Wednesday: The Revelation of Jesus
Daily Lesson for Wednesday 30th of October 2024
Read John 4:16-24. What did Jesus do to show this woman that He knew her deepest secrets, and how did she respond?
The light was too blinding to look at directly. While recognizing Jesus as a prophet, the woman practices avoidance again. She asks Jesus a question of religious controversy between Jews and Samaritans—the proper place to worship.
In response, Jesus pointed out that the Samaritans did not know what they worshiped. Their worship was a synthesis of Judaism and paganism. The Jews worshiped the God who reveals Himself—another important admission for a Samaritan.
Image © Phil McKay at Goodsalt.com
Worship of the true God is not tied to a place. The discussion, therefore, about a place of worship was irrelevant to the conversation. For God is spirit, and those who worship Him must do so in spirit and in truth. The woman accepted the plain truth conveyed by Jesus and was ready for more.
Read John 4:25-26. How did Jesus reveal His identity to her?
In all four Gospels, this is the only passage before His trial in which Jesus plainly stated to someone that He was the Messiah. And He did it not to some large crowd or important personage but to an unnamed Samaritan woman, alone, at Jacob’s well. He is interested in any lonely soul who feels separated.
And so to this woman, who not only was from a foreign culture but also was not of the highest moral character, Jesus openly reveals who He is. And, having revealed to her His knowledge of her darkest secrets, He also gave this woman a great reason to believe in Him, as well.
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What should this story tell us about why the gospel needs to break down the barriers that we humans create with each other? |
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It is interesting that in the case of both the conversations of Nicodemus and the Samaritan Woman, Jesus provides some deep insights into the nature of divinity and the relationship between the creator and the created. In this conversation Jesus emphasises that true worship is something beyond law and location and involves a deep connection with the divine. Let's be very clear; this is not some sort of mysticism, but an experiential relationship.
It is worth reviewing some of our discussions we have with one another. How often do we get involved in rather acrimonious arguments about interpretation and liturgy. I recently read somewhere that sometimes we Christians have a very proprietary view of God and want everyone to know that we have got it right. There is nothing wrong with being right, but letting every one know we are right is not the way to infuence people.
When I was a kid, because I read a lot, I knew when other people were wrong. It took me a little while to learn that people do not like being told they were wrong.
John records this:
We need to ask ourselves: Do our conversations reveal the divinity of Jesus, or a selfish desire to be vindicated that we have got it right?
Jesus knew of her deepest thoughts and actions And sought to give her the best news of salvation!! Most of us when see persons behaving other than Christ like, we often form a gossip "party" instead of doing like Christ offering forgiveness, we keep a personal record of the person wrong!! like we will win some sort of prize, also there is this among us Christians, "I can forgive you, but can't forget." To all of us who hold this thinking, the onous is on us to take a good look at the experience of the woman at the well, and Her Savior's Love for her. May Jesus save us all. I see myself in this woman.
What I find interesting is the way Jesus follows the little by little, step by step, approach in engaging with the Samaritan Woman.
He first asks he for water. Then shares with her that if she knew who he was she'd ask him for living water.
He then invites her to bring her husband. And then shares with her His deeper knowledge of her current situation.
She then switches the conversation to worship and he shares with her the true nature of the way Gods wants us to worship.
And then he reveals to her who He really is. Each step building confidence and trust in her. And inviting her into deeper knowledge of Himself.
A beautiful illustration of Christ's willingness to come to the woman and inquire about the very thing that she truly needs which is an understanding of who HE is and of worship!
Jesus was a Master Communicator. We could learn so much, and be so much more effective in witnessing, from following His example. The first thing that He does is ask a stranger for a favor. He let the conversation follow the course the woman wanted, yet He directed the conversation by engaging her in it. It wasn't a one sided conversation. When Jesus told her to go get her husband, He knew where He was going with the conversation. When Jesus told her the story of her life, He wasn't crass or insulting to her. She was shocked that a total stranger knew her life story yet didn't condemn her. Of course she felt uncomfortable with that revelation and did what any of us would do, she changed the subject. Yet Jesus let her speak, an uncommon courtesy for women in that day. He placed in her heart a desire for a better life without condemnation for the broken life she had been living. These things combined made her leave her waterpot behind and return to the village in excitement as one of the Bible’s unlikeliest evangelists.
It reminds me of this pertinent quotation;
This quotation is the basis of the book, "Christ's Method Alone, Christ's Way of Relational Witnessing" by Philip G. Samaan. The cover of the book is illustrated with a painting of Jesus conversing with the woman at the well.
https://www.adventsource.org/store/adult-ministries/community-services/christs-method-alone-37147
In speaking with the woman, Jesus said that true worshipers worship in Spirit and in truth. As I read this, I asked myself the question, who are true worshipers and what is worshipping in the Spirit? Jesus also said that God is looking for people who are doing this. In Eph 6:18, the bible also speaks about praying in the Spirit.
I was very reluctant to bring this issue up because I have seen that these types of topics could be controversial since they are not usually presented in our churches. However, many individuals may be experiencing these encounters in their personal lives. Individuals who understand and practice fasting, praying and meditation during the 4th watch, spending all nights in prayer, and who seek to worship God in their bodies, as we are encouraged to do in Romans 12:1,2 ....
Thank you for this interesting question, Melvin. I would be interested to know how you understand "praying in the spirit". Would that be "fasting, praying and meditation during the 4th watch, spending all nights in prayer, and seeking to worship God in their bodies"?
I think the Bible gives us a good understanding of who the Holy Spirit is: teacher and guide (John 14:26, John 16:13), comforter and helper (John 14:16-17) and of the Holy Spirit’s role in empowering believers (Acts 1:8) in interceding for us (Romans 8:26) and of the Holy Spirit’s presence in believers (1 Corinthians 6:19, Romans 8:9).
The Bible is also clear about what the Spirit's manifestations are in believers. If one prays or worships in the spirit, there will be evidence of the Spirit in their lives. The Bible says these are the signs: They display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), they show obedience to God’s commands (1 John 3:24) their life is one of continued transformation and renewal (Romans 12:2), they follow the guidance and conviction of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13), and they have and use their spiritual gifts for the service of others (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).
The Bible also provides guidance on the fasting and prayer that is pleasing to God (which I won’t get into here). My prayer is that my life will be led by the Holy Spirit and that his presence in my life will be evidence of God’s goodness.
Dear Joycelyn,
Thank you for the follow up comment. You are 100% correct. The job of the Holy Spirit is to reveal Christ, convict us of sin, serve as our comforter, etc. But his ultimate goal is to transform us from our carnal to a spiritual nature. As that process begins, we will become more and more like Christ and the Holy Spirit will use us to witness for him. We see this in Rom 8:16. Matt 5:16 also mentions this, but note that the purpose of shining our light is for the glory of God. Why, because the changes in our life can only happen by the working of the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus was telling the woman at the well, and Nicodemus also. This is what we need today. No amount of church going and knowledge of the doctrines will transform us from carnal to spiritual, it will only happen by us wanting and begging the Holy Spirit to do it in our lives.
Therefore, our focus should be on the Holy Spirit. This is what Paul is begging us to do in Rom 12:1,2. He is begging us because he knows, from his own experience, what the Spirit did and was doing for his life. He confirms this in Eph 6:18. If we are filled with the Spirit, we cannot keep quiet because the Spirit puts a fire inside of us. But that fire will be focused on God's glory. We will find ourselves begging the Spirit to use us, as He chooses, to fulfill his purpose.
In our Sabbath School lessons, the stories about Jesus are great, but the bottom line is the Holy Spirit and his work of transforming us.
I find John 4:21-24 to be one of the most consequential statements Jesus would make to shake up the religious world's status-quo; though it was made during a conversation with a lowly women He met at Jacob's well - how fitting! Traditions, place of birth or ancestral lineage - all outward religious identifiers established over millennia are removed, bringing the worship to where it has always belonged – to God’s spirit residing in the heart of man.
But the hour had come, and now is, ”when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and Truth." This, on God’s Spirit focused worship by Grace through faith, prevents the dark forces of this world to divide worshipers of God on any ground. I consider nothing to be more egregious to Jesus Christ than acrimony and division among His followers.
I perceive Jesus' loving kindness in His conversation with the woman, in many ways considered an outcast, but never the less hopeful for the Messiah to come. He was not brash, authoritative, or condescending. Instead, He was reassuring and even fatherly as He told her: ”I who speak to you am He.” I can only imagine her joy and excitement as she received His words as truth, ready to let others know as well.
To the lonely, ignored, disenfranchised - those living at the periphery of society, Jesus says: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest; drink from my water and eat my bread of life;" - Matt.11:28; John 6:33;35-48 and Matt.5:3-12.
I find it imperative - of vital importance, crucial - for the followers of Jesus Christ to be loving, caring and accepting, and leave it up to the Holy Spirit to "convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement – John 16:8.
Like the woman at the well we are seeking for things that could not satisfy, and then we heard our Saviour speaking, draw from My well which never shall run dry. Blanchard, Richard (Composer)
Part 4B is based on John 4:25-26. I thought when I read this that Jesus felt comfortable revealing His idenity to this Samaritian woman with no one else around as the Samaritians were not in favor of the Jews. I do believe He knew she would not be able to resist telling someone. Very interesting also, He did not say don't tell any one. Yes, Christ mission here I believe was to reach all of the town of Sychar, a village next to Shechem through one person initially. I am sure the word that the woman at the well received, spread to her village, also spread out to the people of Shechem.
The story comes home to us, we 1st earn the right to witness as we give out the message. 1st get a little anointed before telling someone about Christ. And by all means go with the still small voice of the Holy Spirit in your heart.
Jesus alone can satisfy our longing in life,
Tru the power of Holy Spirit work in our life, it transform our life and reveal what is true worship to us.