Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women
    Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women
    Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women
    Ebook136 pages1 hour

    Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women

    By Shirley Stephens

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Jesus was a revolutionary in the most noble sense of the word. One area in which this was strikingly evident was in his conversations with women. They were much more than small talk. Each conversation reveals meaningful truths Jesus wanted women and men to understand.

    Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women presents nine conversations Jesus had with women and the great truths they reveal about his special relationship with women and their place in the work of His kingdom. The author presents Jesus' conversations in dialog fashion, using fiction techniques to enliven the text while remaining true to the biblical account. The presentations take into account the cultural and political background of the period and places.

    Following the account of each conversation are interactive learning exercises that can be completed individually or in a group setting. This book is a handy tool for group and individual Bible study.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherShirley Stephens
    Release dateDec 8, 2014
    ISBN9780983367291
    Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women
    Author

    Shirley Stephens

    Shirley Stephens has written and edited over a period of thirty-plus years. She is a graduate of Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Arizona, and Southwestern Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of eleven books and countless articles. Books to her credit: My Daughter Susan Smith, the story of a troubled young mother who sent her children to their deaths in a South Carolina lake; Under the SS Shadow, the true story of a former Hitler Youth and the son of an SS major; A New Testament View of Women, a detailed exegesis of all of the New Testament passages that deal specifically with the role of women; Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle, the gripping, true-life story of hardened criminal Don Dennis and his conversion and transformation into a life of service to inmates; From the Cell to the Cross, an update of Breaking Crime's Vicious Cycle; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women presents, in dialog fashion, nine truths that Jesus taught women; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Men presents, in dialog fashion, eleven truths that Jesus taught men; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Pharisees presents, in dialog fashion ten truths that Jesus taught Pharisees; Great Truths from One Woman's Conversations With the Apostle Paul presents, in dialog fashion, nine teachings of Paul on the role of women in the home, church and society; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With the Apostle Peter presents, in dialog fashion, nine truths that Jesus taught the Apostle Peter; Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With the Apostle John presents, in dialog fashion, Jesus' letters to the seven churches of Revelation.

    Read more from Shirley Stephens

    Related to Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women

    Related ebooks

    Christianity For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Ask Val

      Sep 23, 2022

      Ask Val
      2 min read

    • Article

      Sunday, February 17

      Dec 14, 2018

      RECENTLY, A PASTOR REMINDED ME of something. Sunday morning at eleven o’clock is the most segregated hour of the week. I took some time to think about that. I didn’t grow up in the church and didn’t come to know Christ until my early adulthood. But w

      1 min read

    • Article

      Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25

      Oct 15, 2021

      For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) WHEN MY THIRTEEN-Y

      1 min read

    • Article

      HOW IS YOUR VISION? 5 Tips To Establish God’s Plan For Your Life

      Jun 24, 2019

      A church in a community bought a piece of property and built a building. They were excited about serving the Lord. They wanted to win the lost for Christ and encourage the believers to live for Jesus. They really had a vision for God. It was their de

      6 min read

    • Article

      A Pained Intuition and a Palpable Longing: Katie Ford on Theology, Poetry, and the Unknowable

      Sep 13, 2018

      If You Have to Go, the new collection of poems by Katie Ford, is a book that conjures powers of possession. I feel that way about all of her books: Her poems bring me to a mystical plane somewhere between language and life. I’m left shaken. Her willi

      17 min read

    • Article

      Taking Stock

      Nov 28, 2018

      Only that man who stands aright in the Creation of his God, who recognises himself as a part of Creation and lives accordingly, only he is the true servant of God, no matter in what way he earns his necessary living on earth. As a part of Cre

      2 min read

    • Article

      Rest Your Weary Soul

      Jul 19, 2020

      Rest Your Weary Soul
      1 min read

    • Article

      Monday, January 2

      Dec 16, 2022

      “WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU could do better?” a friend asked me recently. Without missing a beat, I quickly replied, “Sing.” I’ve long admired those who have voices that can croon any type of music—Christian, opera, R&B, pop, jazz, or country. I love to si

      1 min read

    • Article

      Introduction

      Jan 16, 2021

      Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. HEBREWS 12:2 NIV I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT of Lent as a new beginning—

      1 min read

    • Article

      Josh & Tara McCauley On A REDEMPTIVE Mission

      Sep 4, 2020

      Whilst his friends were out playing cops and robbers, a young Joshua would sit in the front row of church listening to the sermons of his dad (Rhema Church founder, Pastor Ray McCauley) blissfully unaware that one day he too would be standing behind

      10 min read

    • Article

      Putting Faith In Science

      Feb 5, 2021

      Putting Faith In Science
      15 min read

    • Article

      Nuns Vs. The Coronavirus

      May 3, 2020

      Nuns Vs. The Coronavirus
      6 min read

    • Article

      Christmas Is About Receiving

      Dec 19, 2017

      A Christian Science perspective: The ever-present Christ, God’s message of infinite love for all, comes to each one of us.

      2 min read

    • Article

      Is This The End Of Childhood?

      Sep 8, 2021

      Is This The End Of Childhood?
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Great Shaking

      Nov 27, 2020

      Way back in the last millennium when I was still a teenager there was a popular song made famous by Jerry Lee Lewis, “There’s been a whole lotta shakin goin’ on.”This is certainly true of today’s world. One major difference between the current global

      5 min read

    • Article

      Heal Your Heart

      Jan 16, 2021

      Heal Your Heart
      1 min read

    • Article

      Forward March!

      Sep 4, 2020

      Forward March!
      5 min read

    • Article

      Spotlight on POST-NATAL DEPLETION

      Sep 4, 2022

      Tiredness is, without a doubt, a key feature of motherhood; it’s likely you know a tired mum, or you’ve been a tired mum yourself. But what happens when the tiredness that accompanies being a mum turns into extreme exhaustion, the “baby brain” turns

      2 min read

    • Article

      On A Mission From God, But To Do What?

      Nov 30, 2018

      When is the murder of a missionary a martyrdom, and when is it a justifiable act of self-defense by an insular culture that doesn't take the threat of incursion by outsiders lightly? That conundrum lies at the heart of the unfortunate demise of John

      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      Great Truths from Jesus' Conversations With Women - Shirley Stephens

      Great Truths from

      Jesus’

      Conversations

      With

      Women

      Shirley Stephens

      © Copyright 2003 by Shirley L. Stephens

      All rights reserved.

      ISBN: 0-9701076-8-4

      No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

      Printed in the United States of America

      Authors Book Nook

      P. O. Box 513

      Brentwood, TN 37024-0513

      Website: www.authorsbooknook.com

      A note to the reader

      The nine conversations in this book are based solidly on the biblical record. Some liberties have been taken to recreate the scene related to each conversation, such as likely responses of the persons involved and background information about the people and the locations where the conversations took place.

      Following the account of each conversation are interactive exercises designed to delve into the truths to be learned and the life applications that can be made as a result of studying the conversation.

      Subject and Scripture indices, along with a glossary of terms are provided to aid in study and understanding.

      Contents

      Prologue: Conversation—

      A Revolutionary Idea

      Conversation 1: Who Are You?

      Reflection 1

      Conversation 2: What Is Most Important?

      Reflection 2

      Conversation 3: Where Are Your Accusers?

      Reflection 3

      Conversation 4: What About Family Relationships?

      Reflection 4

      Conversation 5: What Makes a Person Great?

      Reflection 5

      Conversation 6: How About Leftovers?

      Reflection 6

      Conversation 7: Why Weren’t You Here?

      Reflection 7

      Conversation 8: Woman, Behold Your Son!

      Reflection 8

      Conversation 9: Why Are You Weeping?

      Reflection 9

      The On-going Response

      Scripture Index

      Subject Index

      Glossary of Terms

      Prologue:

      Conversation —

      A Revolutionary Idea

      Jesus was a revolutionary in the most noble sense of the word. One area in which this was strikingly evident was in his attitude toward women. By the way he related to women, what he said about women, and what he said to women, he demonstrated that he did not accept the demeaning status assigned to women in the society of his day. Through his teachings he made it quite clear that he considered women to be equal in value to men, a definite departure from prevalent first-century attitudes.

      Like other Jewish religious teachers, Jesus gathered disciples around him, instructing them and preparing them to teach and train others in the principles and purposes of his kingdom. Unlike other Jewish teachers, though, Jesus accepted women as disciples or learners.

      Early in Jesus’ public ministry, a group of women were numbered among his disciples, first joining him in his ministry in Galilee. At least twice, the Gospel writer Luke referred to this group as the women, thus identifying them as a distinct group of followers (see Luke 23:49; Acts 1:14). It is also from Luke that we learn about the involvement of these women in Jesus’ ministry. He reported that they provided for Jesus and the disciples of their substance (8:3). In other words, they gave financial support to Jesus’ public ministry. These women faithfully followed Jesus throughout Galilee and stayed near him all the way to the cross (Matt. 27:55). It was women from this group of faithful disciples that the angel engaged in conversation at the empty tomb after Jesus had risen from the grave.

      On many occasions, Jesus carried on meaningful conversations with women in the same way that he talked to men. The New Testament contains a number of conversations between Jesus and women. The women he engaged in conversation came from all classes of first-century society and from various ethnic groups that inhabited Palestine. These conversations tell us much about the way he related to women and how he valued them as followers and active participants in the work of his kingdom.

      Jesus’ conversations with women were much more than small talk, to be sure. Each one had a specific purpose. They reveal meaningful truths Jesus wanted women and men to understand and, in turn, to communicate to others.

      The nine conversations included in this book contain messages that have informed and encouraged and comforted countless individuals — both men and women — down through the centuries.

      Conversation 1

      Who Are You?

      John 4:5-42

      She is popularly known as the Woman of Samaria. Otherwise, she remains nameless. So let’s call her Leah, just to give her a good Old Testament name. After all, the Samaritans¹ lived by the first five books of the Old Testament.

      Leah’s life was all messed up. She just couldn’t make marriage work, even though she had gone into all of her marriages with the hope that they would last for life. One time after another, the relationship ended in divorce. After five failures, Leah didn’t bother with a ceremony. She and her children just moved in with number six.

      Although Leah didn’t accept all the blame for the marriage failures, she still felt guilty. Guilty, because she knew things weren’t supposed to be that way. Her parents had taught her how to live according to God’s commandments. Friends told her she was ruining her life by the way she lived. But she just couldn’t seem to live right, despite her periodic resolutions to be a better person. Besides, life wasn’t treating her too badly, she told herself from time to time. She had a lot of nice things, more than most of her friends who criticized the way she lived.

      Still, no matter how much she tried to convince herself that things were okay, Leah was self-conscious about her lifestyle. And she thought everyone in town knew about her sin. Her decent friends didn’t come around anymore. And she didn’t want to embarrass them with a visit. They had good reputations to protect. She still had feelings, though. So, she made sure she didn’t get into a situation where people could pass judgment on her lifestyle — by words or insinuating looks.

      One strategy Leah used to protect herself was the way she carried out her daily chore of hauling water. Most women went to the community well in groups, but not Leah. She went alone. And women generally took care of this chore early in the morning or in the cool of the evening. Not Leah. She went at high noon — the hottest time of the day. That way she could be sure she wouldn’t run into anyone she knew.

      Each day, before she went out to take care of the water-drawing chore, Leah gave special attention to her appearance. From the dressing table, she picked up a beautiful bronze mirror, a gift from husband number three. Looking at her reflection, she mused about her past life. She had been through a lot of emotional turmoil but had managed to keep her looks. That made her feel good.

      With wide strokes Leah combed her long, black hair. Next she applied makeup, making sure her eyes were outlined for the best effect. She then put on her full-length, bright blue dress. To complete her outfit, she arranged a long scarf on her head. No respectable married woman went out in public without her head covered.

      Putting the oldest child in charge of the household, Leah picked up her water pot, balanced it on her head, and left for Jacob’s Well, an ancient water supply. She pulled up the long scarf on her head so that it would partially cover her face, stood up straight, and strode down the narrow street in front of her home. Her confident walk masked the turmoil within.

      When Leah left home, Jesus was already at Jacob’s Well, waiting for the noon-time visitor. He had just arrived from Jerusalem. Tired, weary, and thirsty from his journey, he sat on the edge of the well to rest while his disciples went to nearby Sychar to buy food. He hoped someone would come by so he could get a drink of water. The deep well had an ample supply of water, but he had no vessel to draw it.

      Looking in the direction of the town, Jesus spotted Leah moving toward the well at a quick pace. With interest, he watched her come closer and closer to her intended objective. Finally arriving at the well, she proceeded to carry out her chore as if she were alone. She didn’t acknowledge Jesus’ presence in any way. In fact, she didn’t even look in his direction. She just took the water pot off her head, set it on the edge of the well, and deliberately turned to make sure her back was to him. She then lowered her vessel into the well and filled it with water.

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1