morning,
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and pack the car
the night before,
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we can get the girls out of bed
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and this was
when they were little,
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with their pajamas still on
and we can just pick them up,
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get them
situated in the backseat.
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They'll still be sleeping
and then we can drive hours
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down the road
in peace and quiet.
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How many people ever tried that?
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Let me see your
hands who got kids.
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Yeah, we did it, I
did it, ever work for you?
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It never worked for us.
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It seemed like we'd get
a half hour down the road.
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And you know what?
Eyes are wide awake.
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Oh, where are we
going? What are we doing?
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Are we there yet?
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You know, and they're wide awake
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because it's an adventure.
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So that never worked for us.
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Now Jesus and the
disciples, they obviously,
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I don't think they had
children on this journey.
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But they got up
early in the morning,
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and they travel for hours
along the dusty road of Israel.
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And it tells us in the passage
that finally noon time came,
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and they've been traveling
all morning long, they're hot,
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they're tired,
they're hungry, they're weary,
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and they need to
stop and rest for a while.
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But there's one problem.
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At that point,
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they are traveling
right through Samaria.
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This is not a place
where the disciples want to be
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because there is great hostility
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and prejudice
between Jews and Samaritans.
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It's kind of almost like
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when we're
traveling along the road.
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You know, now my wife
is very, very picky about
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rest areas that we stop at.
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If she doesn't
like the look of it,
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or it doesn't look safe,
or maybe it's dark and dingy,
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she's like, move on,
we'll just stop somewhere else.
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But you know, when
you've got a couple of kids
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in the backseat who are
crying, they're fussing,
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they're tired of being in a car,
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or you have a little
one with a poopy diaper,
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if you hope to have any
sanity or peace and quiet,
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you better stop
at that restaurant
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no matter what it looks like,
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because you do
not have a choice.
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Well, that's
kind of the way it is
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for the disciples here.
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They prefer not to
stop here near Sychar,
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a Samaritan village,
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but when you're
hot, tired and hungry,
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and the next village is
many miles down the road,
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you do not have a choice.
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So the Bible records they
stop and they rest for a while
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in this place
where Jacob's well is.
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Now to help us
understand the story,
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I want to explain
to you a little bit
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where this hostility between
Jews and Samaritans come from
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because it gives us a
really good context here.
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Back in the days of
King David and King Solomon,
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you remember that
after Solomon reigned,
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the kingdom of
Israel broke apart
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into two different divisions.
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You had the northern kingdom,
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which was known as Israel
or it was also called Samaria.
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And you had the
southern kingdom of Judah.
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Well, what happened is
one of the most wicked king
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and queen duos that
probably ever lived,
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reigned in
Samaria for about 40 years
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and led them
into total apostasy.
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You know who that
king and queen duo was?
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It was Ahab and Jezebel.
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Turned the people
of the northern kingdom
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from worshipping false gods,
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sacrificing their
children to Moloch,
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ignoring the
prophets of the Lord,
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I mean lead them
in a total degradation
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and rebellion against God.
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And so God would send
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His prophets like
Elijah and Elisha,
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plead with them
to turn back to God.
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And finally God said, "Listen,
if I can't get your attention
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through the
prophets, then I'm going to let
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one of your pagan
name neighbors conquer you
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and take you into captivity."
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And that's
exactly what happened.
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The nation of Assyria came in
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and defeated
the northern kingdom
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and took many of
the people captive
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to Assyria.
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And then what Assyria did
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is they took their own
people, and they repopulated
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parts of the northern
kingdom known as Samaria.
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And so over a period of decades,
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the pagan religions of Assyria
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began to mix
with the Jewish faith.
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And you began to have
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this mixture of truth and error.
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And so while the Samaritans
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did have some of
the truths of the Jews
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and the Old Testament,
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they also were involved
in idol worship and idolatry
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and worshipping other gods.
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And so because it wasn't a
true and pure Jewish faith,
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the Jews of the southern kingdom
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looked at those of
the northern kingdom
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as not true Jews,
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and they wanted
nothing to do with them.
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They won't eat with them,
they won't talk with them.
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They tried to
avoid business with them,
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because to interact with
them would keep them unclean.
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And so that's the mindset
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that the disciples
had been brought up,
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and that's where this
hostility had come from.
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And so now while they're resting
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in Jacob's well,
then comes verse 8,
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a verse that
normally we skip over.
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I don't want you to miss this.
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Apparently, while
Jesus is resting at the well,
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outside the city of Sychar,
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in this hated region of Samaria,
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apparently, the
disciples come to Him and say,
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"Listen, you sit here
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by the well and
rest for a while,
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we'll go into the
city and buy some food.
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And then we'll
bring it out to you."
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You find anything
strange about that?
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Think about it.
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We'll go into the
city and buy some food.
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And we'll bring
it out to You Jesus
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while You sit here by the well,
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You don't have to
go in to this city.
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You know what's happening here?
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You can see
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the disciple's
hostility and hatred
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towards the Samaritan people,
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because they do not
believe those people
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are worthy to have
Jesus come into their village.
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Where in the gospels
do you ever read of Jesus
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staying outside of a
city instead of going in
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and ministering to the people?
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Where in Matthew, Mark, Luke,
or John do we ever read that
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Jesus sits in a
place outside the city
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and tells the
disciples go get some food
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and bring it out to me?
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You never see that.
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Remember what Jesus'
method of ministry was?
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A personal one.
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He went in as long
as he was welcomed,
00:09:04.07\00:09:06.27
He stayed with the
people in their homes.
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He ate with them.
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He mingled and
associated with them.
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He stayed in
small group with them
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by the sea shores
and by the mountainside.
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He engaged them and
became their friend,
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that was Jesus'
method of ministry.
00:09:21.12\00:09:23.39
Never did He stay
outside of a city and say,
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"Just go in and
give me some food.
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I'm not going to go in there."
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So you see,
when Jesus recognizes
00:09:29.40\00:09:31.47
the hostility His discipleshad
towards people of another race,
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and people of another
religion for that matter,
00:09:36.34\00:09:39.27
He knows that's
going to be a problem.
00:09:39.31\00:09:42.24
Because when it comes to them
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fulfilling the
gospel commission,
00:09:43.71\00:09:46.01
when it comes to them
having to take the gospel
00:09:46.05\00:09:48.25
to the world after
He dies and resurrects
00:09:48.28\00:09:50.55
and ascends back to heaven,
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He knows that's
going to be an issue
00:09:51.99\00:09:53.66
because you cannot
fulfill the gospel commission
00:09:53.69\00:09:56.39
when you have prejudice
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in your heart with
people of other cultures,
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other lands or other religions.
00:10:00.26\00:10:02.10
That's going to
be a huge barrier.
00:10:02.13\00:10:06.23
But Jesus doesn't
address it, at least not then.
00:10:06.27\00:10:09.80
He waits till
the end of the story
00:10:09.84\00:10:11.91
to deal with it.
00:10:11.94\00:10:13.51
So while the disciples
00:10:13.54\00:10:14.88
are inside of
Sychar looking for food,
00:10:14.91\00:10:18.38
Jesus sits by the
well and rests for a while.
00:10:18.41\00:10:22.92
And as He rests,
00:10:22.95\00:10:25.12
a very interesting
interaction takes place.
00:10:25.15\00:10:30.53
After a while Jesus notices
00:10:30.56\00:10:32.59
there is a lone Samaritan woman
00:10:32.63\00:10:35.36
leaving the village
and coming out to the well
00:10:35.40\00:10:39.23
in order to get some water.
00:10:39.27\00:10:41.54
And as soon as Jesus sees her,
00:10:41.57\00:10:43.84
He knows that
something is wrong.
00:10:43.87\00:10:47.68
Clue number one, is
that she's coming out
00:10:47.71\00:10:50.48
to the well in
what part of the day?
00:10:50.51\00:10:53.72
Noontime, afternoon,
the hottest part of the day.
00:10:53.75\00:10:56.79
When do you think
most people would come
00:10:56.82\00:10:58.62
to the well to get their water?
00:10:58.65\00:11:01.02
Why morning?
Coolest part of the day.
00:11:01.06\00:11:03.79
Not only that,
00:11:03.83\00:11:05.16
when are you
likely to need water?
00:11:05.19\00:11:08.26
Soon as you wake up.
That's first century.
00:11:08.30\00:11:11.13
But you know what?
00:11:11.17\00:11:12.50
Not much has
changed in the 21st century.
00:11:12.53\00:11:14.60
I would venture to guess
that almost everybody here
00:11:14.64\00:11:17.47
that within 30 minutes of
when you get up in the morning,
00:11:17.51\00:11:20.41
you do something
that involves water.
00:11:20.44\00:11:22.21
Would that be fair to say?
00:11:22.24\00:11:23.75
You go to the
bathroom or you take a shower,
00:11:23.78\00:11:26.35
make yourself a cup of tea,
00:11:26.38\00:11:28.18
wash your hands,
brush your teeth,
00:11:28.22\00:11:30.65
at least I hope so.
00:11:30.69\00:11:32.02
The difference is, we
can just turn a faucet.
00:11:32.05\00:11:34.99
They had to actually go
to a well outside the city
00:11:35.02\00:11:37.79
to get that water.
00:11:37.83\00:11:39.16
So the fact that she is coming
in the hottest part of the day,
00:11:39.19\00:11:43.43
instead of the
cool morning hours,
00:11:43.47\00:11:45.80
Jesus knows she's
avoiding something.
00:11:45.83\00:11:47.77
Something is wrong.
00:11:47.80\00:11:49.97
And then as she gets
closer, all Jesus has to do is
00:11:50.01\00:11:53.01
He can look into her
eyes, and He can see the pain.
00:11:53.04\00:11:58.01
It's like the pain is
written all over her face,
00:11:58.05\00:12:01.52
like the weight of the
world is on her shoulders.
00:12:01.55\00:12:05.09
You ever
experienced that with someone
00:12:05.12\00:12:07.16
where they didn't
have to say a word?
00:12:07.19\00:12:09.22
You didn't even know them,
you didn't even talk to them.
00:12:09.26\00:12:11.23
But you could just look at them
00:12:11.26\00:12:12.89
and you could tell that
something was absolutely wrong.
00:12:12.93\00:12:16.97
That's what's
happening in this interaction
00:12:17.00\00:12:18.97
with this woman who
is going to the well.
00:12:19.00\00:12:22.30
And so now at this point,
00:12:22.34\00:12:24.21
Jesus and the woman
are alone at this well,
00:12:24.24\00:12:26.81
and no doubt they're just
a few feet from each other.
00:12:26.84\00:12:29.64
And so you have this
uncomfortable silence.
00:12:29.68\00:12:33.78
You know about that
uncomfortable silence?
00:12:33.82\00:12:36.28
If you don't just ride
the elevator with someone,
00:12:36.32\00:12:38.79
because what most people do?
00:12:38.82\00:12:40.39
They get in the elevator
00:12:40.42\00:12:41.79
and you're within
inches of each other.
00:12:41.82\00:12:43.46
And for most
people, what are they doing?
00:12:43.49\00:12:44.83
Where are they looking?
00:12:44.86\00:12:46.73
Straight forward at
the dial to see what room,
00:12:46.76\00:12:49.00
you know what floor
they're getting off at.
00:12:49.03\00:12:51.20
Everybody knows
each other is there
00:12:51.23\00:12:53.47
but nobody
wants to say anything.
00:12:53.50\00:12:55.44
It's that uncomfortable silence.
00:12:55.47\00:12:58.47
Same silence
that's happening here
00:12:58.51\00:13:00.98
with the woman at the well.
00:13:01.01\00:13:03.38
And finally Jesus does something
00:13:03.41\00:13:06.11
that for His culture is amazing.
00:13:06.15\00:13:09.92
He actually begins to mingle
00:13:09.95\00:13:12.92
and to interact with this woman.
00:13:12.95\00:13:15.42
Now remember what we learn
00:13:15.46\00:13:16.79
about the unwritten
rule earlier this morning?
00:13:16.83\00:13:19.73
Religious
people do not associate
00:13:19.76\00:13:22.53
with unreligious people.
00:13:22.56\00:13:24.23
Those who are spiritual
00:13:24.27\00:13:26.27
do not mingle
with the unspiritual.
00:13:26.30\00:13:28.67
And especially if you're a Jew,
00:13:28.70\00:13:30.97
you do not
associate with the Samaritans
00:13:31.01\00:13:33.78
or your life will become unclean
00:13:33.81\00:13:36.81
and corrupted.
00:13:36.85\00:13:38.21
So number one,
she's a secular person,
00:13:38.25\00:13:40.92
if we can use that word.
00:13:40.95\00:13:42.82
Number two, she's
not of the right faith,
00:13:42.85\00:13:44.92
you might say.
00:13:44.95\00:13:46.32
Number three, she's
from a different race
00:13:46.35\00:13:48.06
and a different culture.
00:13:48.09\00:13:49.52
And number four, at
least in those days,
00:13:49.56\00:13:51.49
she was a woman.
00:13:51.53\00:13:52.86
Jesus was not
supposed to interact with her
00:13:52.89\00:13:55.46
according to the
culture that He was living in.
00:13:55.50\00:13:58.63
But Jesus went
against these cultural rules,
00:13:58.67\00:14:01.77
He broke the unwritten rule.
00:14:01.80\00:14:03.51
And now He's willing to
engage in conversation with her.
00:14:03.54\00:14:07.84
And what's amazing is,
00:14:07.88\00:14:09.28
what's the first
thing He says to her?
00:14:09.31\00:14:10.91
You remember? Would
you give me a drink?
00:14:10.95\00:14:14.68
Is there anything
religious about that?
00:14:14.72\00:14:17.15
Nothing, just would
you give me a drink?
00:14:17.19\00:14:21.62
I wonder if that's not
what Jesus invites His church
00:14:21.66\00:14:24.03
to do today.
00:14:24.06\00:14:25.69
That is, we're out
there in the world,
00:14:25.73\00:14:27.36
and we're
interacting with people
00:14:27.40\00:14:29.03
who don't know Him.
00:14:29.06\00:14:30.67
The people in our workplace
00:14:30.70\00:14:32.43
who maybe don't have the
same values that we have,
00:14:32.47\00:14:35.20
the people in our neighborhood
00:14:35.24\00:14:36.57
who are making
lifestyle choices,
00:14:36.60\00:14:38.61
they're killing themselves.
00:14:38.64\00:14:40.48
People in our schools
00:14:40.51\00:14:41.84
who know
nothing about the Bible,
00:14:41.88\00:14:43.68
and perhaps a
God who loves them.
00:14:43.71\00:14:45.51
God has put us there
to interact with them.
00:14:45.55\00:14:48.32
Amen?
00:14:48.35\00:14:49.88
You realize that all of
us are missionaries for Him.
00:14:49.92\00:14:53.72
See a lot of times we'll
say, "Oh, well, the pastor,
00:14:53.76\00:14:55.82
he got a call to a
church" or someone got a call
00:14:55.86\00:14:59.39
to come to the
Springfield Church.
00:14:59.43\00:15:01.63
You know, pastors
aren't the only ones
00:15:01.66\00:15:03.23
who receive calls
from God, can you say amen?
00:15:03.26\00:15:05.93
See, it's no accident
you work at the office
00:15:05.97\00:15:08.34
or the place where you work at.
00:15:08.37\00:15:10.11
You may think it's
because you got a good job offer
00:15:10.14\00:15:12.97
but you're there because
that's your mission territory.
00:15:13.01\00:15:16.28
You're God's missionary. Amen?
00:15:16.31\00:15:18.31
You don't live
in the neighborhood
00:15:18.35\00:15:19.68
you live in by accident.
00:15:19.71\00:15:21.08
You may think,
well, I live there
00:15:21.12\00:15:22.45
because I got a
good deal with the house.
00:15:22.48\00:15:23.82
No, you're there
because God sent you
00:15:23.85\00:15:25.79
to that
neighborhood as a missionary.
00:15:25.82\00:15:28.42
You may think, well, I
go to the school I go to,
00:15:28.46\00:15:30.33
I got a good scholarship.
00:15:30.36\00:15:32.23
Well, that may be a
good fringe benefit.
00:15:32.26\00:15:33.96
You're there because
God called you to be there.
00:15:34.00\00:15:37.27
That is your mission territory.
00:15:37.30\00:15:39.87
Every day we
interact with people
00:15:39.90\00:15:41.97
that don't know Christ,
00:15:42.00\00:15:43.74
don't know
truth, aren't familiar
00:15:43.77\00:15:45.94
with some of the
simple foundational
00:15:45.97\00:15:47.84
teachings of the Bible.
00:15:47.88\00:15:49.21
And all God does
is He invites us to be
00:15:49.24\00:15:52.78
willing to engage with them,
00:15:52.81\00:15:54.78
interact with them
to become their friend.
00:15:54.82\00:15:58.52
Just engage in conversation
and see that conversation
00:15:58.55\00:16:03.02
doesn't have to begin
with religious things, does it?
00:16:03.06\00:16:06.23
I mean, your first
conversation with your neighbor
00:16:06.26\00:16:08.00
probably isn't
going to be, "Hey, Jill,
00:16:08.03\00:16:09.66
by the way you ever
hear the number 666?
00:16:09.70\00:16:11.73
You know what that's all about?"
00:16:11.77\00:16:13.34
That's probably not going
to be your first conversation.
00:16:13.37\00:16:15.60
In fact, Jesus'
first conversation
00:16:15.64\00:16:17.87
with this woman had
nothing to do with religion.
00:16:17.91\00:16:19.71
He just said, "Would
you give me a drink?"
00:16:19.74\00:16:22.51
I wonder if God
doesn't invite us
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.68
to engage with others.
00:16:25.71\00:16:27.58
Secular conversation, hey,
00:16:27.62\00:16:29.08
what do you
think of this weather,
00:16:29.12\00:16:30.45
it's really great, isn't it?
00:16:30.49\00:16:31.82
Hey, what do you think
00:16:31.85\00:16:33.19
of that Super
Bowl game last night?
00:16:33.22\00:16:34.62
Hey, you know,
that's a nice dress
00:16:34.66\00:16:35.99
you're wearing,
where'd you get it?
00:16:36.02\00:16:37.36
I've been wanting
to get that new iPhone.
00:16:37.39\00:16:38.93
How's it working for you?
00:16:38.96\00:16:40.83
You see, well,
00:16:40.86\00:16:42.20
how's that going to
bring them to Christ?
00:16:42.23\00:16:43.57
How's that going
to get them baptized?
00:16:43.60\00:16:45.87
Friends, one step at a time
00:16:45.90\00:16:47.97
we have to meet
people where they are.
00:16:48.00\00:16:50.71
And here's an important point.
00:16:50.74\00:16:52.64
Many times it can be amazing
00:16:52.67\00:16:55.74
how the Holy Spirit
can take a conversation
00:16:55.78\00:16:59.05
and turn it in a direction
that you never even expected.
00:16:59.08\00:17:03.99
You might simply be
talking about the weather
00:17:04.02\00:17:06.42
or other secular,
non-religious things.
00:17:06.45\00:17:09.39
But if you've been
praying for opportunities,
00:17:09.42\00:17:11.83
if every morning,
you've been saying,
00:17:11.86\00:17:13.29
God, will You use me today,
00:17:13.33\00:17:14.96
it's amazing how the Holy Spirit
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.43
can turn things around
00:17:16.46\00:17:17.87
and bring opportunities your way
00:17:17.90\00:17:19.57
that you never even expected.
00:17:19.60\00:17:22.60
And that's not going to happen
00:17:22.64\00:17:23.97
in every
conversation most likely,
00:17:24.01\00:17:25.87
but I know one thing,
it'll never happen unless
00:17:25.91\00:17:28.61
we're willing to
mingle and engage with people.
00:17:28.64\00:17:32.11
And that is what
Jesus demonstrates for us
00:17:32.15\00:17:35.22
as He gets to know this woman,
00:17:35.25\00:17:37.09
this Samaritan
woman at the well.
00:17:37.12\00:17:41.42
But now, as Jesus
crosses cultural norms,
00:17:41.46\00:17:45.96
now have a conversation,
00:17:45.99\00:17:47.33
now that He's gained her
trust and see that's important.
00:17:47.36\00:17:50.27
See in our culture, when
it comes to talking about
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.60
religion or spiritual things,
00:17:52.63\00:17:54.67
most people won't talk to
you about that very quickly.
00:17:54.70\00:17:57.64
It's like when someone
comes knocking on your door
00:17:57.67\00:17:59.97
and wants to talk about religion
00:18:00.01\00:18:01.44
and you've never met them
in your life, in our culture,
00:18:01.48\00:18:04.15
we kind of tend to
shy away from that.
00:18:04.18\00:18:06.61
In our culture, you've
got to earn people's trust
00:18:06.65\00:18:09.78
to be able to talk
about those things.
00:18:09.82\00:18:11.42
And that trust
comes through friendship.
00:18:11.45\00:18:14.62
That's what Jesus is doing.
00:18:14.66\00:18:16.49
His ministry was not
evangelism from a distance,
00:18:16.52\00:18:19.46
I'll give you information.
00:18:19.49\00:18:20.90
But you know, I
don't want to get involved
00:18:20.93\00:18:22.30
in your life because, you
know, I might become unclean,
00:18:22.33\00:18:24.33
you might be a
bad influence on me.
00:18:24.37\00:18:26.50
That's not how Jesus ministered.
00:18:26.53\00:18:28.60
Jesus' ministry
was to get involved,
00:18:28.64\00:18:31.51
become their friend,
seek to reach their heart.
00:18:31.54\00:18:36.21
And so as He does
that with this woman,
00:18:36.24\00:18:39.01
now, eventually,
now we don't know
00:18:39.05\00:18:40.62
how long this
conversation lasted,
00:18:40.65\00:18:42.75
but eventually now
00:18:42.78\00:18:44.12
the conversation does
turn towards spiritual things.
00:18:44.15\00:18:48.59
And I want you to pick it
up now in verses 15 through 18.
00:18:48.62\00:18:53.16
We're in John Chapter 4,
00:18:53.19\00:18:55.53
and we're going to
start looking at verse 15.
00:18:55.56\00:18:58.97
The Bible says, "And
the woman said to him,"
00:18:59.00\00:19:02.64
because they've
talked about living water,
00:19:02.67\00:19:04.81
"Sir, give me this water
00:19:04.84\00:19:07.14
that I may not thirst,
nor come here to draw."
00:19:07.18\00:19:11.38
And Jesus said to her,
"Go, call your husband,
00:19:11.41\00:19:15.05
and come back here."
00:19:15.08\00:19:17.02
The woman answered and
said, "I have no husband."
00:19:17.05\00:19:22.09
Jesus said to her,
"You have well said,
00:19:22.12\00:19:25.19
'I have no husband,' for
you have had five husbands,
00:19:25.23\00:19:28.93
and the one whom you now have
00:19:28.96\00:19:30.50
is not your husband;
in that you spoke truly."
00:19:30.53\00:19:34.17
And the woman said to Him, "Sir,
00:19:34.20\00:19:36.34
I perceive that
You are a prophet."
00:19:36.37\00:19:40.71
You see what's happening here?
00:19:40.74\00:19:42.21
Now in this conversation,
00:19:42.24\00:19:44.05
the woman begins to
reveal the source of her pain,
00:19:44.08\00:19:47.68
she begins to share
that she has no husband,
00:19:47.72\00:19:50.39
and the man she's living
with now is not her husband.
00:19:50.42\00:19:53.76
And so now the picture
00:19:53.79\00:19:55.12
begins to get
clear in Jesus' mind,
00:19:55.16\00:19:57.43
and we start to
realize she's a woman,
00:19:57.46\00:20:00.20
who's been in one failed
relationship after another.
00:20:00.23\00:20:04.30
She's a woman
who's given herself
00:20:04.33\00:20:06.17
to one man after
another looking for love,
00:20:06.20\00:20:09.20
looking for acceptance,
00:20:09.24\00:20:10.57
looking for meaning in her life,
00:20:10.61\00:20:12.37
only to be thrown out
like a worn-out garment
00:20:12.41\00:20:15.14
that's not wanted anymore.
00:20:15.18\00:20:17.58
That's why she
comes to the well alone.
00:20:17.61\00:20:20.42
Because even in the
Samaritan city of Sychar,
00:20:20.45\00:20:24.42
she's looked at as a
woman of immoral conduct.
00:20:24.45\00:20:28.86
Even in Sychar,
she's viewed as a woman
00:20:28.89\00:20:32.09
that has a
questionable reputation
00:20:32.13\00:20:35.10
and a character of degradation.
00:20:35.13\00:20:38.13
And the reason
she comes to the well
00:20:38.17\00:20:40.14
on the afternoon,
00:20:40.17\00:20:41.50
in the hottest part of the
day, is she's avoiding people
00:20:41.54\00:20:45.21
because of the
mistakes she made in her life.
00:20:45.24\00:20:47.64
Because for her to come
00:20:47.68\00:20:49.28
to the well in
the morning hours,
00:20:49.31\00:20:51.38
that means she has to come
00:20:51.41\00:20:52.75
with all the
other women of the city.
00:20:52.78\00:20:55.12
All the other women
who know her choices,
00:20:55.15\00:20:57.42
who know her
lifestyle, who know the way that
00:20:57.45\00:21:00.22
she is living, and
for her to go to the well
00:21:00.26\00:21:03.29
with the rest of
the women of Sychar
00:21:03.32\00:21:05.53
and all she got with them
for was words of judgment,
00:21:05.56\00:21:08.70
words of reproach,
words of criticism,
00:21:08.73\00:21:11.77
and they would take
her pain and they would
00:21:11.80\00:21:13.64
just grind her deeper
and deeper into the ground
00:21:13.67\00:21:16.71
and intensify the discomfort
that she already felt.
00:21:16.74\00:21:21.54
See for her, it
was much less painful
00:21:21.58\00:21:25.48
to carry a heavy water pot
00:21:25.51\00:21:27.92
under the middle
eastern sun in the afternoon,
00:21:27.95\00:21:31.15
than to go to the
well in the morning
00:21:31.19\00:21:33.56
and to face those
words of hurt and reproach
00:21:33.59\00:21:37.63
that the women of the
town would heap upon her.
00:21:37.66\00:21:42.53
Now when we hear that,
we're kind of tempted to say,
00:21:42.56\00:21:44.83
"Oh, shame on
those ladies of Sychar,
00:21:44.87\00:21:46.70
they shouldn't have done that."
00:21:46.74\00:21:49.47
You know, before I
can look at other people,
00:21:49.50\00:21:53.11
I need to look at myself.
00:21:53.14\00:21:55.64
It's easy for me to say
shame on the women of Sychar,
00:21:55.68\00:21:58.38
shame, shame on that person.
00:21:58.41\00:22:00.72
But what is it that Jesus says?
00:22:00.75\00:22:03.28
We look for the speck
in someone else's eye.
00:22:03.32\00:22:06.65
And we look, we
ignore the plank in our own.
00:22:06.69\00:22:10.69
I have to ask the question,
00:22:10.73\00:22:13.40
do I ever do what
the women of Sychar did?
00:22:13.43\00:22:18.47
What about when people
00:22:18.50\00:22:19.83
come to the doors of our church,
00:22:19.87\00:22:21.67
people who know very
little about God and truth,
00:22:21.70\00:22:23.97
they don't look
like us, talk like us,
00:22:24.01\00:22:25.87
dress like us, eat
like us and because
00:22:25.91\00:22:28.08
they don't
measure up right away,
00:22:28.11\00:22:29.64
sometimes all we can do is
take our bony little finger
00:22:29.68\00:22:32.91
and point it at them
in judgment and criticism,
00:22:32.95\00:22:35.68
making them feel
worse than they already do.
00:22:35.72\00:22:39.42
Sometimes we
expect people to accolade.
00:22:39.45\00:22:41.69
They've been
Christians for 20 years
00:22:41.72\00:22:43.22
when they just
walk through the door.
00:22:43.26\00:22:46.39
Shame on us when we exhibit
00:22:46.43\00:22:48.66
the characteristics of being
the accuser of the brethren.
00:22:48.70\00:22:53.27
When will we
learn to accept people
00:22:53.30\00:22:56.34
where they are and may not
be where God wants them to be?
00:22:56.37\00:23:00.44
They might not be making choices
00:23:00.48\00:23:02.24
that make God happy.
00:23:02.28\00:23:04.05
But the only way people
00:23:04.08\00:23:05.55
will change is
not from criticism
00:23:05.58\00:23:07.42
and condemnation.
00:23:07.45\00:23:08.78
No one has ever been converted
00:23:08.82\00:23:10.15
by words of
criticism and reproach.
00:23:10.19\00:23:13.76
What changes people's hearts
00:23:13.79\00:23:15.96
is when someone comes
along inside of them and say,
00:23:15.99\00:23:18.59
"I know you're struggling.
00:23:18.63\00:23:20.36
I understand you're not
where God wants you to be."
00:23:20.40\00:23:22.90
But instead of
trying to ministering to you
00:23:22.93\00:23:25.20
from a distance, all
you shouldn't do that,
00:23:25.23\00:23:27.40
you shouldn't say
that, you shouldn't eat that.
00:23:27.44\00:23:29.37
But I'm not going to
get involved in your life,
00:23:29.40\00:23:31.07
I'm just going to stand
back at a distance and tell you
00:23:31.11\00:23:33.17
what you should or shouldn't do.
00:23:33.21\00:23:34.94
That's the Pharisaical
approach to ministry.
00:23:34.98\00:23:37.88
Jesus' approach to ministry is,
00:23:37.91\00:23:40.48
"I'm going to get
involved in your life.
00:23:40.52\00:23:42.88
I'm going to be your friend.
I'm going to reach your heart.
00:23:42.92\00:23:46.45
So I'm going to
put my arm around
00:23:46.49\00:23:47.82
and I'm going to
help you on this journey
00:23:47.86\00:23:49.69
so that you can
grow closer to Jesus."
00:23:49.72\00:23:52.23
And once they get
connected to Jesus,
00:23:52.26\00:23:54.76
it's the Holy
Spirit that does that work
00:23:54.80\00:23:57.63
of conversion in their
heart and then those things
00:23:57.67\00:24:00.34
that really don't match up
with the character of Jesus,
00:24:00.37\00:24:02.90
the Holy Spirit through
time begins to work that change
00:24:02.94\00:24:06.37
and that
transformation in their heart.
00:24:06.41\00:24:08.24
Can you say amen?
00:24:08.28\00:24:09.88
That's what's happening
here with this woman of Samaria.
00:24:09.91\00:24:12.65
Jesus is interacting with her.
00:24:12.68\00:24:16.18
And so when people
don't meet our standard,
00:24:16.22\00:24:18.65
so to speak, when
we don't see people
00:24:18.69\00:24:20.66
growing as fast as they should,
00:24:20.69\00:24:23.09
Jesus invites
us to do as He did.
00:24:23.12\00:24:25.93
Don't stand back in
judgment, engage with them,
00:24:25.96\00:24:29.46
be their friend, get
involved in their life.
00:24:29.50\00:24:32.27
Let God use you as a missionary.
00:24:32.30\00:24:35.70
Not a Pharisee who
stands at a distance
00:24:35.74\00:24:37.97
and looks for
everything that's wrong.
00:24:38.01\00:24:40.41
But as a disciple of Jesus,
who's willing to get their
00:24:40.44\00:24:43.18
hands dirty, so to
speak, and willing to stand
00:24:43.21\00:24:45.88
side by side with a Samaritan,
a Samaritan who's struggling
00:24:45.91\00:24:50.25
and a Samaritan who doesn't know
00:24:50.29\00:24:52.75
who Jesus is.
00:24:52.79\00:24:54.69
Because truth be told, all of us
00:24:54.72\00:24:57.99
were Samaritans at
one point in our life.
00:24:58.03\00:25:01.06
All of us needed someone to
come beside of us and show us
00:25:01.10\00:25:04.50
truth and lead us
to the feet of Jesus.
00:25:04.53\00:25:06.53
He invites us to do the same.
00:25:06.57\00:25:09.54
Where is it in our
Christian experience
00:25:09.57\00:25:11.37
that we forgot
that it was friendship
00:25:11.41\00:25:14.78
that was used to
bring me to Christ?
00:25:14.81\00:25:17.81
Why am I not turning
around and doing the same thing
00:25:17.85\00:25:21.05
that someone has done for me?
00:25:21.08\00:25:24.89
Are there
Samaritans in your workplace?
00:25:24.92\00:25:27.46
Are there Samaritans
in your neighborhood?
00:25:27.49\00:25:29.82
Are there Samaritans in
the schools where we go?
00:25:29.86\00:25:32.86
Jesus invites
us, engage with them,
00:25:32.89\00:25:35.50
it's time to
become their friend.
00:25:35.53\00:25:38.30
Because if lost
people matter to Jesus,
00:25:38.33\00:25:42.04
then lost people ought to matter
00:25:42.07\00:25:43.91
to the church of
Jesus and those of us
00:25:43.94\00:25:45.87
who call
ourselves His disciples.
00:25:45.91\00:25:47.84
Can you say amen?
00:25:47.88\00:25:50.01
But now we get to the
last part of this story.
00:25:50.05\00:25:53.25
And this is the part now
where the disciples come back
00:25:53.28\00:25:56.32
from the city of Sychar
00:25:56.35\00:25:58.29
and the woman
goes back into the city
00:25:58.32\00:26:00.59
and Jesus now is
sitting by Jacob's Well,
00:26:00.62\00:26:03.66
and he has a very
pointed conversation
00:26:03.69\00:26:07.30
with His disciples.
00:26:07.33\00:26:08.66
Okay, so now the
focus has changed.
00:26:08.70\00:26:10.43
The first part of the
focus was the conversation
00:26:10.47\00:26:12.50
with the woman.
00:26:12.53\00:26:13.87
At the end of the story,
00:26:13.90\00:26:15.24
the focus is now
on the conversation
00:26:15.27\00:26:16.97
Jesus is having with His church.
00:26:17.01\00:26:20.44
John Chapter 4, let's
pick it up in verse 31.
00:26:20.48\00:26:25.61
Verse 31, the Bible
says or verse 30 rather,
00:26:25.65\00:26:30.69
"Then they went out of
the city and they came to Him.
00:26:30.72\00:26:34.39
In the meantime His
disciples urged Him,
00:26:34.42\00:26:36.89
saying, 'Rabbi, eat.'
00:26:36.93\00:26:39.26
But He said to them,
00:26:39.29\00:26:41.43
'I have food to eat of
which you do not know.'"
00:26:41.46\00:26:45.47
Now, they didn't understand
that statement right away.
00:26:45.50\00:26:47.74
Verse 33, "Therefore
00:26:47.77\00:26:49.27
the disciples
said to one another,
00:26:49.30\00:26:51.71
'Has anyone brought
Him something to eat?'
00:26:51.74\00:26:54.98
But Jesus said to them,"
00:26:55.01\00:26:56.34
now don't miss
the last two verses,
00:26:56.38\00:26:58.48
"My food is to
do the will of Him
00:26:58.51\00:27:01.32
who sent Me, and
to finish His work.'"
00:27:01.35\00:27:05.05
Here's a good Adventist
term, to finish the work.
00:27:05.09\00:27:08.32
Verse 35, "Do you not say,
'There are still four months
00:27:08.36\00:27:12.79
and then comes the harvest?'"
00:27:12.83\00:27:14.90
Now I believe the whole
story is now encapsulated
00:27:14.93\00:27:17.07
in this next sentence.
00:27:17.10\00:27:18.87
Jesus looks at them and He says,
00:27:18.90\00:27:21.04
"Behold, I say to
you, lift up your eyes
00:27:21.07\00:27:25.31
and look at the fields,
00:27:25.34\00:27:27.24
for they are already
ripe for the harvest."
00:27:27.28\00:27:33.21
What's happening here?
00:27:33.25\00:27:35.58
The disciples
come back from Sychar.
00:27:35.62\00:27:38.15
They saw Him talking
to this Samaritan woman.
00:27:38.19\00:27:40.96
She makes her
way back to the city.
00:27:40.99\00:27:43.12
So now the
disciples bring Him the food
00:27:43.16\00:27:45.56
that perhaps He was waiting for.
00:27:45.59\00:27:47.66
And they say,
"Jesus, Master, please eat."
00:27:47.70\00:27:50.40
And then Jesus says something
that just confounds them.
00:27:50.43\00:27:52.73
He says, "I have food to
eat, you know nothing about."
00:27:52.77\00:27:56.40
Now they think
He's talking about
00:27:56.44\00:27:57.77
actual physical
food and they're like,
00:27:57.81\00:27:59.37
ifs somebody
else bring Him bread,
00:27:59.41\00:28:00.74
what happened here?
00:28:00.78\00:28:02.14
But you know
what Jesus was saying?
00:28:02.18\00:28:04.55
He said the fact
that He had an opportunity
00:28:04.58\00:28:07.65
to make a difference
in someone else's life,
00:28:07.68\00:28:11.02
the fact that He
could plant a seed
00:28:11.05\00:28:12.85
for the gospel in
this woman's heart
00:28:12.89\00:28:14.72
that gave Him more satisfaction
00:28:14.76\00:28:16.99
than any piece of
bread ever could, amen.
00:28:17.03\00:28:20.83
And if you've ever experienced
00:28:20.86\00:28:22.20
the joy of being able
to win someone to Jesus,
00:28:22.23\00:28:25.83
or simply be able
00:28:25.87\00:28:27.20
to make a positive
difference in someone's life,
00:28:27.24\00:28:30.07
you know that statement is true.
00:28:30.11\00:28:31.71
That will bring you more joy
than any Super Bowl ever could.
00:28:31.74\00:28:35.41
It'll bring you
more joy than any pizza
00:28:35.44\00:28:38.08
or any piece of
bread ever could,
00:28:38.11\00:28:40.02
because it's a feeling
of joy and satisfaction.
00:28:40.05\00:28:43.35
It's hard to put it into words.
00:28:43.39\00:28:45.85
And Jesus was telling
them, that's what brings Me joy,
00:28:45.89\00:28:49.09
to be able to be involved
00:28:49.12\00:28:50.69
in other people's lives to
plant seeds for the gospel.
00:28:50.73\00:28:55.63
And then He turns
00:28:55.66\00:28:57.20
and He looks those
disciples right in the eye.
00:28:57.23\00:28:59.87
And He says a direct word,
00:28:59.90\00:29:01.24
He basically says to
them, "Come on, guys.
00:29:01.27\00:29:04.37
Open your eyes.
Look at the fields.
00:29:04.41\00:29:08.91
They are all ready,
ripe for the harvest."
00:29:08.94\00:29:14.35
Why did Jesus say
that? Think about it.
00:29:14.38\00:29:18.42
While Jesus is interacting
with this Samaritan woman
00:29:18.45\00:29:21.26
who doesn't know truth,
where are the disciples?
00:29:21.29\00:29:26.43
They're in a city,
the city of Sychar,
00:29:26.46\00:29:29.73
a city that's filled with who?
00:29:29.76\00:29:32.83
Other Samaritan
people, just like that woman.
00:29:32.87\00:29:36.87
People who
don't know the Savior,
00:29:36.91\00:29:39.07
people who don't
know all the truth,
00:29:39.11\00:29:41.58
people who maybe
don't know their right hand
00:29:41.61\00:29:43.65
from their left hand.
00:29:43.68\00:29:45.01
That's how God described
the people of Nineveh at times.
00:29:45.05\00:29:47.88
And what is the
disciple's attitude?
00:29:47.92\00:29:50.49
They want to get in
and they want to get out.
00:29:50.52\00:29:54.42
They're not
interested in getting involved.
00:29:54.46\00:29:56.76
They're not interested
in ministering to them.
00:29:56.79\00:29:58.99
They're not interested
in planting seeds of truth.
00:29:59.03\00:30:01.53
They want to do
Pharisaical ministry.
00:30:01.56\00:30:04.20
I'm going to
minister from a distance,
00:30:04.23\00:30:05.93
I'm going to
meet my need for food,
00:30:05.97\00:30:08.14
and I'm going to get out
of there as fast as I can.
00:30:08.17\00:30:11.27
They don't have
a mission mindset.
00:30:11.31\00:30:13.78
Jesus knows that's not what
00:30:13.81\00:30:15.14
His church is
supposed to be about.
00:30:15.18\00:30:16.81
And that's why He looks
at His first century church
00:30:16.85\00:30:19.48
and at His 21st
century church today.
00:30:19.51\00:30:21.68
And He says, "Come on people,
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.42
open your eyes and
look at the fields.
00:30:23.45\00:30:27.49
They're already
ripe for the harvest."
00:30:27.52\00:30:31.39
What Jesus says to them,
is to me and He says to you,
00:30:31.43\00:30:36.60
because all around us
are people like this woman,
00:30:36.63\00:30:40.80
people who don't know the Lord,
00:30:40.84\00:30:43.10
people who have
issues in their life,
00:30:43.14\00:30:45.71
people who know
nothing of the Bible,
00:30:45.74\00:30:48.54
people who know
little about the love of God.
00:30:48.58\00:30:51.95
And Christ invites us
to become His missionaries,
00:30:51.98\00:30:55.18
to engage with them, to
simply become their friend.
00:30:55.22\00:31:00.89
That's what it means to be
God's remnant in the last days.
00:31:00.92\00:31:05.23
The remnant is not about
sitting in pews and singing,
00:31:05.26\00:31:07.83
"Oh, Jesus is coming again,"
while we sit at a distance
00:31:07.86\00:31:11.83
and do not
interact with the people
00:31:11.87\00:31:13.47
who don't know Jesus.
00:31:13.50\00:31:15.17
His church is to be a
mission minded church.
00:31:15.20\00:31:19.44
And so today are
we willing to say,
00:31:19.47\00:31:20.94
Lord, if there's someone
like the Samaritan woman,
00:31:20.98\00:31:24.55
someone who used to be
where I was at one time
00:31:24.58\00:31:26.82
that didn't know you, Lord,
if they're at my workplace,
00:31:26.85\00:31:29.75
wherever they are,
00:31:29.78\00:31:31.22
Lord I just want you
to know, You can use me.
00:31:31.25\00:31:35.12
Maybe you can't
explain the 2,300 day prophecy.
00:31:35.16\00:31:37.76
Maybe you can't answer
00:31:37.79\00:31:39.13
every single
question in the Bible.
00:31:39.16\00:31:40.80
But you know what?
00:31:40.83\00:31:42.23
We can be a friend,
00:31:42.26\00:31:44.63
because that's where
evangelism always starts.
00:31:44.67\00:31:49.50
I want to end with this story.
00:31:49.54\00:31:51.54
Now, I don't like
telling this story
00:31:51.57\00:31:52.91
because it makes
me look really bad,
00:31:52.94\00:31:54.28
but it has a good point to it.
00:31:54.31\00:31:56.75
I remember when I
lived in Lincoln, Nebraska
00:31:56.78\00:31:59.58
and a day came when I
had to stop at Walmart
00:31:59.61\00:32:02.25
to pick a few
things up by myself.
00:32:02.28\00:32:04.55
You know, pretty much
everybody loves Walmart,
00:32:04.59\00:32:06.15
you can go there in one shot
00:32:06.19\00:32:07.52
and just get
everything you need.
00:32:07.56\00:32:09.02
So I parked my car,
got my shopping cart,
00:32:09.06\00:32:12.09
and I began to meander
00:32:12.13\00:32:13.46
my way through the
aisles of Walmart and,
00:32:13.50\00:32:15.63
you know, pick up the
few items that I needed.
00:32:15.66\00:32:18.50
Well,
fortunately, that only took me
00:32:18.53\00:32:20.27
a few minutes to do.
00:32:20.30\00:32:21.84
And being the male that I am,
00:32:21.87\00:32:24.81
when I went to find a
clerk's line to get in,
00:32:24.84\00:32:27.61
what do you think I looked for?
00:32:27.64\00:32:29.48
I looked for the shortest
line, you've been there too.
00:32:29.51\00:32:32.31
So I got in what I
thought was the shortest line
00:32:32.35\00:32:35.88
and I waited my turn.
00:32:35.92\00:32:37.99
And I remember as we
got closer to the front,
00:32:38.02\00:32:40.56
there was this
couple ahead of me,
00:32:40.59\00:32:42.52
and I could
overhear the clerk talking
00:32:42.56\00:32:45.99
to this couple.
00:32:46.03\00:32:47.60
And what the
cashier was saying to them
00:32:47.63\00:32:50.27
absolutely shocked me.
00:32:50.30\00:32:52.93
I couldn't believe it.
00:32:52.97\00:32:55.00
This cashier was telling
00:32:55.04\00:32:56.77
the customer telling this couple
00:32:56.81\00:32:58.57
how much she hated her mother.
00:32:58.61\00:33:01.71
She hated when her
mother came to visit,
00:33:01.74\00:33:03.81
how she had such
an awful childhood.
00:33:03.85\00:33:05.88
She doesn't like
when her mom calls
00:33:05.91\00:33:07.72
and she doesn't care if
she ever sees her mom again.
00:33:07.75\00:33:10.69
I mean, she's spilling
all this out to the customer.
00:33:10.72\00:33:14.09
Now, I'm pretty sure
00:33:14.12\00:33:15.46
that's probably
against Walmart policy.
00:33:15.49\00:33:17.16
I don't think they
train cashiers that way.
00:33:17.19\00:33:20.33
And I could tell these
people were uncomfortable.
00:33:20.36\00:33:23.13
Because you know,
you go through Walmart,
00:33:23.16\00:33:24.63
you're not expecting
the cashier to spill out
00:33:24.67\00:33:27.34
all their baggage on you.
00:33:27.37\00:33:28.90
They didn't know what to say.
00:33:28.94\00:33:30.71
You know, they just kind
of nervously laughed and said,
00:33:30.74\00:33:32.37
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
00:33:32.41\00:33:35.08
And I remember as I
was listening to this,
00:33:35.11\00:33:37.55
it's like the Holy Spirit
spoke to my mind and said,
00:33:37.58\00:33:40.05
"David, now it's
your opportunity.
00:33:40.08\00:33:43.52
Now you can say
something." So my turn came.
00:33:43.55\00:33:48.76
I remember as I
walked up to the front,
00:33:48.79\00:33:50.86
we looked at each other
and we exchanged glances.
00:33:50.89\00:33:55.00
I began to get out my
items from the shopping cart
00:33:55.03\00:33:57.77
and putting them
on the conveyor belt.
00:33:57.80\00:34:00.94
She took them one by one
00:34:00.97\00:34:02.47
and ran them across the scanner,
00:34:02.50\00:34:04.34
their price
appeared on the screen.
00:34:04.37\00:34:07.64
When the total price came up,
00:34:07.68\00:34:09.01
I got my debit
card out of my wallet
00:34:09.04\00:34:11.28
and I kind of slid it through
00:34:11.31\00:34:12.78
that little machine they
have and the price appeared.
00:34:12.81\00:34:16.25
I signed the slip.
00:34:16.28\00:34:18.15
And then we
exchanged glances again.
00:34:18.19\00:34:21.09
And then it was
at that very moment,
00:34:21.12\00:34:24.39
that very moment.
00:34:24.43\00:34:26.49
I turned around,
00:34:26.53\00:34:28.66
took my shopping
cart and I walked away.
00:34:28.70\00:34:33.44
And I said nothing.
00:34:33.47\00:34:38.51
And I remember as I
walked out to the car,
00:34:38.54\00:34:41.88
and I drove home, I
can't even begin to explain
00:34:41.91\00:34:47.38
the bitter feeling of horror
and guilt that overwhelmed me.
00:34:47.42\00:34:53.36
Because I knew, I knew
00:34:53.39\00:34:56.12
I missed a God
given opportunity.
00:34:56.16\00:34:59.26
See, it was no accident
I went to Walmart that day.
00:34:59.29\00:35:03.13
It was no
accident I found myself
00:35:03.16\00:35:05.17
in that cashier's line.
00:35:05.20\00:35:07.34
And it was no accident that
00:35:07.37\00:35:08.70
she was talking about her mother
00:35:08.74\00:35:10.27
at the very time I
was going through it.
00:35:10.31\00:35:13.14
But me, who considers
himself a disciple of Jesus,
00:35:13.17\00:35:17.45
me who's supposed to be
a mature Christian pastor,
00:35:17.48\00:35:20.42
I could look a
hurting person in the eyes,
00:35:20.45\00:35:23.15
and I could turn around
and I could say nothing.
00:35:23.18\00:35:29.42
You know why I said nothing?
00:35:29.46\00:35:32.33
I'm going to be transparent,
because I was scared.
00:35:32.36\00:35:38.20
I was afraid, wow,
00:35:38.23\00:35:39.57
if I talk
religion to this woman,
00:35:39.60\00:35:41.07
if I talk about
spiritual things,
00:35:41.10\00:35:42.50
what are the people
behind me going to say?
00:35:42.54\00:35:43.94
They're going to hear all this
00:35:43.97\00:35:45.31
and they'll
think I'm some kind of
00:35:45.34\00:35:46.68
religious fanatic.
00:35:46.71\00:35:48.81
And because I was
centered on myself,
00:35:48.84\00:35:52.58
because I was scared about
00:35:52.61\00:35:53.95
what other people thought,
00:35:53.98\00:35:55.32
I said nothing.
00:35:55.35\00:36:00.16
I remember the next
time I went back to Walmart,
00:36:00.19\00:36:01.96
I looked for that cashier
the next two or three times.
00:36:01.99\00:36:05.16
But you know what?
I never saw her again.
00:36:05.19\00:36:10.77
To this day,
that one still hurts.
00:36:10.80\00:36:13.50
That one still smirks.
I know God still loves me.
00:36:13.54\00:36:17.61
I know He didn't take my
name out of the book of life
00:36:17.64\00:36:19.47
because of that.
00:36:19.51\00:36:21.18
But I vowed that
I would never allow
00:36:21.21\00:36:22.91
that to happen again
00:36:22.94\00:36:24.28
when God brings an
opportunity in my life,
00:36:24.31\00:36:26.15
because at the very
least, at the very least,
00:36:26.18\00:36:29.25
I could have said,
"Ma'am, I heard what you said,
00:36:29.28\00:36:31.65
I just want you
to know God loves you
00:36:31.69\00:36:33.46
and I'll be praying for you."
00:36:33.49\00:36:34.99
At the very least, I
could have said that.
00:36:35.02\00:36:39.36
My prayer today is that you
00:36:39.39\00:36:41.83
and I would be able to
lift up our hands and say,
00:36:41.86\00:36:43.87
Lord, if there's anyone
like this Samaritan woman,
00:36:43.90\00:36:47.80
if there's someone like
this cashier in my life,
00:36:47.84\00:36:50.34
Lord, I'm asking
you to open up my eyes
00:36:50.37\00:36:52.97
and help me to see
the opportunities that
00:36:53.01\00:36:54.94
You want to give
me every single day
00:36:54.98\00:36:58.95
because I firmly believe,
00:36:58.98\00:37:00.42
if we're asking
for opportunities,
00:37:00.45\00:37:02.08
God will give it.
00:37:02.12\00:37:03.55
What would happen if we said,
00:37:03.59\00:37:05.19
"God, I'm going to
look for the five minutes
00:37:05.22\00:37:07.26
You give me today to make
00:37:07.29\00:37:08.62
a positive
difference in someone's life."
00:37:08.66\00:37:10.36
It might be in a small
way, it might be in a large way.
00:37:10.39\00:37:13.50
But those opportunities
won't come unless we're asking,
00:37:13.53\00:37:16.93
what would happen
00:37:16.97\00:37:18.30
to the Seventh-day
Adventist Movement?
00:37:18.33\00:37:20.17
What would happen to
the Christian church,
00:37:20.20\00:37:22.00
if every single member said,
00:37:22.04\00:37:23.81
God, I'm going to look
for that one opportunity that
00:37:23.84\00:37:26.61
You're going to
give me every single day.
00:37:26.64\00:37:29.51
I'll tell you what will happen.
00:37:29.54\00:37:30.88
This movement would change
00:37:30.91\00:37:32.25
the face of the world
like it did in its early days.
00:37:32.28\00:37:35.18
Because our Christianity,
00:37:35.22\00:37:36.72
the religion of
Jesus has got to go beyond
00:37:36.75\00:37:39.12
just memorizing
doctrine in our minds.
00:37:39.15\00:37:41.42
That's important.
00:37:41.46\00:37:42.79
But now it's got
to be lived saying,
00:37:42.82\00:37:44.33
"Lord, I'm Your missionary.
00:37:44.36\00:37:46.09
If You want me to make a
difference in someone's life,
00:37:46.13\00:37:48.46
here I am, Lord, use me,
00:37:48.50\00:37:50.87
open my eyes and help me
to see the fields of labor."
00:37:50.90\00:37:56.84
Are you willing to
pray that prayer today?
00:37:56.87\00:37:59.74
Because when you
open yourself to God,
00:37:59.77\00:38:02.81
religion doesn't
become a boring thing
00:38:02.84\00:38:04.98
of just sitting in a pew
listen to a thousand sermons
00:38:05.01\00:38:07.68
for the rest of your life.
00:38:07.72\00:38:09.48
Religion start to
become something you live,
00:38:09.52\00:38:12.25
because the religion of the pew
00:38:12.29\00:38:14.96
is very different
than the religion of Jesus.
00:38:14.99\00:38:18.93
It was the Bible who
said true religion is
00:38:18.96\00:38:22.60
when we give ourselves to
God, And when we give ourselves
00:38:22.63\00:38:26.00
to be involved in the
lives of other people.
00:38:26.03\00:38:29.60
May our prayer today
00:38:29.64\00:38:31.24
be what Jesus
said to His disciples,
00:38:31.27\00:38:33.11
Lord, open my eyes,
00:38:33.14\00:38:35.24
and help me to see the
fields that are before me.
00:38:35.28\00:38:40.68
Heavenly Father,
Lord, we confess to You that
00:38:40.72\00:38:44.99
there have been
many opportunities
00:38:45.02\00:38:46.62
that we have missed,
for one reason or another.
00:38:46.65\00:38:50.26
Father, we know
that You still love us
00:38:50.29\00:38:51.93
and You have forgiven us.
00:38:51.96\00:38:53.80
You understand our imperfections
00:38:53.83\00:38:55.56
and our human weakness.
00:38:55.60\00:38:57.40
But today as a church
00:38:57.43\00:38:58.77
we want to say,
Lord, open my eyes,
00:38:58.80\00:39:01.44
and if there's someone, Lord,
00:39:01.47\00:39:02.94
who used to be where
I was not knowing you,
00:39:02.97\00:39:05.81
if there's someone
like this woman at the well,
00:39:05.84\00:39:08.11
Lord, we give You permission,
00:39:08.14\00:39:10.18
bring that
person across our path.
00:39:10.21\00:39:12.78
Help us know what
it is to be a friend
00:39:12.81\00:39:14.88
and a missionary for
You that someone's life
00:39:14.92\00:39:17.59
might be better
in a positive way.
00:39:17.62\00:39:21.06
And then our life as
well may be able to grow.
00:39:21.09\00:39:24.59
In fact with our eyes
closed and our hands right now,
00:39:24.63\00:39:27.50
you would like to
say, heavenly Father,
00:39:27.53\00:39:29.16
I give You
permission to bring a woman
00:39:29.20\00:39:31.27
at the well into
my life this week,
00:39:31.30\00:39:33.23
I would invite you
to raise your hand.
00:39:33.27\00:39:35.14
Lord, you see every
hand that is raised.
00:39:35.17\00:39:37.27
We ask that You
would answer this prayer,
00:39:37.31\00:39:39.37
engage us in ministry for You.
00:39:39.41\00:39:43.31
We ask and pray,
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:39:43.35\00:39:49.08
It was the year 1450
00:39:53.05\00:39:55.79
and a great discovery had been
made in the country of Germany.
00:39:55.82\00:40:00.56
The man's name
was Johann Gutenberg.
00:40:00.60\00:40:04.03
And his discovery
would eventually become known
00:40:04.07\00:40:06.13
as the
modern-day printing press.
00:40:06.17\00:40:09.80
It was literally an invention
that changed world history.
00:40:09.84\00:40:13.98
Because up to that point,
00:40:14.01\00:40:15.71
if people wanted
to share their ideas
00:40:15.74\00:40:17.98
with the world or copy things,
00:40:18.01\00:40:20.55
they had to do it by hand,
one word, one letter at a time,
00:40:20.58\00:40:26.55
and progress was
painstakingly slow.
00:40:26.59\00:40:30.23
But when the
printing press was invented,
00:40:30.26\00:40:32.56
and improved
upon mass quantities
00:40:32.59\00:40:35.46
could be made in
a very short period.
00:40:35.50\00:40:38.10
And so now people
could share their thoughts,
00:40:38.13\00:40:40.40
their ideas with
the rest of the world,
00:40:40.44\00:40:42.44
to people in other
lands and other cultures.
00:40:42.47\00:40:45.01
And it was an
invention that really turned
00:40:45.04\00:40:47.48
the world upside down.
00:40:47.51\00:40:50.58
Well, this morning,
I want to take you back
00:40:50.61\00:40:52.88
to another time
period in history
00:40:52.91\00:40:55.32
that turned this
world upside down.
00:40:55.35\00:40:58.55
A time when a
group of people emerged
00:40:58.59\00:41:01.79
that would change
human history forever.
00:41:01.82\00:41:04.89
They were known
00:41:04.93\00:41:06.26
as the early
Christians of the first century.
00:41:06.29\00:41:09.83
I want to invite
you to take your Bibles
00:41:09.86\00:41:11.47
and turn with me to the
Book of Acts Chapter 17.
00:41:11.50\00:41:16.04
We're going to go
to Acts Chapter 17
00:41:16.07\00:41:18.44
and we want to begin
00:41:18.47\00:41:19.81
by looking at
the first six verses.
00:41:19.84\00:41:22.34
And I want you to
specifically notice
00:41:22.38\00:41:25.28
and imagine in your mind,
00:41:25.31\00:41:27.05
how is the first
century church described
00:41:27.08\00:41:30.89
in these six verses.
00:41:30.92\00:41:33.52
Acts 17:1, the Bible says,
00:41:33.56\00:41:38.33
"Then they traveled
through Amphipolis and Apollonia
00:41:38.36\00:41:41.70
and they came to," where?
00:41:41.73\00:41:44.30
"Thessalonica, where
there was a Jewish synagogue.
00:41:44.33\00:41:47.84
As usual, Paul went to them,
00:41:47.87\00:41:50.44
and on three Sabbath
days reasoned with them
00:41:50.47\00:41:53.61
from the Scriptures saying;
'This is the Messiah Jesus,
00:41:53.64\00:41:58.08
whom I am proclaiming to you.'
00:41:58.11\00:42:00.65
Then some of
them were persuaded,
00:42:00.68\00:42:02.88
and they joined Paul and Silas,
00:42:02.92\00:42:05.19
including a great
number of God-fearing Greeks,
00:42:05.22\00:42:08.79
as well as a number
of the leading women.
00:42:08.82\00:42:11.56
But the Jews became jealous,
00:42:11.59\00:42:14.46
and when they
had brought together
00:42:14.50\00:42:15.93
some scoundrels
from the marketplace
00:42:15.96\00:42:18.03
and formed a mob, they
set the city in an uproar.
00:42:18.07\00:42:22.97
Attacking Jason's house,
00:42:23.00\00:42:24.81
they searched for
them to bring them
00:42:24.84\00:42:26.88
out to the public assembly.
00:42:26.91\00:42:29.01
When they did not find them,
00:42:29.04\00:42:30.85
they dragged Jason
and some of the brothers
00:42:30.88\00:42:33.45
before the city
officials, shouting,
00:42:33.48\00:42:36.48
'These men who
have turned the world
00:42:36.52\00:42:39.82
upside down
have come here too.'"
00:42:39.85\00:42:44.03
I want you to
notice what that says.
00:42:44.06\00:42:46.33
Paul and Silas
are in Thessalonica.
00:42:46.36\00:42:48.63
They're preaching
about the Gospel of Jesus,
00:42:48.66\00:42:51.10
and they have quite a response.
00:42:51.13\00:42:53.34
It says many
chose to follow them
00:42:53.37\00:42:55.90
including some prominent
00:42:55.94\00:42:57.41
leading women of
that particular town.
00:42:57.44\00:43:00.14
And when some of the Jews
who were there witnessed this,
00:43:00.18\00:43:03.28
they began to get jealous
00:43:03.31\00:43:04.68
and angry about
the gospel message
00:43:04.71\00:43:06.82
and they went
searching for Paul and Silas.
00:43:06.85\00:43:09.15
And when they
couldn't find them,
00:43:09.18\00:43:10.99
they went to Jason
00:43:11.02\00:43:12.62
who had given them
his house to stay in,
00:43:12.65\00:43:15.22
drag him as well as
00:43:15.26\00:43:16.93
some of the other
Christian brothers
00:43:16.96\00:43:18.66
before the courts,
00:43:18.69\00:43:20.03
and they city officials
and notice what they scream,
00:43:20.06\00:43:23.26
"These men have
turned the world upside down,
00:43:23.30\00:43:27.34
and now they're
coming to our city too."
00:43:27.37\00:43:31.44
The enemies of the
first century Christian church
00:43:31.47\00:43:35.01
describe first
century Christianity
00:43:35.04\00:43:38.45
as having such a powerful impact
00:43:38.48\00:43:40.82
upon the world around it.
00:43:40.85\00:43:42.35
They basically said,
00:43:42.38\00:43:43.72
"These people have
turned the world upside down."
00:43:43.75\00:43:47.76
Wouldn't you like to be
described that way today?
00:43:47.79\00:43:49.92
Can you say amen?
00:43:49.96\00:43:51.56
I mean, every
secular history book that
00:43:51.59\00:43:54.40
you read will tell you that
00:43:54.43\00:43:56.16
the first
century Christian church
00:43:56.20\00:43:58.57
made a huge impact on
the world that was around it.
00:43:58.60\00:44:03.51
It seemed like no
matter how much persecution
00:44:03.54\00:44:05.94
Satan brought their way,
no matter how many martyrs
00:44:05.97\00:44:09.28
the Roman Empire's
blood shed that church
00:44:09.31\00:44:12.61
just seemed to keep growing,
00:44:12.65\00:44:14.52
and its forward
movement never stopped.
00:44:14.55\00:44:17.72
That's why the
enemies of the gospel say
00:44:17.75\00:44:19.92
these people are
turning this world upside down.
00:44:19.95\00:44:25.89
Now the question is, why
isn't that happening today?
00:44:25.93\00:44:30.93
Can we describe
the 21st century church
00:44:30.97\00:44:34.40
as a church who is
turning the world upside down?
00:44:34.44\00:44:37.77
A church that it's making
its impact in its community.
00:44:37.81\00:44:41.81
Why isn't the church
today quite like that
00:44:41.84\00:44:44.98
first century church and
the way it was described?
00:44:45.01\00:44:48.75
I mean, I think if
we were all honest,
00:44:48.78\00:44:50.49
we could say that lo though
we love our churches today.
00:44:50.52\00:44:54.16
If we were brutally honest,
00:44:54.19\00:44:55.52
we would say we're not quite
turning the world upside down
00:44:55.56\00:44:59.19
the way the first
century church was.
00:44:59.23\00:45:02.33
And why is that?
00:45:02.36\00:45:04.47
Now if we were to take a survey,
00:45:04.50\00:45:06.07
everybody would have an opinion
00:45:06.10\00:45:07.70
and many people would be right.
00:45:07.74\00:45:09.60
The Conservatives would say,
well, it's the liberal's fault
00:45:09.64\00:45:12.37
because they want to
compromise the truth.
00:45:12.41\00:45:15.08
The liberals would say,
well, it's the conservatives
00:45:15.11\00:45:17.05
because they're
just too restrictive
00:45:17.08\00:45:18.85
and nobody wants
to be part of that.
00:45:18.88\00:45:20.88
Maybe the young people
would blame the old people
00:45:20.92\00:45:23.55
and say they
don't want to change.
00:45:23.59\00:45:25.32
The old people would
blame the young people and say,
00:45:25.35\00:45:27.72
they don't want to
stay on the old path
00:45:27.76\00:45:29.72
and on the right path.
00:45:29.76\00:45:31.19
Maybe the lay people
would blame the pastors,
00:45:31.23\00:45:33.80
and maybe the pastors
would blame the lay people
00:45:33.83\00:45:35.93
and say they're
not motivated enough.
00:45:35.96\00:45:38.63
And while there may be
00:45:38.67\00:45:40.04
a little bit of truth
in all of those things,
00:45:40.07\00:45:43.44
I'd like to suggest the problem
goes much deeper than that.
00:45:43.47\00:45:48.44
The problem goes as far as,
00:45:48.48\00:45:50.78
have we lost
sight of our mission.
00:45:50.81\00:45:54.78
Have we reached a point
in 21st century Christianity,
00:45:54.82\00:45:58.55
where we have
forgotten that seeking
00:45:58.59\00:46:00.89
and saving the lost is
the number one priority
00:46:00.92\00:46:04.99
and the reason for
which we happen to exist.
00:46:05.03\00:46:08.66
That's a question we need to
be able to answer for ourselves.
00:46:08.70\00:46:11.93
Have we lost the sense
00:46:11.97\00:46:14.30
that we exist
for the sole purpose,
00:46:14.34\00:46:17.17
not of entertaining ourselves?
00:46:17.21\00:46:19.77
Not of simply being
some kind of social club,
00:46:19.81\00:46:22.71
but to realize that
Christ created His church
00:46:22.74\00:46:25.75
for seeking and
saving lost people
00:46:25.78\00:46:28.98
who do not know Him.
00:46:29.02\00:46:30.35
Can you say amen?
00:46:30.39\00:46:31.72
And so, let's just take a look
00:46:31.75\00:46:33.82
at how this New Testament Church
00:46:33.86\00:46:36.29
is described in
other places of Scripture.
00:46:36.32\00:46:39.49
We want to answer two
questions this morning.
00:46:39.53\00:46:41.36
Number one, what was the
New Testament Church like?
00:46:41.40\00:46:45.50
And then number two
in a very practical way,
00:46:45.53\00:46:48.30
how did they turn
the world upside down?
00:46:48.34\00:46:51.64
What was their
method of ministry?
00:46:51.67\00:46:54.51
What were the
things that they did
00:46:54.54\00:46:57.31
that maybe
we're not doing today?
00:46:57.35\00:47:00.32
So we're going to see
how they're described,
00:47:00.35\00:47:02.32
and then we're going to
see what they actually did.
00:47:02.35\00:47:05.52
So let's start by taking
a look at Acts Chapter 2,
00:47:05.55\00:47:09.89
and we're going to look
at verses 42 through 47.
00:47:09.92\00:47:13.40
Now this I have
printed on the screen.
00:47:13.43\00:47:15.83
But as we read through it,
00:47:15.86\00:47:17.20
I just want you to notice
there's four or five things
00:47:17.23\00:47:19.67
in here that
specifically describe
00:47:19.70\00:47:22.77
early New
Testament Christianity.
00:47:22.80\00:47:26.24
Acts 2:42, the Bible says,
00:47:26.27\00:47:30.38
"And they continued steadfastly
00:47:30.41\00:47:32.58
in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship,
00:47:32.61\00:47:36.25
in the breaking of
bread," and then what?
00:47:36.28\00:47:39.35
"Prayers.
00:47:39.39\00:47:40.86
So continuing daily with
one accord in the temple,
00:47:40.89\00:47:44.73
and breaking bread
from house to house,
00:47:44.76\00:47:47.23
they ate their food
00:47:47.26\00:47:48.60
with gladness and
simplicity of heart,
00:47:48.63\00:47:51.17
praising God and having
favor with all the people.
00:47:51.20\00:47:55.40
And the Lord added
to the church daily."
00:47:55.44\00:47:58.41
Now won't that be awesome?
00:47:58.44\00:47:59.81
Not just on Sabbath,
00:47:59.84\00:48:01.18
but added to the church daily,
those who were being saved.
00:48:01.21\00:48:06.41
And let's notice a few things
of how they're described here.
00:48:06.45\00:48:08.75
Number one, it says that
00:48:08.78\00:48:10.55
they were faithful to
the apostles' doctrine.
00:48:10.59\00:48:13.62
Well, the apostles
taught what Jesus taught.
00:48:13.66\00:48:15.92
So that means they
were faithful to the truth.
00:48:15.96\00:48:18.16
They were faithful
00:48:18.19\00:48:19.53
to the things that Jesus taught.
00:48:19.56\00:48:20.96
So apparently being
faithful to what Scripture says
00:48:21.00\00:48:24.83
was not a
deterrent to their growth.
00:48:24.87\00:48:28.00
You know, some people today say,
00:48:28.04\00:48:29.40
well the truth isn't popular
00:48:29.44\00:48:30.77
that's going to
keep you from growing.
00:48:30.81\00:48:32.51
Not so in the
first century church.
00:48:32.54\00:48:35.21
If there was any world
00:48:35.24\00:48:37.21
that was
hostile to Christianity,
00:48:37.25\00:48:39.58
it would have been
the first century world
00:48:39.61\00:48:42.42
but yet them
sticking to the truth
00:48:42.45\00:48:44.92
was not a
barrier to their growth.
00:48:44.95\00:48:47.26
Can you say amen?
00:48:47.29\00:48:48.92
It also says that they
fellowshipped together,
00:48:48.96\00:48:51.66
which means it was
a relational church,
00:48:51.69\00:48:54.00
to them the idea of
just coming together
00:48:54.03\00:48:57.13
once a week on a Sabbath
that never entered their mind,
00:48:57.17\00:49:00.84
of course, they
didn't have church buildings
00:49:00.87\00:49:02.50
like we do in the first century.
00:49:02.54\00:49:04.44
They met in home.
00:49:04.47\00:49:06.27
And it says they fellowshipped
basically on a daily basis.
00:49:06.31\00:49:10.55
They did not just see
each other once a week.
00:49:10.58\00:49:14.02
So it was more than
just a group of people
00:49:14.05\00:49:16.45
who believe the same things,
00:49:16.48\00:49:18.62
it was a group of people
who actually loved each other
00:49:18.65\00:49:21.92
and were involved
in each other's lives,
00:49:21.96\00:49:24.26
they fellowshipped together.
00:49:24.29\00:49:27.10
Third, it says they were
devoted to praying together.
00:49:27.13\00:49:31.30
You know, when
they came together,
00:49:31.33\00:49:32.67
it wasn't a prayer meeting
where you prayed five minutes
00:49:32.70\00:49:34.54
and talked for 55,
00:49:34.57\00:49:36.00
they actually
prayed about things
00:49:36.04\00:49:37.84
because they knew the only way
00:49:37.87\00:49:39.87
they could take the
gospel to a hostile world
00:49:39.91\00:49:42.21
like the first century is
00:49:42.24\00:49:43.85
if God poured
out His Holy Spirit.
00:49:43.88\00:49:45.45
Amen?
00:49:45.48\00:49:46.85
And the fourth one, the one that
00:49:46.88\00:49:48.52
we're really
going to focus on today,
00:49:48.55\00:49:50.85
they were
completely 100% focused on
00:49:50.89\00:49:55.39
what their mission was.
00:49:55.42\00:49:57.36
There was no doubt in their mind
00:49:57.39\00:49:59.39
what they were supposed to do.
00:49:59.43\00:50:01.33
They didn't have to have
00:50:01.36\00:50:02.70
a meeting for four
months to figure out
00:50:02.73\00:50:04.70
what should their
mission statement be.
00:50:04.73\00:50:07.07
They already knew,
00:50:07.10\00:50:08.50
they were
already on the same page
00:50:08.54\00:50:10.71
because they heard Jesus
00:50:10.74\00:50:12.07
speak these
words in Matthew 28:19.
00:50:12.11\00:50:15.41
The Bible says,
00:50:15.44\00:50:17.41
"Go therefore and make disciples
00:50:17.45\00:50:19.81
of all the nations,
00:50:19.85\00:50:21.48
baptizing them in
the name of the Father
00:50:21.52\00:50:23.72
and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit,
00:50:23.75\00:50:26.05
teaching them to
observe all things
00:50:26.09\00:50:28.52
that I have commanded you,
00:50:28.56\00:50:30.19
and lo, I am with you always,
even to the end of the age."
00:50:30.23\00:50:36.16
Now, is there
anything unclear about that?
00:50:36.20\00:50:37.93
Yes or no.
00:50:37.97\00:50:39.60
Jesus said, "Take
the gospel to the world.
00:50:39.63\00:50:42.74
Don't stay in one place."
00:50:42.77\00:50:45.04
You're not meant
to stay in Jerusalem
00:50:45.07\00:50:46.71
and build one big
church or some big social club,
00:50:46.74\00:50:50.25
your sole purpose is to teach
00:50:50.28\00:50:52.88
the rest of the
world about Jesus,
00:50:52.91\00:50:55.05
His doctrines, His teachings,
00:50:55.08\00:50:57.39
and when they accept
you are to baptize them
00:50:57.42\00:51:00.42
into the fellowship
of the Christian faith.
00:51:00.46\00:51:02.56
Amen?
00:51:02.59\00:51:03.93
That's why they existed,
00:51:03.96\00:51:05.59
not just to sit
at around the table
00:51:05.63\00:51:07.50
with each other, you know,
00:51:07.53\00:51:08.86
and just pray and pat
each other on the back.
00:51:08.90\00:51:11.43
They had a very
specific mission,
00:51:11.47\00:51:13.44
go to the world,
00:51:13.47\00:51:14.80
and then seek and save the lost.
00:51:14.84\00:51:18.44
In fact, the
reason they knew this,
00:51:18.47\00:51:20.64
not only did they
hear Jesus say it,
00:51:20.68\00:51:23.04
He demonstrated it
in His life on earth,
00:51:23.08\00:51:25.11
didn't He?
00:51:25.15\00:51:26.48
They constantly
heard Him things, say like,
00:51:26.51\00:51:29.38
the Son of Man has come
to seek and save the lost.
00:51:29.42\00:51:34.19
He said that
over and over again.
00:51:34.22\00:51:36.93
I mean, He
would say things like,
00:51:36.96\00:51:38.89
it's not the healthy
00:51:38.93\00:51:40.26
who need a doctor, but the sick.
00:51:40.30\00:51:43.60
I haven't come to
call the righteous,
00:51:43.63\00:51:46.97
but sinners to repentance.
00:51:47.00\00:51:49.57
Jesus said that
multiple times in various ways
00:51:49.60\00:51:53.71
until it's sunk into
the psyche of their mind.
00:51:53.74\00:51:56.24
And Jesus didn't just
say it, He demonstrated it.
00:51:56.28\00:52:00.45
Because when you think
about it in the gospels,
00:52:00.48\00:52:03.79
who did Jesus spend
most of His time with?
00:52:03.82\00:52:08.92
Yeah, unreligious people.
00:52:08.96\00:52:12.16
He didn't spend most of
His time with the Pharisees,
00:52:12.19\00:52:15.20
though He did
spend time with them
00:52:15.23\00:52:16.90
and probably would
have spent more time
00:52:16.93\00:52:18.27
if they had wanted Him to.
00:52:18.30\00:52:20.07
He didn't spend all His time
00:52:20.10\00:52:21.54
with religious people
who already knew truth.
00:52:21.57\00:52:24.61
He is described as
being with publicans, sinners,
00:52:24.64\00:52:28.11
tax collectors, prostitutes.
00:52:28.14\00:52:30.55
He even called some of them
to be one of His 12 disciples.
00:52:30.58\00:52:34.05
Can you say amen?
00:52:34.08\00:52:35.42
And so Jesus didn't
just say these things,
00:52:35.45\00:52:37.89
He actually
demonstrated it in His life
00:52:37.92\00:52:41.12
by breaking the unwritten rule
and spending time with people
00:52:41.16\00:52:45.99
who had serious spiritual issues
00:52:46.03\00:52:48.40
in their lives.
00:52:48.43\00:52:49.86
See, Jesus didn't look
at the world as a place
00:52:49.90\00:52:52.30
where I need to avoid it
00:52:52.33\00:52:53.67
or I'll become
corrupted by these people.
00:52:53.70\00:52:56.30
He saw them as individuals
that He needed to connect with
00:52:56.34\00:53:00.21
because that was the group
00:53:00.24\00:53:01.94
He had come to seek and to save.
00:53:01.98\00:53:05.81
Those early Christians,
00:53:05.85\00:53:07.18
those apostles,
they saw Jesus do it,
00:53:07.22\00:53:09.38
they heard Him say these things,
00:53:09.42\00:53:11.05
and now they demonstrated
it in their own lives
00:53:11.09\00:53:14.22
to the first
century Christian church.
00:53:14.26\00:53:17.66
So the question ought to
be, are we doing that today?
00:53:17.69\00:53:22.26
You might say,
well, Pastor Dave,
00:53:22.30\00:53:24.57
isn't that the main
priority of the church today
00:53:24.60\00:53:27.77
to seek and save the lost?
00:53:27.80\00:53:29.40
Isn't that what we're dealing?
00:53:29.44\00:53:32.01
But the answer
is really twofold.
00:53:32.04\00:53:33.88
Yes, and no.
00:53:33.91\00:53:35.44
Yes, it should be
our main priority.
00:53:35.48\00:53:39.01
But it's one thing to say it,
00:53:39.05\00:53:41.82
and it's quite
another thing to do it.
00:53:41.85\00:53:44.49
It's one thing to proclaim
that we care about the lost,
00:53:44.52\00:53:48.42
but to actually live it in
our lives through the church
00:53:48.46\00:53:51.69
and individuals, that
is a whole another story.
00:53:51.73\00:53:55.83
In fact I'm going
to make a statement
00:53:55.86\00:53:57.67
that may be rather surprising.
00:53:57.70\00:54:00.37
But if we're going to make
00:54:00.40\00:54:01.74
the mission of
seeking and saving the lost,
00:54:01.77\00:54:04.91
the most important
thing in the church today,
00:54:04.94\00:54:07.94
then something is
going to have to change.
00:54:07.98\00:54:12.15
Because the way
we do things now,
00:54:12.18\00:54:14.75
seeking and saving the
lost is not the main priority.
00:54:14.78\00:54:19.49
We're going to have to change
00:54:19.52\00:54:20.86
something about the
way we structure things.
00:54:20.89\00:54:23.39
We're going to have to change
00:54:23.43\00:54:24.76
something about
the way we do mission.
00:54:24.79\00:54:26.76
We're going to
have to change things
00:54:26.80\00:54:28.16
even in our own
individual lives,
00:54:28.20\00:54:30.77
because if I say
that my church exists
00:54:30.80\00:54:33.87
solely to seek
and save the lost,
00:54:33.90\00:54:35.54
that's the highest priority.
00:54:35.57\00:54:37.54
That means that's
where I spend my time,
00:54:37.57\00:54:40.38
that's where I
spend my attention
00:54:40.41\00:54:42.48
and that's where
I spend my money.
00:54:42.51\00:54:45.11
I can say it, but
time, attention and money
00:54:45.15\00:54:48.82
shows whether I as an individual
00:54:48.85\00:54:51.45
or as a church and really living
00:54:51.49\00:54:52.85
that in my life.
00:54:52.89\00:54:54.82
In fact to illustrate that,
00:54:54.86\00:54:56.46
let me ask you a
question in a practical way.
00:54:56.49\00:54:59.83
How many of you have
ever served on a church board
00:54:59.86\00:55:02.93
at any time in your
life at any particular?
00:55:02.96\00:55:05.37
Could be this
one or other church
00:55:05.40\00:55:06.97
you used to be part of?
00:55:07.00\00:55:08.34
Can I see your hand?
00:55:08.37\00:55:09.70
I mean, any
denomination for that matter,
00:55:09.74\00:55:11.57
how many people
actually been on a church board?
00:55:11.61\00:55:13.98
Okay, now I'm going
to ask you something,
00:55:14.01\00:55:15.34
don't answer it out loud.
00:55:15.38\00:55:16.81
You can just kind of
nod your head one way
00:55:16.85\00:55:18.55
or the other, if you like.
00:55:18.58\00:55:20.58
Every church board
that I know of has an agenda
00:55:20.62\00:55:24.42
for each
meeting, is that correct?
00:55:24.45\00:55:26.69
And on that
agenda, it has items,
00:55:26.72\00:55:29.26
which are the things
you're going to talk about,
00:55:29.29\00:55:31.69
and hopefully
make a decision on.
00:55:31.73\00:55:34.30
If you think of all the agendas
00:55:34.33\00:55:36.26
that you have ever looked
at on a church board meeting
00:55:36.30\00:55:38.87
or any committee
meeting, if we answer honestly,
00:55:38.90\00:55:42.80
how many of those
items ever had anything to do
00:55:42.84\00:55:46.44
with seeking
and saving the lost?
00:55:46.47\00:55:49.21
How many of those items
00:55:49.24\00:55:50.58
ever had anything
to do with mission
00:55:50.61\00:55:53.52
and reaching people
who don't know Jesus?
00:55:53.55\00:55:56.58
And what percent of those items
00:55:56.62\00:55:59.12
were basically
inward focused on ourselves?
00:55:59.15\00:56:03.02
Things that
dealt with what happens
00:56:03.06\00:56:04.79
inside the four
walls of a church.
00:56:04.83\00:56:08.86
If we're brutally honest,
00:56:08.90\00:56:11.07
the vast majority of the items
in our agenda have little to do
00:56:11.10\00:56:15.47
with mission and
seeking and saving lost people.
00:56:15.50\00:56:19.91
Now, when I was a
pastor in Pennsylvania,
00:56:19.94\00:56:22.28
I was the church board
00:56:22.31\00:56:24.18
or the church board chairperson.
00:56:24.21\00:56:26.28
So I was in charge of the agenda
00:56:26.31\00:56:27.98
and so now when I
look back at that time,
00:56:28.02\00:56:29.98
and I realized how many things
I allowed us to talk about
00:56:30.02\00:56:33.49
that had nothing to do
with reaching lost people,
00:56:33.52\00:56:36.73
I'm almost ashamed of myself.
00:56:36.76\00:56:39.29
I remember one
meeting in particular
00:56:39.33\00:56:41.30
and I have a
feeling some of you can
00:56:41.33\00:56:42.80
probably relate to this.
00:56:42.83\00:56:44.83
Every church board meeting
00:56:44.87\00:56:46.37
usually you have a
couple formalities,
00:56:46.40\00:56:48.74
you're supposed to do two
reports and what are they?
00:56:48.77\00:56:52.81
Well, come on, if
you're still gonna serve on
00:56:52.84\00:56:54.18
a church board? What are they?
00:56:54.21\00:56:55.98
Clerk's report and
Treasurer's report.
00:56:56.01\00:56:59.98
Those things are meant to be,
00:57:00.02\00:57:01.45
you know, five,
maybe ten minutes long
00:57:01.48\00:57:03.25
just to clarify what's happened
in the previous meeting,
00:57:03.28\00:57:06.59
just so everybody knows
what's going on with finances.
00:57:06.62\00:57:09.82
Well, I remember
one church board,
00:57:09.86\00:57:12.29
we got to the
Treasurer's report.
00:57:12.33\00:57:15.06
We spent the next
hour to hour and a half
00:57:15.10\00:57:19.97
on the Treasurer's report.
00:57:20.00\00:57:22.17
I wanted to cry.
00:57:22.20\00:57:25.01
Now, it wouldn't have been
so bad if we were talking about
00:57:25.04\00:57:27.88
how we can find
money to do evangelism
00:57:27.91\00:57:30.35
or to find some kind of
outreach ministry to people
00:57:30.38\00:57:33.42
who don't know Jesus,
then I wouldn't have minded
00:57:33.45\00:57:35.82
if that's what we
were talking about.
00:57:35.85\00:57:37.59
But you know what
the hour and a half
00:57:37.62\00:57:38.99
discussion was concerning?
00:57:39.02\00:57:41.69
Whether we should move the money
00:57:41.72\00:57:43.22
from one CD fund to another
00:57:43.26\00:57:46.29
and get half a
percent interest more.
00:57:46.33\00:57:49.83
Hi, this is David Klinedinst.
00:57:49.86\00:57:52.60
I hope you've been blessed
by the presentation today.
00:57:52.63\00:57:55.80
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00:57:55.84\00:57:57.51
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00:57:57.54\00:57:58.97
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00:57:59.01\00:58:02.34
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00:58:02.38\00:58:07.35
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00:58:07.38\00:58:10.99
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00:58:11.02\00:58:12.35
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00:58:18.79\00:58:24.63
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00:58:24.67\00:58:29.90