Partake for Christ’s Sake

Partake for Christ’s Sake, John 4:27-34

• When I was young I would ride my bike for hours.  {Explain}
• Review, Ministry
  • Defining ministry based on Jesus as our example.
    • OT Priests vs NT believers
  • (Believers) are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5
  • But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9
• This is a work of Spirit. “He who began a good work will be faithful to complete it” Our transfer from darkness to light, from blindness to sight from death to life is GOD’S WORK… “Ok, ok, I get it”, Do you?  Because the natural response according to scripture for such a great work is to respond in worship; with words and work. So if the latter isn’t happening, for the sake of argument, do you really believe the greatness of God’s original work? 
  • I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 Reasonable: true and proper worship. (NIV) 
• Now, based on the person and work of Jesus…
  • Who are we?  Ministers
  • What do we do? Ministry
  • What is it? Work / Let’s get to work
  • What is our posture? Servant
  • What is our proclamation? The Living Water
  • A minister truly worships in truth
• This week, A minister Partakes for Christ’s sake
  • Partake: Join in 
  • Sake: purpose
  • Christ: Messiah 
• “Join in the purpose of Jesus” —> Partake for Christ’s Sake

Vs. 27, Samaritan women are “perpetually unclean”. 

• Jesus overcoming racial barriers, Let’s say the disciples are getting that, but there’s still gender and equality barriers that exists. 
  • “He that talks much with womankind brings evil upon himself and neglects the study of the law and at last will inherit Gehenna.” Mishna, Aboth 1:5
    • Talk with women and you’ll die. Sin=death, women=sin, therefore women=death. 
• BUT, when we partake in peoples lives for Christs sake and see people biblically, created in the image of God, and in need of healing, in need of a savior, we begin to partake of the life of Christ! 
  • Disciples, caught up in unbiblical legalism and fear. They were worried Jesus was getting his hands dirty. “Uhh Jesus, that was a Samaritan women… need a sin wipe” (Get baby wipe) but when we partake in peoples lives for Christs sake, we will get our hands dirty! But that’s what we do as ministers! Why? Because we have been cleaned on the inside therefore we are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, and the transfer is from us to them. 
• Partake for Christs sake!
  • But do we ever cut people off? Yes. When our inability to see ourselves through the Gospel lens is effected. 
    • Alcoholic- Someone always tries to get you to drink. 
      • That does not mean you cut off all people who drink, or see all people who drink as sinners. That’s called legalism. (Sin wipe) When this becomes our biblical view we miss the joy of what God is doing!

Vs. 28-30, What a contrast! When we partake for Christs sake, when we join in the ministry of what God is doing, what joy, what freedom, what purpose! She overcomes her guilt and shame, “Come and see the savior!”  

• And it’s this contrast that causes Jesus to give us all a life lesson. 

Vs. 31, grumbling disciples… Jesus knew what they were talking about. Have some food, and a sin wipe. And the lesson begins to Partake for Christ’s sake

Vs. 32-34

• BMX- Why? Because the feel of getting crossed up overcame any conscience need for sustenance. We were boaters in my early years, I could jet ski until the gas tank was empty. The thrill of hitting a boat wake and launching so high off the water that you felt weightless. Snowboarding, on a powder day 
  • What is it for you? That thing you did that makes you forget all other  things? In one commentary it was said… Click to see better

Preaching The Word , R. Kent Hughes

• Remember, Jesus was tired and weary when he came to the well, but a divine appointment had been appointed and divine connection to joy was found. Jesus, being our example and teacher is showing us to partake for His sake and find joy to the glory of God! Such joy that a desire for food will fade… even pizza. 
  • All other joys point to this… Doing the will and work of God! 
    • May we as ministers Partake for Christ’s sake! 
• “will of Him”, God’s will 
  • What is God’s will? It’s a good question.  Should I…
  • Are you already doing what you know to do? 
    • Revealed will of God
      • 1. Are you saved? 
      • 2. Are you Spirit filled? 
      • 3. Loving God & neighbor?
      • 4. Living a holy life, response to the Gospel?
      • 5. Serving, giving, in community? 
        • St. Augustine, “love God and do what you will.” 
• Partake for Christ’s sake! 
  • “Finish the work” 
  • What work does God have for you? 
    • Some need to stop feeding yourself and get to work! Do what you know to do. “God, why is my spiritual life so bland?” Could it be that you’re not doing what he already told you to do, not matter how small it is? 
  • Could it be that your spiritually constipated? Always receiving and never giving? Always in the concepts and never in the work? Ministry is work, the sacrifice of our life is the reasonable response to the Gospel! 
    • Charles Spurgeon remarked of this while preaching on this same passage 

Some of you good people, who do nothing except go to public meetings, the Bible readings and prophetic conferences, and other forms of spiritual squanderings, would be a good deal better Christians if you would look after the poor and needy around you. If you would just tuck up your sleeves for work, and go and tell the Gospel to dying men, you would find your spiritual health tightly restored, for very much of the sickness of Christians comes through their having nothing to do. All feeding and no working makes men spiritually constipated. Be idle, careless, with nothing to live for, nothing to care for, no sinner to pray for, no backslider to lead back to the cross, no trembler to encourage, no little child to tell of a savior, no grey headed man to enlighten in the things of God, no object, in fact, to live for; and who wonders if you begin to groan, and to murmurs and to look within, until you are ready to die of despair.” Charles Spurgeon, Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 55

• Finish the work. Same usage when Jesus was on the cross. 
  • he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30
    • Lead into Corporate Communion
      • We partake in Christs life because he partake of our death, so we could live for him. 
• PARTAKE FOR CHRIST’S SAKE