Breaking Down BarriersSample

On the first day of this plan, we talked about how Jesus had to pass through Samaria. By the end of the story, we see that Jesus didn’t just pass through; He stayed with the Samaritans. In John 1, Jesus ‘stays’ or ‘remains’ with His disciples. He does it again after the wedding in Cana, then again here in Samaria. John uses the same word each time: meno – remain, stay, dwell or abide.

Jesus doesn’t just want to visit us; He wants to be with us, He wants to give us His life. John uses this word again in chapter 15. He’s the vine, and we’re the branches. So long as a branch remains in a tree, it has the life of the tree. The sap flows into it and makes it fruitful. If it falls to the ground, it dries up and becomes firewood, not fruitful wood.

On the cross, Jesus shed His blood, becoming like a cut open tree, ready for branches to be grafted into it. We were dead in our sins, lifeless and only good for burning, but Jesus has grafted us into His body and given us His blood so that we can be fruitful and live.

Jesus doesn’t just give His life on the cross; He gives us His life constantly. That’s how we’re able to bear fruit. That’s what He did with His disciples and the Samaritans. He gave Himself to them, sharing His life with them, not just visiting but staying.

When Jesus remained with people, it was a demonstration of how He would give them His very self for salvation and the power to live a fruitful life. As we seek to share the good news, let’s also share our very lives so that the message we proclaim can be demonstrated too.

Do you stay with Jesus or do you just visit? How can you make Jesus the centre of your life rather than just a part of it? How can you share more of your life with those that you’re sharing good news with?

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