John 4 - Every Man's Bible

4:4-27  The disciples were surprised to find Jesus speaking with the woman at the well for a number of reasons: She was a Samaritan (half Jew and half Gentile); she was a woman; and she had a questionable history. Any one of these factors would have disqualified her from speaking with a “righteous” Jewish man. But Jesus broke down all the traditional barriers to accept her as she was and gave her a chance to experience a fresh start in life. In doing this, Jesus demonstrated God’s love for all who have been rejected or condemned. This can be a source of great encouragement to us. No matter what we have done in the past, God still offers us his unconditional acceptance in Jesus. With his powerful help, nothing can stand in the way of our salvation.

4:39-42  The Samaritan woman put her faith in Jesus, who knew all about her faults yet still loved and respected her. She responded to God’s gracious forgiveness by immediately sharing her story with others. She told her neighbors about the Messiah, who had offered her a new life. As a result, many were blessed with the benefits of faith in Jesus Christ. As we experience the reality of Christ’s love in our lives, it is important that we share the Good News with others. The message we share may be the difference between life and death for someone we know. And when we share our story, we will experience anew the great joy of knowing Christ.

4:46-53  The government official demonstrated his faith by humbly asking Jesus to heal his son and then by taking him at his word. He believed Jesus’ word to be true even though he hadn’t yet seen the results. Our faith is expressed in similar ways. We can begin by humbly and honestly seeking God’s help. He will help us even though we don’t see immediate results. Spiritual growth takes a while. We can believe that God is working, and then persevere, even when the results of his work in our lives are not immediately evident.