The Normal Christian Life -- Part 4

Once we begin to tell others what God has done for us, like the woman at the well, we allow them to drop their own defenses and to open their own souls in hope that He will do the same for them.  Like the villagers, they, too, are awaiting the Messiah, the Promised One -- and our story encourages them to believe that He is nearby and waiting for them. 

The villagers told the Samaritan woman: We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world (Jn. 4:42). 

Once our testimony about the Messiah encourages people to approach Jesus for themselves, they too become believers -- and now, where there were only separate souls all trying to approach God in their own way, now there is a community of believers formed around the person of Jesus Christ -- the way, the truth, and the Life.

Now there is a church, a group of people who have all been touched by God and given different gifts to build up one another and to grow in faith.  Now the Spirit of Jesus begins to flow through the believers -- it is better for you if I go away -- to heal, to nourish, to teach, to encourage, to support one another.  Jesus remains with them, but in the Spirit that operates through each one of them.

And as the Body of Christ, the church receives even more revelation from the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus promised: I have much more to teach you, but you cannot bear it now.  But when He, the Spirit of Truth arrives, he will lead you into all truth.  Together, by exercising all the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, fortitude, etc., the believers grow in more knowledge and understanding and grace. 

And more people are drawn into the community of believers to meet the Risen Lord.

This is the "Normal" Christian life, based always and everwhere on our encounter with Jesus or with others who have met Him and who can encourage us to seek Him for ourselves.  Like the woman at the well, who began isolated, rejected, abandoned, and depressed, we begin to find ourselves at the center of a community -- accepted, loved, forgiven, and respected for the gifts given to us.  And in that love and acceptance, we continue to grow even deeper in the Spirit of God.