December 6 - Samaria

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“Samaria” appears quite a bit in the Bible, most notably with Jesus and the Woman at the Well, the city of Shechem, the parable of the Good Samaritan, and preaching that Philip did in this region. Located in the central part of the country, it extends 40 miles from north to south and 35 miles from east to west. Galilee is to the north, Judaea is to the south. On the west is the Mediterranean Sea, on the east is the Jordan River. And in between?

In between lived an ethnically-mixed nation with Jewish and pagan heritage. People with their own customs, cities, spiritual beliefs, and world view. People who (to put it mildly) did not like the Jews. And (also to put it mildly) people who were not liked by the Jews.

But, Jesus appears. As the (one and only) Way (John 14:6), Jesus expects / commands His followers to be different.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will
be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 1:8 (ESV)

…to the ones who look and talk differently
…to the ones who don’t live in your neighborhood or your side of the tracks
…to the ones who don’t really like you

“Be MY witnesses,” Jesus commands (aka - not an option).

So the question is real: Who in Door County is “my Samaria” …?
(and will I be HIS witness?)

Pastor Daniel & Melissa Bowman
Community Church of Fish Creek



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