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Series Code: SSH
Program Code: SSH021534A
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:32 >>WELCOME TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 00:35 WE ARE SO THRILLED THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US TO STUDY GOD'S WORD 00:40 TOGETHER - TO OPEN UP HIS WORD - THE WORDS OF LIFE THAT WE CAN 00:44 GET TO KNOW HIM BETTER, AS A FAMILY. 00:46 WHETHER YOU'RE JOINING US LIVE ON THE INTERNET, ACROSS THE 00:50 COUNTRY, AROUND THE WORLD, IT IS BY NO ACCIDENT THAT WE ARE 00:53 STUDYING TOGETHER AND SOON AND VERY SOON WE WILL BE IN HEAVEN 00:57 TOGETHER WORSHIPING OUR LORD. I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR THAT DAY. 01:01 LET'S SING TOGETHER BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR STUDY. 01:05 WE ARE STUDYING, THIS QUARTER, ON MISSIONARIES AND WHAT IT 01:09 MEANS TO BE A MISSIONARY AND THE MISSIONARIES THROUGH THE BIBLE. 01:12 SO OUR SONGS KIND OF GO IN THAT THEME. 01:15 HYMN #358 - FAR AND NEAR THE FIELDS ARE TEEMING . 01:19 LET'S SING THE - ALL THREE VERSES OF HYMN #358 01:25 (MUSIC) 01:36 >>FAR AND NEAR THE FIELDS ARE TEEMING WITH THE SHEAVES OF 01:42 RIPENED GRAIN; FAR AND NEAR THEIR GOLD IS GLEAMING O'ER THE 01:51 SUNNY SLOPE AND PLAIN. LORD OF HARVEST, SEND FORTH REAPERS! 02:00 HEAR US, LORD, TO THEE WE CRY; SEND THEM NOW THE SHEAVES TO 02:08 GATHER, ERE THE HARVEST TIME PASS BY. SEND THEM FORTH WITH 02:18 MORN'S FIRST BEAMING, SEND THEM IN THE NOON-TIDE'S GLARE; WHEN 02:26 THE SUN'S LAST RAYS ARE STREAMING, BID THEM GATHER 02:33 EVERYWHERE. LORD OF HARVEST, SEND FORTH REAPERS! 02:41 HEAR US, LORD, TO THEE WE CRY; SEND THEM NOW THE SHEAVES TO 02:50 GATHER, ERE THE HARVEST TIME PASS BY. 02:58 O THOU, WHOM THY LORD IS SENDING, GATHER NOW THE SHEAVES 03:06 OF GOLD; HEAVEN-WARD THEN AT EVENING WENDING THOU SHALT COME 03:15 WITH JOY UNTOLD. LORD OF HARVEST, SEND FORTH REAPERS! 03:24 HEAR US, LORD, TO THEE WE CRY; SEND THEM NOW THE SHEAVES TO 03:34 GATHER, ERE THE HARVEST TIME PASS BY. 03:43 >>YOU KNOW, WE ARE LIVING IN THE VERY LAST DAYS AND WE ALL HAVE A 03:47 PART TO PLAY IN BEING PART OF THAT HARVEST - PART OF THE 03:52 REAPERS - OF DOING GOD'S WORK AND FINISHING THE WORK SO HE CAN 03:55 COME. HYMN #361 - HARK! 'TIS THE SHEPHERD'S VOICE I HEAR - 04:01 LET'S SING ALL THREE VERSES OF HYMN #361. 04:05 (MUSIC) >>HARK! 04:14 TIS THE SHEPHERD'S VOICE I HEAR, OUT IN THE DESERT DARK AND 04:21 DREAR, CALLING THE SHEEP WHO'VE GONE ASTRAY, FAR FROM THE 04:28 SHEPHERD'S FOLD AWAY. BRING THEM IN, BRING THEM IN, 04:35 BRING THEM IN FROM THE FIELDS OF SIN; BRING THEM IN, BRING THEM 04:43 IN, BRING THE WANDERERS TO JESUS. 04:50 WHO'LL GO AND HELP THE SHEPHERD KIND, HELP HIM THE WANDERING 04:56 ONES TO FIND? WHO'LL BRING THEM BACK INTO THE 05:01 FOLD, WHERE THEY'LL BE SHELTERED FROM THE COLD? 05:08 BRING THEM IN, BRING THEM IN, BRING THEM IN FROM THE FIELDS OF 05:15 SIN; BRING THEM IN, BRING THEM IN, BRING THE WANDERERS TO 05:23 JESUS. OUT IN THE DESERT HEAR THEIR CRY, OUT ON THE MOUNTAIN 05:33 WILD AND HIGH, HARK! 'TIS THE MASTER SPEAKS TO THEE, 05:40 "GO, FIND MY SHEEP WHER-E'ER THEY BE." BRING THEM IN, BRING 05:48 THEM IN, BRING THEM IN FROM THE FIELDS OF SIN; BRING THEM IN, 05:56 BRING THEM IN, BRING THE WANDERERS TO JESUS. 06:06 >>AT THIS TIME WE'LL TURN OUR LESSON STUDY OVER TO 06:08 PASTOR JËAN ROSS. >>WELL GOOD MORNING EVERYONE, 06:13 AND WELCOME AGAIN TO SABBATH SCHOOL STUDY HOUR. 06:15 I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR SONG LEADERS FOR LEADING US IN OUR 06:18 MUSIC THIS MORNING. 06:20 AND, OF COURSE, A VERY WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH MEMBERS HERE AT 06:22 THE GRANITE BAY CHURCH AND ALSO OUR FRIENDS JOINING US ACROSS 06:24 THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD, THANK YOU FOR BEING PART 06:27 OF OUR STUDY TIME TOGETHER TODAY. 06:30 NOW WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE LESSON DEALING WITH 06:32 MISSIONARIES, ENTITLED BIBLICAL MISSIONARIES . 06:35 TODAY WE FIND OURSELVES ON LESSON #8 ENTITLED CROSS 06:39 CULTURAL MISSIONARIES. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT 06:42 SOME EXAMPLES OF JESUS MINISTERING TO PEOPLE WHO ARE 06:45 FROM THE VARIOUS GENTILE NATIONS THAT SURROUNDED ISRAEL. 06:51 BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR LESSON, I'D LIKE TO INVITE YOU 06:54 JUST TO BOW YOUR HEADS FOR A WORD OF PRAYER. 06:56 DEAR FATHER, ONCE AGAIN WE THANK YOU THAT WE HAVE THIS 06:59 OPPORTUNITY TO GATHER TOGETHER TO STUDY THE BIBLE AND ASK FOR 07:01 THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONCE AGAIN, TO GUIDE OUR HEARTS AND OUR MINDS. 07:06 LET US LEARN FROM THE GREAT MISSIONARY HIMSELF. 07:09 LET US LEARN FROM JESUS AND HIS EXAMPLE THAT HE HAS GIVEN US, 07:13 THAT WE CAN BE EFFECTIVE WITNESSES FOR YOU, FOR WE ASK 07:16 THIS IN JESUS' NAME. AMEN. 07:19 WE HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY FOR THIS 07:21 MORNING, IT'S CALLED ALONE IN THE CROWD AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO 07:25 SEND THIS TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. 07:27 THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS GIVE US A CALL ON 07:29 OUR RESOURCE LINE. THE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 AND 07:36 YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #714 - 7-1-4. THE NUMBER, AGAIN, IS 07:41 866-788-3966 AND ASK FOR THE BOOK ALONE IN THE CROWD AND 07:47 WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. 07:49 IT GOES ALONG WITH OUR STUDY FOR TODAY. WELL, IF YOU HAVE YOUR 07:52 LESSON QUARTERLIES YOU CAN OPEN UP TO LESSON #8 - IT'S PAGE 64 07:56 IN THE LESSON QUARTERLY. AND AGAIN, AS MENTIONED EARLIER, 08:01 IT'S ENTITLED CROSS-CULTURAL MISSIONARIES . 08:03 WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE - MATTHEW CHAPTER 12 AND VERSE 18 AND IF 08:09 YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU, YOU CAN READ IT ALONG WITH ME - 08:11 MATTHEW CHAPTER 12, VERSE 18. "BEHOLD! 08:14 MY SERVANT WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN, MY BELOVED IN WHOM MY SOUL IS 08:19 WELL PLEASED! I WILL PUT MY SPIRIT UPON HIM, 08:23 AND HE WILL DECLARE JUSTICE TO THE GENTILES." 08:27 NOW WE READ THIS VERSE IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 12, VERSE 18, 08:31 BUT IT REALLY IS A QUOTE FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT AND WE'RE 08:34 GOING TO BE GETTING TO THAT HERE IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS AND 08:37 STUDYING THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER. 08:38 I ALSO WANT YOU TO NOTICE, ON SABBATH AFTERNOON, THIS IS PAGE 08:41 64, HALFWAY THROUGH THE SECOND PARAGRAPH OR THE LAST PARAGRAPH 08:46 ON THAT PAGE. I'D LIKE TO JUST READ SORT OF A 08:49 SUMMARY STATEMENT OF OUR FOCUS FOR THIS WEEK'S STUDY. 08:53 "EVEN THOUGH HE, JESUS, FOCUSED ON ISRAEL, 08:56 THE WIDER WORLD WAS HIS CONCERN. 08:59 DURING THE MORE THAN THREE YEARS OF HIS MINISTRY, BETWEEN THE 09:03 BAPTISM AND THE ASCENSION, ON AT LEAST SIX OCCASIONS JESUS HAD 09:08 DIRECT CONTACT WITH PERSONS OF GENTILE NATIONS. 09:12 WE WILL LOOK THIS WEEK AT THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS OF THESE 09:15 CONTACTS. SO WE'LL LOOK AT SOME GREAT 09:18 STORIES THAT I THINK MOST OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH, OF JESUS 09:21 INTERACTING WITH SOME OF THE GENTILE FOLKS AROUND ISRAEL. 09:25 ON SUNDAY, THE LESSON IS ENTITLED THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AND 09:29 OUR KEY PASSAGE OF STUDY IS GOING TO BE JOHN CHAPTER 4 AND 09:33 WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN HERE IN VERSE 1, SO IF YOU HAVE YOUR 09:36 BIBLES, I INVITE YOU TO OPEN UP TO JOHN CHAPTER 4. 09:38 WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THIS VERSE BY VERSE AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE 09:41 WHAT LESSONS WE CAN LEARN FROM CHRIST'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE 09:44 WOMAN AT THE WELL. JOHN CHAPTER 4, AND WE'RE GOING 09:49 TO BEGIN READING HERE IN VERSE 1. AS YOU TURN TO THAT PASSAGE 09:52 LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO 09:54 OUR STORY. THE DATE FOR THIS IS SOMEWHERE 09:58 BETWEEN A.D. 28 AND A.D. 29. SOME FEEL THAT IT WAS 10:04 DECEMBER OR JANUARY OF THOSE TWO YEARS WHEN THIS STORY TOOK 10:08 PLACE. AT THE TIME, ISRAEL WAS DIVIDED 10:11 UP INTO THREE DIFFERENT PROVINCES. 10:12 DOWN CLOSE TO THE AREA OF JERUSALEM WAS THE PROVINCE OF 10:15 JUDEA, AND THEN JUST ABOVE JUDEA WAS SAMARIA, WHERE OUR STORY 10:19 TAKES PLACE, AND ABOVE THAT WAS GALILEE. 10:22 NOW ALL OF THESE THREE PROVINCES WERE RULED BY ROMAN RULERS, BUT 10:26 THE TWO PROVINCES OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA WERE BOTH GOVERNED BY 10:30 PONTIUS PILATE. YES, THE SAME PONTIUS PILATE 10:33 THAT YOU READ ABOUT LATER ON IN THE GOSPELS. 10:36 SO LET'S BEGIN IN VERSE 1 - WE'RE IN JOHN CHAPTER 4 - AND 10:40 WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN READING HERE IN VERSE 1. 10:42 "THEREFORE, WHEN THE LORD KNEW THAT THE PHARISEES HAD HEARD 10:45 THAT JESUS MADE AND BAPTIZED MORE DISCIPLES THAN JOHN (THOUGH 10:48 JESUS HIMSELF DID NOT BAPTIZE, BUT HIS DISCIPLES), HE LEFT 10:53 JUDEA AND DEPARTED AGAIN TO GALILEE." 10:58 SO THIS IS CHRIST'S SECOND MISSIONARY TRIP UP TO THE REGION 11:01 OF GALILEE. PRIOR TO THIS, ON THE FIRST 11:04 GALILEAN TRIP EARLIER IN THE YEAR A.D. 28, 11:07 JESUS PERFORMED HIS FIRST MIRACLE IN THE TOWN OF CANA OF 11:11 GALILEE. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT CHRIST'S 11:13 FIRST MIRACLE WAS? TURNING THE WATER INTO WINE. 11:16 THAT, SORT OF, BEGAN HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY IN THE AREA. 11:19 SO NOW JESUS IS GOING BACK UP TO THE AREA OF GALILEE FOR HIS 11:23 SECOND GALILEAN MISSIONARY TOUR. THE QUESTION IS SOMETIMES ASKED 11:27 WHY - ACCORDING TO THE TEXT HERE - WHY DOES JESUS LEAVE THE AREA 11:29 OF JERUSALEM OR JUDEA AND TRAVEL UP TO GALILEE? 11:33 WELL, THERE'S TWO REASONS GIVEN: #1) TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH THE 11:36 PHARISEES. #2) TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH 11:39 JOHN'S DISCIPLES. YOU SEE, THE PHARISEES THOUGHT 11:42 THAT THEY COULD BUILD ON THE GROWING POPULARITY OF JESUS BY 11:46 AWAKENING JEALOUSY IN THE HEARTS OF JOHN'S DISCIPLES. 11:51 NOW FOLLOWING THE BAPTISM OF JESUS, JESUS WENT UP INTO THE 11:54 WILDERNESS FOR 40 DAYS, HE CAME BACK, SOME OF THOSE EARLY 11:57 DISCIPLES THEN WENT WITH JESUS UP TO THE REGION OF GALILEE 11:59 WHERE CHRIST PERFORMED HIS FIRST MIRACLE AND DID SOME PREACHING 12:03 AND TEACHING IN THE AREA OF GALILEE. 12:06 JESUS IS NOW BACK IN THE AREA OF JUDEA, BACK CLOSE TO JERUSALEM. 12:09 HE'S PREACHING - THE PEOPLE ARE COMING TO HEAR JESUS AND 12:12 CHRIST'S DISCIPLES ARE BAPTIZING. 12:14 AT THAT SAME TIME, JOHN WAS ALSO PREACHING A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY 12:18 AND JOHN WAS BAPTIZING. SO WORD GOT TO THE DISCIPLES OF 12:23 JOHN THAT CHRIST'S DISCIPLES WERE ALSO BAPTIZING AND THE 12:27 PEOPLE WERE FLOCKING TO HEAR JESUS AND JOHN'S DISCIPLES, 12:31 ZEALOUS TO DEFEND THE REPUTATION OF THEIR MASTER - OF JOHN THE 12:35 BAPTIST - BEGIN TO GRUMBLE ABOUT WHAT CHRIST WAS DOING. 12:39 AND, OF COURSE, THE PHARISEES, THEY WERE JUST PLAYING UP ON 12:42 THIS AND SAYING, 'HAVE YOU HEARD THAT JESUS IS DRAWING MORE 12:45 PEOPLE THAN JOHN THE BAPTIST AND HIS DISCIPLES ARE ALSO 12:48 BAPTIZING?' SO WHEN JESUS FOUND OUT ABOUT 12:51 THIS, HE WITHDREW FROM THE AREA OF JUDEA AND TRAVELED BACK UP TO 12:54 GALILEE. THERE'S AN EXAMPLE IN THAT FOR 12:56 US. AS CHRISTIANS, WE WANT TO DO ALL 12:58 THAT WE CAN TO AVOID CONTROVERSY, ESPECIALLY AMONGST 13:01 THE BRETHREN, AMEN? AMONGST CHURCH MEMBERS - BECAUSE 13:05 THE DEVIL WILL USE THAT TO STIR UP ISSUES WHENEVER HE CAN. 13:08 WE WANT TO FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS. 13:10 ALRIGHT, LOOKING AT VERSE 4 - JOHN CHAPTER 4, BEGINNING IN 13:13 VERSE 4 NOW IT SAYS, "BUT HE NEEDED TO GO THROUGH SAMARIA. 13:15 SO HE CAME TO A CITY OF SAMARIA WHICH IS CALLED SYCHAR, NEAR THE 13:20 PLOT OF GROUND THAT JACOB GAVE TO HIS SON JOSEPH." 13:24 NOW WHAT WAS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE 13:27 SAMARITANS? DID THEY GET ALONG PRETTY GOOD? NO THEY DIDN'T. 13:32 MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU WERE A GOOD JEW AND YOU WERE LIVING IN 13:35 THE AREA OF GALILEE, AND YOU NEEDED TO TRAVEL DOWN TO 13:37 JERUSALEM, WHICH IS IN JUDEA, FOR ONE OF THOSE NATIONAL 13:40 FESTIVALS, THE APPROPRIATE THING TO DO WAS TO TRAVEL ALL THE WAY 13:43 AROUND SAMARIA. EVEN THOUGH THE SHORTEST ROUTE 13:46 WAS DIRECTLY THROUGH SAMARIA, THEY WOULD OFTEN GO DOWN TO THE 13:49 JORDAN VALLEY AND TRAVEL AROUND SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO 13:52 ENCOUNTER OR INTERACT WITH SAMARITANS. 13:54 THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS DID NOT GET ALONG, TO SAY THE LEAST. 13:58 WHAT WAS THE HISTORY BETWEEN THESE GROUPS OF PEOPLE? 14:02 WELL, IT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE DAYS OF REHOBOAM. 14:05 DO YOU REMEMBER REHOBOAM WAS THE SON OF SOLOMON? 14:07 HE RULED THE UNITED KINGDOM FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF SOLOMON, 14:12 BUT IT WAS AT THAT TIME THAT THE KINGDOM DIVIDED, DURING THE 14:15 REIGN OF REHOBOAM. PART OF THE KINGDOM, THE TEN 14:17 TRIBES OF THE NORTH, WERE RULED BY JEROBOAM. 14:21 THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM WAS RULED BY REHOBOAM, BUT BECAUSE OF 14:24 APOSTASY IN THE NORTHERN KINGDOM, EVENTUALLY SEVERAL 14:27 YEARS LATER, THE ASSYRIANS CAME AROUND 740 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST 14:31 AND THEY CONQUERED THE NORTHERN KINGDOM AND MANY OF THE JEWS 14:35 WERE TAKEN CAPTIVES INTO SYRIA. SOME OF THE ASSYRIANS CAME AND 14:39 INTERMARRIED WITH THE JEWS AND SETTLED IN THE AREA THAT WAS 14:43 ONCE OCCUPIED BY THE TEN TRIBES OF THE NORTH. 14:46 AS TIME PROGRESSED, SOME OF THE PAGAN IDEAS OF THOSE NATIONS 14:52 SURROUNDING THE AREA MIXED IN WITH SOME OF THE TEACHINGS THAT 14:55 THE JEWS HAD AND THE SAMARITANS ARE THE DESCENDENTS OF THOSE WHO 14:58 INTERMARRIED - JEWS THAT INTERMARRIED WITH SOME OF THESE 15:01 NATIONS SURROUNDING THEM AND THEY CAME UP WITH A KIND OF 15:04 HYBRID-TYPE OF RELIGION WHERE THEY CLAIMED TO WORSHIP THE SAME 15:08 GOD, BUT THEY INCORPORATED IN THEIR WORSHIP VARIOUS FORMS OF 15:11 IDOLATRY. AND THEN, SOME YEARS LATER, 15:14 AFTER THE WAR THAT CAME AGAINST THE TRIBES OF THE NORTH, YOU 15:19 HAVE BABYLON, AROUND 600 YEARS BEFORE CHRIST, THAT CAME AND 15:22 CONQUERED THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM AND THE JEWS WERE TAKEN INTO 15:25 CAPTIVITY INTO BABYLON FOR 70 YEARS. 15:27 AT THE END OF THAT 70-YEAR BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY, THE JEWS 15:30 CAME BACK AND THEY BEGAN TO RESTORE AND REBUILD JERUSALEM 15:33 AND THE TEMPLE. AT THAT TIME, THE SAMARITANS 15:36 CAME AND ASKED THE JEWS IF THEY COULD HELP IN THE BUILDING OF 15:40 THE TEMPLE BUT THE JEWS REFUSED AND SAID, 'YOU CAN'T HELP US 15:43 BUILD THE TEMPLE BECAUSE YOU DON'T WORSHIP THE SAME GOD THAT 15:46 WE WORSHIP.' WELL, THIS UPSET THE SAMARITANS AND FOR A WHILE 15:50 THEY TRIED TO STOP THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE. 15:52 EVENTUALLY, THE SAMARITANS WENT OFF AND THEY BUILT THEIR OWN 15:56 TEMPLE ON MT. GERIZIM. AND YOU'LL SEE HOW THAT COMES 15:59 INTO PLAY A LITTLE LATER ON IN OUR STORY, WHERE JESUS IS 16:01 TALKING TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. 16:03 AND THE SAMARITANS CLAIMED THAT THE PLACE TO WORSHIP WAS ON 16:06 MOUNT GERIZIM AND THE JEWS CLAIMED THE PLACE TO WORSHIP WAS 16:08 IN JERUSALEM. AND AS TIME WENT ON, THE 16:11 ANIMOSITY BETWEEN THESE TWO GROUPS ONLY GREW UNTIL THEY 16:15 HATED ONE ANOTHER. SO THAT'S WHY THE JEWS WOULD 16:18 TRAVEL ALL THE WAY AROUND SAMARIA; THEY DIDN'T WANT TO 16:20 INTERACT WITH THE SAMARITANS. SO NOW VERSE 6 - JOHN CHAPTER 4, 16:25 VERSE 6 - IT SAYS, "NOW JACOB'S WELL WAS THERE. 16:28 JESUS THEREFORE, BEING WEARIED FROM HIS JOURNEY, SAT THUS BY 16:32 THE WELL. IT WAS ABOUT THE SIXTH HOUR." 16:34 NOW THIS WELL STILL EXISTS TODAY. 16:37 MATTER OF FACT, IT PROVIDES WATER FOR A MONASTERY GARDEN 16:40 THAT IS BASED AT THE FOOT OF MOUNT GERIZIM. 16:43 IT'S A VERY OLD WELL. AT THE TIME OF JESUS, WHEN HE 16:48 INTERACTED WITH THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, IT WAS ABOUT 1,300 YEARS 16:53 OLD - MAYBE EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE. SO TODAY IT'S OVER 3,000 16:58 YEARS OLD AND STILL IT PRODUCES WATER, THIS WELL OVER THERE. 17:01 IT SAYS JESUS WAS WEARIED FROM HIS JOURNEY. 17:04 CHRIST AND THE DISCIPLES HAD HEADED OUT EARLY IN THE MORNING 17:07 FROM THE AREA OF JUDEA UP TO GALILEE. 17:10 THEY HAD WALKED ABOUT 15 OR 20 MILES AT THIS POINT. 17:13 IT'S ALSO INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT JESUS HAD NEVER USED HIS 17:16 DIVINE POWER TO MEET ANY OF HIS OWN PHYSICAL NEEDS. 17:19 HE DIDN'T USE HIS DIVINE POWER TO MEET HUNGER OR THIRST FOR 17:23 HIMSELF, BUT HE TRUSTED FULLY UPON HIS FATHER TO PROVIDE FOR 17:26 ALL OF HIS NEEDS. IT TALKS ABOUT THE SIXTH HOUR OF THE DAY - 17:30 THAT IS AROUND MID-DAY - PART OF THE HOTTEST TIME OF THE DAY - 17:34 THAT JESUS GETS TO THE WELL. SO THE DISCIPLES GO ON TO BUY FOOD 17:38 AND JESUS IS AT THE WELL - VERSE 7 - JOHN 4, VERSE 7. 17:42 IT SAYS, "A WOMAN OF SAMARIA CAME TO DRAW WATER. 17:46 JESUS SAID TO HER, 'GIVE ME A DRINK.'" NOW IT WAS CONSIDERED 17:51 PART OF A GOD-GIVEN DUTY FOR A PERSON IN THE MIDDLE EAST, IN 17:55 THOSE DAYS, TO GIVE A DRINK TO SOMEONE WHO WAS TRAVELING OR 17:58 SOMEBODY WHO WAS THIRSTY. BUT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT 18:01 JESUS, BEING A JEW, ASKED THIS FAVOR OF A WOMAN OF SAMARIA. 18:05 WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT HERE IN JUST A FEW MINUTES. 18:08 THERE ARE FOUR THINGS I ALSO WANT YOU TO NOTE AS WE LOOK AT 18:11 THE INTERACTION BETWEEN CHRIST AND THE WOMAN AT THE WELL. 18:14 FOUR STEPS THAT I THINK ARE IMPORTANT TO EVERYBODY WHO WANTS 18:17 TO SHARE THEIR FAITH - FOUR PRINCIPLES OF SOUL WINNING. 18:21 THE FIRST IS THIS: JESUS AWAKENED A DESIRE FOR SOMETHING 18:26 BETTER. THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT HE 18:28 DID WHEN HE INTERACTED WITH THE WOMAN. 18:30 NUMBER 2, HE THEN LED HER TO A POINT OF CONVICTION WHERE SHE 18:33 REALIZED HER NEED FOR SOMETHING BETTER. 18:37 HE CALLED FOR A DECISION, THIRDLY, AND THAT DECISION WAS 18:41 TO ACCEPT AND ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AS THE MESSIAH AND THEN, FOURTHLY, 18:45 HE ENCOURAGED HER TO ACTION. 18:47 SHE HAD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT DECISION. 18:50 SO THE FIRST THING JESUS DID WAS TO AWAKEN IN HER A DESIRE FOR 18:53 SOMETHING BETTER, TO LEAD HER TO THE POINT OF CONVICTION WHERE 18:57 SHE SENSED HER NEED OF A SAVIOR, THIRDLY, HE CALLED FOR A 19:02 DECISION, AND THEN, FOURTHLY, HE ENCOURAGED HER TO ACT UPON THAT. 19:06 OF COURSE, JESUS BEGAN THE CONVERSATION BY ASKING FOR A 19:10 FAVOR. HE ASKED HER FOR A DRINK. VERSE 9 - IT SAYS, "THEN THE 19:16 WOMAN OF SAMARIA SAID TO HIM, 'HOW IS IT THAT YOU, BEING A 19:20 JEW, ASK A DRINK FROM ME, A SAMARITAN WOMAN?' 19:25 FOR JEWS HAVE NO DEALINGS WITH SAMARITANS." 19:29 NOW WE HAVE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT WHY THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS 19:32 DIDN'T GET ALONG; NOT ONLY WAS JESUS A JEW AND SHE WAS A 19:35 SAMARITAN, BUT CHRIST WAS A MAN AND SHE WAS A WOMAN AND EVEN IN 19:40 SOCIETY, EVEN AMONGST THE JEWS, DURING THAT TIME, IT WAS 19:44 INAPPROPRIATE FOR A MAN TO TALK TO A WOMAN IN PUBLIC. 19:47 MAYBE HIS WIFE - THAT WAS PERMITTED - BUT JUST, IN 19:50 GENERAL, TO TALK TO A WOMAN ONE ON ONE, THAT WAS TABOO OR IT 19:55 WAS AGAINST THE TRADITION OR THE CULTURE OF THE TIME. 19:58 SO JESUS IS TALKING TO THIS WOMAN - MORE THAN THAT - 20:00 SHE'S A SAMARITAN. THERE ARE A FEW OTHER NOTABLE 20:02 SAMARITAN STORIES THAT WE HAVE IN THE GOSPEL THAT TEACH US 20:05 LESSONS. IN LUKE CHAPTER 10, VERSE 33, 20:08 JESUS TELLS THE STORY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 20:12 I THINK WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH THAT STORY. JESUS TELLS THE 20:14 STORY - A PARABLE - ABOUT A MAN WHO WAS TRAVELING FROM JERUSALEM 20:17 DOWN TO JERICHO AND HE FELL AMONGST THIEVES AND THE THIEVES 20:20 STRIP THE MAN OF HIS RAIMENT, BEAT HIM, AND LEFT HIM HALF 20:23 DEAD. AND THEN IN THE STORY, THE PRIEST CAME BY AND HE COULDN'T 20:27 HELP. THE LEVI CAME BY AND HE COULDN'T HELP, BUT THE SAMARITAN 20:30 CAME BY. AND WHEN THE SAMARITAN SAW THE MAN THAT HAD FALLEN 20:34 AMONGST THE THIEVES, THE BIBLE SAYS HE HAD COMPASSION UPON HIM 20:38 AND HE WENT AND MINISTERED UNTO HIM. 20:40 BUT IT ALSO SAYS THAT THE GOOD SAMARITAN POURED IN OIL AND WINE 20:44 - INTO THE MAN'S WOUNDS - PROBABLY COVERED HIM WITH HIS 20:47 OWN CLOAK, PUT HIM ON A DONKEY AND TOOK HIM TO THE INN. 20:51 AND THEN HE TOOK CARE OF THE MAN, AT THE INN, AND WHEN HE WAS 20:54 TO LEAVE HE GAVE THE INNKEEPER SOME MONEY AND SAID, 'YOU TAKE 20:56 CARE OF THE MAN AND IF YOU SPEND ANYTHING MORE THAT I HAVE NOT 20:59 GIVEN YOU, I WILL REPAY YOU WHEN I COME BACK AGAIN.' NOW, OF 21:03 COURSE, JESUS TOLD THAT PARABLE TO ILLUSTRATE HOW WE OUGHT TO 21:06 SHARE, OR TAKE CARE OF OUR FELLOW MAN - HOW WE ARE TO 21:09 INTERACT WITH OTHERS. THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS, 21:13 THEY CONSIDERED EACH OTHER ENEMIES AND YET JESUS SAID YOU 21:15 NEED TO CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER. YOU NEED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 21:18 IN THAT STORY, HOWEVER, NOT ONLY IS THERE AN IMPORTANT LESSON ON 21:21 HOW WE OUGHT TO CARE AND INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER, BUT 21:25 IT'S ALSO A PRESENTATION OF THE GOSPEL. 21:27 IN THE STORY, THE GOOD SAMARITAN REPRESENTS JESUS. 21:30 JESUS IS THE ONE THAT LEFT THE GLORIES OF HEAVEN, CAME TO THIS 21:33 SIN-POLLUTED EARTH WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT THE GOOD SAMARITAN 21:36 POURING OIL AND WINE. OIL IS A SYMBOL OF THE HOLY 21:39 SPIRIT, WINE A SYMBOL OF THE ATONING BLOOD OF CHRIST. 21:42 JESUS GAVE HIS LIFE AND HE GIVES US THE SPIRIT. 21:46 HE MINISTERS TO US. HE HEALS US FROM OUR SICKNESS OF SIN. 21:50 OF COURSE, THE THIEF IN THIS STORY WOULD REPRESENT THE DEVIL 21:53 AND WE'RE ALL DOOMED TO DEATH. BUT JESUS COMES TO OUR RESCUE 21:58 AND TAKES CARE OF US. HE MINISTERS TO US. SO IN THAT 22:01 PARABLE, WE HAVE THE GOOD SAMARITAN, REALLY A SYMBOL 22:04 OF CHRIST. ON ONE OCCASION IN JOHN CHAPTER 8, VERSE 48, IT'S 22:08 INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WERE VERY 22:10 ANGRY WITH JESUS - ACCUSED JESUS OF BEING A SAMARITAN. 22:14 IT'S PROBABLY THE WORST INSULT THAT THEY COULD COME UP WITH. 22:17 'OH, HE'S A SAMARITAN' THEY SAID. 22:19 SO THERE ARE SOME INTERESTING INCIDENTS LISTED IN THE GOSPELS 22:22 THAT INVOLVED SAMARITANS. NOW, LOOK AT VERSE 10. 22:25 "JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HER, 'IF YOU KNEW THE GIFT OF GOD,'" 22:30 - BY THE WAY, WHO IS THE GIFT OF GOD? 22:33 JESUS IS THE GIFT OF GOD - JOHN 3:16 - "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE 22:37 WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON." 22:41 "'IF YOU KNEW THE GIFT OF GOD, AND WHO IT IS WHO SAYS TO YOU, 22:44 'GIVE ME A DRINK,' YOU WOULD HAVE ASKED HIM, AND HE WOULD 22:46 HAVE GIVEN YOU'" - WHAT? - "'LIVING WATER.'" NOW THE IDEA 22:51 OF LIVING WATER WAS NOT NEW WITH JESUS. 22:54 JESUS WAS ACTUALLY QUOTING FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT. 22:56 ISAIAH CHAPTER 12, VERSE 3 SAYS THIS: "THEREFORE WITH JOY YOU 23:01 WILL DRAW WATER FROM THE WELLS OF SALVATION." 23:05 JEREMIAH 2, VERSE 13, "THEY HAVE FORSAKEN ME, THE 23:09 FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS," - SPEAKING OF GOD. 23:12 JOHN 7:38, "HE WHO BELIEVES IN ME, AS THE SCRIPTURE HAS SAID, 23:17 OUT OF HIS HEART WILL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER." 23:21 SO THE IDEA OF LIVING WATER - LIFE-GIVING WATER - IS FOUND ALL 23:26 THE WAY BACK IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. 23:27 OF COURSE, WHEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE WANDERING THROUGH 23:29 THE WILDERNESS AND THEY WERE DESPERATELY IN NEED OF WATER, 23:32 THE BIBLE SPEAKS ABOUT THE WATER COMING FROM THE ROCK. 23:36 THAT ROCK REPRESENTS CHRIST. THAT WATER REPRESENTS THE GIFT 23:39 OF SALVATION THAT JESUS WANTS TO GIVE. 23:42 LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 11, "THE WOMAN SAID TO HIM, 'SIR, YOU 23:46 HAVE NOTHING TO DRAW WITH, AND THE WELL IS DEEP. 23:51 WHERE THEN DO YOU GET THAT LIVING WATER?'" 23:54 NOW THE WOMAN IS STILL CURIOUS ABOUT WHERE HE WOULD GET THIS 23:58 LIVING WATER FROM. SHE BEGAN TO UNDERSTAND 24:01 SOMETHING OF WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING. 24:04 SHE RECOGNIZED A NEED - SHE FELT LIKE HE HAD SOMETHING THAT COULD 24:07 HELP HER, BUT WHEN JESUS OFFERED LIVING WATER, SHE WASN'T QUITE 24:11 SURE AS TO THE NATURE OF THIS LIVING WATER. 24:14 SHE SAID, 'THE WELL IS DEEP. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THE 24:17 LIVING WATER?' JACOB'S WELL WAS ABOUT A HUNDRED 24:19 FEET DEEP. PERHAPS THERE WAS SOME SPRING 24:22 THAT JESUS KNEW OF THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT COULD 24:26 PROVIDE THIS FRESH, REFRESHING, LIVING WATER. 24:28 IN A SIMILAR WAY, NICODEMUS ASKED JESUS, 'HOW CAN A MAN BE 24:32 BORN AGAIN?' ALSO, HE DIDN'T FULLY UNDERSTAND 24:35 OR COMPREHEND THE GIFT THAT WAS BEING OFFERED. 24:39 VERSE 12 - SHE GOES ON - "ARE YOU" - SPEAKING TO JESUS - 24:44 "GREATER THAN OUR FATHER JACOB, WHO GAVE US THE WELL, AND DRANK 24:48 FROM IT HIMSELF, AS WELL AS HIS SONS AND HIS LIVESTOCK? 24:53 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HER, 'WHOEVER DRINKS OF THIS WATER 24:56 WILL THIRST AGAIN,'" - VERSE 14 - "'BUT WHOEVER DRINKS OF THE 25:01 WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM WILL NEVER THIRST. 25:04 BUT THE WATER THAT I SHALL GIVE HIM WILL COME UP IN HIM A 25:07 FOUNTAIN OF WATER SPRINGING UP INTO EVERLASTING LIFE.'" SO 25:12 JESUS IS OFFERING HER LIVING WATER THAT NOT ONLY MEETS OUR 25:15 NEEDS NOW BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, OFFERS FOR US ETERNAL LIFE - 25:20 ETERNAL - ETERNALLY IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS - ETERNAL JOY 25:24 AND PEACE, THIS FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER. 25:27 JOHN CHAPTER 7, VERSE 37, "ON THE LAST DAY, THAT GREAT DAY OF 25:32 THE FEAST, JESUS STOOD AND CRIED OUT, SAYING, 'IF ANYONE THIRSTS, 25:37 LET HIM COME TO ME AND DRINK.'" JESUS IS THE ONE OFFERING THIS 25:40 LIFE-GIVING WATER THAT BRINGS JOY AND PEACE. 25:43 NOW LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 15. 25:47 "THE WOMAN SAID TO HIM, 'SIR, GIVE ME THIS WATER,'" - SHE 25:53 BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT WHAT 25:55 JESUS WAS OFFERING HER - "'THAT I MAY NOT THIRST, NOR COME HERE 25:59 TO DRAW.' JESUS SAID TO HER, 'GO, CALL YOUR HUSBAND, AND COME 26:05 HERE.' THE WOMAN ANSWERED AND SAID, 'I HAVE NO HUSBAND.'" NOW 26:09 REMEMBER THE STEPS THAT WE MENTIONED A LITTLE EARLIER? 26:11 THE FIRST IS AWAKENING A DESIRE FOR SOMETHING BETTER AND SO 26:15 JESUS HAS DONE THAT. HE'S OFFERED HER THIS LIVING WATER. 26:18 SHE REALIZES SHE NEEDS THE LIVING WATER SO SHE ASKS JESUS, 26:21 'GIVE THIS TO ME.' JESUS, NOW, WANTS TO LEAD HER TO A POINT OF 26:24 CONVICTION WHERE SHE SEES HER NEED OF SALVATION, AND HE DOES 26:28 SO BY ASKING HER TO GO GET HER HUSBAND. WELL THAT WAS A 26:32 SENSITIVE POINT WITH THIS WOMAN BECAUSE SHE HAD SEVERAL HUSBANDS 26:36 IN THE PAST AND THE MAN THAT SHE WAS WITH WASN'T HER HUSBAND. 26:39 LOOK, IF YOU WOULD, IN VERSE 17, "THE WOMAN ANSWERED AND SAID, 'I 26:44 HAVE NO HUSBAND.' JESUS SAID TO HER, 'YOU HAVE WELL SAID, 'I 26:47 HAVE NO HUSBAND,' FOR YOU HAVE HAD FIVE HUSBANDS, AND THE ONE 26:51 WHOM YOU NOW HAVE IS NOT YOUR HUSBAND; IN THAT YOU SPOKE 26:55 TRULY.'" SO NOW SHE'S UNDER CONVICTION. 26:58 THIS MAN KNOWS ABOUT MY PERSONAL LIFE. HOW DOES HE KNOW? 27:02 AND THEN SHE GOES ON, "THE WOMAN SAID TO HIM, 'SIR, I PERCEIVE 27:06 THAT YOU ARE A PROPHET.'" - 'WELL, FOR SOMEBODY TO KNOW THAT 27:09 MUCH ABOUT ME, HE MUST HAVE DIVINE HELP - HE MUST BE A 27:13 PROPHET.' JESUS IS LEADING HER STEP BY STEP - FIRST AWAKENING A 27:16 DESIRE FOR SOMETHING BETTER, NEXT HE'S LEADING HER TO A POINT 27:19 OF CONVICTION THAT SHE NEEDS A SAVIOR, NOW HE'S DIRECTING HER 27:24 ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT HE IS THE SOLUTION. HE CAN HELP HER 27:27 BOTH IN THIS PHYSICAL AREA - THIS LIVING WATER - BUT EVEN 27:31 MORE IMPORTANT, SPIRITUALLY HE CAN MEET HER NEED. 27:34 BUT NOW SHE WANTS TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT OF A CONTROVERSY TO 27:37 CHANGE THE SUBJECT AND IN VERSE 20 SHE SAYS, "OUR FATHERS 27:41 WORSHIPED ON THIS MOUNTAIN, AND YOU JEWS SAY THAT IN JERUSALEM 27:46 IS THE PLACE WHERE ONE OUGHT TO WORSHIP." IN OTHER WORDS, 27:49 MOVING THE ATTENTION AWAY FROM HER AND HER LIFE, TO SOMETHING 27:52 ELSE. THERE WAS AN ONGOING CONTROVERSY 27:53 BETWEEN THE JEWS AND THE SAMARITANS, CONCERNING THE 27:56 PROPER PLACE FOR WORSHIP. AS MENTIONED A LITTLE EARLIER, 27:59 THE JEWS SAID JERUSALEM IS THE PLACE TO WORSHIP. 28:01 THE SAMARITANS SAID, 'NO, DON'T WORSHIP IN JERUSALEM, WORSHIP ON 28:04 THIS MOUNTAIN.' AT THE TIME OF JESUS, THE TEMPLE THAT THE 28:08 SAMARITANS HAD BUILT ON MOUNT GERIZIM HAD BEEN BROKEN DOWN, 28:11 BUT THE SAMARITANS WOULD STILL GO UP ONTO THE MOUNTAIN AND THEY 28:15 WOULD OFFER SACRIFICES AND THEY CLAIMED THAT TO BE THE PLACE OF 28:17 WORSHIP. SO SHE'S BEGINNING TO TALK TO 28:20 JESUS, NOW, ABOUT WORSHIP. VERSE 21, "JESUS SAID TO HER, 28:24 'WOMAN, BELIEVE ME, THE HOUR IS COMING WHEN YOU WILL NEITHER ON 28:28 THIS MOUNTAIN, NOR IN JERUSALEM, WORSHIP THE FATHER.'" - VERSE 22 28:34 - "'YOU WORSHIP WHAT YOU DO NOT KNOW; WE KNOW WHAT WE WORSHIP, 28:38 FOR SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS.'" IN OTHER WORDS, JESUS IS 28:42 CLARIFYING THAT SALVATION IS TO COME THROUGH THE JEWS. 28:45 OUR ONLY HOPE OF SALVATION IS TO RECEIVE THE MESSIAH - TO RECEIVE 28:50 JESUS WHO CAME THROUGH THE LINEAGE OF DAVID. 28:52 VERSE 23 - JESUS SAYS, "'BUT THE HOUR IS COMING, AND NOW IS, WHEN 28:57 THE TRUE WORSHIPERS WILL WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH; 29:03 FOR THE FATHER IS SEEKING SUCH TO WORSHIP HIM.'" IN OTHER 29:07 WORDS, JESUS IS EMPHASIZING THE POINT THAT IT'S NOT SO MUCH 29:10 WHERE A PERSON WORSHIPS, WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT IS HOW THE PERSON 29:15 WORSHIPS. WHAT'S THE CONDITION OF THE HEART. 29:20 THE JEWS, THEY WORSHIPED IN JERUSALEM. 29:23 THEY HAD THE RIGHT PLACE TO WORSHIP, BUT WITH REFERENCE TO 29:27 THE FORM OF WORSHIP, JESUS SAID TO THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, 'IN 29:30 VAIN YOU WORSHIP ME, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS 29:33 OF MEN.' THEY HAD THE RIGHT PLACE BUT THEY HAD THE WRONG 29:37 TYPE OF WORSHIP. IT WAS NOT HEART-FELT WORSHIP. 29:41 FRIENDS, IT'S EASY FOR US TO FALL INTO THAT SAME TRAP OF JUST 29:44 SIMPLY GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS, WEEK AFTER WEEK, COMING 29:47 TO CHURCH, SINGING THE HYMNS, READING THE SCRIPTURE, AND WE 29:51 LACK THAT TRUE HEART-FELT WORSHIP. 29:53 IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE PLACE, IT'S THE ATTITUDE - IT'S THE HEART - 29:58 WHEN WE COME TO WORSHIP GOD. 30:00 THAT'S WHAT JESUS IS EMPHASIZING. 30:02 THE TIME HAS COME FOR US TO WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH. 30:07 NOW I THINK THIS MESSAGE IS VERY APPROPRIATE FOR US TODAY. 30:10 JESUS SPEAKS TO THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA IN REVELATION CHAPTER 3 30:14 - THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA - THE SEVENTH CHURCH, WHICH REPRESENTS 30:18 THE CHURCH TODAY. THE CHURCH THINKS THAT SHE'S 30:21 DOING WELL, THAT SHE HAS NEED OF NOTHING. 30:23 AND JESUS SAID, 'YOU DON'T - YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT YOU ARE 30:26 WRETCHED, MISERABLE, POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED. 30:29 I COUNSEL OF YOU,' - JESUS SAID - 'BUY OF ME GOLD REFINED IN THE 30:33 FIRE THAT YOU MIGHT BE RICH.' WHAT IS THAT GOLD THAT WE AS 30:37 ADVENTISTS, AS CHRISTIANS, NEED TODAY. 30:40 IT IS FAITH AND LOVE. JESUS SAYS, 'BUY OF ME WHITE 30:45 RAIMENT.' WHAT IS THAT WHITE RAIMENT? 30:47 IT'S THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS, BOTH IMPUTED AND IMPARTED TO THE 30:51 BELIEVER. AND JESUS SAYS, 'ANOINT YOUR 30:54 EYES WITH EYE SALVE' - OR OINTMENT. 30:57 WHAT DOES THAT EYE SALVE REPRESENT? 30:59 SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT. IT'S THE HOLY SPIRIT. 31:02 SO JESUS SAYS 'YOU LOOK GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE. YOU THINK YOU ARE 31:06 RICH, INCREASED WITH GOODS, BUT YOU'RE IN NEED OF A CHANGE OF 31:10 HEART.' AND THAT CHANGE OF HEART ONLY COMES FROM JESUS. 31:14 AND THEN JESUS GIVES US THIS GRAND SOLUTION TO OUR PROBLEM 31:18 WHEN HE SAYS, 'BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR AND KNOCK. 31:22 WHEREVER ONE HEARS MY VOICE AND OPENS THE DOOR, I WILL COME UNTO 31:26 HIM AND I WILL DINE WITH HIM' - I'LL EAT WITH HIM - 'AND HE WITH 31:29 ME.' YOU SEE, JESUS WANTS THAT INTIMATE FELLOWSHIP - THAT 31:33 RELATIONSHIP - WITH US. THAT MAKES WORSHIP OF VALUE, IN 31:38 GOD'S SIGHT. NOT JUST SIMPLY GOING THROUGH 31:41 THE ACTIONS, BUT HAVING HEART-FELT COMMUNION WITH JESUS. 31:45 THAT'S WHAT WORSHIP IS ALL ABOUT. 31:47 NOW, BY THE WAY, TRUE WORSHIP IS NOT JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS 31:50 SABBATH MORNING WHEN YOU COME TO CHURCH. 31:52 IT'S NOT LIKE A SWITCH THAT YOU TURN ON WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE 31:55 CHURCH BUILDING, BUT GENUINE WORSHIP REALLY BEGINS ON YOUR 31:58 KNEES, BESIDE YOUR BED, THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. 32:02 AND WHEN YOU COME TO CHURCH ON SABBATH MORNING, IT IS SIMPLY 32:05 THE OUTFLOWING OF WHAT GOD IS DOING IN YOUR HEART AND LIFE. 32:09 DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MUSIC. 32:12 YES, WE WANT GOOD MUSIC, FOR THE MUSIC REFLECTS THE GLORY OF GOD. 32:17 SO WE WANT TO DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN. 32:18 BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MUSIC OR THE SINGING. 32:21 THAT'S NOT WHAT WORSHIP IS ALL ABOUT. 32:22 IT'S THAT CONNECTION WITH GOD. THAT'S WHY YOU CAN HAVE TWO 32:26 PEOPLE IN CHURCH SINGING THE VERY SAME HYMN. 32:29 THE ONE PERSON IS BORED TO DEATH AND THE OTHER PERSON HAS TEARS 32:34 COMING DOWN THEIR CHEEKS. WHAT MAKES THE DIFFERENCE? 32:38 DO YOU UNDERSTAND? IT'S THE HEART. IT'S THE HEART. 32:41 AND JESUS SAID TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, 'THE TIME HAS COME 32:45 WHEN WE ARE TO WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.' HE WANTS 32:51 THAT CHANGE OF HEART - THAT GENUINE HEART-FELT WORSHIP. 32:56 WELL, GOING ON WITH OUR STORY THEN, VERSE 25, THE WOMAN SAYS, 33:00 "'I KNOW THAT MESSIAH IS COMING' (WHO IS CALLED THE CHRIST). 33:05 'WHEN HE COMES, HE WILL TELL US ALL THINGS.'" NOW, IT'S 33:10 INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA LINKED THE 33:13 COMING OF THE MESSIAH WITH THE RESTORATION OF TRUE WORSHIP. 33:16 AND RIGHTFULLY SO. ACTUALLY, THE WORD THAT'S USED 33:19 BY THE SAMARITANS FOR MESSIAH IS ACTUALLY 'THE RESTORER' - THE 33:24 ONE WHO WOULD COME AND SET ALL THINGS RIGHT - WHO'D RESOLVE ALL 33:27 OF THE CONTROVERSIES - THAT INVOLVE TRUE WORSHIP - BETWEEN 33:32 THE SAMARITANS AND THE JEWS. THE MESSIAH WOULD COME AND FIX 33:35 ALL OF THAT. AND JESUS SAYS, IN VERSE 26, 33:38 "JESUS SAID TO HER, 'I WHO SPEAK TO YOU AM HE.'" 33:42 I AM THE RESTORER. I AM THE CHRIST. 33:45 I AM THE MESSIAH. I'M THE ONE WHO WILL DEFINE WHAT 33:47 TRUE WORSHIP IS.' IT'S NOT ABOUT THE PLACE. 33:50 IT'S NOT HOW YOU WORSHIP ON THIS MOUNTAIN OR OVER IN JERUSALEM, 33:53 BUT IT'S THE ATTITUDE OF THE HEART. IT'S A WILLINGNESS TO DO 33:56 THOSE THINGS THAT GOD ASKS US TO DO. THAT'S TRUE WORSHIP. 34:00 VERSE 27 - IT SAYS, "AND AT THIS POINT HIS DISCIPLES CAME, AND 34:05 THEY MARVELED THAT HE TALKED WITH A WOMAN;" - AGAIN, IT WAS 34:09 CONSIDERED HIGHLY IMPROPER FOR A MAN TO SPEAK TO A WOMAN IN 34:13 PUBLIC, LET ALONE A JEW TO SPEAK TO A SAMARITAN. 34:17 THE DISCIPLES DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, BUT THEY MARVELED 34:20 THAT JESUS WOULD TALK TO THIS WOMAN. 34:22 VERSE 28 - IT SAYS, "THE WOMAN THEN LEFT HER WATER POT," - 34:25 THERE BY THE WELL - AND SHE WENT HER WAY INTO THE CITY. 34:28 SHE WAS SO EAGER ABOUT FINDING THE MESSIAH AND THIS OFFER OF 34:33 LIVING WATER THAT JESUS WAS EXTENDING, THAT SHE LEFT HER 34:36 WATER POT AND RAN OFF TO TOWN TO TELL EVERYBODY THAT SHE HAD 34:39 FOUND THE MESSIAH - SHE HAD FOUND THE CHRIST. 34:43 AND LOOK AT VERSE 29 - SHE SAID TO THE PEOPLE, "COME, SEE A MAN 34:48 WHO TOLD ME ALL THINGS THAT I EVER DID. 34:51 COULD THIS BE THE CHRIST?" 34:54 SO SHE WAS A MISSIONARY. SHE ENCOUNTERED JESUS. 34:57 SHE RECEIVED THE GIFT THAT JESUS WANTED TO GIVE HER, AND SHE NOW 35:01 WANTED TO SHARE THAT GOOD NEWS WITH SOMEBODY ELSE. 35:05 YOU SEE, EVANGELISM AND WITNESSING AT ITS VERY CORE, IS 35:09 REALLY SHARING WITH OTHERS WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU. 35:13 IF YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT LIVING WATER - THAT PEACE AND 35:17 THAT JOY THAT COMES FROM BEING RIGHT WITH GOD - THAT JOY OF 35:22 FORGIVENESS, CLEANSING. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SHARE THAT 35:26 WITH SOMEBODY ELSE? BUT IF WE COME TO JESUS JUST THE 35:29 WAY THAT WE ARE AND WE RECEIVE THAT FORGIVENESS, THAT 35:32 CLEANSING, THAT GIFT OF LIFE THAT CHRIST WANTS TO GIVE US, 35:35 THEN WE CAN'T HELP BUT SHARE IT WITH SOMEBODY ELSE. 35:38 AND THAT WAS HER EXPERIENCE. SHE HAD TASTED THE GOOD LIVING 35:42 WATER FROM CHRIST AND NOW SHE HAD TO TELL EVERYBODY ABOUT IT. 35:47 WELL ON TUESDAY THE LESSON IS ENTITLED DEALING WITH DEMONS AND 35:51 THERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO BIBLE STORIES HERE - TWO ENCOUNTERS 35:54 THAT JESUS HAD WITH PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT JEWS. 35:57 AND I WANT US TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT. THE FIRST ONE IS IN 36:00 LUKE CHAPTER 8, SO LET'S GO TO THAT JUST A CHAPTER FORWARD - 36:05 LUKE CHAPTER 8 AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT VERSE 26. 36:08 LUKE CHAPTER 8, BEGINNING HERE IN VERSE 26. 36:12 WE HAVE ANOTHER STORY OF JESUS DEALING WITH A NON-JEW. 36:16 LUKE CHAPTER 8, BEGINNING IN VERSE 26, "THEN THEY" - THAT'S 36:23 CHRIST AND THE DISCIPLES - SAILED TO THE COUNTRY OF THE 36:25 GADARENES, WHICH IS OPPOSITE GALILEE." 36:30 NOW I JUST WANT YOU TO PICTURE THIS IN YOUR MIND, IF YOU CAN 36:33 SEE THE - IN YOUR MIND'S EYE - THE SEA - GALILEE AND THE AREA - 36:38 AND THEN YOU HAVE THE SEA AND THEN YOU HAVE THE JORDAN 36:40 CONNECTING THE SEA OF GALILEE DOWN TO THE DEAD SEA. 36:42 JERUSALEM OR JUDEA IS, OF COURSE, DOWN CLOSER TO THE DEAD 36:45 SEA. THE AREA OF GALILEE ON THE 36:47 WESTERN SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE, THAT'S WHERE MOST OF 36:53 THE FISHING VILLAGES WERE LOCATED AND THAT'S WHERE MOST OF 36:57 THE JEWS LIVED. BUT ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF THE 37:00 SEA OF GALILEE IT WAS VERY DESERT-LIKE TERRAIN - STEEP 37:03 CLIFFS, SOMEWHAT ROCKY - NOT MUCH GREW ON THE EASTERN SIDE OF 37:08 THE SEA OF GALILEE AND THAT'S MOSTLY WHERE SOME OF THE 37:12 HEATHENS LIVED - THE GENTILES LIVED IN THAT AREA. 37:15 SO JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES HAD GOTTEN INTO A BOAT AND 37:18 THEY'D CROSSED OVER THE SEA OF GALILEE. 37:20 IT WAS DURING THAT TRIP, WHERE THERE WAS THIS TERRIBLE STORM ON 37:23 THE SEA - JESUS WAS ASLEEP IN THE BACK OF THE BOAT AND THE 37:26 DISCIPLES WOKE JESUS UP AND SAID, 'LORD, DON'T YOU CARE THAT 37:28 WE PERISH?' JESUS CALMED THE STORM. 37:31 SO THE DISCIPLES ARE STILL SHAKEN UP BY THAT EXPERIENCE 37:33 THEY'D HAD THE NIGHT BEFORE AND THEY ARE NOW COMING TO SHORE AND 37:36 THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR BOAT ONTO SHORE AND THEY ENCOUNTER THIS 37:40 DEMON-POSSESSED MAN. ACTUALLY, IT'S TWO OF THEM, AS 37:43 YOU READ SOME OF THE OTHER GOSPEL ACCOUNTS - IN MATTHEW AND 37:46 IN MARK. LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 27. 37:49 IT SAYS, "AND WHEN HE STEPPED OUT ON THE LAND, THERE MET HIM A 37:52 CERTAIN MAN FROM THE CITY WHO HAD DEMONS FOR A LONG TIME. 37:56 AND HE WORE NO CLOTHES, NOR DID HE LIVE IN A HOUSE BUT IN THE 37:59 TOMBS." IN THE AREA ON THAT EASTERN SIDE 38:04 OF THE SEA OF GALILEE, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF LIMESTONE ROCKS 38:07 AND THEY COULD DIG OUT THESE CAVES OR THESE TOMBS IN THIS 38:11 LIMESTONE, SO IT WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE. NOW THERE IS ONE 38:14 PLACE, IN PARTICULAR, THAT BIBLE SCHOLARS FEEL IS THE VERY PLACE 38:18 WHERE THIS STORY TOOK - OCCURRED. THERE IS A LITTLE 38:22 BEACH AREA WHERE A BOAT COULD ACTUALLY LAND AND JUST OFF TO 38:24 THE SIDE THERE IS A STEEP CLIFF THAT GOES STRAIGHT DOWN INTO THE 38:29 WATER. THE TOP OF THE CLIFF HAS A FLAT AREA AND THEN IT KIND OF 38:32 GOES DOWN INTO THE WATER. IT'S THE ONLY PLACE ON THE 38:35 EASTERN SIDE OF THE SEA OF GALILEE WHERE THIS STORY COULD 38:38 ACTUALLY TAKE PLACE AND SO THEY FEEL THIS IS THE SPOT. 38:40 AND IT IS CLOSE TO A TOWN - NOT FAR AWAY - WHICH WAS OCCUPIED BY 38:44 GENTILES DURING THE TIME OF JESUS. 38:48 NOW MATTHEW TALKS ABOUT TWO MEN, HERE WE FIND IN LUKE JUST ONE. 38:53 AND SOME HAVE SAID, 'WELL, WHY THE DIFFERENCE?' 38:56 MOST LIKELY THIS WAS THE ONE WHO WAS THE LEADER OF THE GROUP. 38:59 MAYBE HE WAS THE ONE THAT SUFFERED THE MOST - AND HE 39:02 APPEARS TO BE THE SPOKESMAN OF THE TWO. AND SO THAT'S THE ONE 39:06 THAT HE'S FOCUSED ON HERE IN THE GOSPEL OF LUKE. 39:08 VERSE 28 - IT SAYS, "WHEN HE SAW JESUS, HE CRIED OUT, FELL DOWN 39:13 BEFORE HIM, AND WITH A LOUD VOICE SAID, 'WHAT HAVE I TO DO 39:17 WITH YOU, JESUS, SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD? I BEG YOU, DO NOT 39:21 TORMENT ME!'" CAN YOU THINK OF A STORY ELSEWHERE IN THE GOSPELS 39:24 WHERE SOMEONE WHO WAS POSSESSED WITH AN EVIL SPIRIT SAID 39:28 SOMETHING VERY SIMILAR TO JESUS? CAN YOU THINK OF AN INSTANCE? 39:32 YES, IT WAS IN CAPERNAUM, JESUS WAS JUST BEGINNING HIS GALILEAN 39:37 MINISTRY AND HE WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE ON THE SABBATH AND 39:39 WHILE HE WAS PREACHING A DEMON-POSSESSED MAN INTERRUPTED 39:42 THE SERVICE. DO YOU REMEMBER THAT STORY? 39:44 AND HE CAME RUNNING FORWARD AND JESUS REBUKED HIM. 39:48 HE HAD MANY SPIRITS WITHIN HIM, BUT THOSE EVIL SPIRITS ALSO 39:51 CONFESSED JESUS TO BE THE SON OF GOD. 39:54 AND JESUS TOLD THOSE EVIL SPIRITS TO BE QUIET, SIMILAR TO 39:58 WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, WHERE THESE EVIL SPIRITS ACKNOWLEDGE 40:00 JESUS AS THE HOLY ONE OF GOD. VERSE 29, "FOR HE HAD COMMANDED 40:06 THE UNCLEAN SPIRIT TO COME OUT OF THE MAN. 40:08 FOR IT HAD OFTEN SEIZED HIM, AND HE WAS KEPT UNDER GUARD, BOUND 40:13 WITH CHAINS AND SHACKLES; AND HE BROKE THE BONDS AND WAS DRIVEN 40:16 BY THE DEMON INTO THE WILDERNESS." 40:18 NOW THESE CHAINS, REALLY, ARE A SYMBOL OF SIN. 40:22 IN HIS CASE THERE WERE LITERAL CHAINS, BUT ALSO JESUS CAME TO 40:25 BREAK THE CHAINS OF SIN IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE. 40:29 IN LUKE CHAPTER 4, VERSES 18 AND 19 YOU HAVE THE STORY OF JESUS, 40:34 NOW IN NAZARETH - IT'S ON THE SABBATH - AND HE ENTERS INTO THE 40:37 SYNAGOGUE AND HE'S GIVEN A SCROLL TO READ, OF THE PROPHET 40:41 ISAIAH. AND JESUS QUOTES - OR READS - 40:44 FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 61, VERSES 1 AND 2, WHICH SAYS THIS: 40:47 "...BECAUSE THE LORD HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD 40:50 TIDINGS TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO 40:54 PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES," - THAT'S WHAT JESUS 40:58 IS DOING IN THIS STORY - THE RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND 41:01 AND TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO WERE OPPRESSED. 41:04 SO PART OF CHRIST'S MISSION WAS TO COME AND SET AT LIBERTY THOSE 41:07 WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY THE EVIL ONE. 41:10 VERSE 30 - "JESUS ASKED HIM, SAYING, 'WHAT IS YOUR NAME?' 41:14 AND HE SAID, 'LEGION,' BECAUSE MANY DEMONS HAD ENTERED HIM." 41:21 A LEGION, BACK IN ROMAN TIMES, CONSISTED OF ABOUT 6,000 FOOT 41:26 SOLDIERS AND ABOUT 7,000 - OR 700 HORSEMEN. 6,000 FOOTMEN AND 41:32 ABOUT 700 HORSEMEN - THAT WAS A LEGION. SO THESE DEMONS, THEY 41:35 WERE MANY AND THEY REFERRED TO THEMSELVES AS 'LEGION'. 41:40 VERSE 31, "AND THEY BEGGED HIM" - SPEAKING OF JESUS - "THAT HE 41:44 WOULD NOT COMMAND THEM TO GO OUT INTO THE ABYSS." 41:46 IN THE GREEK THERE, IT'S THE SAME WORD THAT'S USED IN 41:48 REVELATION CHAPTER 20 FOR BOTTOMLESS PIT. 41:51 IT JUST MEANS A DARK, EMPTY, DESOLATE REGION. 41:55 AND THEY BEGGED HIM, 'DON'T LET US JUST GO OUT THERE, SEND US TO 41:59 A PLACE.' AND THERE WAS A HERD OF SWINE - VERSE 32 - THAT WAS 42:03 FEEDING THERE ON THE MOUNTAINS. SO THEY BEGGED HIM THAT HE WOULD 42:06 PERMIT THEM TO ENTER INTO THEM AND HE PERMITTED THEM TO DO SO. 42:10 NOW, OF COURSE, THE DEVIL WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO HINDER THE WORK 42:14 THAT JESUS WAS TRYING TO DO. AND THE THINKING WAS, IF THE 42:18 EVIL SPIRITS ENTERED INTO THIS HERD OF SWINE AND PIGS RAN OFF 42:21 AND DROWN THEMSELVES - AS THEY DID - THAT, OF COURSE, WOULD 42:25 CREATE SOME FEELINGS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED 42:28 THERE AND THEY WOULDN'T LISTEN TO JESUS. 42:31 BUT JESUS OVERRULED AND, ACTUALLY, THIS TURNED OUT TO BE 42:36 A GOOD THING, AS YOU'LL FIND OUT LATER ON IN THE STORY. 42:39 VERSE 33 SAYS, "THEN THE DEMONS WENT OUT OF THE MAN AND ENTERED 42:42 THE SWINE, AND THE HERD RAN VIOLENTLY DOWN THE STEEP PLACE 42:45 INTO THE LAKE AND DROWNED. 42:48 WHEN THOSE WHO FED THEM SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED, THEY FLED AND TOLD 42:51 IT IN THE CITY AND IN THE COUNTRY. 42:53 VERSE 35, "THEN THEY WENT OUT TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND CAME 42:57 TO JESUS, AND FOUND THE MAN FROM WHOM THE DEMONS HAD DEPARTED, 43:01 SITTING AT THE FEET OF JESUS, CLOTHED AND IN HIS RIGHT MIND. 43:06 AND THEY WERE AFRAID." SO HERE THE MAN IS IN HIS RIGHT 43:09 MIND, SITTING AND LISTENING TO THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS. 43:13 VERSE 36 SAYS, "THEY ALSO WHO HAD SEEN IT TOLD THEM BY WHAT 43:18 MEANS HE WHO HAD BEEN DEMON-POSSESSED WAS HEALED." 43:24 VERSE 37, "THEN THE WHOLE MULTITUDE OF THE SURROUNDING 43:26 REGION OF THE GADARENES ASKED HIM TO DEPART FROM THEM, FOR 43:30 THEY WERE SEIZED WITH GREAT FEAR. 43:33 AND HE GOT INTO THE BOAT AND RETURNED." 43:35 NOW, OF COURSE, THE DESTRUCTION OF THEIR PIGS HAD SOMETHING TO 43:38 DO WITH THE REASON WHY THEY WANTED JESUS TO LEAVE, BUT IT 43:40 WAS GOOD FOR JESUS TO LEAVE, BECAUSE THAT GAVE THE ONE WHO 43:44 HAD JUST BEEN HEALED THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY OF WHAT 43:46 JESUS HAD DONE FOR HIM AND TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR CHRIST'S 43:50 NEXT VISIT, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. 43:52 VERSE 38 - IT SAYS, "NOW THE MAN FROM WHOM THE DEMONS HAD 43:56 DEPARTED BEGGED HIM THAT HE MIGHT BE WITH HIM. 44:00 BUT JESUS SENT HIM AWAY, SAYING, 'RETURN TO YOUR OWN HOUSE, AND 44:04 TELL WHAT GREAT THINGS GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU.' 44:08 AND HE WENT HIS WAY AND PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE 44:11 CITY WHAT GREAT THINGS JESUS HAD DONE FOR HIM. 44:13 SO IT WAS, WHEN JESUS RETURNED, THAT THE MULTITUDE WELCOMED HIM, 44:17 FOR THEY WERE ALL WAITING FOR HIM." 44:20 I SAID A LITTLE EARLIER, EVANGELISM, AT ITS REAL CORE, IS 44:24 SHARING WITH OTHERS WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR YOU. 44:27 NOW YOU MIGHT THINK, WELL, YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T HAVE 44:30 SUFFICIENT BIBLE KNOWLEDGE TO REALLY GET INTO A THEOLOGICAL 44:33 DISCUSSION WITH SOMEONE. WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY ASK ME A 44:35 QUESTION AND I DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER? 44:38 WELL, REALLY FRIENDS, YOU SHOULDN'T WORRY. 44:41 YES, YOU WANT TO LEARN AS MUCH AS YOU CAN, BUT YOU SHOULDN'T 44:43 ALLOW YOUR LACK OF KNOWLEDGE TO STOP YOU FROM SHARING YOUR 44:47 FAITH. ULTIMATELY, YOU HAVE AN 44:50 EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS, AMEN? AND THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN SHARE 44:54 WITH SOMEBODY ELSE. BY THE WAY, NOBODY CAN REALLY 44:56 ARGUE WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH JESUS BECAUSE IT'S YOUR 45:00 EXPERIENCE. YOU'RE SHARING WHAT JESUS HAS 45:02 DONE FOR YOU. PEOPLE NOT ONLY WANT TO KNOW THE 45:05 TRUTH, THEY WANT TO SEE THE TRUTH. 45:09 MATTER OF FACT, SEEING THE TRUTH DEMONSTRATED IN SOMEBODY'S LIFE, 45:11 IS FAR MORE COMPELLING THAN JUST HEARING THE TRUTH. 45:16 SO EVANGELISM IS SHOWING, OR SHARING, WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR 45:20 YOU PERSONALLY. WHEN WE SHARE OUR FAITH, THERE IS A POWER TO 45:23 REALLY DRAW SOMEBODY'S HEART AND TO AWAKEN A DESIRE WITHIN THAT 45:27 PERSON TO HEAR MORE AND STUDY FURTHER. SO HERE WE HAVE THIS 45:32 ENCOUNTER WITH THESE NON-JEWS AND, OF COURSE, THE RESULTS - 45:35 REMARKABLE. NEXT TIME JESUS COMES THE WHOLE VILLAGE WAS 45:38 READY TO HEAR THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST. 45:41 THERE IS ONE OTHER STORY THAT I WANT US TO LOOK AT. 45:44 HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE TIME TO FINISH IT. 45:46 IT'S IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 15, VERSE 21. 45:49 THIS IS WHERE JESUS MEETS A NON-JEWISH WOMAN WHO HAS A 45:53 SPECIAL REQUEST OF HIM AND CHRIST RESPONDS SOMEWHAT 45:57 DIFFERENTLY TO HER AT FIRST. MATTHEW CHAPTER 15 AND WE'RE 46:01 GOING TO BEGIN READING HERE IN VERSE 21 - MATTHEW 15:21 - IT 46:07 SAYS, "THEN JESUS WENT OUT FROM THERE AND DEPARTED TO THE REGION 46:10 OF TYRE AND SIDON." - VERSE 22 - "AND BEHOLD, A 46:14 WOMAN OF CANAAN" - A NON-JEW - "CAME FROM THAT REGION AND CRIED 46:18 OUT TO HIM, SAYING, 'HAVE MERCY ON ME, O LORD, SON OF DAVID! 46:23 MY DAUGHTER IS SEVERELY DEMON-POSSESSED.'" A COUPLE OF 46:28 THINGS I WANT YOU TO NOTICE ABOUT THIS VERSE: HERE WE HAVE 46:30 THIS NON-JEW THAT IS COMING TO JESUS AND SHE'S CRYING OUT 46:33 SAYING, 'LORD, SON OF DAVID.' WHAT'S THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HER 46:37 CALLING JESUS THE SON OF DAVID? WHO IS THE SON OF DAVID? 46:41 THE SON OF DAVID WAS TO BE THE PROMISED MESSIAH - THE CHRIST 46:45 WOULD COME THROUGH THE LINEAGE OF DAVID. 46:48 SO SHE RECOGNIZES JESUS AS BEING FULFILLMENT OF THOSE OLD 46:52 TESTAMENT PROPHETS. SHE SAID, 'HE IS THE SON OF DAVID. 46:56 HE IS THE MESSIAH. HE'S THE ONE THAT CAN HELP.' THE 46:59 JEWS REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS AS THE SON OF DAVID - AS 47:03 THE MESSIAH - BUT HERE A NON-JEW SEES IN JESUS THE FACT THAT HE 47:07 IS THE CHRIST - THE SON OF DAVID. 47:09 SHE COMES AND ASKS FOR HELP. HER DAUGHTER WAS SEVERELY 47:11 POSSESSED BY AN EVIL SPIRIT. LOOK AT VERSE 23. 47:15 "BUT HE" - JESUS - "ANSWERED HER NOT A WORD. 47:19 AND HIS DISCIPLES CAME AND URGED HIM, SAYING, 'SEND HER AWAY, FOR 47:23 SHE CRIES OUT AFTER US.'" HAVE YOU EVER FELT IGNORED BY GOD? 47:29 I'M SURE SHE MUST HAVE FELT IGNORED BY JESUS. 47:33 SHE CAME AND SHE HAD THIS URGENT REQUEST AND SHE CRIED OUT AND 47:36 SAID, 'LORD, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME.' AND JESUS JUST 47:40 KEPT GOING. HE ACTED AS THOUGH HE HADN'T HEARD. 47:44 HAD JESUS HEARD HER? YES HE HAD. 47:47 MATTER OF FACT, IF YOU READ ON IN THE STORY, THIS IS THE ONLY 47:50 THING THAT JESUS DID IN THIS REGION. 47:52 SO HE LEFT ISRAEL, WENT UP INTO THIS REGION OUTSIDE OF ISRAEL, 47:57 PERFORMED THIS MIRACLE AND THEN CAME STRAIGHT BACK. 47:59 JESUS KNEW HER NEED AND HE ACTUALLY WENT UP THERE TO MEET 48:02 HER TO MEET HER NEED, BUT WHEN SHE CAME WITH HER REQUEST, JESUS 48:06 SAID NOTHING. YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT ALONE IF WE 48:10 FEEL AS THOUGH GOD IS IGNORING US AND, OF COURSE, HE ISN'T. 48:13 BUT THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES WHERE GOD-FEARING MEN AND WOMEN 48:17 EXPERIENCE THE SILENCE OF GOD - WHERE THEY ASKED AND NOTHING 48:21 HAPPENED. ABRAHAM EXPERIENCED THE SILENCE OF GOD. 48:25 AFTER GOD HAD TOLD HIM TO TAKE HIS SON AND OFFER HIM AS A 48:28 SACRIFICE, ABRAHAM MUST HAVE PRAYED EARNESTLY FOR THOSE THREE 48:31 AND A HALF DAYS AS THEY JOURNEYED TO MOUNT MORIAH AND 48:34 NOTHING WAS SAID. HE EXPERIENCED THE SILENCE OF GOD. 48:37 YOU HAVE JOB, IN HIS SUFFERING, WHO CRIED OUT AND HE EXPERIENCED 48:41 THE SILENCE OF GOD. IT SEEMED THAT GOD WAS IGNORING HIM. 48:44 OF COURSE, GOD EVENTUALLY ANSWERED BUT NOT WHEN JOB 48:47 THOUGHT HE SHOULD. YOU HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF 48:50 JOSEPH - THERE HE IS IN A PRISON FOR MANY YEARS - CRYING OUT FOR 48:55 DELIVERANCE AND IT SEEMS THAT GOD ISN'T LISTENING. 48:58 EVEN JESUS EXPERIENCED THE SILENCE OF GOD. 49:02 IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE HE CRIED OUT, 'FATHER IF IT IS 49:05 POSSIBLE, REMOVE THIS CUP FROM ME. NOT MY WILL, THY WILL BE 49:08 DONE.' AND ON THE CROSS JESUS SAID, 'MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST 49:11 THOU FORSAKEN ME?' THE LESSON IS THIS: THE SILENCE 49:14 OF GOD IS THERE TO TEST OUR FAITH. 49:19 DON'T GET DISCOURAGED IF YOU'RE PRAYING ABOUT SOMETHING AND IT 49:22 SEEMS THAT NOTHING IS HAPPENING. JUST KEEP PRAYING. 49:27 AND THIS WOMAN WAS VERY PERSISTENT IN HER REQUEST. 49:30 AFTER ALL, SHE WAS ASKING FOR HER DAUGHTER AND JESUS WAS HER 49:34 LAST HOPE. AND SO SHE WAS PERSISTENT - SHE 49:37 KEPT ASKING AND ASKING AND ASKING. 49:39 THERE'S AN EXAMPLE FOR US, ESPECIALLY AS PARENTS, DON'T 49:42 GIVE UP ASKING FOR YOUR CHILDREN, AMEN? 49:45 JUST KEEP ASKING - KEEP ASKING. THE NEXT PART OF THE VERSE SAYS 49:50 THE DISCIPLES CAME TO JESUS AND THEY SAID, 'SEND HER AWAY 49:55 BECAUSE SHE'S BOTHERING US.' MATTER OF FACT, THEY LOOK AT 49:57 JESUS AND IT LOOKS AS THOUGH JESUS IS IGNORING HER. 49:59 THE DISCIPLES THOUGHT, 'JUST SEND HER AWAY. 50:02 SHE'S IRRITATING US.' HAVE YOU EVER BEEN DISCOURAGED BY 50:05 CHRISTIANS - BY THE DISCIPLES OF JESUS? 50:09 WHEN THEY DON'T RESPOND THE WAY THAT YOU THINK THEY SHOULD 50:12 RESPOND? SURE. WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED THAT. 50:15 SOMETIMES THOSE WHO ARE THE CLOSEST TO US PROVE TO BE SOME 50:19 OF OUR GREATEST DISCOURAGEMENTS. JESUS WAS DESERTED BY HIS 50:24 DISCIPLES. DON'T LOOK AT PEOPLE - EVEN 50:28 FELLOW CHURCH MEMBERS - DON'T ALLOW THEM TO DISCOURAGE YOU. 50:31 KEEP YOUR REQUESTS BEFORE GOD. KEEP ASKING. 50:34 OTHERS ARE SOMETIMES THERE TO TEST OUR FAITH. 50:38 AND THEN VERSE 24, "BUT HE ANSWERED AND SAID, 'I WAS NOT 50:42 SENT EXCEPT TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL.'" AND THEN, 50:47 VERSE 25, "THEN SHE CAME AND WORSHIPED HIM, SAYING, 50:51 'LORD, HELP ME!'" HER CIRCUMSTANCES WERE NOT 50:56 FAVORABLE, FOR SHE WAS NOT A JEW. 50:58 IT LOOKED AS THOUGH JESUS WASN'T LISTENING. 51:02 EVEN THE DISCIPLES WERE TRYING TO TELL HER TO GO AWAY AND ALL 51:07 SHE HAD LEFT WAS SIMPLY CASTING HERSELF ON THE MERCY OF JESUS. 51:12 SHE COMES AND SHE WORSHIPS AND SAYS, 'LORD, PLEASE HELP ME.' 51:16 ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PHRASES THAT YOU READ ABOUT IN THE BOOK 51:19 OF PSALMS IS THE PHRASE, 'HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER.' WHEN YOU 51:23 HAVE NOTHING THAT YOU CAN PRESENT TO GOD, JUST PRESENT HIS 51:28 MERCY BACK TO GOD. ASK FOR MERCY. HE LOVES US TO COME TO 51:32 HIM JUST THE WAY THAT WE ARE AND WE CAN PLEAD HIS MERCY. 51:36 VERSE 26, "BUT HE ANSWERED AND SAID, (JESUS SAID) 'IT IS NOT 51:40 GOOD TO TAKE THE CHILDREN'S BREAD AND THROW IT TO THE LITTLE 51:43 DOGS.'" NOW, NOTICE HER RESPONSE - VERSE 27 - "AND SHE SAID, 51:47 'YES, LORD, YET EVEN THE LITTLE DOGS EAT THE CRUMBS WHICH FALL 51:51 FROM THEIR MASTER'S TABLE.'" WHAT AN INCREDIBLE RESPONSE. 51:56 SHE SAID, 'YES, LORD, IT'S TRUE, I'M NOT DESERVING OF THE BEST, 52:00 BUT LORD, I'LL TAKE JUST THAT WHICH FALLS FROM THE TABLE.' OH, 52:04 BY THE WAY, SHE'S ALSO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT EVEN THE DOGS 52:07 IN THE MASTER'S HOUSE ARE UNDER THE CARE OF THE MASTER. 52:11 YES, JESUS HAD COME FOR THE JEWS, BUT THE WHOLE WORLD WAS 52:14 UNDER HIS CARE. AND SHE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT. 52:18 SHE SAID, 'LORD, YOU ARE OUR MASTER TOO AND WE DON'T DESERVE 52:22 THE BEST PORTION, BUT WE'LL TAKE THE CRUMBS THAT COME OUR WAY.' 52:26 AND JESUS, AGAIN, MARVELED AT HER FAITH. 52:29 IF YOU LOOK IN VERSE 28, "THEN JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HER, 52:32 'O WOMAN, GREAT IS YOUR FAITH!'" - HE DIDN'T SAY THIS 52:35 TO MANY OF THE JEWS. HE SAID THIS WITH REFERENCE TO 52:38 THE CENTURION, BUT HE DIDN'T SAY THIS TO THE JEWS. 52:41 THEY WERE THE ONES THAT HAD ALL THE BLESSINGS. 52:43 AND YET, THIS NON-JEW RECOGNIZED JESUS AS A SAVIOR. 52:47 "LET IT BE TO YOU AS YOU DESIRE.'" AND THE BIBLE SAYS, 52:50 "AND HER DAUGHTER WAS HEALED FROM THAT VERY HOUR." 52:54 SHE TRUSTED IN THE POWER OF THE WORD OF GOD. 52:57 SHE DIDN'T GIVE UP WITH HER REQUESTS. 52:59 SHE KEPT PRESSING INTO THE THRONE OF GOD AND GOD HEARD AND 53:02 ANSWERED HER REQUEST. WHAT A WONDERFUL STORY THAT 53:06 ENCOURAGES US TO KEEP ASKING - KEEP RELYING UPON GOD'S MERCY. 53:11 DON'T LOOK TO YOUR OWN GOODNESS BUT TRUST IN THE GOODNESS OF 53:14 JESUS. IN THE BOOK DESIRE OF AGES ON 53:17 PAGE 401, WE HAVE A COMMENTARY ON THE STORY THAT WE JUST LOOKED 53:20 AT. LET ME READ IT. IT SAYS, "THE SAVIOR IS SATISFIED." 53:24 THAT'S AFTER THIS EXCHANGE, THE WOMAN IS PERSISTENT. 53:27 "HE HAS TESTED HER FAITH IN HIM. BY HIS DEALINGS WITH HER, HE HAS 53:32 SHOWN THAT SHE, WHO HAD BEEN REGARDED AS AN OUTCAST FROM 53:35 ISRAEL, IS NO LONGER AN ALIEN, BUT A CHILD IN GOD'S HOUSEHOLD. 53:40 AND, AS A CHILD, IT IS HER PRIVILEGE TO SHARE IN THE 53:42 FATHER'S GIFTS. CHRIST NOW GRANTS HER REQUEST 53:46 AND FINISHES THE LESSON TO HIS DISCIPLES." 53:49 SO NOT ONLY WAS THIS AN IMPORTANT LESSON TO THE WOMAN 53:52 HERSELF, BUT IT WAS ALSO AN IMPORTANT LESSON TO THE 53:54 DISCIPLES - THAT THEY WERE TO REALIZE THAT JESUS WOULD COME, 53:59 NOT JUST FOR THEM, BUT HIS GIFT IS FOR EVERYONE. 54:03 WELL, FRIENDS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE OUT OF TIME FOR OUR STUDY OF 54:06 THE LESSON. JUST SOME GREAT INSIGHTS THAT WE 54:09 FIND IN THE STORY OF JESUS. I'D JUST LIKE TO REMIND OUR 54:11 LISTENING FRIENDS ABOUT OUR FREE OFFER FOR TODAY. 54:14 IT'S A BOOK ENTITLED ALONE IN THE CROWD AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO 54:17 SEND THIS TO ANYBODY WHO CALLS AND ASKS. 54:19 THE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 AND YOU CAN ASK FOR OFFER #714. 54:27 AGAIN, THE NUMBER IS 866-788-3966 - ASK FOR OFFER 54:33 #714 - WE'LL BE HAPPY TO SEND THAT TO YOU. UNTIL NEXT TIME, 54:37 MAY GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU UNTIL WE GET TOGETHER 54:40 TO STUDY ONCE AGAIN. 54:43 >> AMAZING FACTS HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE. 54:45 >> I JUST PRAISE GOD FOR AMAZING FACTS. 54:47 >> AMAZING FACTS ACTUALLY DID HAVE AN IMPACT ON MY LIFE. 54:49 >> IT'S ALL A PROCESS, GETTING TO WHERE I AM TODAY. 54:52 >> AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN - >> I FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT - I 54:54 DIDN'T FEEL CONDEMNED, I FELT - >> I BEGAN READING THE BIBLE. 54:56 >> I GOT BAPTIZED INTO THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST - 54:59 >> I REALIZED THAT THERE HAD TO BE MORE TO LIFE. 55:01 >> GOD IS REALLY DOING THIS. >> THE LIFE THAT HE'S GIVEN ME - 55:04 >> THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL. >> I'LL FOLLOW CHRIST WHEREVER 55:06 HE GOES. >> AMAZING FACTS - MORE THAN 45 55:10 YEARS OF PROCLAIMING GOD'S MESSAGE AROUND THE WORLD. 55:14 >> AND THEN THE LOGO POPS ACROSS - AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 55:18 I'VE LISTENED TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MINISTERS, BUT HE WAS 55:21 - THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HE'S ACTUALLY SAYING SOMETHING 55:23 WHERE I HAD TO GRAB MY BIBLE AND ACTUALLY PICK IT UP - AND I'VE 55:27 NEVER HEARD THIS BEFORE LET ME - LET ME LOOK THROUGH AND FIND 55:30 THIS. I JUST COULDN'T GET ENOUGH. 55:32 >> AND SO I STARTED DOING BIBLE STUDIES. 55:33 EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE GUYS STARTED BEING CHANGED - 55:37 INCLUDING MYSELF. >> MY QUESTION WAS 'WHY DID THAT 55:41 HAPPEN TO ME, GOD?' THE LORD WAS ABLE TO REACH OUT 55:43 AND - AND I ACTUALLY SAW HIM AS A FATHER. 55:46 >> I LOST EVERYTHING AND THAT WAS WHEN I REALIZED THAT IT WAS 55:50 GOD MISSING IN MY LIFE. >> I WENT TO A PROPHECY SEMINAR 55:53 WHICH KNOCKED ME OUT. THIS MESSAGE WAS SO POWERFUL AND 55:57 SO IRREFUTABLE AND I JUST WENT 'THIS IS REAL. 56:01 THIS IS - THIS IS AMAZING.' >>DID YOU KNOW THIS BOAT COULD 56:07 SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH 20,000 PEOPLE? OR A CAR LIKE THIS ONE 56:11 COULD REACH 10,000 SOULS SEEKING HOPE IN JESUS. 56:15 (HORN HONKS) IF YOU HAVE A VEHICLE YOU'RE NOT USING AND 56:17 WOULD LIKE TO REACH HEARTS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD, PRAYERFULLY 56:21 CONSIDER DONATING YOUR VEHICLE TO AMAZING FACTS TODAY. 56:24 IT'S EASY TO TURN YOUR UNNEEDED CAR, BOAT, RV, MOTORCYCLE, EVEN 56:29 ATVS AND JET SKIS INTO A SOUL-WINNING VEHICLE FOR CHRIST 56:33 - AND GET A TAX DEDUCTION. 56:35 AMAZING FACTS WILL ARRANGE TO PICK UP YOUR VEHICLE AND PROVIDE 56:39 YOU WITH A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE RECEIPT. 56:41 THE PROCEEDS FROM THE RESALE WILL BE USED TO SHARE GOD'S 56:44 TRUTH WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. 56:47 DON'T LEAVE YOUR VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE COLLECTING DUST. 56:51 USE IT TO TRANSFORM LIVES THROUGH AMAZING FACTS. 56:55 CONTACT US TODAY AND LET US HELP TURN YOUR CAR, BOAT, RV, OR 56:59 MOTORCYCLE INTO LIVES SAVED FOR CHRIST. 57:05 >>FOR LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES, VISIT AFBOOKSTORE.COM 57:10 OR CALL 1-800-538-7275. 57:15 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 57:19 FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 57:23 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK, MILLIONS OF 57:26 PEOPLE WORSHIP ON THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? 57:29 WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF REST? 57:32 DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 57:35 WHO WAS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S 57:38 LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. VISIT 'SABBATHTRUTH.COM'. 57:46 >>CAN'T GET ENOUGH AMAZING FACTS BIBLE STUDY? YOU DON'T HAVE TO 57:50 WAIT UNTIL NEXT WEEK TO ENJOY MORE TRUTH-FILLED PROGRAMMING. 57:53 WATCH AMAZING FACTS TELEVISION BY VISITING 'AFTV.ORG'. 57:59 AT 'AFTV.ORG' YOU CAN VIEW AMAZING FACTS PROGRAMMING 24 58:05 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT FROM YOUR COMPUTER OR 58:08 MOBILE DEVICE. WHY WAIT A WEEK? 58:11 VISIT 'AFTV.ORG' - IT'S THAT EASY. 58:18 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2015-08-19