John 4:27-42 - The Meat In The Food

INTRODUCTION:

Jesus was on a mission.   In Chapter 3, he was with a religious man exhorting him to be “born again.”  In this chapter, Jesus was with an adulterer exhorting her to believe in Him as Messiah, as one who has the everlasting water and change her life. The woman had many issues, it was difficult for her to believe – until v. 29, “I know that Messiah is coming, When he comes, he will explain everything  to us.” 

All these issues – all of these excuses ... it is as if the  lady was saying, not now – when the Savior comes...then I’ll follow.   A lot of us are like that.  We wait until…   Whatever you are waiting for, don’t wait until it is too late.   Jesus’ timing to the woman however was impeccable.   Jesus said in V 28,” I who speak to you am he.”  

Jesus went through all that hard work – until to this point when the Savior was revealed to her.   Are we as patient like Jesus in dealing with others who have a lot of issues?  Are we as direct, giving what they need to hear?  Above all, do we understand that small conversations can really get people further, faster to Jesus.  Something that Jesus’ disciples have missed:

I.    The reaction of the disciples (v.27-31).  There are deeper things happening than what we see

Read verse 27, ²⁷ Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

The Disciples were surprised.
What was the disciple’s response?  “Surprised”  Why?  Because they found Jesus talking to a woman and believe me when I tell you that they know Jesus wasn’t just talking to any woman but a prostitute.  They were so concerned of keeping Jesus pure or where they concerned about keeping themselves pure? 

 Mark 2:17,  On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."  

 The woman was encouraged

²⁸ Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ²⁹ “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” ³⁰ They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

What the disciples didn’t see was the woman’s heart.  She was responding to Jesus’ appeal.   Notice,

She left what was important for her

She delayed what was important for her

She seized what was most important to her.  A transformation worthy of sharing. 

II.    The response of Jesus (v.32-38).  The harvest is the goal

The disciples were so concerned.  They were asking him to eat (v.31), but Jesus underscored that what fills him is not the food but, v. 34. 

The disciples good intention

To care for the physical need of a person is a good gesture and is expected especially to those who are followers of Jesus. 

“For I was hungered, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me drink, and I was a stranger and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick and ye visited me; I was in prison and ye came unto me.” 

Jesus' deep contention

³⁴ “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.  The first criteria of what is most important that the disciple missed is “to do the will of the Father”, to “finish the purpose of His life.”  That’s the meat.  Just as Jesus has a mission, you and I are made for a purpose.   Jesus mission, John 10:10, The theif comes to steal and to kill and destroy, I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  Our mission is related to Jesus’ mission. 

III.  The return of the Samaritans (v.39-42).  You never know until you try

The disciples focused on Jesus physical need.  Jesus points them that they should be more concerned about the spiritual need.  

³⁹ Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

This meat is so inviting. You will want more.  

 ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. ⁴¹ And because of his words many more became believers..\

This meat is contagious.  You will want it soon.

⁴² They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”  YOU WILL NEVER KNOW THE MEAT UNTIL YOU TRY IT. 

CONCLUSION: 

There are three immediate lessons here:

1.  jesus came to transform lives.  No matter how religious (church goer), no matter how sinful (non-church goer), Jesus can transform your life.

2.  Tranformed lives are believable.  Wouldn’t you want to ask what did the woman do to convince a whole town.

3.  It’s easy to miss the point.  The disciples thought that the most important thing is physical things – Jesus said it’s about the eternal things.