GOD SAVES BAD PEOPLE PART THREE

 

John 4:27-45

 

We are so often blinded to the people around us. I am referring to their spiritual needs and to their readiness and openness to Jesus. We see their lifestyle choices and sometimes hard attitudes, and we forget that God is able to work powerfully in them when the time is right according to God’s will. But we tend to right them off, and show little, to no compassion, because they are not like you and me. This puts us into a place where we are no different than the nation of Israel as it pertains to those outside their camp, or outside the church today. This encounter that Jesus has with this woman, tears down the barriers of Jew and Gentile. This encounter is evident to the profession, and confession, that the worst of sinners can be saved; and this also reveals that the nation of Israel is a nation of Jonah’s.

Why didn’t Jonah go to Nineveh? Because he knew that God was full of compassion and grace. Jonah, like the Jews, hated the Gentile nations, but He also knew God was full of grace and compassion. “But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” Jonah 4:1-2. And though salvation was of the Jews as Jesus already said, (v22) this means that they were to be the stewards of truth and to take care the promises for future generations. Like Jonah, they were to proclaim the Christ to the ends of the earth, they were to be a missionary nation to proclaim Christ to the lost world.

 

The Saviour of the world is who the Jews were to proclaim to the world. “And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him— for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength— he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:5-6

Its “too small of a thing” just to save the nation of Israel only, I want you to go into the ends of the earth with the gospel.

 

Just as we read in the New Testament. “And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” Mark 16:15

 

Just like the Jews, just like Jonah, we are given a message of hope to share with this fallen world system that is riddled with sin, and lives in contempt for the things of God. A message of hope for people who are still slaves to their sin. We have a responsibility to be good stewards of the Word to a lost people like this woman at the well and we are not to make excuses before we ever get an opportunity to have a gospel encounter. See! The problem in the church today is that we don’t do what we’re supposed to do, just like what the nation of Israel hasn’t done since the conception of Israel. Why? I don’t think we really care and love people as much as the bible tells us too.

 

I don’t think we care or love those outside our

family and circle of friends.

 

The bible says “love your wife” so I’m supposed to love my wife.

The bible says “love your neighbor” so I’m supposed to my neighbor.

The bible says “love your enemy” so I’m supposed to love my enemy.

 

There is no getting around this problem of not loving people as Jesus loved. Do we really care about others? We would say yes! That is evident when you have a loved one who is sick, or hurt, and they need medical attention right away, what’s the first thing you do? We urgently rush them to the hospital! Why? There are special to us, because we love them dearly. We love them so much we stop working, playing, resting, our vacation; so that we can get them the care they need as fast as possible. We are so focused on their well-being, our homes could be burning down which means nothing in the moment when you are urgently thinking of someone else other than ourselves. We do this because their quality of life is threatened and this concerning to us as Paul said we are to look on the interest of others. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,” Phil 2:3-5

 

What are we not doing to seek the interest

of other over ourselves?

 

Is it possible we are comfortable and satisfied living the status quo in the Christian life. Is it possible that we have bought into the lie of this world “just leave people alone” or “be tolerable” 

 

This is the complete opposite of the Lord Jesus Christ as He said to His disciples?

 

I’ve come to separate father and son, mother and daughter.

Anyone who looks back isn’t fit for the Kingdom.

Take up your cross and come follow me.

Sell everything you have and give to the poor.

You will be hated for My Name sake.

Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel truth.

I send you out as doves among wolves.

 

He called us all to proclaim the good news before it’s too late for lost people, we are to continue what the Jews were suppose to do from the beginning. He’s calling us with urgency because the day is approaching it will be glorious and frightening all at the same time at His second coming. We have just witnessed Jesus tearing down the walls between the Jews and the Samaritans. His grace is open to all who come in and dine with Him, but as I said many times before! “To dine with Him is to die to self.” We have just witnessed Jesus’s relentless pursuit in saving a sinner who none of us would have sit in our home for dinner, if we were truly honest with ourselves.

 

His relentless pursuit for the spread of the gospel is to

be our relentless pursuit as well.

LOOK WHAT JESUS SAYS AND WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS WOMAN WHEN HIS DISCIPLES RETURN FROM THE MARKET.

 

Again, remember this an immoral woman who was once ashamed to get water at the right hour.

 She is no longer ashamed; she has a clear conscience to run to her village [who knew of her character] with a message of hope to tell others. (v28-v29)

 

She has a clean conscience because of her confession as the Hebrew writer wrote, “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Heb 10:22

 

She is giving evidence to the fact that she has received pardon and grace, and with this she is doing what the gospel requires of her. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Cor 5:18-19

 

The Scriptures declares that she ran with urgency (v28-v30) This poor Samaritan adulterous had been brought out of sin’s darkness into God’s marvelous light. She left her waterpot because she had now found a well of “Living Water”. She came to the well for literal water and ended getting Living Water though the gift of salvation. She knew the Messiah now, not from hearsay of others, but from a personal revelation of Himself, and this immediately changed her from the inside out.  “Convicted sinner into a devote saint” the gospel is effectual because it produces something always. This exciting news she cannot contain it to herself, she goes and tells the men sitting in the gate all that Jesus said about her. She drops her watering pot and runs and says, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” (v29) How beautiful of a transformation that God had done, she did nothing to receive it or work for, just as we read in Ecclesiastes. “I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.” Eccl 3:14

 

There was no probation period for this woman, there is working to fix herself. She was saved for all eternity, saved by grace through faith in Christ, apart from any works of her own. “Come and see” was her newly-born expression of God’s grace; and may this be our opening confession as well to a lost people as well. This phrase contains a sense of urgency to invite others to see and hear for themselves. (v37; v39-v42) Because the Samaritan harlot was over and grace had won a glorious victory. A sinner brought of darkness into God’s marvelous Light and this led to other hearing about the Messiah and the One who saves, which meant so much to her heart.

 

The Scriptures declares that this was a teaching moment for His disciple for the purpose of ministry. (v31-v36) This gave time for Jesus to explain to His disciples the importance of why we are here! For the sake of the gospel message. They must learn that the saving grace of God was not limited to Israel, that it was to be reaching out to sinners of the Gentiles, too. People are dying in their sin, and guilt, and we have the only medicine that can cure their disease. They “marvelled” talking to this despised Samaritan, yet they stayed silent. And instead of questioning Jesus about this woman they sought to see if Jesus had eaten anything yet. Jesus uses something as simple as food, as He did with the woman “give me a drink” to explain to His disciples about His purpose and our purpose in life. (v31-v38)

Jesus says “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me” Remember what Moses wrote “Man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” Deut 8:3. By talking to the woman about her spiritual condition, Jesus was obeying and honoring His Father will. Which means He was doing the Father’s will, by sharing the truth of His word to a sinner in need of His saving grace. He is the only Saviour for this world and He is saving people out of this world, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” 

John 3:16-17

 

Look what also Jesus says to His disciples “look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest” At this time of year, the crops would have been planted and sprouting up in vibrant green color. So, they were surrounded by crops and Jesus uses this as an object lesson into the window of His heart. The disciples would receive this as a rebuke, because they would regard Samaria as a most unlikely field to work in. Jesus explains for them to see what He saw. His urgency for sinners who needed to hear the message of hope. Jesus is calling His disciples to do the work of evangelism which contain the promises of a reward, “wages” (v36) which results in fruit that brings eternal joy, everlasting joy! By obeying the Father’s will it builds the Kingdom of God, which brings a wage of joy that we get to share in with God Himself. The joy of seeing a bad person come to Jesus on God’s terms, not mans. A sinner being transformed by the sovereign work of God in the Spirit. 

"All hope in ministry lies in the Spirit of God operating on the spirit of men."

Charles Spurgeon

 

THE FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES! DO I CARE ABOUT BAD PEOPLE [MEANING SINNERS] AS MUCH AS JESUS DOES?

 

Jesus needed “to go to Samaria” and look what resulted in that simple encounter with a sinner. (v39-v42)

 

If Jesus saw the importance to speak this woman, what makes us

think we are to do any different?

Bad People Need To Hear About Immeasurable Truth About The Gospel Of Grace That Saved Me. “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

 

Bad People Need To Hear About The Gospel In Every Part Of The World Not Just In Our Homes And Churches. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matt 24:14

Bad People Need To Understand That They Are Dead And Need Christ To Bring Them Back To Life, Life Eternal Through Christ Alone. ”And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Eph 2:1-9

 

Bad People Need To See Their Sin As God Sees Their Sin. “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the LORD has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged.” Isaiah 1:2-8

 

We need to hear these words as spoken to us. God is revealing to us who we are before the gospel transformed our hearts. Like the doctor who examines his patient, God is examining us, and He not only sees our sin, He sees the ubiquity of our sin because He is omnipresent. One Theologian wrote, “God is showing us that we are not just mostly good people who have made a few mistakes.  We are not healthy people who have a problem in one area of our body.  We are not injured people, who are recovering from a few unfortunate wounds.  We don’t just have the occasional arrhythmia in the heart, or a few troublesome blood clots in our brain.  The whole head is sick.  The whole heart is faint.  From the sole of your foot to the crown of your head, there is no soundness, no health.” People are dead and bad people/sinners who need to hear this, because this is how God sees sinners outside the camp of God’s grace in the gospel of Christ.

 

Bad People Need To Know That They Are Not To Far Gone From His Saving Grace And Mercy. “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” 1 Tim 1:12-16

 

God has entrusted this message to His special sanctified people, to tell the world about the saving grace found in Christ alone. What we can learn from this portion of Scripture is that we must never judge by appearances. So often we regard certain people as hopeless cases, and its useless to speak the gospel into their hearts. My response to that is, “Isn’t wonderful that never happened to you on your worst day, or season of life.” We don’t know of who sowed the first seed of truth into their hearts; which made it possible for you and I, to come along and plant another one. We do not know the harvest of each person to whether they will respond to the grace given; but what matters is that we love others with the truth of Christ. The importance of gospel is that its saving dying people, this woman is evidence of it, the Samaritans that believed is evident of it, you and I are evidence of it.