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Life’s “Little Moments”

John 4: 1-35

Text Scripture:

John 4:1 When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,

2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)

3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

4 And he must needs go through Samaria.

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

27 And upon this came his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

31 In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

32 But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

33 Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Intro:

At best … life is nothing more than a series of “little moments.”

Seldom do the big moments in life make the greatest impact upon our lives, rather, it is the little moments … “Life’s Little Moments.”

The secret for Personal and Corporate REVIVAL is learning not to miss “Life’s Little Moments”

Most likely, revival won’t come as a result of some cataclysmic event that happens … rather … it will start as a “little moment’ between you and God. I call them Jesus Moments!

Learn to:

Inhale them …
Drink them is …
Absorb them …
Relish them …
Then use them for God!

In the text scripture I’ve read today, we see a picture of Jesus, the Master of the Life’s Little Moments … modeling the usage of one of those “little moments” … to change the life of a Samaritan woman … and her whole city.

In fact, as a direct result of this “little moment” than transpired between Jesus and this Samaritan woman, revival broke out in the city!

And no, it wasn’t a chance meeting … Jesus purposely detoured to go through Samaria just so He could have this “little moment” with this woman!!!

3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.

4 And he must needs go through Samaria.

5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

In a few moments I intend to speak about five things Jesus had to overcome to orchestrate this “little moment” in the life of this woman …

But before I do … I want to take a few moments TO SPEAK TO YOU FROM MY HEART … and encourage you to not miss life’s little moments …

ILLUSTRATION 1:

Dr. White, Executive Director, GBC

Told about when he was still in the pastorate …
Leaving church office about 5:30 p.m.
Walking to his car thinking his wife would have supper waiting …
A lady church member drove by and blew the horn and waved …
He though to himself, Her husband has been sick, and it’s been several weeks since they’ve been in church … I need to go visit them … then he thought …noooo …my wife has supper waiting … and I’ll visit them later.

§ He had no sooner finished supper when the phone rang

The gentleman had just suddenly and unexpectedly died.

Tears welled-up in Dr. White’s eyes
His voice cracked
He then stated … I MISSED THE MOMENT!!!

JESUS NEVER MISSED THE MOMENT!!!

ILLUSTRATION 2:

I was pastoring my first church
I had made a friendship with a Grand Saint of God who lived in the community
She had attended the church some … but due to health reasons … not on a regular basis
Even though she wasn’t a member of my church … I WAS HER PASTOR … and SHE WAS MY FRIEND.
I visited her on a regular basis
We had some wonderful conversations about God
As I said … she was a Grand Saint of God … and my friend.

She had surgery
I was in the hospital waiting room
They came and told us she had made it through surgery fine
They told me that she was awake, and asking for me … SHE WANTED TO TELL ME SOMETHING!

The Recovery Room at this particular hospital was combined with the Intensive Care Unit
As I started back to see her, a nurse stopped me at the door and said, we’re having an emergency with a patient in the ICU … you’ll have to wait …
During that time, my friend aspirated and died
I NEVER GOT TO SEE HER!
I WILL NEVER KNOW WHAT SHE WANTED TO TELL ME

I MISSED THE MOMENT!!!

JESUS NEVER MISSED THE MOMENT!

ILLUSTRATION 3

As a child, my oldest son loved baseball
He was good
He was a infielder / pitcher
Every evening when I got home from work, I would work with him in the yard
I would tell him “game situations” hit the ball to him, then make him tell me what he was going to do
I would make him pitch and continue throwing to my glove … until he hit the mark

It was the last game of the season
If they won, they went to State All Stars
My son was pitching
It was the bottom of the last inning
He was pitching
His team was ahead by one run
He walked the bases loaded with no outs!

His coach made a trip to the mound and told him, It’s your game to win or lose … I’m staying with you!

My wife and I were in the stands watching
She was panicking
She looked at me and said, Well, don’t just sit there!!! Do something!!!

I walked up and propped on the fence by third base
I called his name and said, Listen to me
Tune everything else out
Listen to the sound of my voice
Pretend we’re in the yard at home
It’s just you and me
Throw the ball to the glove
You can do this

§ Concentrate on the sound of my voice

He struck out the side!!!

My son is about to be thirty years old
That moment is forever etched in our memories
I thank God I didn’t miss the moment!

§ JESUS NEVER MISSED THE MOMENT!

ILLUSTRATION 3:

When my two daughters were little I was the most honored guest at their tea parties
I’ve enjoyed make believe tea any way it can be served

I’m glad I didn’t miss those moments

As special as those moments were with my daughters, they blessed me with an even more special moment …

When they got grown, married, and were having their own families, both requested that daddy be in the birthing room with them when their children arrived. Three times I watched, witnessed, prayed, filmed, took pictures, and cried as my daughters honored me with three of life’s greatest little moments.

§ I’m glad I didn’t miss those moments!

JESUS NEVER MISSED THE MOMENT!

ILLUSTRATION 4:

I remember the night that our “adopted son” Jeremy came into our lives
He was a foster child
Only one we ever kept
The Social Worker brought him into our living room
He was eight years old
He sat in that chair, scared, not knowing what to expect, HOLDING ALL HIS WORLDLY POSSESSIONS IN A PAPER SACK
That night, as a family, we drove to a video rental store to get a movie
I told him on the way to decide what he wanted to call us … the only stipulation I put on him was that he couldn’t call Marianne and I by our first names …
As we walked across that parking lot he looked at us and said, I think I’ll call you momma and daddy.

§ He’s twenty-six years old now … AND STILL OURS!!!

§ I’m glad I didn’t miss that moment!

JESUS NEVER MISSED THE MOMENT!

ILLUSTRATION 5:

When I was eighteen years old, I was standing in Bethel Chapel Baptist Church when the most gorgeous thing I had ever seen came through the back door
I asked my buddy who she was, he said he didn’t know
I told him I didn’t know either, but I was going to get a date with her
I later found out she was doing the same thing!!!
TELL ABOUT MISS HALE!!!
She’s been my sweetheart for over thirty years
We’ve shared more of life’s little moments that I can possibly remember
She’s the person I want to grow old with
And when God in His infinite wisdom decides that one of us must go, I hope I go first … ‘cause she can make it without me … I can’t make it without her!

§ I’m glad I didn’t miss that moment!

JESUS NEVER MISSED THE MOMENT!

Now, for those of you who are sweating those five points I told you about, don’t worry, I’m going to give them to you quickly, and we’ll close!

There were five things in the life of this woman that Jesus had to deal with in order to orchestrate this “little moment” in her life:

1: He had to deal with Her Prejudice

9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Now. Let there be no mistake, we all have our prejudices:

Some are prejudice to Ford over Chevrolet, or Toyota over Dodge

Some don’t like rich people

Some don’t like poor people

Some don’t like educated people

Some don’t like uneducated people

Some don’t like words on the wall when singing

Some don’t like the Church Hymnal

Some don’t like the way a particular teacher teaches

Some don’t like the way the pastor preaches / leads the flock

Sometimes we just don’t like somebody!!!

Sometimes we don’t want to forgive!!!

There are many kinds of prejudice

But let there be no mistake … before this woman could encounter Jesus … PREJUDICE HAD TO GO!

WHAT YOU LIKE OR DON’T LIKE REALLY DOESN’T MATTER … THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS!!! IT AIN’T ABOUT YOU!

To experience life’s little moments with Jesus, not only did PREJUDICE have to go …

2: He had to get her past her perceived LACK of PREPERATION on His part

10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

If you want revival, do NOT look at this church, or yourself, and concentrate upon what you don’t have!!!

Jesus stepped out onto the vastness of nothing … and began to speak this world into existence!

I think He is more than qualified to meet your personal needs .. and the needs of this church … EVEN IF YOU DON’T SEE THE TOOLS HE’LL USE!!!

HE MAY JUST USE YOUR ROPE TO DRAW THE WATER!!!

To experience life’s little moments with Jesus …

§ PREJUDICE has to go …

§ Her wrong perception had to go …

3: Her past had to be Confronted

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

Only when we had dealt with our past can we experience and encounter Jesus!

We see here the limitless grace of Jesus Christ

Church, if you want REVIVAL … YOU BETTER DEAL WITH THE PAST HURTS, SINS, AND WRONGS! (Dungeon OF Unforgiveness)

Achan at AI:

Joshua 7:21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it.

Children of Israel when they left the tribes on the other side … Come fight when it’s time!

Numbers 32:23 But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out.

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

To experience life’s little moments with Jesus …

§ PREJUDICE has to go …

§ Her wrong perception had to go …

§ Her past had to be Confronted

4: She had to accept the fact that the Prophet was Preaching to her!

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

If you want to experience revival … realize this sermon isn’t for your neighbor … IT’S FOR YOU!!!

To experience life’s little moments with Jesus …

§ PREJUDICE had to go …

§ Her wrong perception had to go …

§ Her past had to be Confronted

§ She had to accept the fact that the Prophet was Preaching to her!

5: She had to realize the Place she encountered Jesus didn’t matter … what mattered was the encounter!

20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

If you want REVIVAL … YOU MUST COME TO THE POINT WHERE NOTHING ELSE MATTERS BUT WORSHIPPING AND SERVING GOD! 99% WON’T DO!

PASSION!!!

Close:

Only when Jesus had successfully dealt with these five issues in her life, could she experience life’s greatest moment … salvation!

§ PREJUDICE had to go …

§ Her wrong perception had to go …

§ Her past had to be Confronted

§ She had to accept the fact that the Prophet was Preaching to her!

§ She had to realize the Place she encountered Jesus didn’t matter … what mattered was the encounter!

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

She left her waterpot, went into the city, witnessed to everybody: Come see a man, which told me all things that ever, I did!

Revival broke loose …

Then Jesus looked at those disciples and in essence said …

Don’t think you have to wait until sometime in the future to have:

§ One of life’s little moments …

§ To experience revival …

§ YOU CAN HAVE IT NOW!!!

35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

CHURCH … DON’T MISS THE MOMENT!

Revival is now!

It is experienced in the “Little Moments” of this Church …

Pastor preaching

Sister or brother singing

Prayers

Tears

Changed lives

DON’T MISS THE MOMENT

My salvation experience

Preached: 2-20-05 @ The Rock Baptist Church

Preached: Franklin First, Franklin, Georgia 3-7-05

Preached: 4-24-05 @ New Prospect Freewill Baptist Church Reynolds, Georgia