Saturday, May 30, 2009
Come & See -Exploring steps of our Christian faithWe tend to believe in things we see.
However, when we don't see it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist! Like our God.
John 4 is a story about a Samaritan Woman who Meets Her Messiah.
And beyond that, we look into how her faith has progressed through the chapter.
Prelude:
Jesus came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar and being wearied from His journey, sat thus by a well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. (Jhn 4:5 -9)
-Jesus is a Jew.
-Jesus initiated to speak to the woman of Samaria, even though Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
-Samaritans are "of a lower class" for they were decendants of the returnees of the Babylonian Exile. 4 steps of faith1. Convenient Faith
Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? -Jhn 4:10-12
-The woman of Samaria was filled with doubt as it's not possible to draw water without a pail and not even to say living water.
Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” -Jhn 4:13-15
-The woman of Samaria was willing to give it a try (you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water -Jhn 4:10) that if this Jew can give her this living water so that she will never need to go through all the trouble to come to draw water. Why not?
Characteristics:
-Tell me what you have, Jesus!
-If You bless me, give me something in return, I will then believe.
-I will follow You when it is convenient for me.
-Superficial & surfaced.
2. Cognitive Faith
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. -Jhn 4:16-19
-The woman of Samaria began to believe, as Jesus knew what that was happening in her life! He engaged her in a conversation!
-Jesus was highlighting to her that He knows what pain she's going through (in those days, men could divorce their wives easily). Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” -Jhn 4:20-25
-The woman of Samaria know that there is a God and started crying out for God, as no men in her life could satisfy her needs.
Characteristics:
-God talks and reasons with us, so that His revelations can come through.
-We know that God, you are here for us.
-Is there a place where I can really find God?
-What do I need to fulfill to find God?
3. Conversion Faith
Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” -Jhn 4:26
-God reveals Himself to the woman of Samaria and she has a personal encounter with Him.
The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men -Jhn 4:28
-The woman of Samaria left her waterpot, meaning that the daily care of her life no longer mattered. Characteristics:
-God reveals Himself to us and we have a personal encounter with God.
-We are transformed and we no long remain the same as before.
-We do not worry about the daily cares of our lives- finances, relationship problems, etc.
4. Contagious Faith
“Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him. -Jhn 4:29
-The woman of Samaria shared her testimony of Jesus in her life.
And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”-Jhn 4:39-42
-Many were saved through 1 testimony shared. Characteristics:
-Sharing of our lives.
-Asking people to come and see! Look what Jesus has done in my life!
-Being a good testimony for Jesus.
-Influential.
On the side line:
In Jhn 4:8, His 12 disciples had gone away into the city to buy food for 1 Jesus.
-None of the disciples were willing to go (they were pushing the responsibililty to one another), as they being Jews had to bow down and seek help from the Samaritans.
-Jesus seeing this, probably volunteered to go Himself and the disciples who love their Rabbi all decided to go together.
-Jesus was trying to teach them to work with people they ostracise!
In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! -Jhn 4:31-35
Dear God, I know the stage I am at and I know I can do even more at that stage. I pray that I will not be complacent and I will always bow down in meekness and humility.Fill my cup with Your overflowing anointing and love that I can fill those of others too.And with all I am, use me just as I am, for You are a great God.Nothing is impossible with you.My weaknesses revealed in Your presense for I'm broken, when there's gradually more of You in my life.But I look upon them as challenges and not hinderances.For with You in my life, You made me courageous against all challenges.I would be the change You wanna see, not the mere catalyst.If leadership is the problem and also the solution, show me the way oh God. Lead me to a good shepherd whom I can follow his footsteps and lead for Your glory.Let my life be shared with the ppl in my life that it shines as a good testimony for you.In Your love and life everlasting.Thank you Lord. I love you.Amen.In God,
whose word I praise,
in God I trust;
I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me? -Ps 56:4
