Who Is That Man Who Unmasked Me?

Last time, we discovered the Samaritan woman who had a less than pristine lifestyle going to get some water from the fresh spring-fed well.  However, she was leaving with something of far greater worth than a temporary quenching of her physical being; she received Living Water which is permanent so that she would never experience that spiritual thirst again.  

How can we know this?  From today’s passage, we’ll see what should happen with everyone who has experienced salvation through Jesus Christ; they go tell others.  This is where I want to spend some time today.  

Many of you may recall the hero, The Lone Ranger, as he and Tonto would save the day for someone in a crisis situation.  Afterwards, they would ride off while someone asked the question, Who was that masked man?  

For many, Jesus is a mystery; someone who cannot really be explained or known.  The reason is that all of us used to have a veil or a mask over our eyes so we couldn’t understand things about God.  Then one day, the mask was removed.  In the process, it became clear who we were and it certainly was not a pleasant realization.  Suddenly, we were allowed to see Christ unmasked to see Who He truly was and is.  At that moment, we allowed Him to make us into brand new people in a brand new family.

For those who have truly been born again:

We must present the One Who can give new life. 

You might say that once we’ve been unmasked for who we were and given a new life, we need to reveal to others this Jesus who will give new life to any who will receive Him as He is.

Today, we’ll be looking at five areas that are unmasked when a person discovers Who Jesus really is.  

Removing the Mask of Prejudice. - 4.27

At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why do You speak with her?” 

You and I probably realize, as we get closer to Jesus daily, that there are no coincidences.  God has orchestrated every event and appointment and situation in our lives.  Some of them are extremely painful and are actually sent by Satan.  However, God is still in control and will use them for His glory and our growing.  We see this here, as the disciples came at this time to see Jesus speaking with this Samaritan woman.  

We see that the disciples were amazed and taken aback at this unique situation.  You recall from last time that it was not socially acceptable for a man to speak to a woman; it was considered foolish for a Rabbi to waste his time speaking to a woman; and to carry on a conversation with a Samaritan was even more of a taboo.  Yet, they didn’t interrupt the conversation with the thoughts they may have been having.  Remember that Jesus doesn’t play by manmade rules.

These disciples were seeing that salvation was going to be proclaimed to everyone, not just Jews.  This should not have been any surprise to them nor any of the Jewish people.  All one needed to do was go back to the Old Testament and recall the story of Jonah.  He was certainly not the model of a true servant of God.  However, God had sent him to proclaim a message of judgment if the Ninevites would not repent.  God gave those people in that strange, foreign land an opportunity to be saved and to follow him. 

What might this verse be reminding us?  I believe it is quite obvious that you and I don’t have to go hunting for people to hear about Jesus.  Just keep our eyes open and our minds and hearts looking to see where God is at work and then be ready to share.  We can trust God’s schedule and timetable infinitely more than our own.  I also am reminded that we can be amazed at the people God will place in our paths.

But how exactly do we know this encounter left the impact that I am suggesting it did?  Look at the next few verses.

Removing the Mask of Privacy. - 4.28-30

So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?”  They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

The detail person in me comes out as I read the first part of verse 28.  I’m thinking to myself that something incredible must have happened for this woman who came a long distance everyday to fill up her water pot, to actually leave it behind.  Yet, it is a unique detail showing us that John was there seeing this event take place.  If I were to guess, I would think that she was so overwhelmed at being unmasked and revealed for who she really was; then finding that she could have Living Water for herself, even as a Samaritan, she just had to go share this incredibly Good News.

This wonderful, excited Samaritan woman did not try to hide any longer.  She let it be known that this Jesus knew all about her past.  He knew it without her describing it.  Yet this Jesus unmasked her, forcing her to admit to who she truly was.  He let her know that she didn’t have to experience that spiritual dryness anymore, as He offered her Living Water.  She boldly told them what they knew and what she obviously knew.

But she told them. She shared her faith in Christ, even though she didn’t understand all the theology. She shared her faith in Christ, even though she had a bad reputation. What an example and challenge to each one of us.

However, she did not try to tell them about spiritual matters such as Jesus being the Christ.  Remember, the woman’s role in that culture and especially someone with her sordid background.  If she would have openly stated that Jesus was the Christ, they would have scoffed at her.  The question she shares is worded in such a way that it forces the men of the community to check it out for themselves to see if this possibility was a reality.  As a result of her sharing about how Jesus unmasked her, she allowed the men to have their curiosity piqued in such a way that they wanted to unmask Jesus to find out Who He really was.

So, we’ve observed the end of the conversation at the well where the disciples came upon Jesus and the Samaritan woman.  The excitement and thrill caused the woman to head back to town without her water, yet now having Living Water.  She spills out all the incredible things Jesus knew about her and caused such a stir that the men are heading out to Jesus now.

So, what went on with Jesus and the disciples while this Samaritan woman had gone back to town and visited with the men?  Let’s look at the next few verses.

Removing the Mask of Presumptions. - 4.31-34

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 were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?”  Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.” 

This reads almost like the old comedies when they say, Meanwhile, back at the ranch.  You recall from last time that it was noon time and the disciples had gone to town to buy food.  Jesus was weary and was sitting by the well.  So, it makes sense that the disciples had brought food back for Jesus to eat.

Isn’t it interesting how focused all of us are on physical things?  The Samaritan woman was focused on water and where to worship.  The disciples were focused on food.  Yet, Jesus makes it clear in these verses that what is even more important than the physical is the spiritual.  The disciples, in their discussion with each other, shows that they were certain that Jesus had not received any food to eat.  Jesus is going to tell His disciples where their greatest pleasure should be.  

Most of us enjoy delicious food or simply enjoy the satisfaction of being refreshed with a meal.  However, there is no greater satisfaction or joy than to be doing God’s will.  Many of you can attest to this truth.  You have shared the love of God with someone and you know that there is no food or drink that could ever come close to providing such joy and contentment.  Phillips Brooks has stated, Seek your life’s nourishment in your life’s work. That is why so many followers of Christ can honestly say that our greatest joy and satisfaction comes from serving our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Removing the Mask of Perceptions. - 4.35-38

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.  Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.  For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’  “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”

There is an interesting Jewish proverb here which shows Jesus relating to His listeners in very practical and precise ways.  Since harvest time would have been in Spring, we can assume that this conversation took place in Winter. 

Four months before harvest, one would probably see the grain fields looking like large fields of grass.  There is no visible grain to harvest yet.  In four months, the grain will have matured and the fields will no longer be green, but golden or white.  They would understand this.

Now think of what just happened in the verses before this.  The men of the town had heard these amazing things from this wayward woman.  The thought had been placed in their minds as to whether or not this might be the Christ.  They are now on their way to check out this Jesus fellow and see Who He really is.  

Jesus is telling His disciples to lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.  They don’t have to wait.  The men of the town were heading towards Jesus and His disciples right now.  Maybe they were wearing white clothing which was showing up against the green grain fields.  Many of those coming were ripe to enter into God’s Kingdom by unmasking from their past and letting Jesus give them Living Water, giving them brand new lives.

We also see the divine dance in which the disciples participated in partnership with God in the harvesting of souls.  Yes, we know that salvation is all of God; but it also involves our laboring together with the Lord.  Interestingly, the disciples were in town getting groceries while Jesus shared with the woman.  The woman planted the seeds in the hearts of the men as the Living Water welled up in her to share with others.  The disciples had the amazing privilege of harvesting that which they had no part in the planting.  God is always the One Who prepares the hearts of those who will come to Him.  We need to labor together with Him and bring in the harvest of those who will say “yes.”

Removing the Mask of Sin’s Power. - 4.39-42

From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”  So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

We might get the impression that many from the city believed that Jesus was the Christ because of the incredible testimony of the woman.  Only someone who was God could know all of her information.  

Interestingly, they asked Jesus to stay with them for awhile and He chose to stay for two days.  For many more people, actually hearing the Word of God convicted and convinced them that He was indeed the Christ.  

But what did that really mean?  It seems obvious that many came to salvation as they stated, we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.  They were sharing with this woman that everything she said was accurate because of their hearing what Jesus Himself had to say.  Their salvation wasn’t second-hand. It was theirs personally, because they had heard the Word of God from Jesus and personally responded.

Notice the object of the preposition in the very last part of the last sentence.  What is it?  Jesus is indeed the Savior of the WORLD.  I see this as very powerful.  These are Samaritans who are recognizing that they are acceptable in God’s eyes because of Jesus Christ.  Remember John the Baptist’s announcement of Jesus:  Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Salvation is available not just to the Jews, not just to those in the United States and Canada, it is available to all who will believe anywhere on this planet.

Reflections

We have observed some things which we probably all knew, but sometimes we forget as we are so influenced by this world and its teachings.  We’ve observed that God has no favorites.  His salvation through Jesus Christ is for all peoples of all ethnicities of all socio-economic backgrounds. As we share with others, we must do so without prejudice.

We also know the fact that God knows our hearts and our thoughts completely.  People may try to be secretive and private, but God will reveal to us who we really are.  His salvation through Jesus Christ allows us to bare all our ugly past, knowing that He will remove that guilt from us and make us new people.  As we share with others, we can do so as those who also are not perfect, but who have been saved from our sins.

We also were reminded that it is very easy to presume we know what is going on in other people’s lives.  We tend to see life through our eyes and think we know what is going on with certain situations.  We also tend to think that the pleasures of this world are really what is important.  However, as we share with others, we are reminded that the greatest joy and satisfaction doesn’t come from the applause of this world, but from the fact that we’re allowed to serve Jesus.

We may also think we know the answers and have life figured out many times.  We sometimes assume there is always a certain formula for proclaiming Christ.  However, we need to always be looking to see where God is working.  Often, He places people in our lives and circumstances so that we are able to share the love of God and the fact that Jesus offers them salvation.  We just need to lift up our eyes and work together with God in the harvest.

Above all else, we are reminded that Jesus is indeed the Savior of the world.  We cannot save anyone on our own.  There is no formula that any church or religious organization can provide that will save anyone from the power and penalty of sin.  Only Jesus Christ can free anyone from sin’s power.  

So what do we do with all of these reminders?  For those who have truly been born again:

We must present the One Who can give new life.