LISTEN
TO JESUS
MYSTERIOUS
MEAL
John 4:27 And upon this came
his disciples, and marvelled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said,
What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her?
Susie: If the disciples had come back too soon, they would have interrupted the important exchange between Jesus and the woman. Had they been much later, they would not have been privy to His meeting with her at all. I do not believe in coincidences. God’s timing is always perfect.
Susan:
Jesus probably wanted them to catch the end of the
conversation because He wanted them to understand that He did not have the
“Hatfields and McCoys” prejudice that was expected of a Jewish man when in the
presence of a woman, especially one from Samaria.
Susie:
The disciples were surprised that Jesus was talking with a woman
but none of them were bold enough to ask him about it, not even Peter who had a
habit of putting his foot in his mouth.
Susan:
Perhaps they did not want to open a can of worms or risk a
lecture about why the prejudice that had existed for a long time needed to be
set aside. Jesus offered salvation EVEN to the Samaritans.
John 4:28-30 The woman then
left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, Come,
see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
Then they went out of the city and came unto him.
Susie:
The woman abandoned her water jar in her excitement to tell
the very people who had probably scorned her in the past that she believed the
Messiah was right there in their town.
Susan:
In her exuberance, the very reason she went to the well flew
right out of her head and she left her water behind. All she could think about
was sharing the joy of the freedom she had found in the Messiah.
Susie:
Because of her testimony that Jesus knew everything about her
without being told, the people headed out to see Him for themselves.
Susan:
The passion in her voice and the zeal with which she was
sharing her encounter caused the townspeople to become inquisitive about
whether she had truly met the Messiah.
Susie:
Perhaps their entire perspective could be changed as hers
was. She obviously had found something they each lacked. The living water . . .
Susan:
. . . the meaning of which flew right past her at first . . .
Susie:
. . . was now flowing through her to others.
Susan:
After her encounter with Jesus, the Samaritan woman became
insightful.
Susie:
The Holy Spirit had enabled her to understand at last.
John 4:31 In the mean while
his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.
Susie:
Meanwhile, back at the well, the disciples are trying to get
Jesus to eat the food they purchased for Him. They have no idea what just
transpired and are only thinking of taking care of His human, physical
needs.
Susan:
Jesus had sent them to get food, but now He is not eating it.
What’s the deal?
John 4:32 But he said unto
them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Therefore,
said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?
Susie:
When Jesus tells the disciples He has food they are unaware
of, they (like Nicodemus and the woman) are understanding this in terms of the
physical. They wonder where this mysterious meat came from. They do not realize
He is speaking of spiritual nourishment.
Ways
we can apply this to our lives:
· The
woman immediately dropped everything and ran to tell her neighbors the Messiah
had arrived. Are you spreading the Good News that Jesus offers forgiveness and
freedom with everyone you know?
· Do you
boldly proclaim Jesus even to people who have shunned you?
