Reaching Samaria | Crossing Cultures
Reaching Samaria: (Part I)
CROSSING CULTURES
John 4:1-10 (ESV)
1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”
Early this year, during our annual planning and before this Global Pandemic hit us, we have set this month of September to be our Missions Emphasis Month, with the designated theme - Reaching Samaria. Back then when our pastoral leadership decided on this theme, we were primarily conscious that the vision of Jesus Christ with regards to the expansion of His Kingdom included crossing cultures and reaching diverse people who need the Gospel. Evidently, this vision is plainly stated in the Great Commission found in Acts 1:8 (ESV): 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
It is definitely significant to notice that the town of “Samaria” was specifically mentioned here. Why? Allow me to give you some historical background. Back in 722 B.C., the Assyrians, under the leadership of King Shalmaneser V, conquered the Northern Kingdom, which was composed of ten tribes of Israel, and taken into captivity. After this defeat, there were Assyrians who settled in in the capital city of the Northern Kingdom, which was Samaria. Eventually, these pagans and idol worshippers intermarried with the Jews who were left behind. Over the years, these mixed marriages resulted in a generation of people who developed their own religion, mixing pagan worship and Judaism. They even built their own Temple in Mount Gerizim. These were the people who would later be identified as the Samaritans.
Obviously, this background became the basis of racial and religious prejudice between the Samaritans and the Jews. So, just imagine the possible discomfort among the early Jewish believers when they heard the Savior include the “Samaritans” as part of their Great Commission. Was there a possibility that some of them resented this idea of reaching Samaria? How about us today? How intentional are we in reaching people who look or think very differently than we are? Well, to kick off our theme, I wanted us to consider a very familiar text found in John 4. Since Jesus gave the command to reach Samaria, it would be great to examine how He Himself has lived out what He expected from His followers. As we consider our main text, I hope we can appreciate the very example that Jesus sets before us, especially during these days that we are more sensitive in our society regarding racial inequity. I want to quote what Dr. James Merritt wrote about this truth on Jesus:
“One of Jesus’s most endearing qualities was the way he proactively pursued the outcasts and outsider. He was a man of the people, not just the privileged. He was a master for the masses, not a rabbi for the rich. Jesus sought out those that society avoided, mocked, and ridiculed. He was willing to help anyone at any time- even if they didn’t realize they needed Him. Jesus’s most scandalous encounters reveal His role as a helper of the helpless and the hope of the hopeless, all the while changing the way we see others and ourselves.”
This morning, we will certainly discover these truths as we reflect on the encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman. Here are three specific examples we should not miss:
I JESUS PURPOSELY SOUGHT HER: (vv. 1-4)
As you begin to read our passage, you will find Jesus deciding to leave Judea and went to Galilee after learning that the Pharisees had heard that He was baptizing more disciples than John the Baptist. Most likely, He made this decision in order to prevent the Pharisees in successfully creating division between Him and John and their followers (vv. 1-3).
However, when you read verse 4 saying, “And he had to pass through Samaria,” John seems to specifically suggest that it was necessary for Jesus to make a side-trip to Samaria en route to Galilee. Why was it necessary? Was it because of geographical considerations? You see, if you consider the travel from Judea to Galilee, the route going through Samaria was definitely shorter and quicker. However, because of the hostility between the Jews and the Samaritans, the majority of the Jews have avoided passing through Samaria and often preferred going through Perea, which was longer and much farther route.
Apparently, the only logical conclusion we could get from the passage is that Jesus purposely wanted to meet the Samaritan woman who desperately needed to find hope in life. Despite the fact that she was totally unaware of her spiritual needs, Jesus was determined to seek for her. The reality was that this woman was not looking for Jesus; it was Jesus who looked for her.
I find this truth amazing because I know that for all of us who know Jesus Christ today, the same process had happened. When we encountered Him, it was not a coincidental event; it was a divine appointment. Some verses in the New Testament can clearly prove this fact:
Romans 3:10-11 (ESV): 10 [A]s it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God.” Luke 19:10 (ESV): 10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
In these verses, it is quite clear that our sinfulness has kept us away from God. But in His grace, He has decided to seek us in the midst of our lost condition and led us to our salvation. With the same perspective, James was able to share that our salvation is God’s direct will. Listen to this verse:
James 1:18 (ESV): 18 “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”
Clearly, “Of his own will,” we were all brought to life. Personally, I’m so glad God has decided to save me and not wait for me to go to Him. I know for a fact that if it depended on me, it could have never happened. So, once again, if we know Him today, we certainly owe it all to Him!
II JESUS PROACTIVELY ENGAGED HER: (vv. 5-7)
Going back to our narrative, the second truth we would find is that Jesus was the one who proactively engaged the Samaritan woman. But before we go there, it would be good for us to familiarize ourselves with the specific places mentioned here. For example, the town, Sychar, is mentioned. If you follow verse 5, John commented that this place is not far from the piece of land that Jacob—before he died—gifted to his son, Joseph. This incident is recorded in Genesis 48:22. Then, in verse 6, there is also the reference to “Jacob’s well,” which still exists even today. If you happen to visit Israel, this would be part of the tour.
I wanted to highlight these places because, even for John, it was hard to ignore the rich history of these places, which directly connected them to the God of Israel. But the sad reality is that when Jesus went there, these significant places had been overshadowed because they have been polluted by their pagan practices. Thank God because even when people had given up on Him, He still finds a way to show them that He is close to them and wants to be reconnected with them!
Now, let’s specifically focus on how Jesus proactively engaged the Samaritan woman at the well. First, Jesus’ timing was perfect. In verse 6, John identified the exact time the woman went there – “It was about the sixth hour.” There are two possible ways to determine this time. If this “hour” was based on the Roman time, it would be about 6:00 PM. Another option is to base it on Jewish time, which is 12:00 PM. Whatever you choose, the fact is that Jesus knew that this woman would go there at this time when not many people were there. Commentators suggest that typically women would go to the well by groups because they help one another in putting the water containers on their shoulders to transport them back to their homes. For her to go there by herself shows she was avoiding the time when other people were drawing water from the well. Her shame reveals that she was probably considered an outcast in her community because of her lifestyle.
Second, He opened up the conversation. In order to appreciate this truth, listen to the comment of Dr. John MacArthur:
“For a Jewish man to speak to a woman in public, let alone to ask from her, a Samaritan, a drink, was a definite breach of rigid social custom as well as a marked departure from the social animosity that existed between the two groups.”
Clearly, when Jesus decided to engage this woman, He was well aware of some risks involved. There was the possibility of being criticized, misrepresented, or openly rebuked and ridiculed. But for Christ, her salvation is worth all the risks.
These efforts of the Savior simply show us how many times evangelism can be uncomfortable and difficult, especially when we have to consider reaching people coming from different cultures and backgrounds. I recently read the impact of Adoniram and Ann “Nancy” Judson, the first Baptist foreign missionaries who came from America to the country of Burma (Presently known as Myanmar). They labored for six long years in their mission field before seeing their first convert to Christ. By their ninth year, there were only a total of eighteen converts. As they were seeing more and more people enlightened by the Gospel, they also experienced strong oppositions and difficulties. In their 12th year of ministry, Adoniram was arrested, accused as a “British spy,” and imprisoned for twenty-one months. After imprisonment, Adoniram lost his three children and wife to different diseases. Yet, he persisted in reaching people for Jesus Christ. He kept serving in Burma for thirty-eight years. The Lord powerfully used Adoniram in Burma that by the time he left the country, there were about 210,000 Burmese Christian converts. What a witness for the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Today, when we think about missions and cross-cultural ministry, the landscape has radically changed. We don’t even have to leave the country if we want to reach out to other nations and peoples. They are already within our neighborhoods. The mission field is here now. We simply have to open our eyes and be more proactive in engaging them. But don’t ever think that it would be easier and more comfortable. Witnessing will always be challenging. But just like Jesus Christ and the Judsons, we should exert all the necessary efforts because, for every soul that receives Jesus Christ, God and His angels in heaven are rejoicing. Jesus once said:
Luke 15:10 (ESV): 10 “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Have you ever examined this verse and wondered, “Who is rejoicing “before the angels of God?” Obviously, this is God Himself. He is ultimately the one who celebrates in heaven whenever a sinner repents and receives Jesus Christ. So, despite all the hassles and difficulties, it is truly worth it all to win someone to Jesus Christ.
III JESUS PATIENTLY EXTENDED GRACE TO HER:
Lastly, when you read the passage and examine the conversation that took place between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, you will surely appreciate the patience that Jesus was willing to show to her. Take, for example, when Jesus asked her for water. The response she gave in verse 9 was, “ . . . “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” Evidently, she was uncomfortable and unwilling to give Jesus a drink. Some Bible commentators even suggest that her response showed some rudeness and disrespect.
Then, when Jesus told her that He was capable of giving her a special kind of water that will not cause her to be thirsty again, she sort of expressed some serious doubts toward Him. She was saying that He didn’t even have any means to draw water from the well, or the manpower like the patriarch Jacob who gave them the well. To make the long story short, their conversation will move to other side topics from her multiple marriages to proper worship until she would finally be convinced that Jesus is the Messiah. I believe the climax and real turning point for her in the chapter would be verses 25- 26:
John 4:25-26 (ESV): 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
If you are familiar with the Gospel of John, you know that one of the titles of God that Jesus repeatedly used for Himself in this Gospel was “I Am.” Here are seven direct references of it:
1. And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
2. Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).
3. “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9).
4. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11).
5. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).
6. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
7. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1).
Everyone who knew the Old Testament Scriptures from that time until today should be aware that the title “I Am” referred to God as the Self-Sufficient God who can transcend and exist on His own. He is not dependent on anyone or anything for His existence.
Think about what happened here for a minute! Here is probably one of the very first occasions in the Gospels when the Messiah will reveal who He really was to anyone. It was not to a religious, law-abiding Jew, but to a Samaritan woman who was considered an outcast in her community because she was married five times. The message is quite clear that though she was a Samaritan, her life mattered to God. He came visited her and was willing to accept her for who she was – a hopeless sinner who needs mercy and forgiveness. What a great Savior!
The reality is that when we look at our experience, we, too, have received the same mercy and grace. We definitely do not deserve to be sought by Jesus; neither do we deserve to be accepted—as well as forgiven. All of this is because God is gracious. You know, so many in this world today are hurting and hopeless, just like this Samaritan woman. When we proactively share Jesus to people like her, our witness of Jesus Christ can bring so many blessings to them.
Let me close with the lyrics of this Gospel hymn entitled, “Why Have You Chosen Me.” I really believe that our personal appreciation for God’s grace in our lives can continually motivate us to share the same grace and love to others who desperately it.
Why have You chosen me
out of millions Your child to be
You know all the wrongs that I have done
Oh how could You pardon me,
Forgive my iniquities
To save me give Jesus Your sonI am amazed to know that a
God so great could love me so
Is willing and wanting to bless
His love is so wonderful,
His mercy so bountiful
I can't understand If I confess.Chorus:
But Lord help me be
what You want me to be
Your word I will strive to obey
My life I now give, for You I will live
And walk by Your side all the way
-Dr. Jeremiah Lepasana