Stuff

Dear Friend:

Hi-Got your “Jesus Umbrella” in your hand? Remember from last week I taught the teens how we need to take Jesus with us all day. Rain or shine he goes with us! Let’s continue our journey with the next message I taught the young teens.

We had a great time filling jars/vases with box cars, clothes, cell phones, DS games, Ugg boots, Prince charming, Zac Efron, iPODS, sidekicks, iPhones, Blackberries, awards, lottery tickets, money, favorite sports, jewelry, video iPods etc. It all represented the “stuff” they want or have. There jars were full.

Then I read the Women at the Well story from John 4 in the bible. As I read the story I pointed out some things. (You may want to stop and read it and then continue with my message.)

As Jesus sat at the well, this Samaritan woman approaches him. Jesus made this woman comfortable. How can that be? She probably did not talk to many people in town because of her reputation of having so many husbands (especially in those days). Samaritan people were not supposed to talk to Jews. But she went to the well to get water and probably was going to run back home and hide. Instead she encounters Jesus and there in an instant they made a connection. Why? Because Jesus is God and he was inviting, welcoming, gentle, and kind and she sensed that right away. Next he tells her with a word picture “I can give you living water and you will never be thirsty again. Indeed the water I give you will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” She says “give me that water.” He then gently points out to her that he knows all about her 5 husbands. This becomes her awareness of her sin. Now if someone was pointing out your sin of 5 husbands, wouldn’t you run and hide? She admitted this sin to Him and felt COMFORTABLE. She realized that there was something special about Jesus and then discovers He is the chosen one and this who the prophets foretold would come. The Messiah! So this is the part I really pointed out what happens next. This bad girl is forgiven by Jesus and then feels so great and clean (in a sense washed by Jesus water). She has a sense that things will be different from now on. She found the true living water. She found the LOVE OF HER LIFE. She found love in all the wrong places, but now was so filled up with Him and His kind, loving and compassionate ways.

(Get this) SHE DROPS HER JAR AND RUNS OFF TO TELL THE TOWN PEOPLE WHAT JUST HAPPENED TO HER. Let’s look at that more closely. We all just filled our jars with our “STUFF.” She in a sense had a full jar of her “STUFF.” But after meeting Jesus she drops her jar and realizes that “STUFF” is no longer the love of her life, but Jesus became the love of her life. That was her repentance from sin. (I told the kids “Stuff” is okay, but “Stuff” can not be our Idols or Gods, because they can take over our lives and that is sin) To top this message off we had to get to the ending. She ran to talk to people in the town that probably made fun of her, gossiped about her, called her the town bad girl. Ask yourself “why would she have the guts to go and tell these people her story and why would they want to talk to her?” Guess what? They do talk to her and they do acknowledge her and listen. In fact, they go with her to meet this man called Jesus. WOW! God gave her a new calling on her life and this calling included her now having the Holy Spirit and that Spirit within her caused others to hear and want the living water too!

Because you are not living in such a religious atmosphere as in Jesus time, it is so much harder for you to see “Woman at the Well experiences.” Why did lives get changed in the story? Because the people listened, saw and discerned something took place with this woman. She was CHANGED. You are sometimes skeptical, but really if you were honest you could tell if people change and that is by their actions. JESUS CHANGES LIVES. NO OTHER RELIGION HAS A BOOK PRESERVED IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU CAN READ ABOUT TRANSFORMATION OF LIVES. The Bible is that book and you just need to read it and discern. This bad girl turned good girl is an exciting story. The young teens really got the picture of her change and you can too!

Bad girl turned good. You can take this information for yourself.

1. She saw and sensed Jesus was okay to talk to. It is okay for me to talk to Jesus.

2. She heard Him. You can hear from Jesus.

3. She saw sin and was not afraid to repent. Jesus washed her clean. You can repent of all you do wrong and He is faithful and just and will forgive you your sins and purify you from all unrighteousness. (1John 1:9)

4. She dumped her “stuff” and allowed Jesus to overflow her jar with His pure living eternal water. (She’s going to heaven someday) You can give Jesus your heart and he can overflow you with His pure living water and give you eternal life. (we are going to heaven)

5. She ran and shared with others without shame or guilt. She did not leave it to the Priest or lay people. She went! She had a calling and purpose. She had the Holy Spirit! You can celebrate, share your joy and love for Jesus to others, just ask the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you.

Sharing, celebrating and loving Jesus,

Elaine