( JOHN 4:1-42)
When I read the Samaritan woman’s conversation with the Lord Jesus in John 4:1-42, it amazes me how God became man and showed His great love to those whom society considers as an outcast and reject . He truly came to save . (Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” )
What qualifies Jesus Christ to be a master soul Winner ?
1.THE ABILITY TO BROKE BARRIER WITH A STRONG SENSE OF URGENCY AND CONSTRAINT TO REACH OUT TO PEOPLE REGARDLESS OF THEIR RACE or CLASS.( Vs 1-9)
“He must needs go through Samaria” (verse 4, KJV). Soul-winning was a must and a tremendous imperative in His life John 9:4( We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us . The night is coming , and then no one can work NLT) His food was to do His Father’s will (John 4:31-34) - and this was His Father’s will. Is there a constraint in our lives in this 21st century church ?
■He broke cultural barrier. ( A rabbi was not supposed to greet a woman in a public place, In Samaria women were considered unclean and all the men who get in contact with her were considered unclean . So Samarians were considered outcast, reject and had nothing to do with the Jews )
■ He broke Nationality and orthodox Jewish customs . ( There were even the Pharisees called ” The bruised and bleeding Pharisees ” Because they always closed their eyes whenever they saw a woman on the street , causing them to walk into a wall or a house bruising themselves. )
■ He broke the barrier of status core . He knew He is the Messiah ,a Jew, a rabbi , the son of God , He had to show the reality of his humanity and humility .
“How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.” (see John 4:9)
We read that Jesus talked to the woman, asking her for a drink. Scholars say that Jews don’t associate with Samaritans, especially men Jews to Samaritan women. Jesus broke culture by reaching out to this particular woman – because He had a purpose for it.
-By this we learn that God’s love is not bound by human tradition, culture, or practice. It will work its way in and through human life.
2 .SOUL WINNING WAS HIS MISSION AND PASSION, HE DID IT FRIENDLY AND SYMPATHETICALLY . ( Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” ) That is why He went for that one. ( Vs 10-27)
– Knowing your mission gives you the central direction and understanding of the future.
– Knowing your mission integrates who you are and provides focus .
– Knowing your mission symplifies your decision -making processes
-Knowing your mission holds you accountable for your decisions and actions.
We read that Jesus knew what the woman was doing and spoke to her of her faults without condemning her. Later Christ reveals to the woman that He is what she and the whole world have been waiting for: the Saviour. “The woman said to Him, ‘I know that Messiah is coming (who is called Christ). When He comes, He will tell us all things.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am He.’” ( John 4:25-26)
God knows our sins and failings, and wants to reveal Himself to us as the only one who can save us.
■ He was worm and sympathetic, He was not critic but friendly, He was not condemning but understood her.
Here we see that God knows who we really are, and we can’t hide it from Him. But instead of hating and condemning us for our sins, He chooses to offer salvation, grace, and mercy to us.
While He wants us to admit our sins to Him, He does this so that He could forgive us and make us righteous in Christ ( 1 John 1:9). He wants us to be open to Him with all our failures and faults, for He is the One who can save, change, and heal us.
3. HE SHOWS GREAT INTEREST AND CONCERN FOR ONE PERSON AND DOING GOD’S WILL. ( Vs 28-38)
On this occasion our Lord set out to win just one sinful woman. He frequently had an audience of one person only; in Matthew’s Gospel, sixteen private interviews are recorded, and in John’s Gospel there are seventeen. This shows us how important one soul is to Christ ! In Luke 15 we read of one lost sheep, one lost piece of silver and one lost son, and Luke 15:10 emphasises the value of just one soul how it causes the engels of God in Heaven to rejoice . Let us remember that one soul won for Christ may become an outstanding soul-winner look at verses 28-30.
4. HE CHANGES OUR LIFE STORY AND GIVES US A NEW LIFE FOR HIS GLORY.
“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. They heard what Jesus said and we’re convinced that indeed He is the saviour and they requested Him to stay and He stayed for two days with them.(see John 4:39-42)
A woman who was an outcast for having multiple partners (hence the hot time of day she would fetch water at the well – the only time she could be by herself without anyone looking down on her) was the first person to meet Christ and testify about Him in her city. From prostitution to a city evangelist or halelujah.
God loves to pick us up, take our stories of failure and change them into stories of victory, hope for His glory. He is our Redeemer indeed and the master soul winner .
By Apostle Gift Sira. 