Dear Christian friends:

One of the chief things which Jesus commands us to do is to tell others about Him. Also, it is a Christian's nature that he or she wants to share his faith with others. We who know Jesus; we who have experienced His love; we who have tasted the water of life and the bread of life want to share our joy in Jesus with others who do not know Him. But often we fail to do this. If all of our members were really doing this work, we could add 30 or 40 new members to our church each year. Last year our goal was to add 30 new members. We added only 4. I know you feel bad about that failure. I am sure that you want to win others for Jesus, but perhaps you do not feel confident to do that work. Perhaps you have tried in the past without success.

In our text we see Jesus Himself doing that work. We see how Jesus talked to the woman at Jacob's well and won that woman to believe in Him. We can receive much inspiration from this text. We can learn some of the principals of witnessing and winning others for Jesus from this text.


The first principal in winning others for Jesus is: BE AWAKE AND WATCH FOR OPPORTUNITIES!

Jesus was always awake and watching for opportunities to talk to someone about God. Although Jesus was now tired and resting, sitting by Jacob's well, He did not miss the woman who came to get some water. Jesus and His disciples had walked all morning on their way from Jerusalem to Capernaum. Jesus had sent His disciple into the town to buy some bread for their lunch while He rested by the well. Perhaps Jesus decided to sit by the well so that he could have an opportunity to meet someone and talk to someone about their soul. Perhaps Jesus had prayed that God would lead someone to that place so that He could give that person a message from God.

The same as Jesus, we should be awake and watching and praying for opportunities to tell someone about God, about God's Son, the Savior Jesus. We must not be sleeping and resting when opportunities come to us. These opportunities come to us when we are working, when we are sitting in a restaurant, when we are bowling or visiting in someone's home or when someone is visiting in our home. Perhaps also when we are sick and in the hospital we may have opportunity to tell a visitor or our roommate or a nurse about our faith in Jesus. When He was crucified and dying on the cross Jesus won one of the two thieves to believe in Him. Jesus was always watching for someone He could win. Is our eye awake and watching for a person we can win for Jesus?

The second principal in winning others for Jesus is: SHOW LOVE AND INTEREST IN THOSE YOU INTEND TO WIN!

Jesus showed love and interest in this woman who came to the well that day. When Jesus lived on earth 2000 years ago, men did not respect women. Men treated women as if they were slaves, servants or playthings. Men used women and abused women. In those days men did not talk to a woman on the street, only at home in private. But Jesus respected this woman and talked to her. When His disciples came back from town with the bread for their lunch they were surprised to see Jesus talking with a woman. (verse 27) Also when Jesus talked to the woman, she herself was surprised that He spoke to her. She said to Jesus, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan. How can you ask me for a drink?" (Jews had strong feelings against Samaritans and never talked to them and refused to drink from the same cup.) (verse 9) Jesus was not arrogant like other men and other Jews of that time. Jesus was humble, kind and showed respect for all nations, also for women. Jesus won this woman's interest and respect before He talked to her about God.

Same as Jesus, we must truly love all nations and all various peoples. We must first win their interest and respect by being true Christians. Then they will be willing to listen to us when we tell them about our God. But if we are big-headed, proud, selfish and look down our nose on others, we will never win them for God.

The third principal of winning others for Jesus is: TALK ABOUT SPIRITUAL THINGS USING NATURAL THINGS!

Jesus began His talk by asking the woman, "Will you give me a drink? (verse 7) The woman hesitated to give Jesus a drink, because she was shocked that a Jewish man spoke to her. But Jesus wasted no time. He quickly led the talk from natural water to spiritual water. He said to the woman, "If you knew God's gift, and if you knew Me, then you would ask Me for a drink, and I would give you living water. If you drink this water here in the well, you will be thirsty again, but if you drink My water, you will never thirst again." (verses 10-13) Jesus was very clever to talk about natural things as water, bread, trees, fruit, doors, light and darkness, and then use these natural things to help people understand about spiritual things.

We can do the same. Let me give you a good example. Often we see someone doing their exercises. Perhaps they ride a bike or walk or jog. Perhaps that person does not go to church. Go to him or her and say this: "You are wise to exercise every day to keep your body in good health. But I have a question for you to think about. Do you also exercise your soul? Is your soul in good health?"

Finally, Jesus told the woman that He was the Christ. (verse 26) We must be sure to do that also. God will bless us when we tell others that Jesus is the only Savior for us sinners.

Amen.