John 4:39-42 – Many Samaritans Believe
- “It’s not Who you expect or How you expect”
- As was His Modus operandi, Jesus goes into the village because He is pursued.
- He stays for two days and speaks to the people.
- They tell Him that they first believed because of the words of the Samaritan woman but now know because of their own experience of Him.
- What is interesting to me in this passage is the line;
- And because of His words many more became believers”
- This is interesting to me.
- There is no mention of miracles.
- There is no mention of Him performing any signs.
- Where in Jerusalem that is exactly what the religious leaders said they needed in order to believe; here with the very people the religious elite looked down upon, they were not necessary.
- Firstly this reminds me that it is not who you expect who will respond.
- I have expected certain people to follow, join, give, support and encourage.
- But often I have been disappointed by them only to be surprised by just who has followed, joined, given, supported and encouraged me.
- So the mistake we make is investing our time because of assumptions. Jesus it seemed waited to see who really was pursuing Him. Who was willing to pay a price [in this case the price of hospitality]. Not only was it perhaps surprising that it was the Samaritans but it was courageous because of the enmity between the two groups.
- Secondly, maybe there was a sign.
- Maybe the sign was that Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi would go into that town.
- Maybe that courage and compassion was all they needed.
- It gave more credibility to His words that a miracle or supernatural stunt.
- As a leader I need to remember that.
- It may not be who I expect to respond and they may not respond for the reasons I expect.
- I need to be open-minded and open-hearted.
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