(John 4: 1 – 26)
Lesson 1. Avoid Controversy: The Pharisees were always attacking the Ministry of Jesus. When Jesus knew the Pharisees could start another problem for Him and His disciples He decided leave Judea for Galilee. We need to be sensitive enough to know when to move away from a controversy. Even the parents of Jesus had to move Him to Egypt to avoid execution by Herod.
2. Listen to your body: As we do work of God, we need to learn to take a rest. Jesus got tired and He decided to take a rest (Mark 6:30-32 KJV). While Jesus was resting at the well, a woman of Samaria came to The well to get water and Jesus asked her for water.
Lesson 3: Be sensitive to opportunities. Although Jesus had no business interacting with the Samaritan woman because of her racial and social background, He used the opportunity to start a chat with the woman. Wherever we are, no matter the time, there will always be opportunities for us to talk about Jesus but we must be sensitive to our environment and to the Holy Spirit. Although Jesus knew that the woman was a Samaritan and that she had married six times, He did not allow that to discourage Him from reaching out to her.
Lesson 4. Don’t be
judgmental. Many times we stereotype people and allow our judgment of
others to get in the way of what God can do through them.
Jesus said “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye
judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be
measured to you again. (Matthew 7:1, 2 KJV). As Jesus engaged the woman
of Samaria in a conversation, His motive was to help her and not to hate
her. He revealed Himself to her as the LIVING WATER (John 4:9, 10 KJV).
Lesson 5. We must
always point people to Jesus. Jesus is the Savior of the world and the
King of kings. He is the reason for our being and he is the one who has
asked us to be Fishers of men. Whenever we go out, we must make sure
that He is at the center of our conversation. Point others to Him and
not to your Church, your pastor or to yourself. As the chat continued
Jesus talked about the nature of God of God and the nature of man. God
is a Spirit and we are also spirit beings. He talked about the need for
salvation to the woman.
Lesson 6. Share the gospel, not religion. Talk to
people about their need for salvation and not about their religion, not
about their church, or their pastor.
When the disciples came back and noticed the situation, Jesus used the
opportunity to encourage them about soul winning. (John 4:31, 32, 34-38
KJV)
Lesson 7. Be encouraged, There is a reward. Jesus told
his disciples that the harvest is ready and that as they go they will
reap. We must also be Encouraged that we are not alone. Jesus is with us
and we go out, we must be expectant for harvest.