Wrestling With God And Other People (From Our 10-25-26 Worship)
Wrestling with God and Other People
Why is it so easy to judge others, and so difficult to see them the way Jesus does?
We live in a world filled with division, prejudice, and misunderstanding. We often form opinions about people before we ever get to know them. But what if the people we are quickest to dismiss are the very people who need the love, hope, and community that Christ offers?
In this final lesson of our Wrestling with God series, we examine the relationship between the Jews and Samaritans and discover how Jesus challenged the prejudices of His own disciples.
In this sermon, we explore:
1. Jesus Loved Everyone, Even When His Disciples Struggled To
- John 4:1–42 — Jesus crosses cultural barriers to speak with the Samaritan woman at the well.
- Luke 9:51–56 — James and John want to call down fire on a Samaritan village, but Jesus rebukes them.
2. We Often Place Limits on Our Love
- Luke 10:25–37 — The Good Samaritan teaches us that being a neighbor means showing mercy, regardless of differences.
- Luke 17:11–19 — Of ten lepers healed, only one returns to thank Jesus, and he is a Samaritan.
- Are we limiting our love for others or failing to recognize God's goodness in our lives?
3. We Can Grow Beyond Our Prejudices
- Acts 8:14–25 — John, who once wanted to destroy Samaritans, later helps bring the gospel to Samaria.
- Acts 1:6–8 — Jesus commissions His disciples to carry the gospel beyond their familiar boundaries.
- Our past attitudes and failures do not have to determine who we become.
The Central Message:
Our responsibility is not to decide who deserves the gospel or who might respond to it. Our responsibility is to share the truth, demonstrate Christ's love, and allow God to work in people's hearts.
The gospel breaks down barriers of race, culture, social class, and personal history. What unites us in Christ is far greater than anything that separates us.
A Question to Consider:
What makes me more uncomfortable—how different someone is from me, or the possibility that they are lost?
Join us as we learn to see others through the eyes of Jesus.
Scripture References: John 4:1–42; Luke 9:51–56; Luke 10:25–37; Luke 17:11–19; Acts 1:6–8; Acts 8:14–25; Acts 10.
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