Verses 19 – 20

 

The question was, "Where do I find God? Our fathers said we find God in this mountain, the Jews say we find God in Jerusalem. Where can I find God?”

 

I love this because she encounters Jesus, her heart opens to Him and she immediately hungers for truth!  That is exactly what happens to the soul of man as we fumble and stumble through the darkness of this life and then, a glimpse of something real, something true, something other...Lord show me truth...and God is so graceful, He does...and the more you seek, the more you will find >  He'll take you as far as you want to go...

 

Why was she confused about where to worship?  You see when the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity they did not welcome the half-breed Samaritans to worship in the temple, in fact...they were refused.  And so the Samaritans established their own worship center on Mount Gerizim which is in Samaria. 

 

And so their hate was bred in rejection...they so hated the Jews that they began to propogate that it was mount Gerizim where Abraham offered Issac and it was Mount Gerizim that Solomon had built his temple...so they basically said, if we're not welcome there, then you're  not welcome here...

So this feud of sorts raged politically, socially and religiously between the Samaritans and the Jews...interestingly enough this even continues to today with about 1,000 Samaritans remaining who worship and sacrifice in a mock temple on Mount Gerizim...

 

Jesus says, woman, the place does not matter...Verse 21, Jesus said to her, Woman believe Me, the hour is coming, when you will neither in this mountain, nor at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

 

Daughter, its not where you worship, its who you worship...Jesus then said to her < Verse 22 > You worship what you do not know...

 

How true that is of so many today. They really don't know what they are worshipping. He said, we know what we worship; for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and even now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father is seeking such to worship him. For God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 

It is impossible to please God without faith Hebrews chapter 11 says...And Hebrews 12 says that Jesus is the author of your  faith.  And so the truth is, without approaching God the Father in the righteousness of Jesus, your worship is not worthy.

Jesus says here that God is Spirit and as such, worship in the flesh...is not logistically acceptable...it is not possibly acceptable!  God I've been good, check me out, God...I'm a good person, you know my heart, aren't you pleased with me?  No, its not about you...God's desire is grace and to approach Him in the flesh is to approach Him according to the law and the bible says that by the law no flesh is justified.  You must be born again, you must be made alive in the spirit and then you freely, unhindered, and boldly approach the throne seat of God the Father hidden in the righteousness of Jesus Christ and then He is pleased...

 

And so Jesus says in Spirit and in Truth...not sincerity, not emotionally...truthfully...Not double minded, not with a divided heart, but with a heart surrendered wholly unto God...

 

God is seeking those that will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth...and when He finds that, the bible says that He shows Himself faithful...2 Chron 16:9 says “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong”

 

So the woman said unto him, Verse 25 I know that when the Messiah comes, which is called Christ when he is come, he will tell us all things. And Jesus said unto her, I who speak unto you am He.  (The “He” is added)

 

This is the first time we read of Jesus outright making the proclamation that He is the Christ, and even here He is saying, check that God has provided Himself a sacrifice...The Father and I are ONE!  I am the Messiah He says!...and who does He choose to reveal Himself to?

 

The harlot...the lost...the lonely...the outcast...the hurting...the sinner...The outward means nothing, the past means nothing, the circumstance, means nothing, Jesus just shatters it all with His grace and says, woman, daughter...I am the Christ...

 

Verse 27; And at this point His disciples came and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do you seek?,” or, “Why are You talking with her?”

 

1 Corinthians 3:19 says that the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God...all that our minds discern, all that our ideas may birth, is as impressive as folly in the sight of God.  And God says in Isaiah 55:9 as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

 

And here we see that displayed > as Jesus' disciples return and marvel that the Lord would even speak with a lonely, lost, outcast, Samaritan woman!  They marveled not at His grace, they marveled at the fact that He would stoop to such a level.

 

Contrast that with the mind of Christ.

 

We read in Mark chapter 6 the account of Jesus visiting His hometown of Nazareth and teaching there in the temple yet the people murmured in disbelief among themselves saying is this not the Son of the carpenter?  We know His brothers, we know His sisters...who is He to sit in the temple and teach us...and the bible says that the Lord marveled at their unbelief...and that He could do no mighty work there...

 

Not because He wasn't able, because they wouldn't come to Him...although they were sick, they would not come, although they were hungry, they would not come...and God marveled...

 

The only other time the bible records the Lord having marveled is found in Luke 7 when Jesus encounters a Roman Centurion who's servant was very sick.  And this Centurion had been good to the Jewish people and so the people urged Jesus to heal his servant and as Jesus was making His way to the Centurion's house, the Centurion sent his friends out to meet Jesus and stopped Him saying, Lord I am not even worthy to have You approach my house...because you are the Son of the Most High and you have authority to the point of you can say only one word and my servant will be healed.  And Jesus marveled at His faith.

 

What a sharp contrast between the mind of man and the mind of God.  Truly what man holds in high esteem, God disregards as dust.  Position, wealth, social class, name-brands, even outward perfection and polish...they all mean nothing upon the road to reality!  What does it profit if a man gains the whole world yet perishes in unbelief?  Nothing...and so Jesus reaches out to His harlot daughter in love, compassion, and family-like gentleness while His disciples marvel > I love that, allow God to show you Himself and truly His love and grace will cause your very heart to marvel!

 

Verse 28

 

The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did.  Could this be the Christ?”

 

The waterpots, left behind.  The vessels by which she would have to fill time and time again to quench her ever returning thirst, no longer needed...she had found living water.  Jesus revealed to her truth, and the truth is that God is love, God is grace, God is her father, not Jacob!  Jesus had shown her that even though He knew it all...all the dirt, all the blots and spots and speckles which had made her reprehensible in the eyes of man, which had left her alone, bound, lost and suffering..did not in the slightest bit affect God's love for her.   

 

She came thirsty, she left filled...she came with questions, she left enlightened!  All she did was come to Him.  And so what she needed to satisfy her fleshly thirst...was left behind!

 

And she runs back into the city and addresses the men!  Her simple message, “clean up the Messiah is here, NO come/see!  Crazy!  She was trying to avoid the women and now she has boldness to even address the men!  And she says to them, come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did!  Did He?  John only records one thing?  Was there more to this conversation than what is recorded, oh yes.  Will you and I ever know it?  Oh no...that is for Jesus and her only.  That is between a Father and His daughter!  How special the relationship between father and child...How intimate God desires to know and communicate with you!

 

And then John records there in Verse 30, Then they went out of the city and came to Him.  Recall John 3:30, He must increase and I must decrease, and now look at John 4:30, the product of the application of John 3:30 > They all came to Jesus!

 

Verse 31, In the meantime His disciples urged Him saying, “Rabbi, eat.” (Verse 32) But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”  (Verse 33) Therefore the disciples said to one another, 'Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?”

 

Understand the scene.  The disciples had left Jesus weary, physically exhausted and burdened with grief.  They returned to find Him invigorated and refreshed yet having not slept or eaten.  And we learn here that what had refreshed Him, His disciples did not yet know of...They had not yet discovered that the one who is ministering, blessing, walking in God's will not only gives out but also receives. 

And that is exactly what happens as you disperse of yourself to others, as you give out spiritual blessings, you yourselves are filled, you yourselves are blessed!  The obedient servant of the Lord has meat to eat that those not serving know nothing about.  What an awesome principle, an awesome truth only learned through a life lived unto the Lord.

 

Another truth that stands out to me in this encounter is how that Jesus' exposure to the proud caused Him to be greatly burdened and physically weak...however His simple and brief encounter with a queen among sinners has utterly refreshed Him to the point that He even has no need of food.  I have found this to be very true even in my life.  I would rather spend 5 minutes with a sinner who is not interested in hiding the fact that they are busted and in need of a savior then  a day with someone hiding from their own sin and walking in pride.  Oh the joy and refreshment that is found in ministering to a seeker and oh the sorrow and frustration in ministering to a sucker.

 

And so Jesus says, I have meat that you do not yet know of and truly they didn't because they then turn to one another and ask, who brought Him a burger?  (Read Verse 33)

 

Verse 34, Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.  (I love that...Jesus indeed has FINISHED the work). 

 

 

Jesus continues, Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest”?  Behold (you harvest food to feed your flesh, I now reveal to you a different harvest, that will feed your spirit) I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for the harvest! 

 

Understand the scene here, coming to them now is the entire city!

 

Verse 36, And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.  For in this the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.'

 

Jesus is talking about winning souls and what He says we must consider and accept...that reaping is not everything. 

Sowing, simply spreading the seed of the gospel, is just as important.  God may not allow you to see the souls won to salvation that you invest in, but, when won, you also will enjoy the reward of rejoicing throughout eternity for that soul.  Recall the Samaritan woman, what did she say to Jesus?  Back in verse 25 she said, “I know that the Messiah is coming.”  You see, someone who had come before Jesus, actually had the unknown privaledge to team up with Jesus Himself in winning this lost daughter of the Most High God to salvation!  Do not be discouraged if all you are doing is sowing and not reaping!  That is pride!  Rather accept this passage and enjoy the blessing and joy and peace that comes from simply being an obedient and diligent servant. 

Faith is key in witnessing, absolutely essential!

 

Jesus continues, Verse 38, “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.  And so Jesus says others, the prophets have been foretelling my coming for centuries, now men, my friends, its time to team up with Me and finish the work!  Set your hand to the plow because look up, the fields are white, its time to harvest! > And next week the scene will open with them confronted by the entire city and many saved!