Showing posts with label the gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the gospel. Show all posts
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Living Water
John 4:1-14
The ministry of Jesus was having a great impact in Judea.
The reason He left for Galilee may have been to avoid further conflict with the Pharisees. This was to come later, according to God's timetable.
The Lord Jesus needed to go through Samaria.
The most direct route to Galilee from Judea was through Samaria.
But the Lord Jesus had another reason for going through Samaria. There were people in that city to bring to faith in Himself.
Most Jews despised Samaritans who were a mixed race of Jew and Gentile. Their religion was mixed too, though they acknowledged the first five books of the Bible and they also looked for the Messiah.
We tend to complain that people are very unresponsive to the gospel. They are completely indifferent to our good news. We soon become discouraged and remain silent. We excused ourselves that personal witnessing is not our ministry.
Let us never lose sight of the fact that the Lord often works in wonderful and surprising ways. Who would have imagined that this immoral Samaritan woman would respond to the gospel?
We often struggle to open up a conversation so that we can share the gospel with sinners, but Jesus was so natural. Resting from His journey, the Lord asked the woman for a drink of water. This surprised the woman, for no Jew would drink from a container used by Gentiles. Jesus then aroused her curiosity by speaking about the gift of God and of living water (which the woman took to mean fresh spring water). She wondered how He could obtain such living water from such a deep well. Could this stranger be greater than Jacob?
Jesus told the woman that the water from the well could only satisfy for a time. But whoever drinks of the water that He shall give him will never thirst.
There can be no lasting satisfaction in this restless world apart from that given by Christ. And with it, He gives everlasting life!
The ministry of Jesus was having a great impact in Judea.
The reason He left for Galilee may have been to avoid further conflict with the Pharisees. This was to come later, according to God's timetable.
The Lord Jesus needed to go through Samaria.
The most direct route to Galilee from Judea was through Samaria.
But the Lord Jesus had another reason for going through Samaria. There were people in that city to bring to faith in Himself.
Most Jews despised Samaritans who were a mixed race of Jew and Gentile. Their religion was mixed too, though they acknowledged the first five books of the Bible and they also looked for the Messiah.
We tend to complain that people are very unresponsive to the gospel. They are completely indifferent to our good news. We soon become discouraged and remain silent. We excused ourselves that personal witnessing is not our ministry.
Let us never lose sight of the fact that the Lord often works in wonderful and surprising ways. Who would have imagined that this immoral Samaritan woman would respond to the gospel?
We often struggle to open up a conversation so that we can share the gospel with sinners, but Jesus was so natural. Resting from His journey, the Lord asked the woman for a drink of water. This surprised the woman, for no Jew would drink from a container used by Gentiles. Jesus then aroused her curiosity by speaking about the gift of God and of living water (which the woman took to mean fresh spring water). She wondered how He could obtain such living water from such a deep well. Could this stranger be greater than Jacob?
Jesus told the woman that the water from the well could only satisfy for a time. But whoever drinks of the water that He shall give him will never thirst.
There can be no lasting satisfaction in this restless world apart from that given by Christ. And with it, He gives everlasting life!
11:56 PM
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Labels:
living water,
Samaria,
Samaritan woman,
share the gospel,
the gift of God,
the good news,
the gospel
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Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Live By The Truth
For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. (3 John 3)
The truth was in Gaius. Gaius walked in the truth.
The first must come first, before the second can take place.
Truth must first enter the soul, before it is of any value.
In every Christian believer, truth must be a living force, an active energy, and an indwelling reality of their being.
The inward will affect the outward.
Therefore, when the truth is kindled from within, its brightness will soon beams forth in the outward life and conversation.
To walk in the truth is to live a life of integrity, holiness, faithfulness, and simplicity, in accordance to the principles of the gospel and the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
Let us desire to live by the truth.
The truth was in Gaius. Gaius walked in the truth.
The first must come first, before the second can take place.
Truth must first enter the soul, before it is of any value.
In every Christian believer, truth must be a living force, an active energy, and an indwelling reality of their being.
The inward will affect the outward.
Therefore, when the truth is kindled from within, its brightness will soon beams forth in the outward life and conversation.
To walk in the truth is to live a life of integrity, holiness, faithfulness, and simplicity, in accordance to the principles of the gospel and the teaching of the Holy Spirit.
Let us desire to live by the truth.
Let us walk in the truth, so that nothing false or sinful may reign in our hearts, and influence our daily walk with God.
7:08 AM
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Labels:
active energy,
indwelling reality,
living force,
outward life and conversation,
the gospel,
the Holy Spirit,
walked in the truth
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