Jesus and the World Around Us

We continue with the wonderful encounter of Jesus and the Samaritan woman and the well

John 4:27–42 (ESV)

Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”

So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’?

Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.

For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”

So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.

And many more believed because of his word.

They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

“God to open hearts and minds to the lessons from this passage.”

A great axiom of Leadership training is to “Lead by Example”

John Maxwell has said, “They wont care about how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

In the conclusion of the story of Jesus and His conversation with the Samaritan woman, Jesus gives His Disciples, and us in the 21st Century church a classic example of how to “Lead by Example”

As noted previously, Jesus went out of His way to go through Samaria to have one direct conversation with one outcast woman, breaking all the cultural and social rules of the time.

But there is far more to this story than just a outcast meeting their Redeemer and beginning a new walk in Faith.

The first question I would ask is, “Where is your Samaria, today?”

Not in a geological sense, but in a Spiritual sense. That is, after all what Jesus was teaching His Disciples.

To the detriment of the Church’s effective impact on our communities, we have allowed divisions of politics, Cultural differences and Societal influences to hinder our outreach into our “Modern Samaria’s”

Too often, church outreach- If done at all- tends to go into local subdivision that look a whole lot like what the congregation already looks like.

We end up on Sunday Mornings with a very segregated gathering, rather than a true blending of what Jesus intended the Church to look and act like.

Staff planning sessions examine ways to reach into our Modern Samaria, programs and vision is set to achieve that goal- But rare do we ever actually make the effort to physically “Go and make Disciples...” as our Lord Jesus commanded us to do.

Stepping out of our comfort zones is a real challenge. But it is vital to the spreading of the Gospel message.

The rewards comes in personally seeing lives changed for Christ as we introduce our community to our Lord and Saviour.

The second part of this encounter with the Samaritan Woman is a perfect example of Jesus’ strategy for evangelism.

1- Do your know the Christ (Messiah?)

2- Are you willing to drink of His living water?

These two points transcend any questions raised up as resistance to Christianity.

Political, Ethnic, Cultural or Religious barriers are mere diversions to the root question

DO you know this Christ Jesus? And will you Drink of His Living Water?

This woman’s response that she had no husband mirrors Israel’s plight in the OT.

In the Book of Judges, the phrase, “Israel had no King...” is repeated several times, and yet Israel’s problem was the same as this woman’s

The Samaritan woman had, in fact had several husbands, just as Israel had several kings.

What they both needed was One King- One Husband

What both needed was the One True King and to Drink from His Life giving Water.

This analogy helps explain WHY, Jesus needed to go to Samaria.

Our evangelical efforts cannot simply be a gathering of positive testimonies, or a cleverly worded persuasive debate or presentation of facts...

No, those outside of the church body, today, not only deserve, but are in dire need of seeing the Power of the Holy Spirit at work in each of us if they are to even begin to take steps towards a life of Faith in our Lord and Saviour.

Jesus had this conversation with this woman, because, on her own, she would have never understood her real need for a Saviour.

She didnt understand in the moment what Jesus was talking about until He spoke to her of things he could not know of her without Divine knowledge.

(“I perceive you to be a Prophet...”)

Ultimately, Jesus was not interested in identity or location. He didnt see this woman or another person as a Samaritan, any more than we should see people as Lutherans, Methodist, Charismatics or Baptists.

He was less concerned about WHERE the Samaritans, or the Jews, worshiped than how they worshiped. Neither on this Mountain or in Jerusalem, but rather, “In Spirit and in Truth”

As the Disciples return from the town, they marvel at the sight of Jesus engaged in conversation with the Samaritan woman but do not question Him about it.

The woman, possibly out of embarrassment or intimidated that these other men had shown up, Hurries off back into town- Leaving her water jars at the well.

Much has been made of the fact that she left vessels at the well-

Did she leave them for Jesus to drink from?

Did she not want to carry them back to town when she knew she would be returning to the well shortly?

Most likely, she simply did not want to be burdened by them in her haste to return to her village.

Also notice that in spite of her known bad reputation, she went directly to the town square and proclaimed to have met a man who knew all things about her...

Her question to the crowd is compelling, “Could this be the Christ?”

At the same time, the Disciples are confused- again!

Jesus refusal to have some food confounds them, since their task was to go into the town and buy food.

They are again thinking in the temporal, while Jesus is speaking of the Spiritual.

His declaration that doing God's work is His food emphasizes the fulfillment found in sharing the Gospel.

By prioritizing the mission over physical needs, Jesus illustrates the urgency and joy of evangelism.

Encouraging believers to find delight in this mission could help them understand the eternal importance of their work. This should challenge us to see evangelism not as a burden, but as a source of true spiritual sustenance.

This misunderstanding opens the door for Jesus to expand the Disciples Spiritual horizons.

The topic of planted fields and waiting for the fields to ripen is a common scene in that region.

As the seed begins to sprout, the farmer can get a visual of how plentiful the harvest will be.

But the is a time of waiting that must happen for the field to come to full maturity prior to the harvest.

Jesus, speaking of a lost and dying world, “The fields are now ripe and ready to harvest.”

The time of waiting has past, the time of harvest is now!

This is all proven true as the Samaritan woman returns with the people of the village following her.

Can you see the image of the one citizen of the community that is largely ignored, rejected and abandoned socially lead that same community to the One true source of all Truth and Salvation?

The people believed the womans story and had to come and check it out for themselves.

The impact was so great that this group of Samaritan outcasts asked this Jewish teacher to stay a little longer.

And many more believed because of his word.

They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

What an awesome final statement to conclude this event. And should be the model for how we, today, reach our “Samaria”

The Village heard the woman’s testimony- And believed her

They then heard Jesus’ teachings for themselves and Believed in Him.

The declaration of them knowing Jesus was the “Saviour to the World” is found in only one other place in the NT- 1 John 4:14

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.”

It also concurs with Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus in John 3.17

John 3:17 ESV

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Not just the Jews, but the entire world- Beginning in Samaria

The harvest that Jesus spoke of was so much more than the Disciples could begin to comprehend- And continues to this very day.

Key Points:

Jesus deliberately went to Samaria, breaking cultural norms to reach the outcast

The church today often avoids its modern "Samarias" due to cultural, political, or social differences

True evangelism requires demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit, not just sharing testimonies or arguments

Jesus prioritized spiritual nourishment (doing God's will) over physical needs or comforts.

The fields are "white for harvest," emphasizing the urgency of evangelism

Personal testimony can lead others to Christ, but direct experience with Jesus' teachings solidifies faith

Closing Prayer:

End the session by praying for courage and opportunities to reach your "Samaria" and for a deeper understanding of God's love for all people.