Breaking Social and Racial Barriers
“Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard Him (Jesus) ourselves. Now we know that He is indeed the Savior of the world.” John 4:42b (NLT)
The fourth chapter of John reveals the second miraculous sign Jesus performed that pointed to His claim as the Messiah. You’ll read about the impact Jesus had on two individual lives, both considered outcasts by religious Jews.
The first was a Samaritan woman. She had two strikes against her. I call her “the shady-lady of Sychar”. Sychar was the village in Samaria where she was from. She went to the well in Samaria at the heat of the day, most likely to avoid the shameful stares of the religious women in the village who knew all about her immoral lifestyle. She was the kind of woman who was looking for love in all the wrong places, who thought being married to the wrong person was still better than being alone. Yet, when she encountered Jesus at that well, her life was changed forever! Her past and the fact that she was a Samaritan were enough for Jews to avoid her. Even the disciples were shocked to see Jesus speaking with her when they returned from the local McBagel’s with lunch. Like us, these disciples suffered from prejudices that limited the scope of their ministry. Jesus had no such prejudice. This chapter reveals His love and compassion for everyone regardless of their race, religion, or morality. It demonstrates the uncompromising power of speaking the truth in love! This unnamed woman was so impacted by the love of God that she “left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, ‘Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could He possibly be the Messiah?’” (Vs. 28-29) Love breaks through all barriers!
Curiosity must have gotten the best of the people because John said the people in the village came streaming to see Him, and many believed in Jesus because of what the woman had told them. Like that woman, your story matters! It is the greatest evidence for the existence of God and His redeeming love! Our stories are stories of grace you and I need to share that will bring others to Jesus. I love what they said when he came!
“Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard Him (Jesus) ourselves. Now we know that He is indeed the Savior of the world.” John 4:42b (NLT)
Like the immoral woman from Samaria, the second individual whose life would be forever changed was a Roman government official, probably an officer in Herod’s service. He would have been despised by the Jews for Rome’s oppressive treatment. He had walked 20 miles to see Jesus in hopes that He would come to his home to heal his dying son. His encounter with Jesus reveals the power of Jesus to speak words of healing. It would be the second miraculous sign of Jesus that John records. Jesus simply spoke the word, and the boy was healed. Read the chapter and see what happened. Then consider your own life. No one is beyond Jesus’ redeeming love! No problem is too great for His power. Whether it’s your body or soul that is afflicted, Jesus is the answer.
Read John 4 and experience the compassion of Jesus in this chapter for those the world has written off and consider the impact your story may have on those around you.