What Jesus Did : John 4:27 - A Confusing Christ?
by Phil Ware
A Confusing Christ? - John 4:27
At that time Jesus' followers came back from town. They were surprised because they saw Jesus talking with a woman. But none of them asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" (ERV) Full TextKey Thought
The disciples return and find themselves confused and astonished. Jesus was doing the unthinkable—he is visiting with a woman from Samaria. During their journey with Jesus through his years of ministry, they will find themselves confused again and again. Why? Because Jesus came to reach the lost, to save the sinner, to heal sick. He reached out and touched the untouchables and welcomed the outcast and sinners. He broke the religious cultures "rules of engagement" as he broke through every prejudice and every barrier to reach the seeking heart. We may not know how to cross barriers as well as he did, but we know we must try. This was not just example; it is also his final command to us. He is not really the confusing Christ; he is the Christ on a mission to reach the world. Let's join him in his conquest.
Today's Prayer
Father, please give me a heart for people that are seeking for your life. Give me wisdom to see the opportunities to touch these seekers that you have placed in my path. Let my love for the lost astonish others to your glory and to further the ministry of Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.
Today's Verses in Context
At that time Jesus' followers came back from town. They were surprised because they saw Jesus talking with a woman. But none of them asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" Then the woman left her water jar and went back to town. She told the people in town, "A man told me everything I have ever done. Come see him. Maybe he is the Christ. " So the people left the town and went to see Jesus. While the woman was in town, Jesus' followers were begging him, "Teacher, eat something!" But Jesus answered, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." So the followers asked themselves, "Did somebody already bring Jesus some food?" Jesus said, "My food is to do what the One (God) who sent me wants me to do. My food is to finish the work that he gave me to do. {When you plant} you always say, 'Four more months to wait before we gather the grain.' But I tell you, open your eyes. Look at the {people. They are like} fields ready for harvesting now. Even now, the person that harvests the crop is being paid. He is gathering crops for eternal life. So now the person that plants can be happy together with the person that harvests. It is true when we say, 'One person plants, but another person harvests the crop.' I sent you to harvest a crop that you did not work for. Other people did the work, and you get the profit from their work." Many of the Samaritan people in that town believed in Jesus. They believed because of what the woman had told them about Jesus. She had told them, "He (Jesus) told me everything I have ever done." The Samaritans went to Jesus. They begged Jesus to stay with them. So Jesus stayed there two days. Many more people believed because of the things Jesus said. The people said to the woman, "First we believed in Jesus because of what you told us. But now we believe because we heard him ourselves. We know now that he really is the one that will save the world." Two days later Jesus left and went to Galilee. (Jesus had said before that aprophet is not respected in his own country.)-- John 4:27-44 (ERV)
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