John 4:39-42 Amplified Bible
The Samaritans
39 Now many Samaritans from that city believed in Him and trusted Him [as Savior] because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they asked Him to remain with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed in Him [with a deep, abiding trust] because of His word [His personal message to them]; 42 and they told the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; for [now] we have heard Him for ourselves and know [with confident assurance] that this One is truly the Savior of [all] the world.”
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
The Samaritan woman who had met Jesus at the well (John 4:1-30) ran back to her town, informed everyone Jesus had told her everything she had ever done.
Her story wasn’t a shining example of how to be a great person.
But she shared how Jesus had talked with her and given her hope, despite her complicated past, and she invited others to come hear Jesus as well.
As a result, many Samaritans believed in Jesus both because of her testimony and because of his teaching.
It truly amazes me what can happen when we share our stories and we are able to spend quality time with Jesus and his followers.
Jesus can use any story to help people put their faith in him.
How might Jesus use your story to bring others to learn about him and his great salvation?
The Samaritan woman shared her story about how Jesus had changed her. Can we do that too?
No one’s life is beyond saving through the power of Jesus.
The Lord can use all of our stories to bring others into his loving embrace.
How will you use your story and your encounter with Jesus to tell someone about his love today?
How can we share our faith in ways that will motivate people to pay attention?
Experiencing Jesus’ love inspires us to share that love with others.
We know Jesus has called us all to spread the gospel message, yet evangelizing can be challenging.
How can we share our faith in ways that will motivate people to pay attention?
Here are 5 fresh ways to spread the gospel.
What Does it Mean to Spread the Gospel?
Spreading the gospel means spreading the ultimate good news: that a loving God offers people an opportunity to enjoy true love forever, through relationships with their Creator.
The word “gospel” literally means “good news”. When we spread the gospel, we share the good news of how Jesus – the world’s Savior – made eternal salvation possible for all souls who place their faith in him.
John 3:16 proclaims the essence of the gospel message:
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus calls everyone who connects with him to help other people connect with him, as well, by sharing the gospel message. He urges us in Mark 16:15-16: “… ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
What Does the Bible Tell Us about Spreading the Gospel?
That call from Jesus to preach the gospel to all creation is known as the Great Commission – the assignment that Jesus gave people after his Resurrection and before his Ascension to heaven.
The Bible records the Great Commission in several other places.
In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus exhorts: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Luke 24:47 mentions that “… repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
In John 20:21, Jesus references spreading the gospel when he says: “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
Finally, in Acts 1:8, Jesus describes spreading the gospel as his witnesses to others:
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
The Bible says that Christians are serving as ambassadors for Jesus as we interact with others.
2 Corinthians 5:20 declares:
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.”
So, God is counting on us spread the gospel.
He wants us to faithfully say “yes” to that call.
We can do so by serving as examples of what faith in action looks like, as the apostle Paul writes in
1 Corinthians 11:1-2: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you.”
We can also spread the gospel through conversations, as the apostle Peter points out in 1 Peter 3:15-16:
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience…”.
Many people are searching for the hope that Jesus can give them, yet not enough people are spreading the gospel message to reach them all yet.
Jesus says to his disciples in
Matthew 9:37-38: “… The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
We don’t need to worry about anything but faithfully sharing the gospel message.
When we do so, we can trust God to bring positive results from our efforts.
2 Timothy 2:15 encourages us simply to:
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
Romans 1:16 urges us to keep the gospel’s power in mind:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”.
5 Fresh Ways to Spread the Gospel
When you’re considering how best to spread the gospel message to people you know, start with prayer.
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you day by day with wisdom on how to share the gospel, and to bring people into your life who need to hear its message.
Try these 5 fresh ways to share the ultimate good news with people:
1. Let God’s love flow through your life. Welcoming God’s love to flow through your life and into other people’s lives is the most powerful way you can share the gospel.
That’s because God is love at his core. “God is love” 1 John 4:8 declares.
So, whenever people experience love by interacting with you, that will point them toward God. Nothing inspires people more than love.
Once you love people, they will talk with you, and then you can tell them about God’s love for them.
2. Listen to people’s stories. Everyone has stories that are valuable.
Show people you care about them by listening to their stories.
Listen more than you talk.
Then, after you’ve gotten to know people, point out how you see God at work in their lives.
Ask them consider how their personal stories can fit into the greater story of what God is doing in the world.
God has designed our minds to respond to stories, and because of that, Jesus often spoke in parables (stories) to share spiritual truths.
Stories engage both our intellect and our emotions.
By listening to people’s stories, you can connect with them on both levels and help them connect with the gospel on both levels, as well.
3. Don’t judge people, but accept them for who they are.
Often, people are afraid of talking with others about God, because they’re afraid of being judged.
Keep in mind that only God can judge someone (Romans 2), and if we try to judge others, we will be judged ourselves (Matthew 7).
Help people relax around you by refraining from judging them, no matter how much you may disagree with their choices.
Just as God meets you where you are, meet other people where they are. Show them some unconditional love. If people know you’re a safe person to open up to, they’ll likely be much more open to discussing the gospel message with you.
4. Highlight what nature reveals about God. Help people discover more about the Creator by spending time with them in creation.
Romans 1:20 proclaims: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Since nature reveals the wonder of God’s character, it’s the perfect setting for sharing the gospel message. Take a nature walk during the day, stargaze at night, or pursue any other type outdoor activity you all mutually enjoy together.
As the nature around you inspires you, enjoy conversations about God together.
5. Encourage questions rather than just giving answers.
While it’s important to give people answers to their spiritual questions, don’t stop there.
You can help them engage more deeply with the gospel message by encouraging them to keep asking more questions.
That will prayerfully motivate them to seek God more.
Spark people’s curiosity.
Challenge them to try praying, even if they’re not yet sure that God exists or that he will answer their prayers.
Ask them to try studying the Bible, and offer to help them do so.
Don’t limit your conversations to only what you’re comfortable talking about; be willing to talk about anything that interests them.
If you don’t know something, be honest rather than giving a pat answer, and then help them discover more about what they’re wondering.
In Conclusion …
Trust, Believe, display faith. The hope God offers is too good to keep to yourself.
Jesus calls all believers to spread the gospel to other people. Please don’t hesitate to spread the gospel whenever you have the opportunity to do so.
Simply do your best, and trust God with the results.
As you do come to share God’s good news with people in fresh ways, both God’s love and God’s Shalom (John 14:27) will flow through you and into their lives.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God, the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 119:9-16 Complete Jewish Bible
ב (Bet)
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart;
don’t let me stray from your mitzvot.
11 I treasure your word in my heart,
so that I won’t sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, Adonai!
Teach me your laws.
13 I proclaim with my mouth
all the rulings you have spoken.
14 I rejoice in the way of your instruction
more than in any kind of wealth.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and keep my eyes on your ways.
16 I will find my delight in your regulations.
I will not forget your word.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 