Sunday 23 March 2014

Background

The Gospel of John gives us a full account of an ordinaryconversation which brings out an evangelistic result. It allstarted with Jesus' request for a drink from a Samaritan woman:"Will you give me a drink" (v. 5). The conversation starts like atiny spring of an underground stream struggling to get throughtwists and turns in the heart and mind of a woman who had beenentangled with cultural and racial barriers, held back by herlimited understanding of God and traditional beliefs andgenerational barriers. How do we deal effectively with thoseobstructions in our everyday life in order to endure sharing God'slove with others who are different from us?

By the end of the conversation, the woman left her water jar andwent away to the city (verse 28). That's what had happened afterplacing a request for the water Jesus offered (verse 15) and thenconfessing twice that Jesus is a prophet and the Messiah (verses19, 25).

When you know and drink from the water of life you do not need ajar or a basket (cf verse 11). When your thirst is quenched youcouldn't help but go back to your people and tell where to find it.That's what evangelism is about. We are told that "many Samaritans... believed in [Jesus] because of the woman's testimony" (v.39).

To Ponder

• Jesus breaks through all kinds of barriers to reach us in ourneed of a Saviour. Fill us with the water of life that overflows sothat others may fill up also.

• How passionate are you to share Christ with your relatives andfriends?