Following Jesus in Mission
John 4:1-42
Our story starts with Jesus.
As Redeemer Ann Arbor begins to set direction and come into being, what is our mission? What is our purpose? What are we trying to do? We can do no better than to follow Jesus.
What does it mean to live and love people? What does it look like to serve the Father? What does it take to reach our community with the gospel? Look! Jesus shows us.
1. Jesus Shows Us.
Jesus makes himself available to people. John 4:6 Tired from his hiking in the hot Middle Eastern sun, Jesus sits down, not in seclusion to rest, but in public. He sits by Jacob’s well, the water source for the local area, where you can expect to see all the local residents to come for water regularly. Jesus deliberately makes himself available to people, knowing full well how demanding serving other people can be. Though he is “wearied from his journey,” he does not let his own feelings of exhaustion serve as an excuse to avoid seeing or serving other people.
Jesus initiates the conversation. John 4:7 A woman from Samaria comes to the well to get water, and Jesus engages her in conversation. Most Jews would avoid social contact with the despised mixed-breed race of Samaritans, but Jesus is not inhibited by the popular bigotry; he cares about people. Most Middle Eastern men would not speak to a woman, but Jesus cares about the individual. He does not remain aloof and superior, but he gets involved with people and starts the conversation.
Jesus makes himself vulnerable. John 4:7 Jesus asks her for a drink. He doesn’t start the conversation by telling her what he knows she needs to know, but rather he asks her a question. In so doing, he unhesitatingly displays his weakness (thirsty and no way to get a drink), and he automatically puts himself into her debt. Some of us hesitate to ask anyone for much of anything because of how it will reflect on us. Not Jesus.
Jesus steers the conversation to spiritual issues. John 4:9ff. The woman starts talking about race relations, but Jesus talks about the identity of the Messiah (4:10 – who it is who says to you) and our deepest thirst as humans (4:10 – living water/eternal life – 4:14). The woman is interested in labor-saving practices (4:15), but Jesus zeroes in on personal sin issues (4:16-8). The woman asks theological questions and poses conundrums about conflicted worship issues (4:20), but Jesus focuses on who the Father is (4:21-2 – the Father, you worship what you do not know) and a rapidly approaching time of spiritual realization (4:23). And she starts to get it. This is Jesus, the Christ, who tells me all things (4:25, 29, 39)! She tells others, and they believe too, not just because of what she said, but really because of what He said (4:39, 41-2).
2. Jesus Tells Us.
When the disciples come back from buying food in the city (John 4:8, 31-3), Jesus tells them this mission of reaching people with the gospel is something you can really sink your teeth into (4:32, 34). The Father sent Jesus to do this very work, and we are similarly sent (John 17:18).
Jesus communicates the urgency of the mission. John 4:35 Our tendency is to think we have plenty of time before harvest, but Jesus injects a serious dose of urgency. Now is the time to reach people regarding their eternal destinies and the salvation of their souls. The opportunity is here and now. We must not procrastinate or be casual when it comes to eternal and spiritual matters. We must act for Jesus and for people now.
Jesus communicates our cooperation in the gospel. John 4:36-8 One sows and another reaps. We work with others – other witnesses, other churches, other brothers and sisters in Christ – in the mission of Christ. We do not control the outcomes, only God does that. But we do our part. Sometimes we plant seeds, but we see not results; we only observe barren earth, for all the results are underground. Sometimes we reap fruit, and we did nothing to make it happen. It is always God who makes the difference, who causes the gospel seeds to grow and bear fruit, who saves sinners (1 Cor. 3:5-7).
This is our aim as we seek, by the help of God, to begin Redeemer Ann Arbor. Please pray for us that we would follow Jesus in His mission on earth.