SPIRITUAL FORMATION STORIES – The Church Of Christ, 15 Grey Street, Warri

THE GOOD SAMARITAN; THE SAMARITAN WOMAN AND THE ADULTERESS WOMAN

By: OGUMOR SUNNY (Bishop)

How matured are you in your spiritual race?

Conforming to the image of Jesus Christ for the glory of God and for the sake of others is key to our spiritual race. Our inability to do this brings dishonor to God. Paul told the Jews that the name of God is blasphemed because of you. Rm 2:17-24. We need to avoid this completely as we run our spiritual race. And the message of the Lord came to Ezekiel. Ezk 36:22-26. So, we need a change for the batter.

Incline yourself to do good works that reflects the image of Christ.

The Good Samaritan LK 10:25-37.

A lawyer decided to test Jesus’ intelligence and he asked Jesus, “Teacher” what must I do to inherit eternal life? and Jesus replied him have you read the law of Moses, what does it say? How did you read it, with or without understanding?

The man answered yes, I have read the law of Moses it says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Jesus said correct, you know it “Do this and you will live.” But the man wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied him with this parable: “A (Jewish) man was traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, he was attacked by armed robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up and left him half dead. A Jewish priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. A Levite also came to the place and saw him, he passed by on the other side. Then a Samaritan, also came to where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine, (first aid). Then he put the wounded man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn to take care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. Look after him he said when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have made.

Jesus asked the lawyer man “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” And the lawyer man replied, “The one who had mercy on him and took care of him.” Then Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

As at that time the Jews and Samaritans do not associate with each other. They don’t do things together) Jn 4:9

In this parable a Samaritan who is an enemy to the injured man played the positive role—and a priest and a Levite who are his tribes’ men and same time men of God played negative roles. It shows the deep meaning of the term “neighbor” and demonstrates the depths of mercy that should be extended to all people including your enemy.

The man asking Jesus “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” was not asking a sincere question he was actually testing Jesus Lk 10:25 but this question is very important, have you asked yourself? If no then if you miss heaven who will you blame? If you miss heaven, you cannot miss hell.

We can also learn from here that those who are wicked could choose to practice wickedness and those who have the fear of God do justice no matter their position and status. We must guide our hearts against indifference to the needs of those around us.

In this parable we see:

Racism neutralized: There is a reminder here that treating all people with dignity, regardless of skin color, is rooted in Gospel of Christ. All people are created of sacred value and deserve to be treated accordingly. The blood of Christ was shed for all people, race should not be a barrier for Christians.
Compassion: When he saw him, he had compassion there is empathy, sympathy, emotional connection that led him to give first aid to preserve the injured man’s life.
Care from the heart: He carried him on his animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him and committed his finance. Without looking for he relations.
Indifferent: Two people who would have had a reputation for being strong in the Lord become cold and indifferent to the truth. They passed by on the other side.

Jesus is telling us here that a person can be outwardly religious but inwardly cold and empty.
This should be a warning to all of us. It is possible to make going to church a process without giving our heart to Christ.
Some persons make coming to church gathering a routine for outward appearance

Christ is not only portraying the Samaritan who has no dealing with the Jews as at that time as a good person, but He is sharing that His followers should have the kind of heart that blesses our enemies. Romans 12:14, 20, Matt 5:4, Lk 6:27

The Good Samaritan is good because he remembered and applied the principle of love your neighbor as yourself. Go and do likewise said Jesus.

The Samaritan woman Jn 4:1-26

Go and call your husband, I have none.

In this our country there are some communities which does not do things together due to what happen years back, some communities are treated as outcast, e.g Osu. They don’t do things in common not until a divine intervention.

If you must pass through a perceived dangerous place you need to hasten your footsteps. In those days there was great hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews. Christ going from Judea to Galilee must pass through Samaria on getting to a town in Samaria called Sychar, He decided to have a rest. How can you rest in the enemy’s territory, this is not a plan but divine intervention because Christ has a mission, the work of His Father he must do. He sent his disciples into town to buy food and he sat at the well all alone like a cat ready to catch a prey.

A Samaritan woman came to draw water from the well and Christ set the ball rolling, “Give me water to drink”. She was surprised because the Jews and the Samaritans don’t do things together. How can you ask me a Samaritan woman of water to drink. Jn 4:9.

Christ took the occasion to teach her Divine things: Jn 4:10-15,

Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11. “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12. And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13. Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15. “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” This is the carnal mind of the woman.
Jesus the living water

Jesus alone is the Living Water that fills our void. John 7:38-39 Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them. This is the Holy Spirit that will comfort your life.

Jesus is the living water that never run dry. When we put our faith and trust in Christ as the Living Water, we will never run dry of this spiritual gift. Psalm 37:4

Christ is the unending source of peace, joy, love, self-control, truth, hope, and satisfaction Galatians 5:22-23 If you belong to Christ, you have nothing to do with fleshly desires Gal 5:24. Abundant life can only be found in Him Jn 10:10.

Jesus came to save those that are lost

Matt 18:11 For the son of man is come to save that which was lost.

He told the woman her past and the woman perceived that Jesus is a prophet. John 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah”?

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Rom 5:8

Who is Jesus to you:

Just as the Samaritan woman did not fully understand who Jesus was at first, we also need Jesus to open our eyes to the reality of who He is. Psm 146:8, Eph 4:18 Know that it is only in Jesus Christ that we will be saved from our sins. Act 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. Toady in the Lord’s Church tomorrow you are in the denomination, why?

I know that a Messiah is coming.

When he comes, he will explain everything to us. “I am He said Jesus”. The woman left her jar of water and ran to town to call her people. The woman has heard the message she will not keep it to herself, others must hear also. Let this mind be in us, let us go out for evangelism.

The passage reveals the Samaritan woman as a reasonable person who wanted to know the truth about worshipping God. She also helped her people to know the Messiah and many were converted. She admitted her life style as revealed by Jesus Christ.

The woman said the truth, “I have no husband”. She was cohabiting. If you need help say the truth and nothing but the truth.

THE ADULTROUS WOMAN John 8:3-11

Adultery is a serious sin in the eyes of the scripture and our native law and customs and so it was in the law given to Moses.

Now the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery. They made her stand in the center of the gathering, and they said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of adultery. The Law Moses commanded us to stone such women [to death]. What do you say about this? Deut 22:22-24.

In the real sense this type of person should not be allowed to live among people who value life and this idea gave room to the law of Moses which the Pharisees were determined to execute. The law of Moses says to stone her to death. What do you say?”

Jn 8:6 -7 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an answer, Then Jesus said, let the person who has no sinned throw the first stone.

They dropped their stones one by one beginning with the older ones and they went away. Do you think the older men were wiser in Scripture by putting down their stones first? or possibly more aware of their sins than the younger? Perhaps both?

Many does not see their own sin but quick at identifying the sin of others. And in most cases only the one that is cut that is a sinner, with God it is not so because God is looking at the heart of man. Matthew 7:5

The scribes and Pharisees were not wrongly accusing this adulterous woman, their purpose was not to justify the law, if they were justifying the law they would have also brought the man who also had broken the law just as the woman did. The law required that both be stoned to death, Lev. 20:10. There is partiality in their action.

Whatsoever our case may be, whether financial, sickness, fruit of the womb, job seeking, etc should be brought to the right judge, who is Jesus Christ.

Where are your accusers?

Jesus asks the woman if anyone has condemned her and she answers no. Jesus says that he too does not condemn her and tells her to go and sin no more. Jesus is always ready and willing to forgive those who show remorse of wrong doing.

They have been trying to find fault in Jesus Christ so they can arrest him.

If Jesus had ordered her stoned, they would have reported Him to the authority for taking laws into his hand. Matthew 12:2
If Jesus had said she should not be stoned they would accuse Him of breaking Moses’ law. Mark 3:2.

They set a trap for Jesus which did not work. A Christian does nor set trap for his neighbor. Live peacefully with your neighbors. let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Christians should not overlook sin, we are not to be so quick to pass judgment, that is God’s role, not ours. We are to pray, offer guidance, and show compassion, however the scripture allows us to put some certain sinner away for correction to avoid others doing same. (Gal 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump). This is not always easy but is an example of how the Church is should operate. 1 Corinthians 5:5, 13.