JESUS WAS MISSIONAL:
HE WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT DOING DIFFICULT THINGS
By Nicholas Costello
“but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14
Take a moment today to read John 4:1-42, which contains one of the most captivating stories in all the Bible and provides so much insight into the heart of our Savior.
Jesus traveled with His disciples from Judea to Galilee and insisted that they travel through Samaria, a region that would have been avoided because of severe racial, political and theological tensions between Jews and Samaritans. While there, He engaged a woman who quite honestly had three strikes against her. First, she was a Samaritan. Strike two, she was a woman. And strike three, she carried enough weight in sin and emotional baggage to sabotage every relationship in her life. Jesus knew that this encounter would speak life into her parched soul. He also knew that her testimony would transform her entire community. Jesus didn’t back down from the racial or social challenges, and He spoke directly to the emptiness and pain in her life with the intention to bring healing. He had a spiritual appointment on the scroll of eternity to perform a deep spiritual miracle in this woman’s life. Notice that her response to her newfound life was to bring everyone she could to meet Jesus. Jesus ended up staying there two more days and many followed Him after hearing her testimony.
We’re really no different than this Samaritan woman. Oh, our sins may be different, but we are all in need of the same spiritual water she tasted 2,000 years ago. Our communities and nation deeply need to hear the transformational power of the gospel.
ACTION POINT
Will we, with intention, step into the messiness of people’s lives? Our response should be, like hers, to introduce as many people as we can to Jesus. Today, let’s consider a complicated relationship (we all have one) and pray for this person, then if possible, reach out. Maybe a card, call, or text just to say I’m praying for you.
STUDENTS
Don’t let laziness rob you of the joy of serving the Lord. Pray for the ability to love others passionately and to do the hard things. Laziness will keep you from becoming who God designed you to be. It will also keep you from living an awesome, adventure-filled life. Be willing to do hard things as you live on mission for Christ.
KIDS
This is a big action point! With your kids discuss a need (that might be hard) you all are passionate about. Rally your family and take a morning or afternoon to serve people with that need whether at a non-profit or in your neighborhood!
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, help our eyes to be opened to the spiritual harvest around us. Work in me to bring reconciliation, love, and the truth of Your story to someone today.