| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | Think of the woman going out of town to the well. |
| There are certain views and prejudices which stand | | | | She was a burdened sinner who returned a |
| between many people and a full knowledge of Jesus | | | | redeemed soul. Life under the guidance of God is full |
| Christ and a true joy of salvation. Certain views and | | | | of this kind of situations. You never know when God |
| prejudices create fixed ideas and limits which make it | | | | is going to appear or when the Holy Spirit is going to |
| impossible to obtain this knowledge and joy. For | | | | descend. You never know when Christ is going to |
| some people everything must fit into these limits or | | | | deal with you and remove your burden and give your |
| else be left outside. This charge is frequently brought | | | | soul release. That is why every Christian must be |
| against religious people. Religious people are | | | | optimistic. Just when you are about to convince |
| frequently charged with being narrow-minded and | | | | yourself that your struggle is all in vain and your |
| having a fixed outlook and nonflexible. | | | | fighting is useless — just then, when least |
| Examples of this charge include: | | | | expected, you are rewarded with victory. Thousands |
| Religious persons: | | | | of times this has happened and it is the belief of the |
| 1. A man who claims his religion is the only true | | | | Christian, who believes in the unity of the human race |
| religion. | | | | and who regards all men and women as being equal. |
| 2. A man who claims he has full revelation and unless | | | | It is his belief that what has happened once can |
| you agree with and accept all his doctrines you are | | | | always happen again — that if one man has |
| wrong. | | | | been saved, all men can be saved. He who |
| Non-religious persons: | | | | doesn’t expect, doesn’t receive. |
| 1. A man who says all forms of religion are wrong. | | | | Consider all this in the light of the Samaritans and you |
| For the non-religious, religion is only meant to apply to | | | | will see how an honest, open, unprejudiced mind is |
| a certain type of person. Many non-religious people | | | | rewarded. The Samaritan men were in the city |
| recognize religion as something that does some type | | | | following their occupations, not thinking of anything in |
| of people good. They feel it is all right for some, but | | | | particular. Suddenly the woman appears and shouts, |
| they don’t feel they are the type. They say | | | | Come see a man which told me all things that I |
| religion is not appealing to them, but fail to realize this | | | | ever did. Is this not the Christ? The Samaritans |
| is true because they have not given religion a chance. | | | | knew the woman well. They were aware of her |
| Their outlook is cramped and confined and their view | | | | notorious character. She was living with her sixth |
| of the Truth is that it is something which can be | | | | husband or at least one who passed as her husband. |
| fitted into their mind, instead of something their mind | | | | She was one of those unfortunate people who had |
| needs to absorb and be fitted to. These | | | | gone down and down, who had broken every moral |
| narrow-minded views result in not understanding the | | | | law and desecrated every thing that is required as |
| mysteries of life and the things which make life | | | | sacred. Her life was in a hopeless mess, but at that |
| worth living. These narrow-minded views result in the | | | | moment she was a messenger of the Gospel. She |
| inability to find true fellowship with one another. | | | | was the one who called upon the people of Samaria |
| The view Christ came to teach: | | | | to come out of the city to see Christ. There is |
| Christ taught that we are the same and there are no | | | | enough Gospel in that fact alone to save the whole |
| barriers. He came to banish and break down divisions | | | | world if we could but see it. |
| whether religious or non-religious. He came to proclaim | | | | Consider the reaction of the men. They are asking, |
| that all men and women are one in nature and have | | | | what is this woman talking about? What is this |
| one great need, a true knowledge of God. Christ | | | | hysterical outburst? Thank goodness she found |
| constantly referred to God as Father in order to | | | | someone who can frighten her and bring her to her |
| stress this. The first move on the road to being a | | | | senses. We can easily add, religion is quite useful |
| Christian is to stop being a social, moral, or intellectual | | | | in slums and pagan countries; such people need |
| snob. The way to obtain salvation is to realize the | | | | something to change them. The messengers of |
| need for it and to seek it. This is the theme of the | | | | Christ are strange people. They are sometimes the |
| New Testament: the humble find salvation, but the | | | | last you would expect: ex-convicts, ex-drunkards, |
| proud and arrogant ever remain on the outside. The | | | | ex-everything immoral. Would you be prepared to |
| people who consider themselves in a special and | | | | listen to them? |
| particular position never find happiness, for God does | | | | Consider the woman’s message. If the |
| not legislate for special cases, but for mankind. He | | | | messenger seemed strange, the message was even |
| provided a Savior for the world in His Son. It is | | | | more so. She said, Come, see a man which told |
| therefore our own responsibility if we consider | | | | me all things that ever I did. Not a man who told |
| ourselves to such exceptional people that a | | | | her all her good points, nor praised her. He was a |
| world-Savior does not include us. | | | | man who told her of her faults and her sins. He |
| The story of Jesus speaking to the Samaritans | | | | revealed all her past with all it’s horror. In |
| recorded in John 4:41,42 illustrates these truths and | | | | other words her message was, Come see a man |
| the working out of this idea. And many more | | | | who told me the truth. She had met a man |
| believed because of his own word; And said unto the | | | | whose religion was personal, one who stated honest |
| woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: | | | | bare facts. This is the very secret of the Gospel. It |
| for we have heard [him] ourselves, and know that | | | | understands human nature. We are usually prepared |
| this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. | | | | to listen to a man who is serious and earnest. |
| This story reveals the power of God and the Gospel. | | | | Jesus’ message may lash out and hurt us at |
| However, there is a casual element in the story. It | | | | times; nevertheless, His message shows that He is |
| shows us the great possibilities that are in life for all | | | | out to help us. Jesus exposes our sins and |
| of us if we just take advantage of them. Nothing | | | | weaknesses, but He does not stop at that. Why was |
| could be quite as casual as the chance meeting of | | | | this woman shouting about this? Not because He had |
| Jesus and this woman. They just happened to meet | | | | exposed her sins, but because He had removed |
| and talk about a drink of water. From their | | | | them. |
| conversation came the salvation of the woman and a | | | | The result of the woman’s message was that |
| large number of people from her town. This is the | | | | what happened to her happened to those whom she |
| very essence of the Gospel; that there are infinite | | | | spoke to. Their lives were changed. They knew their |
| possibilities which are present in the most unlikely | | | | sins had been forgiven. |
| circumstances. That is how the Gospel is spread. | | | | |