John's Digital Picture Of Jesus: With One Of "Those People."

Next Picture Of Jesus: 

 

Wrong Nationality, Wrong Gender, Wrong Moral Code...

Changed Lives

John 4:1-42



 

As I think about this picture today, it would be a picture of which many "Church" people might say, "How in the world could He allow Himself to be seen with her?"  I had such an experience as this many years ago, when as a Pastor,  a woman came into the church.  Someone said to me "What is she doing here?"  I had been outside the "Church" providing Pastoral Care to her family; therefore, this caught me off guard, but I had God's grace to say, "She is seeking God and His grace. That is all that is required."  And God did a great work in her and her family... as well as that church family.

 

This was the case of Jesus and this Picture of this "Woman at the well."  The disciples had gone to get food, and missed out on a whole lot of stuff.  First they missed out on a REAL GOOD picture of how Christ Followers need to be.  They also did not get to be a part of a powerful move of God's Holy Spirit. 

 

Sadly many in the Church miss this as well because of a bias against "those people."  Yes, this woman sought God.  Yes, she was not one of the most moral people of her day.  Yes, Jesus accepted her as she was where she was.  AND God did a great work in her, her family and the entire city where she lived.  You might even say she was the first New Testament Evangelist....even though she was from the "wrong side of town" and a woman.

 

Picture this:  Jesus was breaking all the boundaries of His Faith Group.  First as a Rabbi, it was inappropriate, in that day, to be talking to a woman.  Second, it was inappropriate to be mingling with a Samaritan.  Third, it was inappropriate seemingly validate a woman who had been married 5 times and was now "shacking up" (fornicating) or as we say today... "Cohabiting" with a man to whom she was NOT married. Also she did not seem to "get it" regarding the true means of authentic worship; yet in accepting her as she was,  He was able to give her truth and grace.

 

Imparting grace and truth worked miracles.  This woman went back to her friends, relatives, associates and neighbors... her town.  She told the story of meeting Jesus and what it was like.  She posed the question, "Could this be the Messiah?"  The people started believing.  Then they encountered Jesus themselves.  The end result was that the entire city had a great experience of Spiritual Renewal that changed their lives completely and all the way through eternity.

 

Now some times people are left out of the picture. I hinted at this already.  The Disciples -The Church- were not a part of this great spiritual awakening.  They did not get to be part of a move of God's Holy Spirit where a woman simply told her story about intersecting Jesus at a desert well.  Sometimes we get left out of pictures, but this is one in which each Christ Follower would do well to be front row and center.  Why?  Because there are a lot of thirsty people not getting the living water today because we are reluctant to meet them where they are.

 

Get in the picture.  Get outside the walls of Church buildings.  Remove  the judging, condemning and unforgiving pictures of folks different from you from your spiritual life's album.  Share with folks, with truth and grace, honestly and then see what happens.

 

You might be surprised that you will be....

 

Blessed 2day

Especially 2day

And others will be blessed as well.

 

 

SoJourner