Eph 2:14 “For He Himself is our peace, who has broken down the middle wall of separation.”
Gal 3:28 “There is neither Jew and Greek, there is neither slave not free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ.”

We cannot reach people if we don’t like them, won’t mix with them, or talk to them. In John chapter 4:1-42, we see Jesus break every kind of racial, social, cultural, and moral barrier in order to reach a Samaritan woman, who was sitting near the well of Jacob.

1. The Racial Barrier. Jews hated Samaritans and vice-versa. (John 4:3) “He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria. So, He (Jesus) came to a City of Samaria which is called Sychar.” Most Jews would avoid travelling through Samaria, because of this racial bias. But not Jesus! He went right through the middle of where the Samaritans lived, in order to reach this broken, hurting Samaritan woman. Red and yellow, black and white, they’re all precious in his sight!

2. The Social Barrier. John 4:7-9 “Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 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.” Society imposes many kinds of class distinctions – wealth, age, sex, political, educational, etc.. But Jesus only sees lost souls needing salvation.

3. The Gender Barrier. (John 4:9-10) Gender ideologies have caused much confusion in our society today. But rules, restrictions, inequalities, and questions about gender are nothing new! The Bible shows us that while men and women differ significantly in their abilities, roles, and natures – both are equally valuable in God’s eyes!

4. The Moral Barrier. (John 4:16-18) “Jesus said to her, “For you have well said, I have no husband’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband.” This woman was far from saintly! But that was no barrier to Jesus. (Luke 5:32) “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”

Revelation 5:9-10 describes a scene in heaven: “And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; For You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

This scripture cannot be fulfilled unless we are willing to break through every racial, social, gender, or moral barrier, and reach every available person, by every available means, at every available time with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yours for the fellowship of all the Saints,

Dr. George Hill,
President and Founder, VCI
www.victoryint.org