Mensa Otabil - The Power of Testimony
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John chapter 4, verses 28 to 30. Then the woman left her water pot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, «Come see a man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?»
Then they went out of the city and came to him. This woman didn’t know much. She didn’t know a lot of theology, but she had had an experience, an encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you look at the zeal with which she witnessed the gospel, shared her testimony, and told people what had happened to her, then for those of us who know so much of the Bible, we have a lot of work to do to make Christ known to other people. The moment Jesus said to her, «I am,» she dropped her water pot.
Remember, this is how the conversation started. She came with her water pot to the well to fetch water, and this is what she wanted. She wanted water -water from a well. Jesus said, «I will give you living water.» She asked, «Where? How can you give me living water?» And then the conversation shifted to her personal life. It then became a religious argument. Finally, Jesus talked about what true worship is and revealed himself as the Messiah to this woman. Immediately at that point, she left her water pot. Why did she do that? It was no longer important to her. She had found the reason for life. She had found what she was looking for. It’s not just about water to drink, but it’s water to nourish her soul and her spirit and to bring her into relationship with God Almighty.
When she found that relationship, everything else had to be left behind. That’s what happens when we find Christ as Lord — everything else is left so we can pursue Him and make Him known. So she left her water pot at the well, and Jesus, at the well, went back to the city. Remember, she was trying to avoid people in the city because of her circumstances, her life story. But she went back, and the Bible clearly says she went to the men of the city, and there must be a reason why she went to the men. Either the women were not there, or the men were the ones who had made her life miserable. Five of them had married her and thrown her away. The sixth one is with her, and she goes to these men.
I’m sure she goes to husband number one, husband number two, husband number three, to number five, and to number six she’s living with, and says, «Come see a real man, the one who really gave me what I’m looking for. I’m looking for peace for my soul. I’m looking for a sense of worth. I’m looking for dignity.» And this man gave me dignity. He knew all about me but didn’t condemn me, didn’t treat me like trash, had a decent conversation with me, took his time to explain God to me, and come and see such a person for yourself. Could he be the Christ?
The reason why this woman had this experience and why it touches so much was the way Jesus treated her. People would not have given her a chance, but Jesus gave her a chance. You know, many times those of us who preach the gospel use the gospel as a hammer to knock people’s heads, criticize people, destroy people, and threaten them. But Jesus didn’t do any of that. He knew so much about her sordid past, but Jesus treated her with respect and dignity.
The preacher of the gospel must respectfully and honorably make Christ known. We must treat people well when we are presenting the gospel to them, and that is why she could say, «Come see a real man. He doesn’t use my weaknesses against me. He brings me to a place of dignity and honor and a relationship with God that satisfies my heart’s desire.» May we encounter Christ as she did, and may we become true ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, thank you for saving me. Help me to tell others about how you saved me from sin in Jesus' name.» Amen. And amen.