Ministering - Lesson #2

Objective: Learn how to become Sister in Christ by ministering as the Savior did.

L.A.A.N.A.S (Acronymn to remember the steps)

1. LOOK – for examples in the scriptures

2. ASK – questions about what is written

3. APPLY – to your daily life

4. NOTE – your impressions to act

5. ACT – on your impressions

6. SHARE – your experience with others

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

1. LOOK – John 4

2./3. ASK/APPLY

             (am I )
- Where was Christ going?

           (am I )
- What was He doing?

- Why this person?

- Why that question?

          (can I )
- How did he minister temporally? spiritually? Personally?

   (can I )
- How did He know what to say/do?

         (can I )
- How did He preach repentance? Eternal life?

                       (   am      I )
- What sacrifice might He be making to minister?

         (can my)                       (my)
- How did His ministering increase faith?

4. NOTE – the impressions/personal revelation that comes to you as you study

5. ACT/SHARE – Study another example of ministering in the life of Christ and act on any impressions you have to minister as Jesus did. Record your impressions and your action and share with another person.

John 4 (my thoughts or those share with me, in red)

3 He left Judæa, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. Christ was on His way somewhere. We are going places everyday. The Jews usually avoided Samaria. Perhaps Jesus chose to go a different way than He normally went. We also, can choose to go to work a different route, or shop at a different store; even go to parts of town that we may normally avoid because we don't want to mix with people we consider different from us. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. Jesus was tired. It was about noon, and he was hungry. We get tired and hungry too. Sometimes our ministering opportunities can come out of our own needs. Also, Christ always turned outward, even in His own need. We need to do the same. It keeps us out of victim mode and in constant humility. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Why was this woman drawing water in the heat of the day and by herself? Was she shunned by others? Was she avoiding others? Jesus would have noticed this and felt compassion for her. Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. Why did Jesus ask this question? He didn't have anything to draw water with. And though he had power to either not need water or to bring the water table high enough for Him to reach, he chose to ask this woman if she would draw for him. By asking her for a favor, He got to see what her reaction would be and learn more about what she was thinking and feeling. We need to notice the people around us. Asking them for a little help may open doors for us to converse with them further. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)Why did Jesus send His disciples into Samaria without him? Did He want them to have an experience with the Samaritans without Him present? Did He know that the woman would be coming? Did He want some time alone with His Father? We can share some of our ministering opportunities others; We can respond to promptings we get to be somewhere, even if we don't know why; We can seek time alone but also be willing to have that cut short in order to minister to others.  9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.Jesus was willing to break with customs that promoted exclusion. We can look at our own customs and see if there are any we need to leave behind. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. Jesus is telling this woman, straight up, that His interaction with her is a "gift of God". We can be more vocal about telling people that our service to them is a direct gift of God. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? The woman is unclear as to what Jesus is offering her. This reveals what is pressing on her mind and heart. Drawing water is clearly a burden for her, but she also is mindful of the source of her drinking water and her tie to Jacob, who is also a "father" to the Jews.  13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.Here Christ takes the opportunity to lift her eyes above the temporal concerns to the things of eternity. He also teaches her by making a connection to things of import to something she deals with daily - avoiding thirst by drawing water, daily. We can connect to others by talking about the things that are important to them and showing them how the gospel can answer their greatest concerns. 15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman is now open, but still focused on her temporal burdens. Why did Christ ask her to bring her husband? Was it just an opportunity to let her know that He knew her? Was He offering her something more? We can converse with others by personal revelation. Heavenly Father can give us knowledge that we would not otherwise know. 17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Now the woman is receiving revelation. When we minister to others, the Spirit can teach both them and us what to say. 20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Here is an exchange about what is truth. Jesus listens to what she believes and responds with truth. Repentance is "a change of mind". Here Jesus asks her to change her beliefs and to accept Him as the Messiah. In our ministering, as we listen to what others believe, we can offer them the opportunity to exchange false beliefs for truth. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.27 ¶ And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? The disciples, just having interacted with the Samaritans, still "marvel" that Christ is talking to this woman. What did they just experience? We can follow their example and withhold judgment even if we have questions about what we see. 28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. Perhaps this woman wasn't an outcast afterall, for many came just based on her words. So perhaps she went to the well, in heat of the day, by herself, because she desired some time alone. God had prepared her heart to be ministered to and had a "gift" for her, perhaps in answer to her many prayers. We can be the answer to prayers and deliver "gifts from God" to our brothers and sisters.