The Testimony of the Samaritans - 240405

SPEAKER A Hello, I'm Rod Butler. Welcome to Let God Speak. At the time of Jesus, hatred had been alive and well between the Jews and the Samaritans for centuries. It was so entrenched that the two neighbouring populations avoided any physical contact with each other. But it was into this environment that Jesus, a Jew, took his public ministry. Stay with us as we discuss his encounter with a woman at the well and the testimony of the Samaritans. On our panel today, we have Rosemary Malkiewycz and Junior Sulusi. Welcome, Rosemary. Welcome, Junior. SPEAKER B It's good to be here. SPEAKER A Before we start our discussion, let's just bow for prayer. Gracious Father, we thank you for the Gospel of John. And as we discuss chapter four and the story and the account of the woman at the well, we ask please for the Holy Spirit to give us wisdom and understanding and lead our discussion. We pray in Jesus name. Amen. Well, as I just prayed, the discussion says on chapter four, and it is about the woman at the well, and it's about the Samaritans. But before we discuss the actual story, it's important we get a bit of background and context to the Samaritans and who they were. So, Rosemary, who exactly were the Samaritans? SPEAKER B Okay. About 750 years prior to this, the Assyrians, a very, very terrible nation, came and took captive the Israelites in the city of Samaria in that area of the northern tribes of Israel, and took them captive. They took them off to other parts of the world. They left some there. This is what the Assyrians did. They would take people from their homeland and disperse them among their other nations that they controlled and then import people from those other nations back into the nation. They just took over. So they brought people into Israel and they took people out of Israel. And so there was a mix of Israelites and pagans from all over the place. And what happened over the years was that the pagans and the Israelites intermarried. But in part of that intermarriage was that they also merged their religions, their culture and religion. Yeah, from pagans mixed in with the Jewish religion. And so the Samaritans were this mix of people, Israelite background and heritage, but also paganism. And so they were. Yeah, a mixed blood. SPEAKER A Okay, so, Junior, with that background, why was the relations so strained between the Jews and the Samaritans? It's one thing to have a mixture of culture. Why was it so strained? SPEAKER C A lot of it was over the purity of Judaism. The imported nations brought about their own religion in with them as Rosemary mentioned what developed was a corrupted version judaism from around 535 BC for about 10 years. The Samaritans successfully stopped the rebuilding of the temple by zerubbabel after the 70 year captivity in Babylon. So the Jews knew their captivity was the result of their, you know, unfaithfulness to God. And, you know, they didn't want any part of the corrupted Samaritan religious influence of that time. So the Samaritans had their own Temple on Mount Gerizim for about 300 years and the Jews destroyed it in 128 BC. So that's the animosity that's happened between the two of them. SPEAKER A So essentially it was all over religion and the Jews who went into captivity because they were unfaithful and became idolaters. Sure, when they came out of captivity, they were paranoid about staying pure to their religion. And of course these Samaritans were corrupted. SPEAKER B So well, they were a mixed blood, a mixed race. They weren't true Israelites. SPEAKER A And hence the racial prejudice, hence the hatred and so forth. Now, Jesus followers, his disciples were Jews. And Jesus had to deal with this situation because that culture would have been also in his disciples. How did he deal with that situation? SPEAKER B Rosemary, There's a story I really enjoy in Acts chapter 10, where Peter was in Joppa and he was up on the roof and he had a vision of this net being let down, and it had all manner of unclean birds and animals in it. And God said, take and eat. And Peter's saying, I've never eaten these things in my life because it was forbidden by God. And this happened three times. And then three men turned up at his door. They'd been sent from Caesarea by a centurion called Cornelius. Come and teach me about the truth of God, because an angel has told me to send for you. So Peter chose to go to this home of a Gentile. And let's just read part of the story here in Acts, chapter 10, verses 33 to 35. So I went to you immediately and you have done well to come. This is Cornelius speaking to Peter. Now, therefore we are all present before God to hear all the things commanded by you by God. Then Peter opened his mouth and said, in truth, I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation, whoever fears him and works righteousness is accepted by him. Now, Jesus was showing Peter through this vision not to call anything unclean that he has said is clean. That's what he actually told him. And so Peter realised that this vision was not about Unclean food. That was not the point. You are not supposed to eat those things. But it was calling people unclean. All people are equal before God. Doesn't matter who they are, what their background, colour, race, it doesn't matter. All are equal. God created us all. And so God taught the disciples this through this thing that happened to Peter. SPEAKER A And that is an important principle for us today because we still, you know, we can be in our sort of cultural silos. We have to make sure that we remember all people are equal before God. SPEAKER B Yeah. SPEAKER A Well, look, let's pick up the story in John chapter four with that. Thank you for that, sir, of context and background. Let's pick up the story. I'm going to read verses 1 to 4. This is John 4:1 4. When, therefore the Lord knew how, the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptised more disciples than John, though Jesus himself baptised not, but his disciples, he left Judea and departed again into Galilee, and he must needs go through Samaria. Question for you, why was this a reason for Jesus to leave Judea? SPEAKER C Well, the Pharisees, you know, they did not accept Jesus first of all, and were looking for ways to destabilise his ministry. A strange, you know, competition for baptisms had sort of developed in the minds of John the Baptist disciples. And so, you know, they were jealous for their master's reputation and status. John had already told them that he must, you know, decrease. He said that. But Jesus was the one that had to increase. And you'll find that in John, chapter three, verse 30. Yes, he must increase, but I must decrease. So. SPEAKER A So even though John said that, his disciples still couldn't accept the fact that John's popularity was decreasing. As you said, the Pharisees were onto this and they might be able to drive a wedge between the followers. SPEAKER C Yes, yes. SPEAKER A So this is the perception of Jesus, isn't it, that he perceived this and he decides best if he moves on. So he decides to move on to Galilee. Galilee. Again, a bit of context here. Where is Galilee in relation to Judah and what's in between? SPEAKER B Okay, Judah's in the south, where Jerusalem is. Galilee is in the north, around the Sea of Galilee. And right in between is the area known as Samaria, where the Samaritans lived. They go from the Mediterranean across to the Jordan River. They're all in that middle area. And so the Jews didn't want to go through an area where there were Samaritans unless they really were in a hurry. So they would usually go the long route to get between Galilee and Judea by going across to the east of the Jordan river, then up through the land there, and then back across the Jordan river when they got up to the Galilee area, totally missing out the area of Samaria. SPEAKER A So they're prepared to put themselves out, you know, time and money to go the longer route just so they wouldn't bump into a Samaritan. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER A That's prejudice. Okay, well, let's keep reading, Junior. I'll get you to read verses five to nine. And then if you can just tell us what is notable about how Jesus gets the attention of this woman. SPEAKER C Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Siccar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now, Jacob's well was there. Jesus, therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well, and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh the woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith unto her, give me to drink. For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat. Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, how is it that thou, being a Jew, asks me for drink, which I am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. So the Jews would not borrow Samaritans, well, from Samaritans or even receive a favour from them. You know, asking for and receiving a favour from someone opened the door to friendship and obligated the receiver to return the favour. So the woman seemed shocked that Jesus, a Jew, asked her, you know, a despised Samaritan woman, to do something for him. So, you know, it initiated a relationship. SPEAKER A So Jesus makes the first move here. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER A Yeah, but when we go through this next part, we're going to see an amazing thing. We're going to see the process that Jesus used to reach this woman and what happens after that. He uses a process where, as we go through it, you'll see Jesus awakens the desire of this woman. He awakens then the conviction, and then he gets her to make a decision and finally calls to action. We're going to see these steps come out in our discussion. So, Rosemary, first thing to you, how does Jesus get this woman to awaken the desire for something better? SPEAKER B Okay, well, first of all, he has asked her to give him a drink of water, which is most unusual. But he wanted to move the conversation into a spiritual direction. So let's have a look at verses 10 and 11 of John, chapter 4. Jesus answered and said to her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is who says to you, give me a drink? You would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. The woman said to him, sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where then do you get that living water? Well, she's thinking of a natural source of water and thinking, well, you haven't got something to go down this well. It must be some other spring that you're talking about other than here at Jacob's well. She wants this water that he has now introduced her to. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER A Okay, so, Junior, where does this metaphor come from that Jesus used? Is it a new thing he created or is he drawing on some other origin? SPEAKER C We can go there. Let's have a read of Jeremiah chapter 2 and verse 13, and we'll also have a look at Zechariah, chapter 14 and verse 8. But Jeremiah, chapter 2 and verse 13, it reads, for my people have committed two evils. They have forsaken me for the fountain of living water. So, and quickly over to Zechariah 14, 8, it also reads, and it shall be in that day that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem. So it was from the Old Testament prophets. Living water refers to life provided by the Lord. SPEAKER A Okay, that's interesting. Very important to know that. So let's keep reading. I'm going to read verses 13 to 15. Jesus answered and said unto her, whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst. But the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman said unto him, sir, give me this water that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw. What's happening here? Rosemary. SPEAKER B She's still thinking that this is a physical water source. Her desire is awakened, but she's thinking, I don't want to have to keep coming here all the time to get water. And we can understand that. We would do the same. But see, she's here at the sixth hour. It tells us in verse six, which is midday. She's there in the heat of the day to get the water because she avoids other people, especially the other women, because she's not really living the right life and she's probably a bit of an outcast. So she doesn't want to have to come and get water here anymore. She wants to have this living water that she has a source all the time without doing this hard labour in the middle of the day. SPEAKER A So he's got this. He's got the woman's desire for something better. So Jesus moves on a step two, junior. He moves on to awaken her conviction. How does he do that? SPEAKER C And we can pick that up at John, chapter 4, same chapter, verse 16 to 18. Jesus said unto her, go, call thy husband and come hither. The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, thou has well said, I have no husband, for thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. And that said thou truly. So you know, Jesus read her heart of, you know, the sinful relationship she was living. You know, this knowledge and insight from Jesus, you know, a total stranger of, you know, it was a shock to her. It came as a shock to her. She didn't think, how could this person know such a thing about me? SPEAKER A He certainly got her attention. SPEAKER C Yes. SPEAKER A What is it about us today, Rosemary? Do we need to have shock value to us to get us to be convicted of things? SPEAKER B Unfortunately, yes. Most of the time God has to do something drastic because we just don't listen. There is a term, eyes wide shut. And that's what most of us have, especially on certain subjects like things when we have a personal prejudice. So let's read some of the things that David has written because he knows the situation. Psalm 19, verses 12 and 13. Say, who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults, Keep back your servant. Also from presumptuous sins. Let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. So secret sins are one of our big problems. And if we go to Jeremiah 17:9, it also says to us, the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Only God knows our hearts. Our hearts deceive us, and so we cannot trust them. We need the Holy Spirit to come in and convict us. As David says in Psalm 139, verse 23, Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. SPEAKER A Sometimes we need that direct Holy Spirit. SPEAKER B Speech, and we have to ask God. SPEAKER A Yeah. Well, junior, how does this woman react to being told of the secret sins in her life? SPEAKER C Yeah, let's pick it up. Back to John, chapter 4, verse 19 to 24. The woman said unto him, sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. And you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus said unto her, woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship, you worship. You know not what we know, what we worship. For salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is the Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. So, you know, it was confronting and personal to her. And so you can see here that she attempts to change the subject. SPEAKER A Yeah, yeah. Rosemary, Jesus says they're worshipping spirit and truth. What does he mean by that? SPEAKER B Okay, then the Samaritans, as we said before, had paganism and the Jewish religion mixed together. The Jews in Judea, who were faithful and true to the truth. They had the true salvation. So Jesus said that's the salvation comes from the Jews. But also he said that God is a. And to worship God means that we have to remember God is everywhere, not just at Jerusalem, not just in Mount Gerizim in Samaria, but we are to worship God through his truth, by living his truth and everywhere, because God is everywhere with us. His presence is with us all the time. So worship him in spirit and in truth. SPEAKER A Yeah, Rosemary staying with you. The question I have now is, you know, Jesus says that to her. How does she respond to that invitation? SPEAKER B Let's look at John 4:25. It says the woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things. So she showed she understood some of the prophecies of the Old Testament and that true worship is related to the Messiah. But in Deuteronomy 18, 15 and 18, Moses talks about the prophet that is to come that is just going to be just like him. And she wanted to be this salvation that came from the Messiah or this prophet that Moses spoke about. SPEAKER A She'd made her decision for the salvation that Jesus offered. She wanted that. SPEAKER B Exactly. SPEAKER A Junior, in John 4:26, what is significant about this declaration by Jesus? SPEAKER C Well, you know, there was one true religion, Rod at the time, and it was with the Jews. Despite the Samaritans best intentions and sincerity of their religion being the truth, you know, they were, you know, in fact, in error. And Jesus points this out. So, you know, this is significant for us today because there are many Christian denominations that have different interpretations of the Bible. You know, they may be sincere, but you know, they are wrong. So this verse reminds us that there is only one truth, one salvation, and we need to follow that. What the Bible says, if we have a look at Isaiah, chapter 8 and verse 20, it reads to the law and to the testimony. If they speak not according to this word, the Bible. That is the truth of the Bible. It is because there is no light in them. SPEAKER A And Jesus says he refers to himself as the Messiah. He's sort of saying that I that speak to you am He. And it's interesting that this is the only place in the, in the Gospels before his trials where he declares himself the Messiah to a person, which is interesting. SPEAKER B That's right. SPEAKER A Rosemary, what was the woman's reaction to Jesus declaration? SPEAKER B She accepted it. She was so thrilled. SPEAKER C Amen. SPEAKER B She had to go and tell others. She had to share it with others. Let's just read quickly verses 28, 30. The woman left her water pot and that is significant, went her way into the city and said to the men, come see a man who told me all things that ever I did. Could this be the Christ? Then they went out of the city and came to Him. They listened to her, she was earnest, she was excited and they went. SPEAKER A Amen. Now, the Samaritans from the city spoke to Jesus. What was their reaction? SPEAKER C Pick that up at verse 40 and 41. So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them. And he abode there two days and many more believed because of his own word. Amen. And so, you know, they believed Jesus, but they wanted to know more. Rod. SPEAKER A Now this chapter is about the testimony of the Samaritans. So Rosemary, what is the testimony of the Samaritans? SPEAKER B The testimony of the Samaritans is that they were willing to accept a Jewish Messiah as their own. They were not only wanting to accept what the woman said, they were willing to go and find out for themselves and accept it, first of all on what she had said. But then he spent two days with them at their invitation. And over that two days they accepted what he said about himself through their personal contact with Him. Then we can expect, because it actually says there in different verses. Let's just look at verse 42. Then said they to the woman. Now we believe not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard him. And we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. So their testimony is that he is indeed the Christ. And it's because you have given a testimony, but we have now experienced him for ourselves. And we know many in that city came to know Jesus. And we expect that they then testified to other people. SPEAKER A And I can imagine in those two Days when Jesus was there, he was referring them to the books of Moses. They were checking the Scriptures and they were seeing that salvation is of the Jews, and they were seeing that they were checking things, as it says in Isaiah 8, 20, to the law and to their testimony. SPEAKER B And I would expect, too, they're going to other people and saying, come to come and listen to this man. Come and hear what he has to say. SPEAKER A So, Junior, just in closing, what does this story tell us about the power of a single testimony? SPEAKER C Yes, good question there, Rod. You know, we should never underestimate the power of giving our personal testimony of what Jesus has done for us. You know, the Holy Spirit can use our testimony to convict many, to accept the offer of salvation through Jesus, because. SPEAKER A We never know what that person will do when they hear the testimony, what they will do with their testimony and where it will go from there. Well, that's what we got time for. Thank you, Junior. Thank you, Rosemary. Well, put yourself in the place of that Samaritan woman. Can you imagine? A total stranger comes and lets you know that he is aware of your deepest secrets. How would you feel? How could anyone, much less a stranger, know these things? This story tells us the Lord knows everything about us, right down to our deepest, darkest secrets. And yet he offers us his living water of life. It's our prayer that you accept this living water of Jesus and give your heart over to him today. We're glad you joined us today on Let God Speak. Speak. Remember, all past programmes plus teachers notes are available on our website. Please join us again next time and God bless. SPEAKER B You have been listening to let God speak, a production of 3ABN Australia television. To catch up on past programmes, please visit 3abnaustralia.org.au. Call us in Australia on 02 4973 3456. Or email [email protected]. we'd love to hear from you.