Slices
Prepare
Ask God to reinvigorate your faith as you encounter him through his Word today.
Bible passage
The disciples rejoin Jesus
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?’
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’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?’ 30 They came out of the town and made their way towards him.
31 Meanwhile his disciples urged him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’
32 But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about.’
33 Then his disciples said to each other, ‘Could someone have brought him food?’
34 ‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35 Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest”? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36 Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37 Thus the saying “One sows and another reaps” is true. 38 I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour.’
Many Samaritans believe
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I’ve ever done.’ 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.
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 Saviour of the world.’
Explore
This passage is brimming with excitement. So excited is the Samaritan woman following her encounter with Jesus that she returns to share openly with the very townsfolk she had previously wanted to avoid how Jesus knew all about her sex life (vs 28,29)! Jesus himself is excited by his exchange with the Samaritan woman, telling his disciples of how the realisation that she and her community were ready to receive the gospel energised him as food nourishes the body (vs 32–38). The Samaritan woman’s townsfolk are excited not only by what she has to say (v 39), but also by the teaching they receive first-hand from Jesus himself (vs 40–42). This is what happens when God’s new creation unfolds in the person and through the work of Jesus – lives are transformed.
After two days in his company (v 40), the Samaritans declare Jesus to be the ‘Saviour of the world’ (v 42). The scope of God’s new creation extends beyond ethnic boundaries to embrace all creation! ‘Saviour of the world’ was a title the occupying Roman Emperors took to themselves – so to ascribe it to Jesus was to make a political statement, thereby emphasising that the transformation of a new creation is public as well as private. If we refrain from political engagement, we deny the extent of God’s redemptive purposes.
Respond
How can Christians and churches effectively demonstrate the transformative impact of God’s new creation in public and political life?
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Exodus 3,4; Acts 19
Pray for Scripture Union
Pray that more volunteers will be called to start their Journey as Faith Guides this year and begin to connect with the 95. Pray that we will have wisdom in knowing how best to support them and encourage them to go and make disciples.
