Power Walk Ministries

Guest Male: This is the Power Walk Ministries broadcast with author and speaker Reverend Paul Cannings. Thanks for joining us today as we begin a new series based on Jesus's encounter with the Samaritan woman in the book of John chapter four.

This is one meeting we get a glimpse into Jesus's heart and his attitudes towards race, religious beliefs, status, cultural differences, and sin. Today Reverend Cannings introduces us to the woman at the well in Samaria and Christ's total acceptance of her in spite of her many issues that would commonly prove to be huge barriers. Let's listen now to today's message titled "The Meeting."

Dr. Paul Cannings: Have you ever felt like you just don't line up with what God wants from you? You work hard at it, but you seem to fall short. In coming to Christ and being committed and wanting to grow in Christ, it seems as if there are so many issues you bring to the table, such a past you wonder how can God work his way through this? There are so many things that have taken place in the past, so many decisions you regret, so many things you wish you had not done a certain way.

But when you walk into the church, you just don't seem to fit. You just don't seem like you belong because you don't bring what they seem to bring. People only know your past or know what you've done. Would they even welcome you? Sometimes we feel so like we fall short of what God wants us to be, so why try? And the past sometimes takes so much out of us in that there are still repercussions from the decisions that were made and so many consequences that seem to come along with it.

Maybe you have kids from different men, maybe kids from a different marriage, or just a background of smoking, alcohol, or drugs that has left health issues. Each and every day you wonder over and over again, "God, I don't match up." You come to God like the woman did who pleaded and begged with God and come before Christ with weeping. You feel that way, but you don't seem to belong.

Folks, you could take those feelings and remove them as you study this story about the Samaritan woman. When we start studying about her or learning about her, we're quick to judge her because of all the baggage she brings to this meeting with Christ. She had five husbands, and she has a live-in boyfriend. When she goes into the city, she only brings out the men of the city, which says that maybe she is the cause of the marriages breaking up.

So maybe she comes from a broken family background. Maybe she comes from a background where everything the Jews said about the Samaritan turned out to be true. But it's interesting that a person of this past came to the well at a different time so she doesn't have to deal with the comments or deal with people looking at her, ostracizing her, and talking about her while she's there. She doesn't have to deal with the other women because if the men are coming, they could be the husbands of those women, they could be the sons of those women, the uncles of those women that are going to be at the well. So she's not going to come when they are there.

But it is interesting that Jesus came. Jesus came, and I want you to spend some time with me these next few days in John chapter four. John chapter four just resonates in such a way that it blows my mind. He has to leave out of Judea. There's too much going on. Jesus Christ is baptizing people. People are coming to know him, and John the Baptist is baptizing. Mostly Jesus's disciples are doing the baptisms. People are starting to create conflict and turmoil because of popularity stuff and who has more and all of these different things. Christ says, "I don't want to be a part of that," so he leaves.

You think he just leaves and goes away into the countryside and does what he many times would do: just heal people on the countrysides and stay in the countrysides preaching the gospel all day long. But no, Jesus Christ went the wrong way. It doesn't seem like he should go this way because there's another road that goes past Samaria. But Jesus Christ went on the road that goes through Samaria. He literally says this that just blows my mind.

He left Judea (verse three) and departed again to Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. And he, not the disciples—that's why he sent them away—he kept their biases and prejudices and he allowed them to live within that for a minute because he had a plan to meet this woman. You might say, "Wait a minute, Jesus Christ, you're leaving Judea. Judea is the Mecca. You don't leave Judea. You need to stay in Judea. That's the place where the history, the temple, all the things that are taking place, that's where you stay. You don't go to the village of Samaritans."

He says he must needs go. What drives him to this woman? The worst thing a Jew can do is talk to a Samaritan woman. They carried all kinds of negative, awful things they would say about Samaritan women just so the Jewish men would never marry them. It is too awful even to talk about. They would say different things about them, and this woman now fits it to the tee. The fact that Jesus Christ will talk to her is not good even within that culture. You can't go talk to a woman at the well.

It is considered a way of flirting with her, a way of trying to entice her. From her background, that's immediately what she's going to think. And Jesus Christ, in spite of all of those negative things, he said, "I must go. I must make it my plan." You have to watch the motion of the text when you look at that verse there. He says, "I must." It is imperative that I make this my life pattern until the time comes where this purpose is accomplished. I must keep going.

There's nothing that could stop me. There's nobody to heal, nobody to preach to, nobody to talk to. That's the motion here within this verse. It is not just "I must go" so he picked a road so he met the woman. No, he is purposeful. This is something that he is going to make a lifestyle, a plan, a focus that he must go. Understand: you are not saved by accident. The Bible says no person comes to Christ, not one. I don't care how wonderful a person thinks they are.

The Bible says their righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. I really think that when we get to heaven, it will blow our minds who God honors because sometimes we think of all the famous preachers and famous people in the church and all these different things, and we immediately assume this person is going to be this or that. But folks, I've traveled some places around the world and I've seen people who just serve God with all their heart and just give of their best to God.

We will be shocked who Jesus lifts high in heaven. Jesus Christ would say, "I didn't come for the righteous." Those people who think they have it going on, they're educated, and God has blessed them. God says, well, at the end of the day in Luke chapter 17, you got your reward. You did what you were supposed to do. You didn't go the extra mile. You didn't go and do things that did not fit within your schedule or your pattern of thinking. No, you stuck with your structure, you lived within that structure, and I blessed you, so you got your reward.

We will be shocked in heaven who God blesses. We will be shocked because nobody would think Paul, killing Christians, how in the world would he end up being an apostle? Folks, you can't look at your past and determine that that past structures how we are in our relationship with God. You can't go there because our righteousness is as filthy rags to him. That's why he says to renew the mind so I can transform you so you don't conform to the world.

The world is a philosophy, a way of thinking that is totally opposed to the way God thinks. We think world means cities and towns and nations. No, the world in the Bible primarily means a philosophy, a way of thinking that opposes God. The world thinks this way; God thinks the complete opposite. Satan pushes something that is totally opposite to God. That's why he is saying to renew the mind so I can transform your life.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how you come because we are all sinners at the cross. It doesn't matter if we come like the woman who was a sinner and Christ would ask Peter, "Who do you think would have a greater appreciation for their sins being forgiven?" Peter says this woman that is a sinner. At the cross, we're all the same at the cross. There's no black, white, Asian, Hispanic, rich, or poor. In Revelation chapter three, he says, "The world looks at you and calls you rich, but you're naked, wretched, and poor in my sight."

We come based on the standards and how the world determines who we are, and Christ has a whole different picture. Christ profoundly impacts my heart by how he would find it in his pattern of focus and his agenda for that day and focus in his journey. As he walks, he is hungry and thirsty, but it doesn't matter. He is going to go meet this woman. Christ wants to meet you. You don't have to come well-educated or perfect in every way.

You don't have to come with a perfect background. You could come wounded, broken, having gone through divorce, coming from drugs or alcohol, or from an abusive lifestyle. Maybe your parents abused you or people took advantage of you, but you're trying to come to experience Christ. He says just come with the attitude this woman brings and he will transform you because that's the kind of Christ he is. He's a Christ who, when he finds you, you're no longer the same when you're committed to renew your mind, to love him, serve him, and surrender your life to him.

Ask Mary Magdalene. She came from seven demons. Mary Magdalene would be the only person who would stay in the garden and be the first person to see Jesus after the resurrection. It shouldn't be like that. It should be that the first person to see Jesus after the resurrection is the high priest. The first person to see Jesus after the resurrection is Peter. No, it is a woman who had seven demons. That's who saw him for the first time after the resurrection.

Folks, it is not how you come; it is when you get there, are you committed to the meeting? This woman never leaves the meeting. You would think after Jesus Christ told her about her past, she would say, "Peace, I'm not having to deal with you going all in my business." No, she doesn't say that. She stays in the conversation. She stays engaged, involved, and never leaves until it was time to leave. That's what transformed her. That's what made a difference.

Folks, come to the meeting with a heart that is the heart of the Samaritan woman. I don't care where you come from or what you have. When we come to the cross, it equalizes everything and who we are. Let us spend some time as we walk through this familiar story about the Samaritan woman as to why this Jesus would have to go and make it a pattern of his life. This is not just something he is going to do to meet the Samaritan woman in the Bible that has so many great things to talk about.

He will save Rahab from a city wall and make her a part of his lineage. This is the Jesus who said, "I came for the sick, not those who call themselves righteous," because these people will be willing to serve me and walk with me when they stay in the conversation. Join me again tomorrow. Stay focused.

Guest Male: Thank you, Reverend Cannings. Isn't it awesome that Christ wants to meet us just where we are? Wounded, broken, abused, disregarded, or marginalized? Now, if you want to have a relationship with Jesus Christ and you don't know what the next step is, then please call us and we'll talk about it. Our number is 281-260-7402. Please also visit us online for our ministry resources at powerwalkministries.org.

Dr. Paul Cannings: A few years ago, some friends of mine, pastor friends, came to me and challenged me to start Power Walk. By faith, we stepped out and chose to start Power Walk Ministries. Yes, folks, God has grown it and developed it, and we would love for you to look at our website at www.powerwalkministries.org to see all the things that we are seeking to do for the glory of God. Become our partner. Participate in what God is doing. I know God will bless you for your sacrifice.

Guest Male: Thank you, Dr. Cannings. Once again, our web address is powerwalkministries.org. Our mailing address is PO Box 920517, Houston, Texas, 772092. And now remember, God knows everything about you: your history, your past failures, your present challenges, and still he invites you to come to him so he can transform your life forever.