ODJ: going to great lengths
October 30, 2010
He had to go through Samaria on the way (v.4).
READ: John 4:1-26
Bill Adams, CEO of a large hospital in Virginia, received a frantic call from a woman whose mother had died a few days earlier at the medical center. Prior to her death, the woman had lost her wedding ring somewhere in the hospital. The grieving daughter explained that her parents had been married for 50 years, and that her dad wanted to slip the ring back on his wife’s finger before they buried her.
Moved by the woman’s story, Bill promised to do all he could to help. The staff did a thorough search, but came up empty. Restless, Bill went to the basement of the hospital and climbed into a bin—amid wet, soggy, dirty laundry. Amazingly, there he found the ring! Bill’s up close and personal leadership yielded great fruit.
In John 4, out of divine necessity, Jesus got up close and personal and sorted through some of the cultural “dirty laundry” of His day. He crossed cultural barriers by going through Samaria (Jews considered Samaritans half-breeds) and talking to a woman (it was forbidden for a man, especially a rabbi, to talk to a woman in public). He did this because His mission was to seek and save the lost.
He established common ground with the Samaritan woman (John 4:7), piqued her spiritual interest and curiosity (vv.9-14), was gracious and sensitive as He confronted her sin (vv.17-18), kept the conversation centered on the main issue (vv.19-25), and revealed Himself as Messiah (4:26). Jesus’ up close and personal style of evangelism yielded a great harvest of Samaritans who believed in Him as their Savior.
Jesus is calling each of His followers to go to great lengths to help those who are lost in the “dirty laundry” of our culture. He wants us to introduce them to the only One who can satisfy their deepest longings. —Marvin Williams
To what lengths have you gone to reach someone who was far from God? What steps are you taking right now to reach others with the gospel?
Tweet This
Share on Facebook
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it-
RSS Feed
Related
ODJ: there you are!
September 26, 2011 Come and see a Man who told me everything I ever did! (John 4:29). READ: Mark 5:25-34 There are two kinds of people,” said advice columnist Abigail Van Buren. “Those who walk into a room and say, ‘There you are!’ and those who say, ‘Here I am!’” The one Person who could [...]
ODJ: rejoice!
August 31, 2009 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety (v.9). READ: Psalm 16 Throughout Africa, from Sierra Leone to Uganda, rebel leaders have abducted hundreds of thousands of innocent boys and girls and converted them into soldiers. Forced to commit unspeakable crimes and murderous acts, often against their [...]
ODJ: the gospel and social justice
February 18, 2012 Will those who do evil never learn? They eat up my people like bread and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord (v.4). READ: Psalm 14:1-7 Many people think there’s no connection between the gospel and the fight against such social evils as poverty, racism, and sexual trafficking. They surmise that the gospel [...]
ODJ: even the women
November 2, 2010 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other (v.26). READ: Romans 1:18-32 The mothers in my neighborhood threw a party for the distinctive feature of the male anatomy—one of them even baked [...]
Christian Courses
Day Of Discovery
Discover The Word
Discovery Series
Help For My Life
My Utmost For His Highest
Our Daily Bread
Our Daily Journey
RBC Ministries
WarungSateKaMu
Manasociety
雅米