Daily Devotions
John
A sharp contrast noticed
Text: John 4:1-45
A SHARP CONTRAST NOTICED
Jesus had two wonderful days of ministry among the Samaritans in the city of Sychar. The people there were so keen and eager to receive the Gospel that He preached! There was no mistaking their earnestness and zeal. Many came to believe in God and in the Messiah that He had sent!
All too soon, the ministry among the Samaritans had to end. Jesus led His Disciples back to Galilee. As He made His way back to minister in Galilee, He evaluated the ministry in Sychar.
“Now after two days He departed from there
and went to Galilee.
For Jesus Himself declared that a prophet
Has no honour in his own country.”
John 4:43, 44
What a contrast there was between the ministry that Jesus had in Jerusalem and Sychar. In the capital city, He had to cleanse the Temple because of the obvious and wanton abuse of the use of the premises by the religious leaders. Nevertheless, He preached the Word of God there and performed miracles too! What was the response of the leaders to the ministry of Jesus? They questioned Him with these words,
“What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?”
John 2:18
John did not record that Jesus performed any miracle in the city of Sychar. The Samaritans received Jesus as the Messiah sent from God, on the basis of the “Word” that He preached! This was truly ideal! They did not demand a sign from Jesus. They did not bring their sick to Him for healing. They focused on hearing the Word that He preached! That was enough for them to come to faith in Jesus!
There was an old proverbial saying, source untraceable, that “a prophet has no honour in his own country”. How true that seemed to be as Jesus evaluated His ministry with the Samaritans. At Sychar He was given due honour. In his own country, He was doubted and even rejected!
A true prophet however must continue to do what he was sent to do! He must fulfil His mission even though He may be rejected. This was an important truth that the Disciples had to learn deeply. They must be mentally prepared for the fact that they would not always be received well when they were sent out to minister later on. There would be some who would receive, but there would be those who would reject. They must seek to fortify themselves so that they would not be overwhelmed by sorrow and depression should they be rejected.
A prophet is not without honour. However, he must be prepared to accept that the honour would not be given by his countrymen. The prophet must learn both fortitude and faithfulness and this continue to minister with a great sense of perseverance.
DEEP LESSONS TAUGHT
Jesus taught the woman of Samaria many rich spiritual lessons. Let’s take time to review what He taught:-
1. EVERLASTING LIFE
Jesus spoke to the woman of Samaria about Life – everlasting life! He turned her focus from mundane matters to eternal issues.
a) Anyone could have eternal life.
b) Jesus was able to give a person eternal life!
c) That life could well be compared to an eternal spring of water.
2. WORSHIP OF GOD
The discussion about eternal matters must ultimately lead to the question of how one should worship God.
a) God was Spirit and therefore He was not to be confined to any spatial location (Jerusalem or Mt. Gerizim).
b) God and Truth cannot be separated. True worship must include a comprehension of truth!
c) God was always seeking true worshippers – people who understood how to worship Him in spirit and in truth.
3. THE MESSIAH
The discussion Jesus had with the woman of Samaria also led to the question of the identity of the Messiah.
a) Jesus identified Himself as the Messiah.
b) However His ministry was not restricted to just the Jews.
c) He was not just the Anointed One with reference to Israel. He was truly the Saviour of the world!
4. FAITH IN JESUS
Though the text does not specifically declare that the woman of Samaria accepted Jesus as Saviour, her bearing witness for Him could be taken as evidence of personal faith.
a) Her understanding of faith led her to bear witness for Jesus.
b) Her zeal in speaking of her new-found faith in Jesus led to the conversion of many Samaritans in the city of Sychar.
SPECIAL LESSONS FOR THE DISCIPLES
The Disciples of Jesus learned many special lessons concerning ministry. What a challenge Jesus must have posed to them when He spoke that doing the will of God was as vital as food is to the body.
Their understanding of the scope of ministry expanded most significantly when they stayed in Sychar and ministered alongside Jesus among the Samaritans!
They must have been humbled by the fact that through the efforts of one woman a whole city came to hear Jesus and many received salvation from Him!