John 4:27-45
RTNT 2021. I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor. (v. 38) My first thought here was that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist and his followers. But my Study Bible also suggested the many prophets in the Old Testament whose futuristic prophecies were just now coming true in Jesus’ Incarnation.
I’m intrigued by the “evangelism trail” in today’s reading. First the woman believes – or at least she is intrigued. Then she tells the men from the town and they believe because of the woman’s testimony… (v. 39b) Then they come to Him and ask Him to stay and …many more believed because of His word. (v. 41) The woman, the men, and many more. Personal testimonies about our faith in Jesus have a multiplicative effect – sometimes linear, sometimes exponential. We may never know the results from our sharing our faith: …so shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11) A middle-aged mother/grandmother in Maryland started her own “Read through the Bible” group this year – here is her own (Facebook) testimony: “…our community of women has decided to kick off 2021 with a read through the Bible in a year. Back in 1995 Mark and I were gifted our first Bible by our dear friends Fred and Carol Ruppel. Fred also invited me to my first ‘read through the Bible in a year’ many years ago. It’s where I came to know who God is and what He is like. I’ve been chasing Him ever since.” Friends, hold fast to your faith – but also share it! GLORY!!
See also: February 3 / John 4:27-38; February 4 / John 4:39-45
Fred, I also noted that someone’s witness is only the first step, then they have to hear or see Jesus’s words for themselves, possibly a miraculous sign. But definitely see and experience who He is. The Samaritans saw His behavior and mien, if not the healings. I came to faith initially out of need, through my dad, and then grew through small Bible study groups, not with a single mentor but the members together.
I was struck this time with John 4:34, His food is to do the Father’s will. We have the Spirit in us but our “nourishment” to grow is to seek and do His will, to obey. We need both water and food to survive, faith and action.