The Art of Neighboring – Week 2 (11-14-21)
The Art of Neighboring
November 14, 2021
Agenda – Go next door
Block Map
What is the story we assume about them?
Northern & Southern Kingdom
John 4:4-9
4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
US vs. THEM
“The Samaritan woman, taken aback, asked, “How come you, a Jew, are asking me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (Jews in those days wouldn’t be caught dead talking to Samaritans.)”
John 4:9 MSG
Inclusive —> Exclusive
Exclusive —> Inclusive
Divisions:
What are their differences?
- Man v Woman
- Jew v Samaritan
- Ethnicity or Tribe
- Geographical Location
- Status – “Those people”
- Level of Neediness
- State of Brokenness
Exclusive —> Inclusive
Jesus gathers them together in order to send them out…
You will never look into the eyes of a person who was not created in the image of God.
Jesus went next door
John 4:16-18
16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
What is the story we assume about HER/THEM?
John 4:27-30
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
Despite all of their differences, despite the division of their people, despite the woman’s attempt to remain distant…
Jesus goes next door.
Her courage to go back and say “Come, and see” was because of Jesus’ intentional engaging with her.
JESUS going next door compels HER to go next door.
John 4:31-35 MSG
31 In the meantime, the disciples pressed him, “Rabbi, eat. Aren’t you going to eat?” 32 He told them, “I have food to eat you know nothing about.” 33 The disciples were puzzled. “Who could have brought him food?”
34-35 Jesus said, “The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work he started. As you look around right now, wouldn’t you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time!
Our pursuit of truth does not give us permission to be unkind.
Galatians 5:22-23
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
May it also remind us of how God is pursuing others THROUGH US
This week’s challenge:
Get to KNOW ONE person from your Neighborhood Block Map.