How to Share the Joy of Easter
April 8 & 9, 2017
Tom Holladay
What we learn from Jesus:
- BREAK THROUGH BARRIERS
“Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, ‘Please give me a drink.’ He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.” John 4:6-9a (NLT)
ACTION PLAN: Write out your personal barriers to verbally sharing faith with others. Nervousness? Fear of how they will see you? Doubts over if they will be receptive? Bring it before God in prayer this week and ask for peace, timing, and boldness to believe in this being their moment of grace.
- LOVE TO LISTEN
“She said to Jesus, ‘You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?’” John 4:9b (NLT)
“And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way.” 1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT)
ACTION PLAN: Offer to have lunch this week with someone at work or school you could get to know better. Listen to what’s going on in their lives and see if God opens a door for an invitation to Easter services.
- TALK ABOUT REAL LIFE
“‘Go and get your husband,’ Jesus told her. ‘I don’t have a husband,’ the woman replied. Jesus said, ‘You’re right! You don’t have a husband — for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!’” John 4:16-18 (NLT)
“‘Sir,’ the woman said, ‘you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?’” John 4:19-20 (NLT)
ACTION PLAN: Take your small group to a deeper level by ensuring you talk about all the things going on in your life; not just the good things. If you are not in a small group, find one to join in a home or workplace at saddleback.com/smallgroups.
- GIVE AN INVITATION
“Jesus replied, ‘If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.’ ‘But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,’ she said, ‘and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?’” John 4:10-11 (NLT)
“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.’” John 4:13-14 (NLT)
“So go to the street corners and invite everyone you find to come to my feast.” Matthew 22:9 (NCV)
ACTION PLAN: Think of new ways that you can share an Easter invitation. Put up a yard-sign, post something on social media, encourage people who don’t live locally to watch a service online, etc. Choose at least one new way to let people know about Easter services this year.
- GET JOY
“Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But Jesus replied, ‘I have a kind of food you know nothing about.’ ‘Did someone bring him food while we were gone?’ the disciples asked each other. Then Jesus explained: ‘My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.’” John 4:31-34 (NLT)
ACTION PLAN: Keep a journal of your work/school conversations about invitations to attend an Easter service. Continue to pray over the people you have talked with and write about how God answers your prayers.
- EXPECT GOD WILL WORK
“Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, ‘He told me everything I ever did!’” John 4:39 (NLT)
“You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!” John 4:35-36 (NLT)
ACTION PLAN: Take some time this week to thank and praise God in advance for the lives that will be changed this Easter.
