Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

“The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.” (John 4:28-30)

“And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (John 4:39-42)

Back in John 4:7 we are introduced to a unnamed woman who is going about her daily chores serving her family. She was a Samaritan. She was part of a people who had been resettled in the land, moved by the King of Assyria. They had been taught and partially accepted the faith of Israel, but held onto their old pagan religions also. (see II Kings 17:24-41). Traveling from Judea to Galilee, Jesus and His followers pass through Samaria. While there Jesus sat by a well while His disciples went to buy food. When the woman came to the well, Jesus asked her for a drink. She was shocked that a Jewish man talked to her as the Jews wanted no part of the Samaritans. Jesus began to talk to her about eternal life and her state of condition.  The woman confessed her sin, and in John 4:15, the woman asked for that water.

I would like to focus on verse 28.  The first thing she did was to tell others about Jesus Christ.  She was concerned about eternal life for others, more than her own needs.  Remember, she was at the well getting water.  Water was a needful thing.  They didn’t have the comfort of turning on a faucet with hot and cold water.  She went soul winning and God blessed her efforts.

We must be about the Lord’s business of winning souls. Time is short and people who die without Christ will burn forever and ever.  So often we are afraid to start a conversation about the Lord.    But think how you would feel at the White Throne Judgment, when Christ says to that person “Depart from me….”.   Then they point at you and say “You never told me”!   Start by grabbing a bunch of salvation tracks and leave them where ever you go.   John R. Rice wrote a book called Personal Soul Winning packed good information.  Ask someone at your church who goes soul winning, if you can go with them.

Within the last few weeks, I personally know of several people going off into eternity.  I would like to share a story about my experience with a woman whom I’ve never met.   For privacy reasons we’ll call her Paula.

Before moving out of state, a very dear friend of mine accepted Christ as her personal Saviour.  Through the years, she became close friends with Paula.  Not long ago, my friend called and told me Paula was dying of brain cancer.  My friend was clearly upset.  The first question I asked was “Does she know the Lord as her Saviour”.  My friend didn’t know.  She never talked to anyone about salvation before.  I told her that I would send her all the information she needed.  All she would have to do is read it.  I challenge you to use this letter, either for you to use to witness or to send to someone.  No one is promised tomorrow.

Note:  Change the greeting to fit your needs.

Hi _____________, my name is ____________. I’m an old friend of ___________. I am so sorry about your health and I want you to know that our church is praying for you and your family.  _____________ has shared with me that you were both thinking about going to church. If you can, I  encourage you to go. But if I may, I would like to explain something from the Bible to  you. _______________ was not sure if you heard this before or not, but I beg you to read this until the end.

1 John 5:13 – “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

The Bible tells us that we can ‘know’ for sure that someday we can go to heaven. Let me explain how:

In the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve sinned. The spirit they had within them died.  That sin nature, (dead spirit) was passed on to everyone ever born of man.

Romans 5:12 –  “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”

Romans 3:23  – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Sin requires a payment. Just as if you killed someone and got caught, you would have to pay the penalty, jail or death.

Romans 6:23a – “For the wages of sin is death; …”

The only payment for sin is death in hell forever and ever. But God doesn’t want anyone to go to hell. He only made hell for the devil and his angels. So God provided a way to get to Heaven. He sent His Son Jesus. Jesus knew no sin, so He was the only one who could pay the price. He is the Lamb of God.

Romans 5:8 – “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

There is no sin in Heaven. We can’t get in on our own. God sent His son to pay the price for our sin (dead spirit). Going back to the example of if you killed someone and having to pay the price by the death sentence. Someone comes along and says to the   Judge, “Let ____________ go free. I will pay the price for her killing the person”. You go free.  Jesus pay your sin debt. You don’t have to do a thing. It was paid in full when Jesus died on the cross. It’s a free gift from God.

Romans 6:23b – “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I pray you’re asking yourself, ‘How do I get this free gift’? You get it just like any other free gift, accept it. How?

Romans 10:13 – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Saved from what? From hell forever and ever. Your dead spirit that you were born  with is revived by the Holy Spirit who enters in.

1. You must believe your a sinner. Can you think of a time you’ve sinned?  That makes you a sinner.

2. You must believe that Jesus took your sins upon Him and paid your sin debt.

3. You must trust in Jesus and Jesus alone, for his death is the only payment for your sins and that He, and only He, will take you to Heaven. (some people trust in things that they have to do, or in a church, or even some other god.) We don’t have to do a thing but believe and ask. There were to men on either side of Jesus when He was dying on the cross.

(Luke 23:39-43) – “And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

The one man just believed.

The Bible says:

(John 14:6) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

(John 3:16-18) – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Believe and ask in prayer. It’s the MOST IMPORTANT decision you’ll ever make.

___________, my question is, do you believe your a sinner? Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins? Will you trust Him and only Him in taking you to Heaven someday?

If you’ve answered yes to all the above questions, then bow your head in prayer now and ask Jesus to be your Saviour. You can say something like this:

Dear Jesus, I know I’m a sinner. Please forgive me of my sins. Thank you for paying my sin debt. I am trusting in you and you alone to take me to Heaven someday when I die. Come into my life and save me. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

If you prayed, and truly believed and prayed it from your heart, the Holy Spirit now dwells within you. You are promised Heaven. When you close your eyes here, you will be with the Lord. Please consider these things seriously. I am praying for your health but mostly for your salvation (excepting Jesus as your Saviour). Please tell ____________ what you decided. I asked her to let me know. I am adding some other Bible verses for comfort.

(Hebrews 13:5) – “… I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

(John 10:27-30) – “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one.”

(2Corinthians 5:8) – “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

(John 6:36-40) –  “But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”

(Revelation 21:4) – “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

(John 14:2) – “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

(Revelation 20:10) – “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” AMEN!

Thank You

(Proverbs 11:30) – “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.”