Jesus Really Is Better
Chasing Jesus • Sermon • Submitted
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· 4 viewsIn the midst of the narrative of the salvation of the Samaritan woman, Jesus teaches His disciples of the condition of their hearts and of the world. The disciples struggled with what we all struggle with, our dependence upon our own strength and ability. Jesus points them to reality that there is more to life than the physical and temporary. Our pursuit of the Father is the ultimate aim and fulfillment of our lives. He is the giver of all that we need, both physical and spiritual. The world is desperate for this truth. The fields are ready to be harvested with people longing to be set free with the truth of the gospel.
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Jesus’ View of Others is Better
Jesus’ View of Others is Better
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”
Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
John 4:27-2
According to writings of the rabbis, it was wrong of a man to ever address a woman in public, even his own wife for fear of what other people might say and the gossip that might arise as a result.
Jesus though valued every individual with the worth that was bestowed upon them by God above. He is seen in the gospel regularly speaking to women. He shared intimate friendships with Mary and Martha. He even stood up for the honor of women in the midst of the crowd. Jesus redefines for us how we are called to approach one another in contrast to the culture. God designed each and every individual to be of great worth and value. In turn, we are called to value them even greater than we do ourselves (love your neighbor as yourself).
The Samaritan woman is the living proof of shifting our view to see others as Christ. She runs into town and tells everyone about the Messiah. She stops at nothing to convince them. It was a cultural taboo for a woman to address a man in public but she does. On a very personal note, these are the very people who she despised so much that she avoided them and went to the well at the hottest time of day. She pursued them in the same manner that Christ had pursued her.
Jesus’ Satisfaction is Better
Jesus’ Satisfaction is Better
Meanwhile his disciples urged him, “Rabbi, eat something.”
But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.”
Then his disciples said to each other, “Could someone have brought him food?”
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
We find our satisfaction in the work of our hands, how well we provide, what we create, the relationships we build. While these endeavors have value, they are fleeting and temporary and they do not address the primary moving of our being. We were created for the sake fo the Lord. Serving Him alone can speak to the truest satisfaction of our souls.
All other endeavors for life only reach their fullest potential and satisfaction as they are seen in light of their worth in fulfilling the glorification of the Father.
True satisfaction, true fulfillment, true rest is found in the fulfillment of the work that God has put before us. All other endeavors will leave us wanting.
In Christ alone is full and complete satisfaction found.
Jesus’ Salvation is Better
Jesus’ Salvation is Better
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”
The Samaritan woman has been radically transformed by her encounter with Jesus. She has run into the village and pointed every person that would listen to the Messiah. She has stopped at nothing to make them believe that Jesus is the Messiah including sharing every sorted detail of her marred past that they might believe her testimony. In just a minute, she will be returning to Jesus with a crowd who are hungry to place their faith in the One who can save. These disciples are about to reap the benefits of a harvest that they did not work for.
These disciples likely went into the same town and met with the same people as this woman and yet they did not share the truth of the Messiah with them. They likely gave in to the cultural norms and had as little to do with the Samaritans as possible. Praise the Lord that the salvation of Christ is better than the salvation of man.
What Jesus accomplished through this woman, the saving of an entire village, is the work that His Father sent Him to do and the work that He now sends us to do. How are we responding to the truth that Jesus really is better?
Do we truly believe that Jesus is better than the pursuits and aims of our culture? Then how are we responding?
Do we truly believe that Jesus is better than our brokenness? Then how are we allowing Him to redeem our brokenness for His glory?