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Reaching Out - Making Contact
Jesus' Teaching Methods
Helping a Woman from Samaria
This study highlights one of Jesus' teaching methods
which can be called ministry to a one-soul audience.
Let's begin with the book of John, chapter 4,
in the New Testament of the Bible.
Read John 4: 5-8
Then cometh [Jesus] to a city of Samaria,
which is
called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob
gave to his son Joseph.
Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore,
being
wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and
it was about the sixth hour.
There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw
water:
Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
(For his disciples were gone away unto
the city to
buy meat.)
Jesus met this woman while she was engaged
in the
daily occupations of life: drawing water from a well.
This may seem (for some people) a very
ordinary
situation, and hardly a place to begin discussions
relating to eternal life, but here Jesus saw an
opportunity and worked with it.
Because of circumstances involving religious
intolerance in various countries it is essential
that you try to develop alternative ways to contact
people without raising prejudice and fears before
the people have had a chance to become familiar
with the Word of God for themselves if they desire
to.
One especially effective approach is
through
personal interviews, just like Jesus had a Jacob's
well. Many experiences similar to this are still
possible for Christians to make in these days.
Success in your teaching doesn't come
from just
talking to someone about a particular subject. It
involves also the approach that is used. People are
more impressed by what they see you live, than by
what you say you believe.
The Samaritan woman didn't know anything
about
Jesus' life, but she was definitely impressed by things
He did, and didn't do, in the first few minutes of their
encounter together.
According to John 4: 7 what did Jesus
do?
_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
He asked the woman to do
something very necessary
and practical for Him.
He made contact and opened
the way
to speak further with her.
He began to lay a foundation
upon which to build
a spiritual relationship and attract others later
through her witnessing.
What didn't Jesus do in His meeting
with her?
___________________________________________
___________________________________________
He didn't do anything that might scare her away.
He didn't give her a sermon about her
sins;
even though she needed one; and He knew it.
He didn't condemn, or reject her, in any way.
People often leave interviews to go
and tell others
of their meeting, and what was said, or done in
them... whether those things were good or not.
Initial reactions are long-lasting,
and sometimes
difficult to change, if the experience wasn't a
good one. Be careful what you say.
Read John 4:9
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto
him, How is
it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which
am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no
dealings with the Samaritans.
The fact that Jesus even spoke to the
woman surprised
her. What He asked her to do for Him surprised her
more.
In working for souls you may meet people
who are
considered "social" outcasts. Included in this group
might be the poor, the elderly, or refugees from
nations other than your own. These people may not
seem, on the surface, like very promising candidates
for God's kingdom, but they are. These are the very
ones Jesus wants also to redeem.
God sometimes arranges circumstances
in ways
that puts you face to face with people you might
have wished to avoid. But many outcast souls can
find their way to God if you follow the example
Jesus set.
Did you know there are three things
everyone
looks for in life?
Acceptance
Achievement
Security
To discover more on this
topic
go to the Visda Point study on:
Three Things Everyone Wants.
Among these three things what was this
woman
looking for? ______________________________
The woman of Samaria was
looking for
acceptance;
and she found it with Jesus.
Read John 4:10
Jesus answered and said unto her, If
thou knewest
the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee,
Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him,
and he would have given thee living water.
When their conversation began Jesus
changed the
subject the woman started talking about and slowly
drew her attention to another subject that she was
even more interested in.
By talking to people you
can discover
what their interests are
It is also important to learn to discuss
subjects that
the people you are talking with have concerns about.
Often, in communicating with others, missionaries
are eager to give searching souls what they (the
missionaries) think the person they're speaking with
wants, without asking if this is a subject to pursue
further. If there is no interest shown (especially if
the plan of salvation is the subject being presented),
missionaries sometimes tend to feel discouraged and
think of the person they're trying to assist as one
who is rejecting God, or His truth. This may not
always be the case. The problem may hinge more
with your approach, than with the person's thoughts
about spiritual topics.
Read John 4: 11-14
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou
hast nothing
to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence
then hast thou that living water?
Art thou greater than our father Jacob,
which gave
us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his
children, and his cattle?
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever
drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
But whosoever drinketh of the water
that I shall
give him shall never thirst; but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water
springing up into everlasting life.
Christians sometimes wait for others
to show an
interest in God or the Bible before they begin to
speak on spiritual themes. Jesus, however didn't
wait.
When Jesus introduced spiritual subjects
He related
it to things the woman was already familiar with:
drawing water to sustain her physical life (a basic
need for her security).
If you would like to become more successful
in
your teaching of God's truth, it is essential that
you understand well the meaning of the Scriptures
found in the Bible, and learn how to relate them
to life's everyday experiences.
Up to this point we have found Jesus
working to
interest the woman of Samaria in water that would
quench her thirst and afford an opportunity for her
not to have to come and draw water from the well
again. Seeing that He has her full attention now,
the communication continues...
Read John 4: 15
The woman saith unto him, Sir, give
me this water,
that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.
What Jesus had told her, she definitely
wanted to
know more about. Drawing water in those days was
hard work. Anything that could make it easier (or
bring it to an end) seemed like a wonderful thing.
Read John 4: 16 - 18
Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband,
and come
hither.
The woman answered and said, I have
no husband.
Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no
husband:
For thou hast had five husbands; and
he whom thou
now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.
Jesus then changed the subject relating
to the water
and began to speak to her about her personal life.
Notice that He doesn't condemn the woman
for living
with a man that she wasn't married to. He knew of
this situation, but chose to keep the doors of
communication open with her until she could become
more aware of the truth that could make a change in
her life.
If He had condemned her at the beginning
she
probably wouldn't have wanted to talk with Him
more.
Read John 4: 19
The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive
that thou
art a prophet.
The woman was impressed that Jesus (a
stranger)
knew so much about her private life.
Read John 4: 20
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain;
and ye say,
that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to
worship.
The woman next decided to change the
subject herself
and put some distance between herself and what Jesus
had said about her private matters.
If you begin to discuss personal things
with people
they may seek to change the subject to avoid feeling
uncomfortable.
It's not a good idea to
press ahead
in a direction where you see the road
may soon be coming to an end.
Jesus knew what to say, but often times
we do not.
Let the Lord guide you carefully in all discussions
that relate to someone's personal life and business.
Read John 4: 21 - 26
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe
me, the hour
cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor
yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Ye worship ye know not what: we know
what we
worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
But the hour cometh, and now is, when
the true
worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and
in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship
him.
God is a Spirit: and they that worship
him must
worship him in spirit and in truth.
The woman saith unto him, I know that
Messias
cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come,
he will tell us all things.
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto
thee am he.
Jesus didn't avoid her attempt to draw
attention away
from herself; but instead He worked to give her more
truth and straighten out her misunderstanding on the
worship of God and of the Messiah (whom she was
expecting would come one day).
Again we find Jesus communicating
with the woman regarding points
she had interest in.
What was her reaction?_______________________
___________________________________________
Read John 4: 28 - 30
The woman then left her waterpot, and
went her way
into the city, and saith to the men,
Come, see a man, which told me all things
that ever
I did: is not this the Christ?
Then they went out of the city, and
came unto him.
The woman was so impressed by that time
that she
left her waterpot (probably quickly) and went back
to her village to tell others about Jesus, whom she
now perceived was the long awaited Messiah.
Her testimony was so convincing at home
that the
people she spoke to were also aroused and wanted
to hear Jesus for themselves.
Remember: Those you speak to about the
Lord, and
His truth, are going to go away and tell others about
their experiences and discussions with you. How you
handle yourself in these interactions with others can
make a great difference as to whether or not you will
have more opportunities to meet with them again in
the future.
Read John 4: 39 - 42
And many of the Samaritans of that city
believed
on him for the saying of the woman, which testified,
He told me all that ever I did.
So when the Samaritans were come unto
him, they
besought him that he would tarry with them: and he
abode there two days.
And many more believed because of his
own word;
And said unto the woman, Now we believe,
not
because of thy saying: for we have heard him
ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ,
the Saviour of the world.
Many people of Samaria at that time
became believers
in Jesus because of this one interaction at Jacob's well.
They were convicted of the truth, and began believing,
not just because of the woman's testimony, but because
of the personal experience they made with the Lord
Jesus Himself.
Practical Application Summary
1. When you teach others try to find
subjects which
they want to discuss (things that they are interested
in).
2. Give them truth that you perceive
(and the Lord
impresses) that they will be able to clearly
understand and relate to.
3. When you first meet with individuals
try not to
be judgmental or condemnatory of things you sense
from them that are not in harmony with God's will.
If you respond critically to someone,
the contact
may quickly be cut, and you may not be able to
help them further.
This, however, doesn't mean that you
should
condone or tolerate falsehood, unchristian behavior,
or evil practices; it just means that you seek not to
raise someone's fears and prejudices before there has
been an opportunity to clearly understand why a
lifestyle, or behavior, is not in harmony with God's
will, or conducive to their health, and future
well-being.
Watch your steps carefully in this area and follow
the example of Jesus as was outlined in this study.
Light is progressive and must be presented
in ways
that awaken reasoning powers. The Holy Spirit does
this work best; but we can cooperate with Him in
bringing souls to a saving knowledge of the truth.
4. Try to keep in mind the goal of reaching
out to
others with sincere love and understanding, and to
encourage them to make their own personal
experiences with the Lord. In this everyone can
receive a blessing.
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