John 4:25-42

In the introduction to The Holy Spirit in Mission, I relate a story designed to illustrate what the book is about.

“Jesus... wants us to see that the neighbor next door or the people sitting next to us on a plane or in a classroom are not interruptions to our schedule. They are there by divine appointment. Jesus wants us to see their needs, their loneliness, their longings, and he wants to give us the courage to reach out to them.” --Becky Pippert

In this story we find Jesus initiating a ministry conversation by asking the Samaritan woman for a favor—a drink of water. That’s what got the conversation started.

Then Jesus spoke into the woman’s life in such a way as to let her know that he knew that her lifestyle had been, and was not at present, completely kosher in the eyes of God. Her multiple marriages, and current relationship with a man she wasn’t married to, indicated that she had been searching– thirsting—for something (to no avail) her entire life.

This prophetic input on Jesus’ part wasn’t meant to shame the woman, but to help her recognize her need for the spiritual, living water he had to come to Sychar to impart to her.

And when the woman posed a diversionary question about religious rituals, hoping to sidetrack the conversation, Jesus brushed it aside and boldly let her know… … he was not there to argue with her about religious matters… … he had come to Sychar to help her enter into a real relationship with the one true God!

… {25} The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” {26} Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.” …

When the situation called for it, Jesus was more than willing to boldly let individuals know that he was indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world!

John 14:4-7 You know the way to the place where I am going." {5} Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" {6} Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. {7} If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."

We’re living more and more in an age of religious pluralism: multiple religions existing side by side. As a result, we’re also living in a world of religious relativism, which emphasizes the idea that all religions are equally valid and salvific.

It’s becoming more and more unacceptable in our increasingly post-Christian, religiously relativistic culture for Christians to assert that Jesus is especially salvific in a way that Moses, Mohammed, Buddha and Gandhi (et cetera) are not.

John 20:30-31 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. {31} But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

1 John 4:15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.

1 John 5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

1 John 5:11-12 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. {12} He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

1 John 5:20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

All John is doing in these passages is being careful to say about Jesus the same things he heard Jesus say about himself!

Will we capitulate to the religious relativism that permeates our contemporary culture, or will we humbly yet boldly reiterate the rather remarkable claims which the apostles made about Jesus, and which he made about himself? Just how biblically informed is our Christian faith (and our sharing about it) going to be?

How can we be missionally faithful Christ- followers if what we’re saying about Jesus isn’t the same thing he said about himself?

… {27} Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” …

… {28} Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, {29} “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” … … {30} They came out of the town and made their way toward him….

… {31} Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.” {32} But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” {33} Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?” {34} “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work….

… {35} Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. {36} Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together….

… {37} Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. {38} I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.” …

According to this passage, Jesus’ disciples were so focused on lunch that they were pretty much oblivious to the ripe ministry opportunity that was headed their way in the form of those curious villagers.

Jesus had to remind his disciples that: (a)helping people connect with God can be, figuratively speaking, as fulfilling as a good meal; and (b)when it comes to personal evangelism, there’s never an off-season: they should always be “ready to reap”— ready to help people experience eternal and abundant life through a personal commitment to Christ.

Not every ministry conversation we enter into will call for us to start from scratch the process of trying to persuade a person to take a closer look at Jesus. Sometimes our job will simply be to reap— to help people who are already curious about Christ to actually connect with him.

Sometimes our job is simply to plant the seed. Just because a person we’ve discussed the gospel with doesn’t bow the knee then and there, doesn’t mean that someday he or she won’t!

Do we, like Jesus’ first disciples, need to be reminded that we always need to be “ready to reap”—to help people who already suspect that Jesus is Lord to go ahead and actually confess him as such and begin living their lives as his disciples?

Are we being careful to continue to pray for folks with whom we’ve discussed spiritual things without their having made the decision to follow Christ?

… {39} Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” {40} So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days….

… {41} And because of his words many more became believers. {42} They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

First, coming to a full faith in Christ is often a process by which a person moves from being clueless regarding Christ, to being curious about Christ, to being cautiously committed to Christ, to being completely convinced that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.

The “Coming to Jesus” Continuum

Second, as powerful as hearing someone else’s personal testimony can be, there’s nothing like the experience of hearing Christ’s words for ourselves.

It’s true that throughout John’s Gospel we find passages which indicate that there were many occasions in which people came to believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world because of some sign or wonder they saw him perform.

However, it’s also true that throughout John’s Gospel we find passages which indicate that there was also something special—something downright sacramental—about the very words Jesus spoke!

John 4:41 And because of his words many more became believers.

John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

John 6:68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.

While it’s great to be able to present to people our testimony of how Jesus has affected our own lives, we need to do whatever’s necessary to help them hear the words of Jesus for themselves.

Can you guess what dynamic was present in each and every one of these dramatic conversion stories? At some point in their lives, each of these folks became curious enough about Christ to begin reading for themselves the words of Jesus presented in the Gospels.

In each and every case, it was reading the words of Jesus for themselves that caused them to become convinced that he really is the Savior of the world.

Given the sacramental effect of Jesus’ words, are we as careful as we should be about encouraging curious seekers to read for themselves the words of Jesus contained in the Gospels?

Even better, would we be willing to actually walk with a curious seeker through a reading/study of the Gospel of John?

Finally, how well do we know the words of Jesus? Do we know them well enough to quote them in the context of a ministry conversation, trusting in God to anoint them and use them in a sacramental manner?

The “Coming to Jesus” Continuum

“What I believe is not what I say I believe; what I believe is what I do. I used to say that I believed it was important to tell people about Jesus, but I never did. A friend kindly explained that if I do not introduce people to Jesus, then I don't believe Jesus is an important person. It doesn't matter what I say. We live for what we believe.” -- Donald Miller

It doesn’t matter what we say we believe. If we aren’t actually attempting to introduce people to Jesus, we don’t really believe that he’s an important person.

Do you want to do a better job of actually acting on what you say you believe? Do you want to do a better job of introducing people to the Savior of the world?

John 4:25-42