MISSION EVANGELISM

BECOMING A SPIRITUAL ADVISOR

John 4:4-26/ John 4:39-42 (Read later)

Purpose: To inspire and instruct people to engage in God-speech.

Proposition: We can learn from Jesus how to talk about spiritual matters in a way that deeply affects an individual.

Introduction:

1. We have stopped talking about God with other people, because we cower from stereotypes.

Example: During a severe thunderstorm accompanied with heavy torrential rain on the corner of Meridian and NW 39th Expressway, in Oklahoma City, a young man was pacing back and forth thrusting his fists in the air, hitting his Bible, and shouting religious phraseology.

Example: We have experienced the intrusive, and sometimes insensitive, knocks at the doors of our homes to be confronted with people who are trying to get us to see God from their perspective.

2. We fear confrontation with its social disapproval.

3. Pluralism in our society, which proclaims “there are lots of ways to God” and “live and let live,” makes us leery about proclaiming a religion that says Christ is the only way to God.

4. Individualism in America maintains that everyone chooses for oneself—as though those decisions cannot be influenced by others.

5. It is true that faith is personal, but it is never private.

I. Jesus dealt with lots of objections.

A. You are a Jew (v.9).
	1. Human prejudices create barriers. 2. Emotional feelings such as hatred and resentment often erect their ugly heads to cause the potential witness to clam up.
B. You have nothing (to draw with) (v.11).
	1. The lady was saying, “What do you have to offer me?” 2. People today are inclined to rebuke the Christian with the same words. 3. The implication is: “I have all I need. I need nothing from you!”
C. Who are you? “Are you greater than…” (v.12).
	1. The lady asks Jesus, “Who do you think you are?” 2. We hear, “You are judging me!”
D. You are wrong (v.17).
	1. Jesus asked the lady to bring her husband. 2. She responded, “I have no husband.” 3. This is a way of saying to the potential witness, “You are wrong.” 4. Another contemporary objection that falls along these lines might be, “Don’t drag up my sins.”
E. My belief is as good as your belief (v.20).
	1. “You Jews claim the place to worship is in Jerusalem, while we believe that a person worships God in Mt. Gerizin” (v.20) 2. People are apt to bring up denominational disunity. 3. They are quick to trade one set of beliefs for another set of beliefs saying both are of equal value. 4. This is an example of pluralism—meaning don’t you try to change my mind, for I have a right to believe whatever I want to believe. 5. There is no search for truth in our day, rather a desire for freedom—the freedom to believe anything.

II. How Jesus dealt with the unbeliever.

A. He asks something of her (v.7). B. He offered to meet a need (v.10). C. He ignored the caustic remarks and stayed on the topic of caring for her need (14). D. He addressed the sin issue (v.16). E. He complimented the openness of the person (v.18).
F. He transcended the differences and moved to the issues that unite us (v.24).
	Example: I was admonished by a young person who had accompanied me as I presented the gospel, “Why didn’t you tell that person! Why didn’t you set that person straight when they told you they did not believe in hell?” To which I responded, “We do not have to, for hell is not the main issue. The gospel is the most critical matter to convey.”
G. Introduce Jesus to people (v.26).

Conclusion:

1. Read John 4:39-42
2. The people first trusted Jesus because of the lady’s testimony (39).
3. People were then able to trust God because they heard God themselves (42).