Many Samaritans believe in Jesus

John 4:39-42

Many from the Samaritan village believed he was the Messiah because of the woman’s report: “He told me everything I ever did!” When they came out to see him at the well, they begged him to stay at their village; and he did, for two days, long enough for many of them to believe in him after hearing him. Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe because we have heard him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Savior of the world.” The Samaritan woman immediately shared her experience with others. Despite her reputation, many took her invitation and came out to meet Jesus. Perhaps there are sins in our past of which we’re ashamed. But Christ changes us. As people see these changes, they become curious. We share these opportunities to introduce people to Christ.

Breaking the Barriers

After the Northern Kingdom, with its capital at Samaria, fell to the Assyrians, many Jews were deported to Assyria, and foreigners were brought in to settle the land and help keep the peace (2 Kings 17:24). The intermarriage between those foreigners and the remaining Jews resulted in a mixed race, impure in the opinion of Jews who lived in the Southern Kingdom. Thus the pure Jews hated this mixed race, called Samaritans, because they felt that their fellow Jews who had intermarried had betrayed their people and nation. The Samaritans had set up an alternate center for worship on Mount Gerizim (referred to in John 4:20) to parallel the Temple at Jerusalem, but it had been destroyed 150 years earlier. The Jews did everything they could to avoid traveling through Samaria. But Jesus had no reason to live by such cultural restrictions. The route through Samaria was shorter, so that was the route he took. As a result, many Samaritans became believers. Never let cultural or social prejudices keep you from sharing the gospel.

Always be willing to cross cultural boundaries to share the gospel. There is no one unqualified to receive and believe the gospel message

02-21-2010

Remember Wednesday night is pillow and slipper night. Bring those pillows for the homeless and bring in those slippers, the most outrageous looking pair wins a prize and Pastor Ed will wear them the next Sunday A.M. service.