John 4:27-42
September Memory Verse: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 (ESV)
Read: John 4:27-42
This passage revolves around three characters that help us understand our Savior and our mission as believers.
Samaritan Woman
We pick up at the end of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus just boldly reveals to her that he is the Messiah (v25-26). Can you imagine? She was not a Jew. Her life was a mess. Yet she just realized that she is face to face with the Messiah - the Son of God. What would you do in that situation?
Look at what the Samaritan woman does, she leaves her water, runs back to the village and tells everyone that she just met the Messiah. This woman encountered Jesus and it changed her. Her priorities changed. This woman responded to Jesus by being a faithful witness. It doesn’t matter if we just came to faith in Jesus or have been walking with him for years, our lives should look like this. Be a faithful witness.
Jesus
After the Samaritan woman runs back to her village, Jesus begins to teach his disciples about the importance of living on mission. Jesus tells them about the urgency and the reward of pointing people to the gospel. The harvest is ripe now (v35). God is already at work in people’s hearts, and if Jesus has forgiven and saved us, then our only proper response is to share Jesus with everyone we meet. We desperately needed Jesus and so does world.
More than just an urgent call to share the gospel, there is a reward. Jesus, God in the flesh, says that he is nourished by doing the will of God (v34). If he is nourished and sustained by obeying God how much more are we? Jesus also tells the disciples that there is joy in sharing the gospel as we see souls come to faith in Christ (v36). Obey Jesus’ call to go and make disciples and experience the joy and the nourishment that comes from following the Lord.
Villagers
Finally, we see the villagers respond to Jesus. The Samaritan woman was a faithful witness, but they didn’t believe in her witness. They weren’t changed by her story. They responded and believed in a faithful savior. There is no power in us to save. Being a faithful witness is simply pointing people to faithful God and Savior. That should encourage us to proclaim Christ boldly! Our confidence is in God. We point others to him and he does the rest.
Center Point, let us respond to the gospel by being faithful witnesses pointing to our faithful Messiah!
By: Joe Weaver
Read: John 4:27-42
This passage revolves around three characters that help us understand our Savior and our mission as believers.
Samaritan Woman
We pick up at the end of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus just boldly reveals to her that he is the Messiah (v25-26). Can you imagine? She was not a Jew. Her life was a mess. Yet she just realized that she is face to face with the Messiah - the Son of God. What would you do in that situation?
Look at what the Samaritan woman does, she leaves her water, runs back to the village and tells everyone that she just met the Messiah. This woman encountered Jesus and it changed her. Her priorities changed. This woman responded to Jesus by being a faithful witness. It doesn’t matter if we just came to faith in Jesus or have been walking with him for years, our lives should look like this. Be a faithful witness.
Jesus
After the Samaritan woman runs back to her village, Jesus begins to teach his disciples about the importance of living on mission. Jesus tells them about the urgency and the reward of pointing people to the gospel. The harvest is ripe now (v35). God is already at work in people’s hearts, and if Jesus has forgiven and saved us, then our only proper response is to share Jesus with everyone we meet. We desperately needed Jesus and so does world.
More than just an urgent call to share the gospel, there is a reward. Jesus, God in the flesh, says that he is nourished by doing the will of God (v34). If he is nourished and sustained by obeying God how much more are we? Jesus also tells the disciples that there is joy in sharing the gospel as we see souls come to faith in Christ (v36). Obey Jesus’ call to go and make disciples and experience the joy and the nourishment that comes from following the Lord.
Villagers
Finally, we see the villagers respond to Jesus. The Samaritan woman was a faithful witness, but they didn’t believe in her witness. They weren’t changed by her story. They responded and believed in a faithful savior. There is no power in us to save. Being a faithful witness is simply pointing people to faithful God and Savior. That should encourage us to proclaim Christ boldly! Our confidence is in God. We point others to him and he does the rest.
Center Point, let us respond to the gospel by being faithful witnesses pointing to our faithful Messiah!
By: Joe Weaver
3 Comments
Thankful today in reflecting on today's passage that Jesus wins against unbelief in my life.
"One plants and another harvests"
Eight years ago in the Fall of 2013, Center Point Church West Campus was preparing to launch. Friends of ours in South Carolina called and told us about a young man from China who was coming to UK to work on a PhD. They knew about him from missionary friends in China who had been sharing Jesus with him for months on a college campus. The gospel seed had been planted but it was not time for harvest. Tina and I met him shortly after he arrived in Lexington and he quickly became like family. He attended CPC West the Sunday we launched in October 2013 and didn't miss a service the entire semester. During that time numerous people at church poured into him and continued pointing him to Jesus. The seed that was planted in China years ago was harvested in December 2013 when he accepted Jesus as his savior. It was my great privilege to disciple him over the next several years and watch his faith grow.
We must never forget that Jesus calls us to be part of this process in the lives of people. Sometimes we are the seed planters, others we cultivate & nourish, and then there are times we are there for the harvest. As long as we are faithful "gospel farmers" God will provide the growth and the ultimate harvesting of souls. Thanks for the commentary today Joe.
Thanks Joe! Verse 34 stood out to me this morning too.
Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work."
On Sunday, Graham taught us about the difference between worldly happiness and Godly happiness. The same applies here. Seeking our own happiness for happiness sake ultimately leaves us sad and disappointed. But seeking to glorify and obey Christ is where we can find lasting joy / nourishment.