Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.—John 4:17–30

Introduction

Strengthening the Core – Evangelism


Let’s not wait for the next Super Bowl Outreach (or even for the Final Four next year).

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.—John 4:35–36

1. Jesus’ Welcome

They marveled that he was talking with a woman.—John 4:27

1. He was talking to a woman
2. He was talking to a Samaritan woman
3. This was on par with Jesus being a demon in their eyes


The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”—John 8:48 


4. She was an outcast


The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”—John 4: 17–18
5.

5. How welcomed did she feel by Jesus?
6. This woman talks about her faith and the town believes her!

2. Real

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony.—John 4:39

1. Being true to yourself, being real, being authentic has been around for a while…

2. This concept, the celebration of authenticity, is the heroic story of the day. You can’t fault someone for being authentic, true to themselves, honest, real. Why is this not the case with faith?

3. Why is being honest about being a Christian so hard, not celebrated, etc.?

4. If you’re not willing to share you are hiding who you are, you’re lying about who you are.

5. Be honest about your doubts. You are here and you may not be sure what you believe, why you’re here, and you are afraid of what will happen if you’re honest.

6. “I really can’t consider a Christian a good, moral person if he isn’t trying to convert me.”—The Atlantic (“Listening to Young Atheists,” by Larry Alex Taunton)

7. Consider Penn Jillette video and “How much do you have to hate someone to witness to them??”

8. Private, secluded, public setting—good distinctions to make.

9. You may be too cavalier with talking about your faith. Make sure you are connecting this point with the first one in being welcoming! The call is to be warmly personal with our faith.


3. Simple

“Come see a man …”—John 4:
29

(Not for teaching—just to get to know Jesus.)


1. A right response here is to think, “What do I say?” (I don’t know much theology, I’m not poised, I want to be eloquent …)

2. She’s just become a Christian (I think), she doesn’t know anything about the Bible (because there isn’t one yet), she hasn’t read any apologetic books. She’s just stating the facts.

3. Buddha and Mohammed say, it’s not about me; it’s about “the way.”

• Jesus says, “I AM THE WAY.” It’s about him!
• Simple (Billy Graham was critiqued for being overly simplistic.)

4. Good News vs. Good Advice

Here is why that is so important. Advice is counsel about what you must do. News is a report about what has already been done. Advice urges you to make something happen. News urges you to recognize something that has already happened and to respond to it. Advice says it is all up to you to act. News says someone else has acted.—Martyn Lloyd Jones

5. This is all about Jesus, not teaching, not rules.  It doesn’t take a lot of knowledge and insight.  However, It does mean you really need to look at who Jesus is, what he’s done, and respond.

4. Brave


“He told me all that I ever did.”—John 4:
39

1. How are we to be authentic like this? What prevents us?

2. Samaritan (race issue), Woman (gender issue), but he doesn’t know my past (Thank goodness; otherwise, no water for me). Bring husband (uh-oh)

3. He knows … and he welcomed me … and he’s the Messiah.

4. This changes you. This will change us. Think we’ll be more welcoming? Think we’ll be honest about our faith? The problem isn’t that cultural pressure or church culture is to great it’s that Jesus’ love for you, his death for you, his knowing and accepting love is too small …

5. Let’s rejoice in this!

Closing Questions

• What can you do to be more welcoming to others in your life and here at church?
• Who can you talk to about what you believe (about faith or their doubts)?