Sunday: Receptivity to the Gospel
Read John 4:27-30, John 4:39-42. How does Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman demonstrate the truth that all sorts of people are open to the gospel, even in unexpected places?
The last place the disciples expected to find hearts receptive to the gospel was in Samaria. The Samaritans were in constant conflict with the Jews over doctrine and worship.
Image © Providence Collection from GoodSalt.com
This animosity was decades old. The Samaritans had wanted to participate in building the temple in Jerusalem but were refused that opportunity because of their intermarriage with the heathen culture around them and their unorthodox views. As a result, the Samaritans built their own temple on Mount Gerizim. The disciples would readily skip by Samaria as an unfertile ground for the proclamation of the gospel.
Jesus saw what the disciples did not see: receptive hearts. John’s account of the story of the woman at the well begins with these words: “He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria” (John 4:3-4, NKJV). Jesus “needed” to go through Samaria because the Holy Spirit convinced Him that there would be receptive hearts in this unlikely place. When our eyes are divinely anointed by the Holy Spirit, we see possibilities where others see only difficulties. We see a rich harvest of souls for the kingdom of God where others see only barren fields.
Read Acts 8:4-5, Acts 8:14. What was the ultimate result of Jesus’ ministry in Samaria?
The disciples would have passed by Samaria without ever providing an opportunity for the Samaritans to hear the truth of the Word of God. Jesus saw what they did not see. He recognized that the Holy Spirit had created a receptivity in one woman’s heart. Her dramatic conversion impacted scores of people in that city. We will not always see immediate results from our witnessing activities, but as we sow seeds in receptive hearts, they will one day bring a harvest for the glory of God.
| We never know for sure the impact of our words and actions on others, either for good or for bad. Hence, why must we always be careful about what we say and do in the presence of others? |
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In my search for 7 ideas of how I can develop an attitude that wins friends and influences people to follow Jesus I found these in today's events -
Accept one for who they are and see the potential for growth
Seek to discover beliefs on which we both agree
There is a lookout not far from where I live called Heaton's Lookout. There are two ways to get to Heaton's lookout; You can drive there in a car, or you can climb up a steep slope and work your way up a narrow track along a cliff-face. The end result is the same for both alternatives: You get to the top and are rewarded with a view. Or are they the same? Perhaps the journey is more important than the destination.
Today we talk about receptivity. And I guess that the takeaway lesson is that some people are receptive to the Gospel while others are not and that we should be on the lookout for those who are receptive. But is it that simple?
In the twenty-first century, we live in a post-modern world where many people have discarded religion as anachronistic. The gospel is submerged by 1500 years of mislabelled "Christianity". Receptiveness to the Gospel has effectively been switched off. There is this standing joke that if you find someone in church in Europe, they are a tourist; If you find someone in church in the USA they are a politician, and if you find someone in church in Australia they must be a demolition engineer. Maybe its a bit extreme but I cannot help noticing that in the COVID-19 situation there is more fuss in Australia about not being able to go to the "footy" on a Saturday than not being able to go to church.
Our big task is to change the receptivity. I know that readers will comment that that is the work of the Holy Spirit. I don't think the Holy Spirit is going to work on others, rather, I think the Holy Spirit is going to work on us, enabling us to bring the colour of light and the flavour of salt into the lives of those who have switched off their spiritual lives. The Gospel commission is to go into all the world, not just to those who already know something of the gospel. We do not need to go to foreign lands to find our mission field. Some of us must take the hard path to the mountain top!
Maurice, I'm not sure that we can change the "receptivity" of others. I do think we need to present the gospel in a manner that the Holy Spirit can use to impress others. I agree with you that "the Holy Spirit is going to work on us, enabling us to bring the colour of light and the flavour of salt into the lives of those who have switched off their spiritual lives."
For starters, that means that we will have to have a living connection to Christ so that the Holy Spirit can speak through us.
In the history of this world, the Lord has used the "four sore judgments" (Eze 14:21) to shake people out of their complacency to sense their need of God. I believe He is doing that now, and as situations in this world continue to worsen, more people will be receptive to a "way out."
I sense that people here are much more likely to see a spiritual dimension to current events than they were when things were going along more smoothly.
Hello, Maurice - yes, you know me to be one of those who think that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to 'influence receptivity'. 🙂 I sincerely hope that you read my contributions to the daily lessons given to us; we have been learning and commenting about the Holy Spirit for a long time, and this topic is very dear to my heart.
Acts2:17; John6:44 both speak to the effect and work of the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit having poured the Light of Truth into the world, nothing heavenly, spiritually inspired can be present with mankind. He is the only source of the TRUE HEAVENLY Light man has been given.
How, or by whom is one's receptivity to the Gospel formed? If you consider the quoted verses to be true, then you would agree that anything inspired by Heaven is done so by the Holy Spirit. The Trinity expresses itself by different functions; the Holy Spirit is the Word of Truth. He works directly in people's lives, but also indirectly through those who testify that they believe in the invisible God, the Savior Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit - which is the Word of Truth.
The women's heart was prepared by the Holy Spirit - there is no other Heavenly power that can prepare the heart of Man; man's spirit within (God-given) is drawn to unite with His Spirit of Truth. Due to a soft and willing, therefore receptive heart, the person can 'hear'(understand with mind and heart) the Truth when shared by a compassionate witness and is drawn toward it.
Jesus' Spirit perceived perfectly the spiritual need of the woman He met at the well. Scripture does not speak to why or who lead Him to choose the route He took. What we do know is that He received her as a sinner looking for the Living Water and the Bread of Life; He did not meet her as her judge. When He shared with her the Light of Truth, she drank of the spiritual water that will leave her thirsting for more of the Truth-baring Light - the body needs water, the spirit needs the Light of Truth.
I read with interest your comments about the mislabeled "Christianity"; a topic which is so very important to be understood well.
For those having trouble with the CREDIBILITY of Christianity, they usually point to the Dark Ages, the persecution by the Church and all the atrocities committed by those calling themselves 'Christians'.
Through acts committed by man, God's credibility, good reputation and good name has been greatly tarnished in the eyes of the world. He is now seen as the God who allowed/caused these acts of sin, even though they were committed by people without the Heavenly Light, only using the lable 'Christians'.
God's Holy Spirit meets man's minds and hearts through faith. For us, who have already responded to the call to walk by Faith, the above mentioned is crucially important to consider; we have to make sure to distinguish what is of the Spirit and what is of the flesh. If we confuse the two, the 'seeker' cannot receive the message clearly; it will become muddled by obstacles due to man's own shortcomings and God will be blamed. Blaming God for what man has done is still operating today; every careless, unloving act engaged in today will continue to tarnish God's repution.
The world perceives, experiences, 'sees' Jesus through our acts and attitudes as either being the God of compassion or of indifference.
If we have given all that we are into the hands of the Holy Spirit to be made new, we will know how to interact with anyone we meet, anytime, anywhere. Luke17:2 'little ones' are not only children, they are all those who seek after the spiritual Truth of God, the Creator and Father of man - adults, people of every culture, race or ethnicity.
My friend Scott shared when he is at the grocerry line by looking at the purchasing habit of people, he could strike a conversation with them in regards to healthy living habits.
Another person shared, she saw a person buying the same things as she was buying striked a conversation built a relationship who has now shown spiritual interest. She has been invited to our church cooking class.
We are all leaving bread crumbs for people to follow. Let us be faithful in our calling.
What has been your experience?
We can learn from each other.
Twice John 4 (v 29, 39) says that the Samaritan woman was impressed because she met a Man who told her everything she had done. I remember that on a Sabbath afternoon there was a birthday celebration for a musical ensemble in a church in the city where I live. I went to this celebration and when I got there I met several brothers and sisters who were members of other churches. When I greeted some of them I said something they had done at their church that Sabbath morning at their church. Everyone was impressed and with the countenance of how I knew what I had said, since I was not at their church that Sabbath morning. I saw what they did because they posted the activities that Sabbath morning on their Facebook page and after my lunch I saw what they posted! This is further proof that people are impressed when they meet someone and say exactly what they have done in the past. We cannot expect to have the same power to know people intimately as Jesus had, but we can be sensitive to people's needs and approach them with genuine love to plant the seeds of the gospel.
Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. Luke 9:1-2.
And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followed not with us. Lk 9:49
Receptivity to the Gospels.
Many are receptive to the gospel of Christ but by which spirit are we guided by? Are we trying to force them to listen, to be baptized, or to join the church? When they refused us, do we feel rejected? What is our attitude towards them? Do we expect them to accept Christ because we say so at our first encounter with them?
The time had come for Jesus to offered himself as the sacrifice in Jerusalem. He set his face to go to Jerusalem, but there were much work still to be done. Samaria was nearly, he sent forerunners to prepare the way for him. Lk 9:53 The Samaritan rejected them because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. Facing this rejection was too hard for some or even all the disciples who thought to themselves they were better and highly favored by Jesus. At least all can see we were his followers and not you people, the Samaritans.
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Lk 9: 54-55.
What Spirit do we manifest as we carry this great gospel message? Do people run and hide when we go visiting the neighborhood? Did anyone run away from Jesus when he went to their neighborhood?
It is no part of Christ’s mission to compel men to receive Him. It is Satan, and men actuated by his spirit, that seek to compel the conscience. . . . There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan than the disposition to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work, or who act contrary to our ideas. DA 487