John 4:1-4 NKJV

1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria.

He needed to go...

Genesis 34:1-4 NIV

1 Now Dinah, the daughter Leah had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the land. 2 When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, the ruler of that area, saw her, he took her and violated her. 3 His heart was drawn to Dinah, daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her. 4 And Shechem said to his father Hamor, "Get me this girl as my wife."

Achor = Trouble

John 8:48 NIV

... "Aren't we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?"

Luke 9:51-53 NIV

51 As the time approached for Him to be taken up to Heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 And He sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for Him; 53 but the people there did not welcome Him because He was headed for Jerusalem.

But He needed to go through Samaria.

John 4:9 NIV

The Samaritan woman said to Him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?"

John 4:12 NIV

"Are you greater than our father Jacob?"

John 4:13-18 NIV

13 Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. 14 Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw the water." 16 He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back." 17 "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."

John 4:39-42 NIV

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony... 40 So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. 41 And because of His words, many more became believers. 42 They said to the 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."

But He needed to go through Samaria.

Learn to love and care about people that you do not agree with.

Some feel that kindness without verbal witness is weakness!

You need to care more about the person than you care about the approval of your peer group.

Acts 8:5-8 NIV

5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed Christ there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

Hosea 2:15 NIV

There I... will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.

But He needed to go through Samaria.

We all need to go through Samaria.

Someone in Samaria is waiting on you to come.