There is no historical figure that has shaped the world like Jesus. There is no one single name that changes everything like the name of Jesus. Jesus changes everything. He makes all things new. When one believes on the Lord Jesus their life is completely transformed. So it was with the Samaritan woman. Once it was revealed to her who Jesus was and once she believed in Him, her life was changed. She would never be the same again.
As Jesus continues his interaction with the Samaritan woman, His disciples return to the well. They were astonished that Jesus would be talking with a woman. This action went against the custom of Jewish men. As the New American Commentary points out, “Indeed, the rabbis frowned on discussing any theological issues with women, likening the process of such intellectual discussion to liberating them or opening them to a life of immorality (m. Sota 3, 4 and t. ʿErub. 53). The disciples were thus men of their times, probably more concerned that Jesus was “talking with a woman” than that she was a Samaritan.”[1] The commentary goes on to say, “Yet Jesus did not seem to be bothered by such customary patterns of restrictive conversation. His message was for everyone, those of every culture and standing in society. He was truly cross-cultural in his perspective and concern for others.”[2] The disciples never said anything, however, the woman leaves her water pot and went back into the city. It is at this point that Jesus teaches His disciples a valuable lesson on what happens when a life is transformed.
An unlikely witness. The Samaritan woman leaves her water pot and goes back into the city to tell the men of the city what she experienced. Verse 28-30 says, “The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.”[3] The Samaritan woman was an unlikely witness. Here she is, a woman. The testimony of a woman in that day was usually not accepted. Not to mention who this woman was, known in her town as a promiscuous woman having had five husbands and now living with a man that is not her husband. It is interesting how she went directly to the men. With wisdom she does not make a statement, rather, she asks a question. I believe that in her heart she already knew that Jesus was the Messiah. However, to make her witness more credible she explains what Jesus told her and then asks the men if Jesus could be the Messiah. It is also interesting how Jesus chose a Samaritan woman to reveal the truth concerning Himself. This unlikely witness gives evidence to that fact that God can use anybody. Her public testimony results in many people coming to faith in Christ. If God can use the Samaritan woman to be a witness for Him, He most certainly can use you. Her life was so changed by Jesus that she could not keep it to herself. Even with all that was against her, she made it known what Christ had done for her. She goes and tells everyone how her life has been changed. Has your life been so transformed by Jesus that you cannot keep it to yourself? When was the last time you told someone about what Jesus has done for you and how He has changed your life?
A narrow purpose. While the woman goes into town to tell others about Jesus, the disciples were concerned about physical food. They missed what was going on. When the disciples inquired about the need for Jesus to eat, “Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”[4] Jesus had a narrow purpose. He came for one thing and one thing only and that is to redeem mankind. He came to “seek and to save the lost.” If we have been to transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then we also have a narrow purpose. We are to live for one thing: to make Jesus known. Our entire lives, everything that we do is to be wrapped up in that singular purpose of bringing others to Jesus. Do you live to fulfill the will of the Father? Do you live to do the work He has called you to? We cannot allow anything to sway us or deter us from our calling. We must have a narrow purpose.
A ready harvest. Jesus explains to His disciples that now is the time to do the work because the harvest is ready. Verse 35 says, “Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!”[5]Some may think they have plenty of time to reach others with the Gospel. But Jesus says, we must not wait. Now is the time. The harvest is ready. Brothers and sisters, there are thousands of people in our local community and millions of people around the world to whom the Holy Spirit has already been drawing to Christ. They are ready to receive Jesus; they are just waiting on someone to tell them. Look at what Paul said in Romans 10:14-15, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”[6]Every believer is a preacher. We are all sent by God to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. People are ripe and ready. They are looking for hope. They are looking for answers. We have that hope. We have the answers they are looking for. Therefore, we must tell them. We must go and preach the good news.
A winning team. Jesus explains that there are two responsibilities when it comes to bringing in the harvest. There is sowing and there is reaping. In verse 36 Jesus says, “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”[7] Reaching people with the Gospel requires a team effort. There must be sowing and there must be reaping. Both of these things happen simultaneously. Sowing and reaping go together. Those who sow and those who reap rejoices together when there is a harvest for both have a part in what is gathered. Those who sow may be those who plant the seeds of the Gospel through various means. Those who reap may be those who speaks to the heart of the one where the seeds have already been planted. All believers are called both to sow and to reap. We are called to carefully and strategically plant the seeds of the Gospel everywhere we go. We are also called to always be ready to give and answer for our faith. We are to be ready at all times to share the Gospel with expectation that the seeds have already been planted in the heart of the one we are witnessing to.
My friend, there is a ready harvest. Will you join the winning team with a narrow purpose to allow God to use your transformed life to bring others to Himself?
[1] Borchert, G. L. (1996). John 1–11 (Vol. 25A, p. 210). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] Borchert, G. L. (1996). John 1–11 (Vol. 25A, p. 210). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] The New King James Version (Jn 4:28–30). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[4] The New King James Version (Jn 4:34). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[5] The New King James Version (Jn 4:35). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[6] The New King James Version (Ro 10:14–15). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[7] The New King James Version (Jn 4:36). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
Pastor Chris Noland 