Seeing Others for Who They Can Be [Part 2]

Pastor author and Bible teacher Alan writings of the good news of the gospel is it of Jesus would have such an unlikely conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well not being restricted or hinder who she is. Her place in life, past or all of the protocol that would prevent him if he could have that conversation on a conversation.

Could he have that's pastor welcome to another message of good news that will help you see your life in a whole new light. I'm being excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series you'll see as presented in an older church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire program I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now. It can be yours for your donation this month to Alan Wright Ministries as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer. Contact us at pastoralan.org that's pastor out and.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860. More on that later in the program right now. Let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan writings years ago and invited his parents to come visit him in New York.

By this time, Gladwell had become world famous best-selling and wealthy author so he put his parents up in one of the Ritz. Yes hotels were all the fabulous and famous people stay in the art just for fun. And after they'd settled and that evening he went to meet them for dinner and he said that his parents were not the type that watch much television didn't read popular magazines. He said my father knew three things the Bible and math, and gardening. If they were unaware they were in a place where celebrities work anyway said that's a damn good afternoon.

He said yeah he said I had a most wonderful afternoon.

He said what did you do a set of thoughts.

I met a stranger in the lobby and we talked for two hours. So what you talk about.

He said that gardening is that what you did enjoy that and I Gladwell said to his father. So, what was his name and his father set out, never found out his name. Exhibit was interesting is that people Come in over and want to have their picture taken with him and people can bring a little bit is the paper over and asked him to write his name on there. I don't know why I was just thinking that celebrity whoever it was that I will never know we had the best afternoon he had a long time that somebody didn't know who he was and could just talk to him about gardening.

There is something positive about admitting you don't really because it opens up possibilities.

It's interesting that verse four that Jesus leaves the disciples through Samaria the way it reads in the ESV as and he had to pass through Samaria, but the actual Greek word, here's a little word day and it means it is necessary.

It wasn't necessary and it is a word that Luke uses often.

Like when he's Jesus says it is necessary that the Son of Man will suffer many things at the hands of the chief so Jesus already had a sense that there was a divine appointment here he lived, poised for those appointments and hear something that I don't know and and is what I love to image pastor Chris you last week.

There some things we just have to put into the mystery bucket. And here's another one to put in the bucket. Jesus was fully God and fully human. God is omniscient and knows everything. Human beings don't know everything. Did Jesus know everything is a very intriguing questions took to scholars and theologians. We do know this is at least one thing. Jesus didn't know.

He said it in Matthew 24, 36 concerning that day and hour return of Christ.

No one knows not even the angels, heaven, nor the son but the father only. Interestingly, there was a place in Mark five.

You know the story. The woman had the him Ridge and she touched Jesus's garment and Jesus in verse 30 perceiving in himself the power going out from them immediately turned around the crowd and said to touch my garments. It seemed like he didn't know. It's strange. Luke 252 so Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and with man so he is God and he is in perfect communion with the father said only do what I see my father doing what he said but my father shows me everything so Jesus I don't know I just had to guess, but it reads to me this story. Maybe Jesus didn't know it all, except as it was developing. And by the revelation of the father through the function of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit whom Jesus had the Bible says without measure that he knew we just got to go through Samaria and you have times like this where is just you are compelled by the spirit and you are unaware, maybe why we're going this way, but we need to and so they go through Samaria and he has his conversation and it reads as if Jesus just starts out as a thirsty traveler who needs a drink of water and maybe I don't know.

Maybe he knew everything was going to happen but it reads like he starts the conversation and he says a drink of water and then the conversation builds, and where he begins to realize that the father wants him to reach this woman's heart and this is a divine appointment. It just gets real beautiful real quick when the conversation begins to build and she said why are you a Jew asking me for water. Even speaking to me. He engages with her by arousing her curiosity with this statement in verse 10 Jesus answered her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you.

Give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would've given you living water. Can you imagine what it was like for Jesus just walking around knowing what he knew what he was going to on the cross. He knew the thoroughness of how his blood was going to be shed for the payment of sand in the cleansing of the conscience.

He knew that on the cross he was going to be opening up the holy of holies to both Jew and Gentile, and anyone that would call upon his name, who would be saved. He knew the power of the Holy Spirit to enliven and wake up the dead he knew of glory to come from whence he had come to this earth. The glory that awaits every person in Jesus Christ. He knew all of this and everything more. He's gone and everywhere he went. He's interacting with people who know so little time thing what what can I compare this to imagine you're a physician today. Modern medical science you gone for the best medical schools was imagine there was a time machine and you could go back 200 years to help people because 200 years ago just 200 years ago medical care was just wasn't they were putting leeches on people. Can you imagine you go to the doctor they bring out the leeches. They would get the scalpel out for people that were running favors and lead them think if we could get the bad blood out then you'll get matter and they were just ruining their chances by just bleeding out all of the German fighting cells in their blood and what just terrible God.

We live today manages but imagine that you were a physician from today and you went back 200 years ago you meet with a physician. In 1800 and your syncopation is got a fever you're looking at it you're going.

This is a routine is probably strep infection in the throat by concealing smell and know it is just need to get a simple antibiotic the same be cleared up within 2448 hrs., but the physician in 1800.

Says hand me the scalpel to believe this person what would you say they're going just 200 years of past you got medical center going to give you much.

I know you would not ask me for a scalpel, you would ask me for germ theory and antibiotic. You asked me for my medical books you would ask me to teach you but sometimes you're in a position where you don't know enough to even know what to ask for. If you think leeches are going to cure somebody you don't know how to ask for an antibiotic. If you know you spoke to Jesus. If you would be a bit of a conversation I wouldn't be asking you for water you be asking me in the water. I have to give is springing up from eternity. It is the life of the Holy Spirit. Allen right will have more teaching moment from today's important series want to give someone a present this Christmas. The build never forget. Let us help you give a gift, that money can't buy this Christmas. Give someone your blessing positive biblically-based faith filled vision for their life in the beginning God blessed Adam and Eve and then told them to be fruitful and multiply, because in God's design blessing isn't the reward for productivity.

It's the fuel for it. Now more than ever, someone you love needs your blessing and we're here to help you craft this month.

Special offer from Allen right is a beautiful booklet that will teach you how to craft an full blessing for easy step-by-step instructions are biblically based, and even include a worksheet that helps you write your blessing. So this Christmas.

Give someone you love a present, not found in stores, a gift from your own heart that will encourage and empower write down the blessing and put it in the package under the tree or put it in your Christmas card build never forget it when you make your gift. Alan Wake ministries this month will send you this booklet is our thinking so you can discover the power to bless call us at 877-544-4860 or visit pastor and.org these teaching now here once again is Allen right. He knows things about her says don't call your husband. She says I don't have one. He said that's right you had five men you're living with now saw your husband and you know if you just read this and you don't know Jesus you think you to shaming her here, but is clearly not because guess what if people shame you what you do you want to get away from them and not come back, but instead what she does.

She scurries off to the village especially can't because she wants to tell people I love verse 28, so the woman left her water jar and went away in the town is said to the people, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ. They went out of the town and they were coming to him. She forgot about the natural water left her job there.

She just wanted to get back and tell people, even though she was a scandalized woman in the noontime hour, she went back and she started telling people come and meet this man. I think he may be the Messiah and something about the way he interacted that he was just loving her.

While at the same time saying I know some things about you and she knew it was supernatural. The townspeople began coming and this is where Jesus says look I tell you.

Lift up your eyes and see that the fields are white for harvest. What you might see as a despised Samaritan. Jesus is saying, I've got huge faith for them.

That's going to be a revival in this town there's going to be a blessing that goes forth through this woman to all these people look see anybody can change anybody can be saved.

Anybody can be used by God about six or seven years ago. Some of you had a chance to meet Hilda she was here in our church. She gave testimony briefly and it was very unlikely that Hilda would've been here because it is very unlikely that Hilda ever been in any church sharing anything.

She grew up with her alcoholic mother and alcoholic father. She saw her father abused her mother and cut her parents were father was taken away. The mother was. Not available. She went moved in with her grandfather, who turned out to be an alcoholic as well. She went through this hard life of abuse. She mothered a daughter, and when the father was not relinquishing all the rights to the daughter she assaulted the father and that was what first landed her in prison. While in prison she met heroin supplier became her chief Avenue for heroin. She lived addicted to opioids and she began selling drugs in order to support her habit. It was a cycle of incarceration that took her from state to state until she wound up in Coleman Alabama by her own testimony, she became the meanest woman in the jail because she had become so brazen in her spirit and so better in her so she never wanted to be beaten up by anybody, so she beat up everybody else. She had had some religion in our life and it had left her feeling the burn and she wanted nothing to do with it but there's a sweet pastor one sweetest pastors you'd ever made name Bobby Hill in Coleman Alabama. His congregation had started a practice of taking materials that I'd written called shame off you book and workbook into the jail. They had found that it been so effective with inmates and healing, shame, and setting people free from bitterness and drug addiction. Then, that the sheriff said that he saw it work and he says I do as much as you want to talk about Jesus as much as you want to. So they did for a long season.

They were leaving these these small groups of the shame off you materials and Hilda was invited in. She didn't want to come but she said later those people from that church were the most authentically loving people I'd ever seen him all life, so eventually she came and got into the small group and she said she was so mad she hated it. First, and came to a chapter that is called for the want of a mom and a dad and she said we got done with that study that day and she said I went back to my cell and cried for two hours and she said I cried out to God and I said if you're there. I really do want you and I need you, but it can't be like the religion I've seen before. She said I didn't feel the arms of God and nothing, nothing seemed to happen, and I fell asleep crying myself to sleep that night and I woke up the next morning and I was in the restroom and cellmate looked at me and said Hilda what is changed about you and Hilda said what in the woman said your smiling. Hilda said you looked in the mirror and she was smiling and she realized something had changed and that in the middle of the day she opened her Bible and her eyes fell on a passage in which she read the words from Jesus, my peace I give you.

Not as the world gives you I give unto you, and Hilda said she felt peace for the first time in her life.

Hilda not only finish that shame off you group but she went again and again until I think she knows the materials better than I do. As she began leading groups in the Coleman County jail of women shame off you and did so for years changing women's lives. When she got her paralysis and and and me an email and it said I wanted you know I got parole today. She said, but know this, God set me free long before I was set free. You never know. I think sometimes we look at people and with our preconceptions. We have dog arrived and put them into it as if they can't get out. Jesus never did that Jesus is so powerful to see through all of our checkered pasts and our weaknesses and problems and to see what we can be. So the good news of the gospel is it if Jesus would have such an unlikely conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well not being restricted or hindered by who she was. Her place in life the problems of her past or all of the protocol that would prevent him if he could have that conversation.

What kind of conversation could he have with you and me, and if he could use her for a revival in authentic revival doesn't mean he can use anybody the bliss of the gospel is this, you and I do not bring anything to the equation, except for our need for God. We do not bring any of our own righteousness. We do not bring any payment of any type. We do not bring any sacrifice to offer Jesus has paid the entire price. It is his spirit that does the miracle of making dead people come to life. Spiritually we are born again by his power, not our own. So what is it that we bring we bring the recognition that we know very little, and that we are very hungry and were very thirsty so in the end, this is a story about spiritual thirst because it is the only prerequisite for coming to Christ is the only thing you need only thing you need is to know that you need him. I love the new living versions translation of Isaiah 55 verse one. Is anyone thirsty and drink. Even if you have no money, take your choice of wine or milk. It's all free. Is anyone thirsty, Matthew five Jesus began his ministry by same, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. John seven on the last day of the feast, the great day. Jesus stood up and cried out, if anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

And the whole big story finds its conclusion. In Revelation 2222 verse 17 the Spirit and the bride say, let the one who hears say, let the one who is thirsty, let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Living water is available to you and me and to everyone you encounter for free if you can look at an optical illusion drawing and see either an old woman or a young woman if your brain can do that. What might happen if you start saying Jesus. How do you see this person. You might see that all things are possible. You might see the most unlikely be completely transformed by the power of the gospel. Jesus sees perfectly. We don't so ask Wilhelm and that's the gospel. Allen running today's good news missing seeing others for who they can from the series you'll see in past relatives back with us in the studio with a parting good news thought for today and just want to give someone a present this Christmas that they'll never forget.

Let us help you give a gift, that money can't buy this Christmas. Give someone your blessing positive biblically-based faith filled vision for their life in the beginning God blessed Adam and Eve and then told them to be fruitful and multiply, because in God's design blessing isn't the reward for productivity.

It's the fuel for it. Now more than ever, someone you love needs your blessing and we're here to help you craft this month.

Special offer from Alan Wright is a beautiful booklet that will teach you how to craft an blessing for easy step-by-step instructions are biblically based, and even include a worksheet that helps you write your blessing. So this Christmas. Give someone you love a present, not found in stores, a gift from your own heart that will encourage and empower write down the blessing and put it in the package under the tree or put it in your Christmas card will never forget it when you make your gift Alan Wright Ministries this month will send you this booklet is our thinking so you can discover the power to bless call us at 877-544-4860 or visit pastor and.org pastor Alan today's party. Good news thought on the conclusion of this particular teaching. Would it be the encouragement that's here being able to be an encourager to others will just think about how many times in our life. We just skip right bias, a conversation with someone because we have made assumptions and his worst form is outright prejudice and and and or and and other instances, even in people that we know and and we know well and entered are the person that is most needed to love them. We get little judgments that form Jesus just didn't have this he saw people right through everything he saw it he saw yes he saw the sin, but what he saw was the seed of what could be and that's what he spoke to, and it just is a wonderful thing. Daniel if you can begin to believe that maybe something wonderful could happen and someone that in this case is the Samaritan woman revival comes to her town and see that Jesus so when you interact with folks so Jesus you see this person and have you see the situation, it would change everything and you can a profound encourager seemed Jesus's eyes. Today's good news message is a listener supported production Alan Wright Ministries