Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

WEDNESDAY JULY 1


RAISE YOUR HAND

READ:
John 3:17
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God did not send
his Son into the
world to condemn
the world, but that
the world through
Him might be
saved.
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The St. Olaf Choir from Northfield, Minnesota, is renowned for making beautiful music. One reason for its excellence is the selection process. Applicants are chosen based not only on how well they sing but also on how they sound as part of the whole. Another reason is that all members agree to make the choir their first priority and commit to a rigorous rehearsal and performance schedule.

One of the things that intrigues me the most about this choir is what happens during rehearsals. Whenever members make a mistake, they raise their hand. Instead of trying to hide the blunder, they call attention to it! This allows the conductor to help each singer learn the difficult part, and it increases the likelihood of a flawless performance.

I think this is the kind of community Jesus was establishing when He told Nicodemus that God sent His Son into the world to save it, not condemn it (JOHN 3:17). Shortly after this conversation, Jesus encountered a Samaritan woman at the public well. He made it easy for her to admit failure by promising her a better way of life where she could enjoy His forgiveness (JOHN 4).

As members of Christ's body on earth, we should not fear admitting our wrongs but welcome it as an opportunity to together experience and rejoice in the forgiveness of God.

__Julie Ackerman Link

**Lord, its our tendency to hide our sins and flaws. May we come to You in
full honestly, understanding that we are loved and forgiven by You.
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We can't put our sins behind us until we are ready to face them.

**************************Today's Bible Reading __ John 4:7-15, 28-30*****************************
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to
her, "Give Me a drink." 8 For His disciples had gone away
into the city to buy food.

9 Then the woman of Samaria said to him, "How is
it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan
woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of
God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would
have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

11 The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw
water? 12 Aree You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us
the well and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his
livestock?"

13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this
water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that
I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give
him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into
everlasting life."

15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I
may not thirst, nor come here to draw."...

28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the
city, and said to the men, 29 "Come, see a Man who told me all
things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30 Then they
went out of the city and came to him.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Jesus crossed racial, cultural, theological,
gender, and social boundaries when He spoke to the woman
at the well. Samaritans were the descendants of the Israelites
who intermarried with the Assyrians. Because of this, Samaritan
customs and theology often differed from those of the Jews. The
Samaritan woman was also an outcast among her own people for
her failed relationships and immoral behavior. What a wonderful
picture of the Savior reaching beyond all barriers with His love.