MAY 14, 2017
JESUS AND THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA (PART II)
INTRODUCTION:
1. As Jesus left Judea to return again to Galilee, He was constrained by a certain necessity to go through Samaria. (Verses 3, 4)
2. Though the most direct route was through Samaria, the necessity that Jesus was under was not about convenience. His Divine mission was ever guided according to the will of His Father who sent Him. In this case, Divine Providence had arranged for a meeting with a certain woman of Samaria.
3. The meeting between Jesus and this woman would take place at Jacob’s well.
a) It would be a private meeting, for Jesus’ disciples were gone away into the city to buy food. (Verse 8)
b) Jesus came and sat on the rim of the well weary and thirsty from His journey. (Verse 6)
c) The woman came to the well at noon to draw water. (Verse 7)
4. Nothing about this meeting was mere happenstance. All was providentially arranged so that Jesus would use for His point of approach the commonest of all things – the water of this well. (Verses 7-10)
5. By a bold comparison Jesus awakened in her mind the possibility of a Divine gift that could quench the inner thirst of the soul. (Verses 13-15)
6. The woman came to recognize Jesus as the promised Messiah, and did experience by faith that soul-satisfying living water that He freely gives to all thirsty souls who will ask of Him. (Verses 25, 26)
7. As this meeting occurred while Jesus’ disciples were gone into the city to buy food, we shall now see what happened upon their return.
I. THE EXCHANGE THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WHEN THEY RETURNED. (VERSES 27-38)
A. JOHN FIRST DESCRIBES WHAT THE DISCIPLES SAW UPON THEIR RETURN, AND THE EFFECT THAT IT HAD ON THEM. (VERSES 27-30)
1. They were surprised that Jesus talked with the woman.
a) Their surprise was most likely because of the common Jewish prejudice against the Samaritans.
b) They did not, however, make any inquiry as to either why He spoke with her, or what He spoke to her.
2. Upon their return, the Samaritan woman left to go back to her village. (Verse 28)
a) The fact that she left without her water pots tells us that she now had new and higher interests.
b) In her excitement she left, but she would be coming back, bringing others with her.
3. The woman immediately began to evangelize her village. (Verses 28c, 29)
a) She approached the men of the city, whom she knew best.
b) She gave a simple testimony, not flattering to herself.
c) She asked of them, “Is not this the Christ?”
(1) Her question does not suggest that she herself had any doubt that this man was indeed the Christ.
(2) It was intended to cause them to come and see for themselves that she was correct.
4. As Jesus and His disciples were conversing, the Samaritans began to come out to see this man of whom the woman had spoken. (Verse 30)
B. JESUS EXPRESSED A REMARKABLE JOY OVER MYSTERIOUS MEAT. (VERSES 31-34)
1. The disciples expressed their concern for His physical welfare. (Verse 31)
a) They were preoccupied with physical food.
b) It had been a long arduous journey, and they had gone into town to buy food; and now they desired that He join them in partaking of it, in order to be physically refreshed.
c) There was nothing wrong with their actions. In fact, we admire them for their concern, and for not wanting to eat without Him.
d) But, just as the woman had learned about spiritual water that was not from the well, the disciples were about to learn about spiritual meat that was not from the market.
2. Jesus had a source of spiritual satisfaction that His disciples were not as yet aware of. (Verses 32, 34)
a) As physical food nourishes, refreshes, and delights the body, so spiritual labor does the soul.
b) Jesus had been engaged in spiritual labors even as He sat on the well; He had been doing and finishing the Father’s will, even in their absence. (Verses 32, 34)
c) This was spiritual meat that was so satisfying to His souls that even His physical hunger was mysteriously assuaged.
d) This labor (of sowing) brought Him a spiritual rejoicing that refreshed Him more than food could.
3. The disciples were puzzled how someone could be so satisfied and refreshed without physical food. (Verse 33)
a) The disciples’ lack of understanding about spiritual food that is revealed here in their private discussion is very similar to that which was seen earlier in the woman’s questions about living water. (Verse 11)
b) They would need to learn from experience what Jesus was saying. There was a spiritual harvest to be reaped in which they would experience the kind of heavenly joy and surpassing satisfaction that Jesus was talking about.
c) Do we know what He meant? Have we ever experienced the kind of soul-satisfying “meat” that can override the body’s desire for physical food?
C. JESUS WENT ON TO PREDICT AN UNUSUAL KIND OF HARVEST. (VERSES 35-38)
1. It would be a harvest that would come without the usual period of waiting. (Verse 35)
a) The natural setting accommodated Jesus’ purpose. There were great wheat fields in the area around Sychar.
b) In the natural realm there were four months until the harvest.
c) However, there was to be a spiritual harvest immediately.
d) Even as Jesus spoke, multitudes of Samaritans were coming across the fields to meet with Him.
e) Thus, and immediate harvest of souls was about to be reaped for which they had not labored; neither did they have to wait for the ripening of the crops.
2. In reaping these souls, the disciples would enter into Jesus’ joy. (Verse 36)
a) They were about to become reapers.
b) For this they would get to receive “wages.” Getting to witness the Samaritans receiving “eternal life” was indeed their great reward.
c) In this, they would enter into the joy that Jesus knew.
3. In reaping these souls, the disciples were entering into the labors of others. (Verses 37, 38)
a) In this particular case, Jesus had been the sower, and now they would be the reapers.
b) That which they were to experience here in Samaria would be repeated throughout their Apostolic ministry.
c) The conversion of the Samaritans anticipated the salvation of the Gentiles.
(1) In this great work, Paul and others would become the great laborers.
(2) However, after Pentecost, and even after Paul’s conversion and call, it would be by the mouth of Peter that Gentiles would first “hear the word of the Gospel and believe.” (Acts 15:7)
II. NEXT, WE HAVE THE ACCOUNT OF JESUS AND THE SAMARITAN VILLAGERS. (VERSES 39-42)
A. THE SAMARITANS EAGERLY WELCOMED JESUS. (VERSES 39, 40)
1. As they came believing on Jesus, the disciples were seeing the blessed harvest that Jesus had predicted.
a) They first believed because of the testimony of the woman. “Many of the Samaritans believed on him for the saying of the woman.” (Verse 40)
b) They then believed because they heard Jesus for themselves. (Verse 41)
c) Even when our testimony is believed, it is always Jesus Himself who has “the words of eternal life.” We therefore say: “Hear Him!”
2. The Samaritans invited Jesus and His company to tarry with them. (Verse 40)
a) Actually, “they besought Him” to remain there for a while, so eager were they to hear more of His words.
b) This is what the Jews ought to have done, but did not.
c) Jesus heeded their request, and remained with them two days. What wondrous things they must have heard Him teach.
d) It is always a good sign when those who profess faith want to keep Jesus near; and they are eager to learn of Him. (Compare Acts 10:44-48)
B. THE SAMARITANS BOLDLY PROCLAIMED JESUS TO BE THE CHRIST AND THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD. (VERSE 42)
1. This proclamation came out of true heart convictions, which arose from personal exposure to Jesus.
2. They first agreed with the woman, who, having borne witness, said, “Is not this the Christ?” Then, having seen and heard for themselves, they were convinced absolutely. “This is indeed the Christ!”
3. He is “the Savior of the world,” evidenced by the salvation of these non-Jewish Samaritans.
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