Witness (Talk to Non-Christians)
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."Acts 19:8-10 And he entered the synagogue and continued speaking out boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God.
But when some were becoming hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the people, he withdrew from them and took away the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus.
This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.
John 4:25-41 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?"
So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, "Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?" They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about."
So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?"
Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."
From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. Many more believed because of His word.
by Study-Leader @ 4:42 PM
2 Comments:
In our 3 scriptures last night, we saw Jesus' clear commandment to share the Good News of salvation, we saw the disciples' example of boldness in persistently reasoning even in the face of opposition, and we saw Jesus modeling discernment in how to approach a broken woman.
When you compare the last passage to Mark 10:17-27's "rich young ruler" passage, you see very different confrontations with the two very different individuals. James 1:23-25 compares God's Word to a mirror--and Jesus' approach with this self-confident young man was to show him himself in the Scriptures. His approach with the woman at the well, while similar, when you look at it in that light, had a different effect on her. As has been often said, "the same sun which melts the wax hardens the clay."
Notice this woman's reaction--not only her faith, but her action. What do you think is the more "normal" reaction to the message of salvation: a long period of study and waiting before you have enough knowledge to share--or hearing and telling others with joy, as she did? What makes you ready?
How long do you think you need? How long do you think you have? A well-known Pastor who recently passed away is once said, "we should live as if the Resurrection was yesterday and the Second Coming is tomorrow. If you knew that to be the case...who would be the one you would share with today?
Well said, terreb66!
If we wait until we have "arrived" ourselves in some way, we never actually get around to it.
Even the Apostle Paul expressed this thought: "not as though I had already attained, or have already become perfect...but this one thing I do: forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12)
I don't think we should see it as discouraging that even Paul didn't feel as if he was altogether--it's more a challenge to us to make up our minds to be obedient to that high calling regardless!
Forget the failures of the past! Follow that upward call! Look to Jesus and lay aside every weight that would drag you down or hinder you, especially attitudes that would make you fail to obey if you're not perfect.
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