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We move on in the Gospel of John to Chapter 4 and verse 16. We have been reading of Jesus Christ being willing and prepared to go through Samaria, and we saw Jesus being so prepared to speak with this immoral woman. Not many Jews would have been willing to do that.

Jesus does things which others might not be so willing to do!

Jesus begins very simply by asking for a drink of water, and Jesus led her to that point of being spiritual thirsty.

Jesus seeks to make people spiritually thirsty and spiritually restless, and to that point where they are ready to receive what He has to give.

She tried to put off that important decision saying that one day the Christ is coming and he will explain everything and answer all my questions. Jesus says, I am the Christ. I am the Christ you are looking for, and waiting for, and He is now speaking to you.

The disciples had been into the village of Sychar to buy some food, and they return and they are surprised that Jesus is talking with a strange woman in public. They did not say anything. Perhaps they did not know what to say.

This woman of Samaria went back into her village and said to the people, “Come and see and meet this man. Could this be the Christ?” That woman brought her whole village to Jesus. What a mighty thing to do – to lead your whole community to meet Jesus Christ.

Might we see that happen again? Will anyone be used in that powerful way?

While the woman was in the village, the disciples noticed that Jesus was no longer hungry. When you are busy and engrossed in the work of the Kingdom of God, certain physical needs become secondary.

Verse 34. My food is to do the will of Him Who sent me. My food is to complete the work which He sent Me to do.

Jesus began to say a strange thing. “Do not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? Open your eyes and look at the fields.”

Look at that field, and Jesus saw a field of people coming from the village.

They had believed what the woman had said about Jesus, and they are coming out to see, and when they heard His Word many more believed.

This all began with her testimony, and that all began with a conversation at Jacob’s Well.

This is where things can start – when we give our testimony. But we can never tell where it will end. Some will shrug it off, and others will be so keen to follow it up. We can never tell.

Verse 42 – They say, “Now we believe, not just because of your testimony, but we have heard Him, and we know that this man really is the Saviour of the world.

John tells us that the Son was there when this world was created. He then came into the world to take away the sin of the world, and to baptise people with the Holy Spirit, but also that the world did not recognise Him, even though God loved and acted in this amazingly gracious way, and here it is all building up to Jesus is the Saviour of the world. And, it was the Samaritans who first said that.

Prejudice could have said, He is only another Jewish nationalistic prophet, but experiencing Jesus, and having experienced and met with Jesus, there is a revelation that He is the Saviour – for everyone – for everyone who would accept Him and believe in Him – not just for Jews – but even for Samaritans – and even for the world.

"The Way" from Kevin Pauley

A World of One