❖ Video
❖ Audio (Message)
The Joy That Fills and Moves Our Hearts
(John 4:27-42)
Mari Ikeda
Continuing from last time, today we will read the second half of the story of the Samaritan woman and Jesus. It’s John 4:27-42. Today’s keyword is “joy.” As you read today’s section, you can see the joy and excitement of everyone involved, including Jesus. First, in verses 27-30, we see the joy of the Samaritan woman. Her joy was her surprise and excitement, joy and anticipation that Jesus knew her so well. It is also the joy that all of us get when we meet Jesus. Let’s read verses 27-30.
A. The joy of being known by 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 ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
1. Jesus, the common sense breaker (27)
Before talking about the woman, I would like to focus a little on the disciples in verse 27. It’s said that the disciples were surprised to see Jesus talking to a woman, because in those days it was rare for a Jewish teacher to have a conversation with a woman on the street. Moreover, as we read last time, Jews and Samaritans were hostile to each other. It was out of common sense for a Jewish teacher to talk closely to a woman, especially a Samaritan. However, the disciples asked Jesus nothing because they already shared an understanding that Jesus was unconventional and sometimes out of common sense, but still trusted Him. They must have been watching over Jesus, who was acting unexpectedly once again, with anxiety and expectations.
2. We are half-convinced, but excited. (28-30)
Now, let’s focus on the woman. Verse 28 says that she left her water jar and went back into the town. She should have come here to draw water, but she no longer cares about that, because she felt she must tell others about Jesus as soon as possible. She said, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” She was still half-convinced. But I assume that the fact that Jesus knew all about her life and her grief, and that he spoke to her kindly, touched her heart.
We cannot suddenly believe everything about Jesus, because meeting with Jesus means that a person who has never been involved in our lives before enters our hearts. It’s the same when you believe in Jesus once, but then leave and come back. The experience of knowing that Jesus knows all about me is a very personal experience that must be confirmed by each individual. But Jesus teaches us in many different ways. It may be through the words of the Bible, it may be through the words of people, it may be through some event. If you don’t know if Jesus really knows you and remembers you, please ask Him to make you understand in the way you can understand.
Next, let’s read the conversation between Jesus and his disciples. Here we’ll see the joy of Jesus himself and the joy we get by working with Jesus. Let’s read verses 31-34 first.
B. The joy of working with Jesus
1. Jesus’ joy (31-34)
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.
Jesus says, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about,” which is abrupt and even seems disrespectful to the disciples who went to the task of procuring food for Jesus. However, I suppose Jesus was trying to tell them what had just happened and was about to happen here. Perhaps Jesus Himself was so delighted to meet the Samaritan woman that He may have forgotten his thirst and hunger. Because she was opening her heart to Jesus, getting freed from her shame and sorrow, and about to start her new life. As that joy filled Jesus’ heart, maybe he wanted to say, “I’m full of hearts right now.”
He said, “My food is to do the will of God and finish it.” Jesus doing God’s will and carrying it our to the end ultimately means that Jesus dies on the cross. It was to prove to us that God love us all. In other words, the food that fills Jesus’ stomach is for Him to love us and willingly sacrifice Himself for us. By such love and action of Jesus for us, like this woman, we get to know God’s love and live our lives to love God and people, which will bring the greatest joy to Jesus.
The Bible says, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by the words that comes from the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) Although we cannot give selfless love to everyone around us like Jesus does, the deep joy that can fill our hearts is the same kind of Joy Jesus had, when we willingly sacrifice ourselves for someone. There are many people who are in good health and have no need for clothing, food, or shelter, but still feel empty in their hearts. I think it is because they have neither the joy of being loved nor the joy of loving. But those who are certain that God loves us and keeps each of us alive for his purpose will be able to take care of themselves well and love people around them, even if they are battling illness or financial worries. There is nothing wrong with us asking for sickness to be healed or our material needs to be met, as they are important, but our hearts can never be satisfied with good health or material things alone. We enjoy the joy of living when we know God’s love and devote our time and effort to realize God’s love in this world.
Now let’s move on to v. 35-36.
2. If we open our eyes, it is right in front of us. (35-36)
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.
“It’s still four months until harvest” has the nuance that there is still time before the harvest, so there is no need to panic. But what Jesus is saying here is the opposite, saying, “There is no time to rest. Open your eyes and look at the fields. They are already ripe and waiting for the harvest.”
As I said last time, the Jews looked down on the Samaritans. They thought that Samaritan worship and faith were fake and second-rate, and that Samaritans could never please God. But now, right in front of the disciples, a Samaritan woman was moved by Jesus and went to tell people that this man might be the Messiah, and the Samaritan people came to see Jesus. It means that this field called Samaria already had crops for harvest. That’s why Jesus told his disciples, “Open your eyes and look at the fields!” He was telling them to notice the crops that are waiting to be harvested just before their eyes.
A thirsty land that needs the rain of God’s love just as water seeps into a thirsty land, may be right in front of us. And once they receive the rain and have the seeds of God’s words sown in them, they will bear fruits, namely love and trust in God. They may be unexpected people, in unexpected places, but perhaps very close to us. It is possible that a heart that needs and loves God’s love is growing among those whom we consider to be our enemies.
Jesus says, “so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.” The work of receiving and conveying God’s love is itself taking a part in God’s work. We dedicate our time and effort to it, but the results of our labor are not necessarily always what we expect. But that’s why we can look forward to what God will do and expect pleasant surprises. The following verses 37-38 say something similar.
3. It is passed on from one person to another. (37-38)
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 labor.”
Here Jesus says to his disciples, “Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor,” but it is not clear who this “other people” specifically refers to. In the recent context, it could be the work of Jesus himself and this woman. In a broader context, it could be the ministry of John the Baptist and his disciples. In the context of a longer history, it may also include the work of the prophets of the Old Testament. Or maybe we should think of all of them.
Not only the disciples, but all of us, without exception, are here now because of the hard works of others. As I mentioned earlier, it is primarily the work of God himself that grows God’s love and the hearts that believe in it, but there is also the aspect that it is passed down from person to person. We all know God’s love through someone else first. But there are times when someone teaches us something at some point that we don’t understand at the time, but we understand it much later. Sometimes the person who taught us God’s love is no longer in this world when we finally understand it. To say it conversely, we also may never see the fruits of our labors. However, that’s what it means to take part in God’s work, and entrust our work to others. And we can trust, expect, and rejoice together in God’s invisible work of love.
Now let’s get into the final part today. We return to the scene of Jesus, the woman, and the townspeople. Verse 39-42.
C. The joy of knowing Jesus (39-42)
39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 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 Savior of the world.”
The people of the town became interested in Jesus when they heard the woman’s words, and after hearing directly from Jesus, they came to believe in Jesus. This is the end of this story. The most important point is that they were Samaritans, not Jews. In v.41 people say, “we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” There are only two places in the New Testament that refer to Jesus as “the savior of the world,” including this one. These Samaritans believed that Jesus was the one who would save all people, regardless of race or ethnicity. The fact that Samaritans, not Jews, had such faith leads us to what Paul speaks in Romans 9-11 that it is God’s plan to arouse jealousy among the Jews, and that God’s compassion is so wide that it seems even unfair to us. Also, as we read last time, Jesus taught this Samaritan woman to “worship in spirit and truth,” and that is exactly what is happening here. These Samaritan people came to believe that the Jewish traveler who suddenly appeared to them was their savior. We can only imagine what Jesus said during the two days he stayed with them, but it is certain that he filled their hearts with surprise and joy.
Finally, one last thing I would like to look at again is about this Samaritan woman. The woman who came alone to draw water to avoid being seen by others has now become a prominent figure among the townspeople. She was recognized by the townspeople as the person who first met Jesus and introduced him to them. In other words, it can be said that Jesus not only gave this woman a great role, but also restored her relationship with the townspeople. However, all she did was tell people about her excitement and joy, saying, “This man could be the One who saves us all.” What we can do and what is expected of us is also the same.
Do you feel the joy of knowing Jesus and the joy of being known by Him? And are you sharing that joy with others? It should move our hearts and give us strength no matter what our circumstances are.
(Prayer) Jesus, you know each of us very well. You know how we’ve lived our lives and what worries we have now, even if we can tell no one about it. Even when we can’t see the way out and suffer, you are there with us and share in our pain. We believe you will solve it in a way we never expected. Please pour out your spirit and help us, so that we can trust in you at all times. Our Lord Jesus, we pray this in your name. Amen.
Summary
In knowing Jesus, we get to know who Jesus is, and at the same time, we get to know that Jesus knows who we are. And we get to know the magnitude of God’s love, by which we are made alive. Confidence in God’s love can fill and move our hearts and fill us with joy, no matter what our circumstances are or what our physical conditions are. Furthermore, as we convey that joy to others, we can enjoy the joy of working together with Jesus and sharing the role of spreading the kingdom of God in this world.
For Discussion
1. What does verse 34, “Doing God’s will fills me” mean specifically to us?
2. Do you have the joy of living with Jesus right now?