The Samaritan woman in John's gospel chapter 4 would be the kind of people I would like to see in my church as leaders. If you have someone like this woman, you can with the help of God, lead a powerful church. Interestingly, I don't know her name, but I know everything else about her. It is difficult to guess her age, but we can see that she has lived through a lot. I can tell you that she is a Wild and Wonderful Woman.
Jesus encountered this woman at noon time (sixth hour). In the middle east countries, It is unusual for people to walk around at noon time due to the intense heat. A writer says, “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun.” But this woman was out there doing hard work. Women at that time used to like such gatherings in the evenings as they used this time to socialize. Maybe, this woman did not want to be with other women or may be she ran out water unexpectedly. Whatever the reason was, she was a bold woman on the move.
I want to believe that it was a providential arrangement from heaven. God's prevenient grace was at work. It is the grace that follows you even when you are not aware of it. When Jesus asked her for a drink, she countered with a question, “how is it that he being a Jew ask a Samaritan woman for a drink?” When Jesus asked her to bring her husband, she says she doesn't have one. Then Jesus agrees that she doesn't have a husband now, but she has had five in the past. The man with whom she is now is not her husband. She identified Jesus as a prophet; she knew the scriptures. She knew the Jews and Samaritans were half siblings, both being descendants for Jacob, who gave them this well. She said, “Our ancestors, whorshipped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place of worship is in Jerusalem.” She is in fact, asking the fundamental question, “Please tell me where can I find God.” She was more than a water seeker. She was a seeker of the truth. Jesus replied that God is not on this mountain or that mountain. True worshippers will worship God in Truth and in Spirit.”
She then runs to the town and tells the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done, could he be the Messiah?” (John 4:29). In fact Jesus did not talk about everyting she has ever done. But the one element that they discussed about her husband seemed to have defined her as “five husbands and a live-in man". She considered herself a failure in life who made wrong choices." Many let some major decimating event or factor define their lives. A high level executive who lost his promotion told me that he felt like a failure. A person diagnosed with cancer shared that she gets a shock when people refer to her as “Katie who has cancer.” The past does not define us, it prepares us. In fact many would consider her as a long time loser, but aren’t we are all long time losers? We were rescued by the grace of God, and grace alone. It is not 'because of' but 'in spite of' who we are that God loves us.
Based on careful reading we can trace this as the beginning of a ministry that started with the most unlikely person in the most unlikely places. Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of this woman’s testimony and they asked him to stay with them. Jesus stayed there two days. After the death of Stephen, the Jerusalem church was scattered abroad. Philip the evangelist went to Samaria and proclaimed Christ (Acts 8:5). The multitude “listned with one accord” to his message. When the report of Philip’s success came to the attention of the apostles up in Jerusalem, they sent Peter and John to Samaria and the gospel was proclaimed in “many villages” of the Samaritans (Acts 8:25). Clearly, much of this success may be attributed to this wonderful woman whose name is not even mentioned.
The story of this woman should dispel any arguments about qalifications. You don't need a name or degree to work for the kingdom of God. If this woman could make a case, then almost anyone could. I would like her to join my church and I want her to lead the outreach and mission committees.
Click the link below to hear more
Blessings
Mathew Philip
Jesus encountered this woman at noon time (sixth hour). In the middle east countries, It is unusual for people to walk around at noon time due to the intense heat. A writer says, “Only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the noonday sun.” But this woman was out there doing hard work. Women at that time used to like such gatherings in the evenings as they used this time to socialize. Maybe, this woman did not want to be with other women or may be she ran out water unexpectedly. Whatever the reason was, she was a bold woman on the move.
I want to believe that it was a providential arrangement from heaven. God's prevenient grace was at work. It is the grace that follows you even when you are not aware of it. When Jesus asked her for a drink, she countered with a question, “how is it that he being a Jew ask a Samaritan woman for a drink?” When Jesus asked her to bring her husband, she says she doesn't have one. Then Jesus agrees that she doesn't have a husband now, but she has had five in the past. The man with whom she is now is not her husband. She identified Jesus as a prophet; she knew the scriptures. She knew the Jews and Samaritans were half siblings, both being descendants for Jacob, who gave them this well. She said, “Our ancestors, whorshipped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place of worship is in Jerusalem.” She is in fact, asking the fundamental question, “Please tell me where can I find God.” She was more than a water seeker. She was a seeker of the truth. Jesus replied that God is not on this mountain or that mountain. True worshippers will worship God in Truth and in Spirit.”
She then runs to the town and tells the people, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done, could he be the Messiah?” (John 4:29). In fact Jesus did not talk about everyting she has ever done. But the one element that they discussed about her husband seemed to have defined her as “five husbands and a live-in man". She considered herself a failure in life who made wrong choices." Many let some major decimating event or factor define their lives. A high level executive who lost his promotion told me that he felt like a failure. A person diagnosed with cancer shared that she gets a shock when people refer to her as “Katie who has cancer.” The past does not define us, it prepares us. In fact many would consider her as a long time loser, but aren’t we are all long time losers? We were rescued by the grace of God, and grace alone. It is not 'because of' but 'in spite of' who we are that God loves us.
Based on careful reading we can trace this as the beginning of a ministry that started with the most unlikely person in the most unlikely places. Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of this woman’s testimony and they asked him to stay with them. Jesus stayed there two days. After the death of Stephen, the Jerusalem church was scattered abroad. Philip the evangelist went to Samaria and proclaimed Christ (Acts 8:5). The multitude “listned with one accord” to his message. When the report of Philip’s success came to the attention of the apostles up in Jerusalem, they sent Peter and John to Samaria and the gospel was proclaimed in “many villages” of the Samaritans (Acts 8:25). Clearly, much of this success may be attributed to this wonderful woman whose name is not even mentioned.
The story of this woman should dispel any arguments about qalifications. You don't need a name or degree to work for the kingdom of God. If this woman could make a case, then almost anyone could. I would like her to join my church and I want her to lead the outreach and mission committees.
Click the link below to hear more
Blessings
Mathew Philip
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