Jesus, Our Perfect Example - III

Evangelism.

Another area Jesus serves as an example is in evangelism. He was able to preach to large crowds as recorded in Matthew 5-7 for example. The gospel meeting is one way we can attempt to teach large numbers of people today. Vacation Bible School is another way large groups can be taught.

But Jesus also taught one on one. John 3:1-21 records a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and "ruler of the Jews," a member of the Jewish Sanhedren. He also taught a women of Samaria recorded in John 4. From these two examples of one on one teaching we can learn much. First, the social standing of the individual is unimportant. Nicodemus was a member of the highest Jewish court, and a member of the respected Pharisees. The women at the well was first of all a women. The disciples "marvelled that he talked with the woman" (John 4:27). She was also a Samaritan women. The Samaritans were hated by the Jews. This hatred was so intense that Jews would not travel through Samaria going to or from Jerusalem. Yet John informs us Jesus "must needs go through Samaria" (John 4:3,4) He needed to talk with this Samaritan woman. Second, the persons present moral situation does not exclude him or her from learning. The woman at the well was living with a man without marriage (John 4:17,18). Jesus did deal with that situation first, but waited until it was a necessary part of the study. Religious differences do not exclude anyone. Jesus had more opposition while on earth from the Pharisees than any other group, yet when Nicodemus came, Jesus talked about religion. The Samaritan’s had perverted the Mosaic covenant to read that Mount Gerizim was the proper place to worship God (John 4:20) but this did not stop Jesus from teaching her the truth.

The way Jesus taught individuals is important to study as well. He used one approach with Nicodemus, someone who, by nature of his position as ruler of the Jews and a Pharisee, should know then Scriptures well. He used a very different approach with the women of Samaria. Unlike Nicodemus, who came to Jesus, it was Jesus who initiated the conversation with the woman, asking for a drink of water (verse 7). From this simple starting point He was able to "discuss religion" and several in that area came to believe in Jesus (verse 39-42).

One more lesson from the time Jesus was at the well concerns the principle of sowing and reaping. Jesus spoke with the disciples while the woman was gone to call others to meet Jesus. Jesus said,

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

Both sowing and reaping are important. We may teach and not see visible results, but another may come along later and reap the harvest for God. We may also teach someone who readily receives the teaching, we may be reaping where another has sown. Both are important work for the Lord. We also must look to see the opportunity for both sowing and reaping. The apostles did not see the opportunity in Samaria, and we will miss opportunities around us if we are not diligent in looking for them.

More next week, Lord willing. Denny