Most Christians are fully aware of the record of Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar, recorded in John’s gospel, chapter 4. As I was reading this again, only God knows how many times, it occurred to me that Jesus’ words to her are some of the most gracious in the Gospels. You will remember that He went to Sychar, Samaria intentionally, vs. 4 says He “needed” to go there. While there, Jesus went and sat by the well. Soon a woman from the city came to draw water.

Jesus gracefully interacted with her to the point that He revealed to her things that nobody would have known unless they knew here well, such as a family member or close friend. As the story goes, she realized He must be the Messiah and she went to the city, told the news, and they all came out to see Him, then asked Him to stay in their city for a couple of days, which He did.

There were many years of animosity between the Jews and Samaritans. But God is not impartial, and His love extends to all people groups. He must be grieved a lot at our petty differences in these areas. Although today, these petty differences many have made out to be “not so petty,” considering the foolish racial strivings that abound. But I digress. There was no racial striving in this experience. Jesus loved this woman as much as He loves all people, and He wanted to make sure she knew this.

(By MICHAEL HENDERSON PASTOR/AUTHOR/BMIC SECRETARY)

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Pastor Adam Cruse, a great friend of BMIC, was our keynote speaker for BMIC’s 15th Anniversary this past June 2018, at our home meeting place – Pizza Ranch of Springfield, Illinois. Pastor Adam is the senior pastor Living Faith Baptist Church (Sherman, Illinois). His text was 1 Thessalonians 2:10-13:

¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; ¹¹ just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, ¹² so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

¹³ For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe

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