Years ago, in my freshman year of Bible College, I took a course in personal evangelism.  Part of the instruction was lecture, but another part of the class involved simulation.  We were assigned to get into small clusters, with someone assuming the role of the evangelist, someone assuming the role of the person being evangelized, and someone else assuming the role of the evangelist’s silent partner.  I was always better in the role of the person being evangelized or as the evangelist’s silent partner than I was as the evangelist.   Maybe I’m so comfortable acting like a sinner because I’m so good at it.  When I played that role, I was always good at deflecting the evangelist’s questions.  When I played the role of the evangelist, I was always hoping that the person I was practicing on would be a willing convert.  The thing I learned from that course that has stuck with me so long is this: the simulated world of evangelism is nothing like the real world.

This week, we’re ready for Session 8 in the series, Gospel Shaped Outreach.  The question we’re considering this week is this:  How do we speak the gospel into the lives of real people?  We get some great answers from the story of Jesus and the woman at the well, recorded for us in John 4. 

Faithful evangelism requires boldness

We see this both in Jesus and also in the woman at the well.  Jesus came up to her and asked for a drink.  That was a bold approach.  Jewish men in that day had nothing to do with Samaritan women.  Cultural protocol demanded that Jesus should not have spoken to her.  But her need of the gospel was greater than the need to observe cultural protocol.  Then, after Jesus opened her heart, the woman ran back to the village, boldly telling everyone about Jesus.

Faithful evangelism is relational

Again, you can tell Jesus cares about her personally because He’s willing to engage her in conversation in spite of the chasm that exists between them as a result of gender, race, and social standing.

Faithful evangelism shows how Jesus is thoroughly satisfying

Jesus begins to gently help this woman see that what she needs more than anything in the world is Him...the one who can truly satisfy her every longing.  That’s why He says in vs. 13, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” He’s saying to her, “My salvation is as necessary to you spiritually as water is to you physically.”

Faithful evangelism confronts sin and extends grace

This is an awkward moment for the woman at the well.  Jesus knows she has been married to five men, and the man she was living with was not her husband.  Jesus confronts her sin, but He doesn’t tell her to go clean up her act first, and then come back to him.  Instead, He offers her living water.

Faithful evangelism points directly to the cross

Immediately after confronting her sin she tries to shift gears and turn it into a theological discussion. “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. “  She wants to know which of the mountains was the true place of worship. Jesus helps her see that it’s neither. “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.”  When Jesus speaks of the ‘hour’ that is coming, He’s making a reference to His death. It’s a reference to the moment when He would be taken to a different mountain.  And on this mountain, He would experience a cosmic spiritual thirst on the cross in order that He could give us living water...and satisfy the deepest longings of our souls.