Many of the older people today share conversations and they talk about before the automobile, school days, etc.
Often you hear a topic come up about how far they had to walk to school, rain, sleet, snow or sunshine. When some of the younger generation hear these statements, they think that those times were ancient and they really can't comprehend what it would have been like to actually walk to school, like their grandparents or great-grandparents did.

If you stop and think about many of the people in the Bible, they walked wherever they went. Remember Moses and the children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness.

Jesus Himself walked most of the places that he went as did his disciples. I am not totally sure but, there is only one record, I believe that Jesus Himself rode a donkey into Jerusalem on a Donkey in Luke Chpt. 19.

Today, I wish to share with you 3 ways that Jesus walked that we can follow His footprints.

1. Jesus walked a walk of caring for people.
Jesus told His disciples that there was a need to go through Samaria. If you know, Samaritans and Jews did not socialize. There was racial prejudices even back in Biblical times so this issue has been around for a long, long time.
A. I have been in the ministry now, almost 35 years and I have dealt with a lot of different prejudices and also different social status people. For a Jew to want to go through Samaria, was not the "norm" and was not something that Jews did. This is the wonderful part of Jesus' personality, as a human, He had no prejudices, He had no barriers of social status, He didn't care who you were, what you had or didn't have. Jesus was preparing to lead these Jewish followers out of their "comfort Zone" and they didn't understand why. I have found many times, to be an affective Christian and a preacher/Pastor, you have to walk outside your "comfort zone" to reach those that others may not wish to socialize with or even talk to. Notice, Jesus went of of the "norm" to save a bunch of people starting with a Samaritan woman.

Point: When most people see that we truly care for them. they see us in a different light.
Being a former drug user and an alcoholic, I understand how people fee. People who have these addictions know there is something wrong. One of the biggest mistakes that Christians make when witnessing tio someone, is to point out their sin instead of pointing them to the Saviour. When this "finger pointing" happens, they turn the Christian off immediately. I know, I have done it and have been there too.

Did you ever stop to think that possibly God places someone in your path, to see if you will witness to them or whether you will shy away from them?

When people see you as an unjudgmental Christian, they will open up to you more easily than they will if you come at them with a self-righteous attitude.

Judgmental Christians are an immediate "turn-off" to unsaved people. A "holier than thou attitude"
never works.

2. Jesus walked a walk of Sharing with others:
notice in our text that Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman first. In order to have friends, you must first show yourself friendly. If you are not friendly, how can you witness, fellowship or, get to know anyone?

Jesus used 4 words. "give me to drink".
These 4 words led to her Salvation and, many times we feel we have to preach a sermon to get anyone saved. What is beautiful about this is, Jesus never quoted scripture. She came to get water so, He used some simple thing that was common among them to start the conversation. He chose to talk to this woman in her "comfort zone", by using something common---water.

He used a physical item "water" to bring into a comparison with "spiritual water". Stop and think a minute. We need Physical water to live physically and we need "spiritual water to live Spiritually.

3. Jesus walked a walk of Searching:
Notice after Jesus had gained her confidence and her curiosity, He asked her to do something. He asked her to "Go call thy husband". 4 more words. Notice that Jesus asked her to do this after she had asked Him to give her of the water that she would never thirst again" Vs- 13-14)

This request was probably a very hurtful request for her because she had to answer Jesus about her life. She said "I have no husband". 4 more words. If you read this entire story, you will see her reply that she had been married 5 times and the man she was living with was not her husband.

If we look back at the background to this story, this woman came to the well later in the morning "the sixth hour". Which was about 9 am to noon. Women commonly came to the well early in the morning, just at daybreak so they could get water and prepare for their families the rest of the day. This Samaritan woman came later in the day because she felt as though she was a social outcast. ashamed to come when the other socialites were there at the well.

There are many people today who feel they are too sinful for God to save them. I haven't found that verse yet in the Bible. There are many people today who feel that they are too sinful, too guilty, too unworthy to receive the Grace of God and His forgiveness. I felt the same way.

Jesus didn't get hostile with this woman. He let her tell Him what she believed. Notice verse 25. She said "I know that Messiah cometh which is called Christ when He is come, He will tell us all things". See this woman knew about Christ but, she did not KNOW Christ. This is one of the few occasions in the Bible where Jesus identified Himself "Personally" to someone. When Jesus told her who He was, she went and told others and many of that city were saved. Vs-39-42.

Jesus still offers the same "water" to those thirsty souls who need salvation through Him.
Today are you thirsty for the "spiritual water that will spring up inside you to Eternal Life?
This Samaritan woman was honest with Jesus and it led to her salvation. Be honest with Jesus today and He will save you today, just as He did this Samaritan Woman//

May this message bless you.
Oldbiker