Jesus Teaches Direct Response Marketing

Listen to a few internet marketing gurus speak about selling and you find some common ideas among them. Usually they allude to salesmen from the early and mid- twentieth century as their inspiration. But the principles are much older than that. Follow along as Jesus speaks with the woman at the well in Samaria. Keep your salesman’s guidebook at hand. Here you’ll find only the highlights; in the next lesson we’ll fill in some of the details.

John 4:5-45

• Know your audience. Know where to reach them, and what it is that they need or want.
• Introduce yourself and what you have to offer with an attention-grabbing headline.
• Give some information that hooks them into listening further.
• Make an irresistible offer.
• Promise and guarantee something big and wonderful.
• We don’t like to work; if you offer an easier, faster, longer-lasting solution, they will want it.
• Heighten their desire by withdrawing the offer slightly.
• Demonstrate your credibility.
• Use short, powerful statements to describe the benefits of what you offer.
• Gather testimonials from those who have consumed your product or service.
• Use satisfied consumers as affiliates.
• If possible, set up a continuing program of satisfying needs and wants.

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Avoid unnecessary conflict

Each of the gospel writers adds a bit to a complete understanding of events following John the Baptist’s confrontation with the committee of Pharisees from Jerusalem who inquired about his credentials. Read the following verses; and then rewrite their content into a single paragraph if you can.

John 4:1-4

Luke 3:19-20

Mark 1:14

Matthew 4:12

Luke 4:14

Meditation Points:

1. Jesus could have stayed in the area and built a larger following for himself; but he didn’t.
2. To get where he wanted to go, “he must needs go through Samaria.” Sometimes an insignificant “necessity” has much larger consequences.
3. Herod the Tetrarch, son of Herod the Great is introduced as the one responsible for the imprisonment of John. And what landed the preacher in jail? His message that divorce and remarriage is a sin.
4. How is it that Jesus gained such popularity?

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Two Johns speak of Jesus

As you are reading, remember that John, the author of the gospel that bears his name, is not John the baptizer, the cousin of Jesus. In today’s text we find John the apostle recording the words of John the baptizer.

John 3:22-36

• After attending the passover in Jerusalem, Jesus went with his disciples into Judea. Baptism was part of their activity (v. 22).
• John was in another area where there was much water baptizing, too (v. 23).
• Almost parenthetically we are told, with a view to the future, that John had not yet been put in prison (v. 24).
• A discussion about baptism ensued between some of John’s disciples and “the Jews” (v. 25). Do you wonder why John still had disciples?
• The discussion revolved around two groups of people baptizing: John and his disciples, and Jesus with his disciples (v. 26). Was there a competition to see whose following would be greater? Did these inquirers seek to create a problem between John and Jesus?
• John would not, for a moment, give any credence to the idea that he and Jesus were competitors (v.27).
• I am not the Christ; I told you that already (v. 28).
• I am pleased to hear that many are following Jesus (v. 29).
• I am diminishing in influence so that Jesus might increase (v. 30).
• I am not from heaven; Jesus is and he should have your attention (v. 31).
• I don’t have the experience that Jesus has; I don’t have the message that Jesus has (v. 32).
• Jesus speaks the truth. Jesus speaks for God. Jesus has the Spirit of God without measure (v. 33-34).
• Jesus is over all things (v. 35).
• Jesus makes all the difference in the world and the world to come (v. 36).

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Not all believers can be trusted

While Jesus was at the passover, many people saw the miracles which he did (2:23 of John’s gospel). We don’t know what miracles they saw; but we do know that many believed in the name of Jesus because of those miracles. We also know (2:24-25) that Jesus didn’t trust them all, for he knew what was in their hearts.

Let us learn that not everyone impressed with the work of Jesus is devoted to Jesus himself.

John 3:1-21

• Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews (v. 1).
• Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and respectfully acknowledged that Jesus could not do miracles without God’s help (v. 2). (Remember John 2:23-25)
• Although Nicodemus was quick to say what he knew, Jesus declared that one cannot know anything about the kingdom of God until AFTER he’s been born again (v. 3).
• Nicodemus, like the Jews in the temple (John 2:20), saw things literally and not spiritually (proving Jesus’ point) and asked how (physically, literally) this second birth could take place (v. 4).
• Jesus expands his thought by explaining that this second, new, re- birth is one of water and spirit (v. 5). Either Jesus is contrasting the literal water of physical birth with a subsequent spiritual birth, or he is speaking of a spiritual water as part of a spiritual birth. His message is that there are things of the flesh (literal) and things of the spirit (spiritual) and they are not the same (v. 6).
• And, in case Nicodemus (and we) didn’t understand the first two times, Jesus repeats (v. 7), “Ye must be born again.”
• Still don’t understand this new and Spirit birth teaching? It’s like the wind (v. 8). You can observe the effects; but you don’t understand it’s origin.
• Jesus chides Nicodemus for being a teacher who does not understand such elementary truth (v. 9-12).
• With a glimpse into his past, Jesus offers his credentials for being able to speak accurately about spiritual truth (v. 13).
• Alluding to the events of Numbers 21:6-9 , Jesus informs Nicodemus (and us) that by trusting in Jesus we shall have eternal life (v.15-16).
• Make no mistake. Although Jesus came to save men; those who reject him will be condemned for their evil deeds (v 17-21)

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