Q22: WHICH BIBLE PASSAGE CLEARLY SHOWS CHRIST'S METHOD IN REACHING PEOPLE?

John 4:4-19: And he must needs go through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Q23: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE JESUS' METHOD IN DETAIL?

Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, [John 4:7]: The process of winning the woman of Samaria deserves the most careful study on the part of all who set out to win others to Christ. There were four main stages in this process: (1) The awakening of a desire for something better, vs. 7–15. (2) The awakening of a conviction of personal need, vs. 16–20. (3) The call for a decision to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, vs. 21–26. (4) The stimulus to action appropriate to the decision, vs. 28–30, 39–42.

Jesus gained the woman's attention with the request, "Give me to drink." Her response is evident in the question of v. 9, "How is it …?" Having thus secured her undivided attention, Jesus aroused her interest by the offer of "living water" (v. 10). Her reaction appears in the question as to "whence" He obtained such water (v. 11) and whether He professed to be "greater" than Jacob, who had dug the well (v. 12). From attention and interest, Jesus led her on to desire the "living water," declaring that those who drink it will "never thirst" (v. 14). She responded with the request, "Sir, give me this water" (v. 15), even though she had little conception, as yet, of what she was asking for.

Ministry of Healing, p. 143: Christ's method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, "Follow Me". . . .

There is need of coming close to the people by personal effort. . . .The poor are to be relieved, the sick cared for, the sorrowing and the bereaved comforted, the ignorant instructed, the inexperienced counselled. We are to weep with those that weep, and rejoice with those that rejoice. Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without fruit.

Q24: WHY DO MOST PEOPLE MINGLE WITH EACH OTHER AND WHAT IS THE USUAL REACTION?

People mingle with each other for all kinds of reasons. Often they do so with some ulterior motives rather than altruistic ones. Because so many have been manipulated, used, and exploited by others, we can understand why, when we mingle with them, they assume that we are after something. Isn't this the reason that we hear them probing with such familiar questions as "What is in this for you?" "What are you really after?" "What do you want?" "What is the catch?" "What are you selling?" Such questions betray how wary people have become about being used – Christ's Way of Reaching People, p. 45.

Q25: WHAT SHOULD BE OUR MOTIVE FOR REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE?

Christ reached out to people for their own sake–simply because He loved them and because they had a need which He could fill! His motive was disinterested benevolence.

Let's reveal God's character by precept and example. "I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day. I'd rather you just don't tell me, show me the way."

Love makes, maintains and upholds all right relationships. Love is the glue!

Q26: WHAT ARE SOME METHODS OF APPLYING JESUS' METHOD IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS?

We can use the acronym "FORT" to remember four areas that people like to talk about.

F = Family O = Occupation R = Religion T = Testimony

Keep in mind that all the people you come in contact with wear an unseen button that says, "Show me that you care!"

You cannot be pleasing and antagonising at the same time!

Finally, never forget the power of a sincere compliment!