The Samaritan Evangelist

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: John 4:27-42

 

John 4:42

Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed ^[a]the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

(NKJV)

 

I begin this post by asking the readers a question, does one need to have great theological knowledge to share the Gospel with others? While knowledge of scriptures should be what we all seek for it is the word of God that transforms our lives so we lose conformity to the sins of the world and are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). However, before ascending to be with His Father, Jesus told His disciples to seek the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives so they could be effective witnesses (Acts 1:8). The encounter of the Samaritan woman with Jesus and the ensuing revival in Samaria is an example of what can occur when one has a personal encounter with Jesus and shares it with others.

 

Jesus’ disciples return to find Jesus has been conversing with a Samaritan woman but do not ask why He is speaking with her (John 4:27). The Samaritan woman then leaves in a hurry for the city, leaving her water pot telling the men of the city to come and see a man who told her everything she had ever done, wondering if this could be the Christ (John 4:28-29). The men go out of the city to Jesus based on what she said (John 4:30).

 

Meanwhile, the disciples are urging Jesus to eat to which Jesus replies He has food to eat that they do not know about (John 4:31-32). The disciples did not understand that Jesus was not talking about physical food so they wondered if anyone else had brought Jesus food (John 4:33). Knowing their thoughts, Jesus tells them that his food is to do the will of His Father who sent Him and to finish His work (John 4:34). Jesus then uses the example of the harvest which they know will occur in four months telling them to look up for the fields are already white with harvest (John 4:35). Again, Jesus is not speaking of the physical harvest of crops but the harvest of lost souls. Jesus continues by telling the disciples one reaping in the harvest of souls gathers fruit for eternal life, rejoicing with the one that sows, truly one sows and another reaps (John 4:36-37). Jesus sent His disciples to reap that for which they have not labored with the reaping disciples entering into the Sower’s labor (John 4:38).

 

Many of the Samaritans of the city believed based upon the testimony of the Samaritan woman (John 4:39). When the Samaritans came to Jesus they urged Him to remain with them, which He did for two days with many more coming to believe after hearing directly from Jesus (John 4:40-41). Those coming to believe in Jesus as Messiah answer the Samaritan woman’s question by declaring Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world (John 4:42).

 

Jesus’ encounter with a Samaritan woman was an encounter forbidden by Jewish law and tradition. However, this encounter transformed this woman’s life, and she could not keep silent. The disciples marveled that Jesus would break the tradition of Jews having nothing to do with the Samaritans by talking to the woman but they do not question Jesus about it (John 4:27). Instead, the disciples express concern about Jesus’ physical well-being, urging Him to eat. When Jesus told them he had food to eat they did now know about, they were caught up in the physical world, believing someone must have already provided food for Him (John 4:32-33). Jesus then explains he is talking about the food of doing His Father’s will urging His disciples to look at the harvest of souls ripe for harvest (John 4:34-38). The Samaritans coming to Jesus at the urging of the Samaritan woman and coming to believe in Jesus as their Savior are a demonstration of the fields ripe for harvest (John 4:39-42).

 

The Church needs a fresh encounter with Jesus to heat up from its lukewarmness and not remain silent about Jesus or the Gospel. The Samaritan woman was not someone possessing great theological knowledge about scripture but one coming to Jesus with many questions (John 4:10-26). While Jesus did not directly address her questions, her encounter left her knowing Jesus was the Messiah, something she felt compelled to share with others who came out to meet Jesus (John 4:28-30). The Church needs a fresh encounter with Jesus that creates excitement about going out and sharing the Gospel with the lost.

 

It is easy to look at the abominations of the woke culture in which we live and become discouraged, giving up any hope for revival. Instead of despair, I urge those reading this post to obey the words of Jesus to his disciples and view the woke culture as a harvest field ripe for harvest (John 4:34-38). This does not require compromising with wokeness in our culture but to have a life-changing encounter with Christ and share it with others who need to encounter Christ for salvation. Doing this opens the door for a revival like what occurred among the Samaritans who came to Jesus based upon the testimony of a woman and found their Messiah (John 4:39-42).

 

I want to invite anyone reading this post who has not prayed for salvation from their sins and to make Jesus the Lord of their life through the confession of their belief in Jesus as their Savior to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May the Lord challenge, convict, and bless everyone reading this post.