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Jesus, Lessons for Life 14
7/26/2010 6:08:58 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

lessons for life


Our Lord next decided to leave Judea and return once more to Galilee. In this journey He chose to go through Samaria. Herein lies an important lesson regarding how God seeks all people, not just the Jewish people.

In his travel through Samaria, he has a remarkable encounter with a Samaritan woman.
John 4:5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”
 
Location of Jacob's Well near Samaria, where Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman.
We need to understand that this meeting would have been very unlikely in this time. Jews simply did not want to have anything to do with Samaritans. They would normally go out of their way to avoid Samaritans. You can see that from the text of John 4:9. Yet, our Savior chose to engage.
John 4:9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Undoubtedly the woman was surprised to find a man sitting by the well, particularly a Jewish man. Jesus' initial approach was a simple request for water. One would hardly refuse a drink of cold water to a thirsty traveler in the heat of the day. The request did have a surprising element, however, for no Jewish rabbi would have volunteered to carry on a public conversation with a woman, nor would he have asked to drink from a Samaritan's cup, as she implied by her answer.  There was a trace of sarcasm in the woman's reply, as if she meant, "We Samaritans are the dirt under your feet until you want something; then we are good enough!" [1]
Of course, that was not so.  Jesus made it clear through his actions and words that the Samaritans were precious to him -- precious in the eyes of God.
Key Lesson — As the story plays out, it is clear that Jesus mission, as demonstrated by such actions, included reaching the lost—all people that are separated from God. Likewise we will see that his intention for us it to take the Good News of Christ to all people.
Blessings,

Larry

 


[1] Zondervan NIV commentary on John 4
Jesus, Lessons for Life 13
7/18/2010 6:18:15 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment

lessons for life


The next accounts that we have of Jesus and his team of disciples were in the Judean countryside, where He was teaching and they were baptizing. John the Baptist was also baptizing in this region, and we can begin to see that John’s role was coming to completion as Jesus’ role in ministry was accelerating and growing.

John explained this to his followers, and then echoed the plan of salvation that Jesus had shared with Nicodemus.
John 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less.
31 “The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.
32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
33 The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.
34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
So, our next lesson for life from Christ comes from John the Baptist teaching his disciples, that Christ was greatest. John's disciples were actually upset that more people were coming to Jesus. John's teaching had some wonderful elements, and it was a beautiful lesson in humility.
  • How did John the Baptist's role change and ultimately decline? 
    • He went from fame to less fame
    • He later ended in jail
    • He was executed – beheaded
  • John knew his role and did it forcefully
  • He did not try to be something more that God intended
  • He put Christ first
Key Lesson — The lesson from John the Baptist then was how he perceived himself relative to Christ.  We should strive to be who God intends us to be; we should be strong in that role, but we should not allow pride to take us out of God's plan.

John concluded this important lesson to his disciples with the key to salvation --
John 3:36 "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.”
We see this vital message woven throughout the Gospel of John.  It was in fact our focus last week in lesson 12.
Blessings,

Larry


Jesus, Lessons for Life 12
7/12/2010 11:48:36 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

lessons for life, salvation


The Most Essential Lesson

Our Lord then speaks plainly about his mission/purpose for being on earth—to provide our path to eternal salvation.
Here is one of the many places where scripture spells this out clearly, without question.
John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
I really love to read from the book of John, because it is full of this precious message of salvation.  Jesus was sent to save us!  While he was here, he taught us a lot, and we will continue to explore the lessons of his life and teaching in the weeks to come.
Nothing is more important than this one.
Key Lesson — The lesson most important for our salvation is this then, that we must believe in Jesus. God loved us and sent him. The choice is then ours. We can believe and receive eternal life. If we do not, we already stand condemned. This message is brought through clearly, time and time again.

Blessings,

Larry

 

Jesus, Lessons for Life 11
7/5/2010 10:03:47 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment

lessons for life


Truths essential to salvation

In lessons 9 and 10 we discussed the variety in teachings from Jesus, and we saw how some people, especially the religious leaders of Jesus' time, struggled to understand.
While some teachings in our Bible are not spelled out in 100% detail, those essential to salvation are provided completely. I particularly like the Gospel of John. Christ's messages about the source of our salvation are woven throughout the text.
Our Lord spoke plainly about his mission/purpose for being on earth—to provide our path to eternal salvation.
John 3:13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
Key Lesson — The lesson most important for our salvation is this then, that we believe in Jesus. God loved us and sent him. The choice is then ours. We can believe and receive eternal life. If we do not, we already stand condemned. This message rings through the books of the Gospel time and time again.
Blessings,

Larry

 

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