“Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that
Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself
did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for
Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. So he came to a town of Samaria
called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 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.” (John 4:1–6, ESV)
I’ve delayed writing for a few days for a variety of
reasons. One of them was trying to decide just how much of this next individual
encounter which Jesus had with the Samaritan woman to cover in one day. While
thinking I’ve read and reread the details. As I’ve done this I was impressed
with the sensitivity of Jesus and how He was able to use that which people knew
to point them to that which they did not know, prompting them to respond with questions.
These opened doors of curiosity led to some incredible discussions and, as in the
case with this woman and with Nicodemus, results that went far beyond their
encounter.
In the last part of chapter three we read about a concern
among John the Baptist’s disciples because of the number of people that were
being baptized by Jesus and following after Him. John had no problem with what
was happening. In fact, he knew that this had to happen. It was God’s plan
coming to fulfillment. This was a plan for which John was birthed and
chosen to have a role in But John knew it was never about him. It was about the Christ who
would come after him. Now that Jesus had come it was right for people to follow
Him, and as John continued with his purpose he continued to proclaim repentance
in the face of the coming Messiah and baptism as its evidence.
John’s disciples were not the only ones who noticed the
number of people who had been coming to these men for baptism. The Pharisees
had taken notice also, and they had already tried asserting themselves as a
threat. Today’s passage tells us that in the face of Jesus’ disciples baptizing
more people even than John in His name, Jesus left Judea and departed again for
His home region. From the way this passage is worded it seems that Jesus’
reason for leaving was likely not so much to lessen the attention from the
Pharisees (though it likely did so), but primarily to remove the comparison
between the numbers coming to John and those coming to Himself. Jesus never
told John that his job was done. He never told him to sit back and take it
easy. He knew that John was called for this purpose, and it seems that He left
the region so that John might be fully effective for the purpose for which he
was called.
As I thought about this I was impressed with the sensitivity
of Jesus. He knew that the disciples should not be competitive over things like
this, but He also recognized that they were. Rather than chastising them for
their comparisons, He left to go to another region (Galilee) where the message
could be multiplied. In the process of traveling back to Galilee Jesus could
have taken several routes. The Jews and the Samaritans did not get along. They
did not associate with the Samaritans, and they saw them as an unclean group of
people. They weren’t pure Jews. The Samaritans were the results of
intermarriage which polluted that which was to be kept distinct, and the Jews
looked down their noses at them. So, for Jews to travel they generally would
have taken one of the longer routes which did not take them through the
heart of Samaria. But Jesus, not having this bias, had to go this way. We do not know the
reason, whether it was a spiritual compulsion or a practical one, but Scripture
tells us that this was the route He had to take.
In the process of His traveling with His disciples they grew
tired and hungry, so they stopped in Sychar which our passage tells us was near
the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph and where Jacob’s well was
located. This was a historically significant place to the Jews, but it also was
in Samaria, and the Jews had grown to steer clear of it. Our passage for today
concludes by telling us that it was by this well that Jesus sat down to rest.
I chose to stop here as well in looking at our passage. In
doing this I sat back to think about the many times in my life when things happened
and I had to change a course that I thought had been established. The past few
years have been filled with a number of these course changes, ones that I still
don’t grasp the particular reason for them happening. Some of them have been
very difficult to deal with, like one we’ve encountered in the past two weeks.
We thought we knew where we were going and that God had prepared for us a
productive place of ministry with a wonderful group of believers. But it did
not work out as we had anticipated or hoped, and now we are looking to Him
again for the course that He would have us follow. We do this knowing that He
also will continue to strengthen us for the trials along the way. As with John’s
disciples I am still struggling with some of the things surrounding the
disappointment, but like John I know that God has a plan and that He will bring
it to pass. In this I continue to know that God is good and that He will direct
my steps. In this I must choose to take my thoughts captive and turn them back
under all of the truths of God that I know to be so incredibly true. This is
much more than a factual exercise. It is laying before Him my hopes and my
plans knowing that He understands my hurts and He has much better plans. I am
reminded that times like this require me choose to turn my heart and mind to God
Who loves me and Who gave His Son so that I might have a relationship with Him.
There are times when we all need to stop and rest, and in
the resting to find refreshment and even refocusing. Jesus, full of the Spirit,
was led to do what He had to do, and in this He shows me both His willingness even
as the Son of God to submit His will to the will of the Father. Jesus evidenced
patience as He took time to rest, and in resting be in the right place at the
right time for what God had planned. Had Jesus pushed on or chosen a more
politically correct route the verses that follow would never have happened. So,
as I sit here resting and contemplating what steps to take next, I am reminded
that God has not finished with me yet just as He was not finished with John. In
this I can trust Him and be encouraged to anticipate the adventures that He has
ahead.
Are there any struggles in your life resulting from things
not going as you anticipated? Have your plans been changed because of
circumstances seemingly out of your control? What do you do next?
It is here that my favorite two verses serve to
direct me again. “Trust in the Lord
with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your
ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5–6,
ESV) While I know that there will likely be countless times ahead when I have to trust when I don't understand, maybe even this week, I also know that God is
faithful.
No comments:
Post a Comment