A New Recipe

Today's Reading:
AM - Psalm 56, 57, and 58
PM - Psalm 64 and 65
Gospel - John 4:27-42

For reflection: What do you learn from this woman about telling others about Jesus?

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My mother hated to cook.  While her meals were always delicious, the process was not a joy for her.  In order to balance the necessity of food preparation with her dislike of all things culinary, she had some hard and fast rules about recipes.  She would not even consider making a recipe that had more than six ingredients.  While I love to cook, I do think that she was right about simple recipes.  Many times in cooking, as in life, simple is best.

That is why I love the pure and simple recipe for evangelism that is given to us in John 4.  Jesus is doing what he always does: focusing his attention on the person in front of him.  In this case, it is a Samaritan woman.  She has lived a rough life and is in desperate need of a Savior.  As she encounters the Living Water, her path is forever altered, and she returns to her village bubbling over with the good news.  The woman explains that Jesus had told her everything she had ever done.  The villagers are amazed and urge Jesus to stay with them.  In the following two days, they soak up the words of the Master.  The villagers become convinced that Jesus “really is the Savior of the world” (verse 42).

What a wonderfully simple recipe for evangelism!

1 part Truth of who we are – sinners in need of a Savior

1 part Truth of who He is – the Savior of the world

Mix these 2 parts of the Truth and tell everyone you meet.

Add God’s Word so that they hear the words of Christ for themselves.

Let rise in the warmth of the Holy Spirit.

The Father has given us a simple recipe for sharing the good news.  Let’s get cooking!

- Kathleen Tatro