Many Believed.

But this I know his wounds have paid my ransom – oh the deep deep love of the Father – to give us his Son – my mocking voice among the many holding him to the cross – yet his arms wide open in welcome into His ultimate plan of salvation.

”My plan, my plan from the beginning was to reverse the effects of Adam and Eve’s rebellion in the garden. To reverse the curse which I have placed on the world and all mankind. To reverse it ultimately so that many would truly be able to experience My great love and mercy. These thoughts are too high for you to fully comprehend them. Yet you can bask in the effect and enjoy them as part of my enormous growing family of faithful, loving believers.“

We continue today with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman. John 4:27-42. The disciples return at this moment and are astounded to find Jesus the, great Messiah talking to a pagan woman. She is so overcome that she dropped her water jar and fled back to the village where she had come from. But she had been transformed from a fearful outcast to running into the village proclaiming at the top of her voice, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”

Hold on, didn’t Jesus just confirm to her that He is indeed the Christ? 4:26. I suppose the truth was so great, so impossible to really take in that she was still processing it. Yet her actions tell us that she wanted to and yes, did believe that she had just met the Messiah. We are taken back to to ch 3 to the notion that belief is the fulcrum on which the rebirth occurs.

In the meantime the disciples ply Jesus with the need for earthly sustenance. Jesus’ reply in 4 ff shows how He skillfully uses earthly pictures to illustrate spiritual or heavenly truths. We have already seen how he had used the concept of birth to describe the heavenly rebirth. Then just recently He had turned the conversation about water to illustrate the concept of eternal life. Now he uses the idea of food to illustrate that His priorities are doing God’s will. Obedience to the Father would give Him full satisfaction.

God, through Moses had already given that thought. Take time to read Deut 8:1-5 to see where Jesus had picked up this concept. Especially vs 3b: “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”. This is also reflected in the Lord’s prayer. It is interesting to note in the passage in Deut that God’s word only becomes sustenance when one is obedient to it. See Deut 8:1.

This theme of Jesus claiming to be bread is going to be picked up in the chapters ahead. In the meantime the woman’s testimony back in the village has been received with such enthusiasm that the people go and invite Jesus to stay for two days, during which time many of them come to believe. The key vs is in vs 42 where they say ..“and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.” picking up again the main theme of John reflected in 20:31. They have also come to believe. At this stage they would not have had the whole story but simply recognized that Jesus was/is indeed the Messiah.

This passage is a timely reminder of the value and importance of our witness and testimony. It reminded me of several aspects. Firstly we cannot testify to a life-changing event if we have not experienced it ourselves. Secondly it is not necessary to have a complete gospel exposition. Witness is simply telling what you have experienced, seen and heard. The result of our testimony does not depend on us but on the supernatural work of the Lord who enlivens and drives home our words. Once again, giving a testimony about something you are clearly not experiencing is empty and meaningless, hence the importance of our daily, growing walk with God.

This is one of the main ways of God growing His kingdom and that is why it is important to do this as a church group where we can support and encourage one another.

On reflection there is one thing which I am guilty of and many of my brothers and sisters. That is what I called becoming part of the “Ain’t it awful” brigade”. ie When someone starts telling how awful something is: politics, sickness, crime etc you chime in with something even worse, instead of sharing how your relationship with God and depending on His souvereign power gives you a different perspective.

May your testimony indeed be genuine this coming week and may God give you the opportunity to be His witness. God bless you all.