"No, o Israel, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what He requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
(Micah 6:8 NLT)
Hello, Mrs. Kurtz. I looked into John 4:1-42 and here are some of my thoughts:
As always, I would love to hear your insights as well! You have very profound thoughts on the Bible and I love hearing them and taking them to heart.
Dear friend,
On many occasions in His ministry, Jesus stated His purpose(s) for coming.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost." (Luke 19:10)
"For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." (Matthew 9:13)
Nothing Jesus did was spontaneous or accidental. He was deliberate. Jesus came for people: outcasts, losers, sinners. He sought them: adultresses, tax collectors, demonaics, prisoners. He came to offer life everlasting. Jesus came to restore relationships with the Father, offering hope to all who would believe. In His ministry, Jesus didn't just preach in the temple or associate with the religious elite; He went to people who needed Him.
"But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8)
Jesus loved the people. He touched a leper; He ate with a tax collector; He asked a Samaritan woman for a drink; He met with a Pharisee under the cover of darkness. He loved, healed, fed, restored, guided.
Yet, in His mercy, justice was served. He never hesitated to speak the truth, yet the truth wasn't to condemn; it was to provide a remedy. He offered living water, a thirst-quenching salvation. As you said, Jesus "gave her the option". The Samaritan woman had to respond, and she chose the living water. Faced with the truth of her sinfulness, she didn't offer excuses or become offended. She KNEW that the One with whom she spoke was different. Why? How?
When God gave us the words of Micah 6:8, it was not a rash or random statement; it was His character. When Jesus came, He fulfilled it perfectly.
Heavenly Father, We thank You that You love us so much as to seek us when we are far from You. We thank You that You offer both justice and mercy through Jesus Christ. We thank You for showing us how valuable all people are. Will You fill us with Your Holy Spirit and enable us to love people as You do?
If ever we get a chance (perhaps this summer?), I would love to watch and study with you using the "Truth Project". This is a powerful video series. I think that you would love how it makes you think. This is the trailer for the program.
- Jesus initiated the conversation with the woman at the well. This is quite unusual given the fact that Jesus was a Jew and the lady was a Samaritan. At this time, Samaritans were considered "less than" and "impure" by the Jews because of their race. Jesus, in a way, had to humble Himself to even be seen in the presence of a Samaritan, let alone hold a conversation with one.
- Jesus told the woman that He would give her "living water" so she'd no longer be thirsty. This living water would lead to eternal life. At first the Samaritan woman misunderstood, but eventually things became clear as Jesus explained that "salvation is from the Jews" (referring to Himself). Jesus is the living water that quenches our spiritual thirst. This analogy compares our need for water to our even greater need for salvation through Christ.
- I think Jesus' motive behind approaching the Samaritan woman was to lead her and other Samaritans to the Truth ("Many more of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman's testimony).
- In this story, Jesus showed mercy to the woman. The lady was a nonbelieving Samaritan who had multiple failed marriages in addition to engaging in sex outside of marriage. In contrast, Jesus was/is perfect. He was in a position that enabled Him to condemn or ridicule the woman, yet He showed her mercy. Jesus exposed her sins, yet He gave her the option of following Him and turning away from her sin. The lady deserved punishment for her actions, but Jesus forgave her and gave her a second chance. (cont'd next blog)
As always, I would love to hear your insights as well! You have very profound thoughts on the Bible and I love hearing them and taking them to heart.
Dear friend,
On many occasions in His ministry, Jesus stated His purpose(s) for coming.
"For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost." (Luke 19:10)
"For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." (Matthew 9:13)
Nothing Jesus did was spontaneous or accidental. He was deliberate. Jesus came for people: outcasts, losers, sinners. He sought them: adultresses, tax collectors, demonaics, prisoners. He came to offer life everlasting. Jesus came to restore relationships with the Father, offering hope to all who would believe. In His ministry, Jesus didn't just preach in the temple or associate with the religious elite; He went to people who needed Him.
"But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners." (Romans 5:8)
Jesus loved the people. He touched a leper; He ate with a tax collector; He asked a Samaritan woman for a drink; He met with a Pharisee under the cover of darkness. He loved, healed, fed, restored, guided.
Yet, in His mercy, justice was served. He never hesitated to speak the truth, yet the truth wasn't to condemn; it was to provide a remedy. He offered living water, a thirst-quenching salvation. As you said, Jesus "gave her the option". The Samaritan woman had to respond, and she chose the living water. Faced with the truth of her sinfulness, she didn't offer excuses or become offended. She KNEW that the One with whom she spoke was different. Why? How?
When God gave us the words of Micah 6:8, it was not a rash or random statement; it was His character. When Jesus came, He fulfilled it perfectly.
Heavenly Father, We thank You that You love us so much as to seek us when we are far from You. We thank You that You offer both justice and mercy through Jesus Christ. We thank You for showing us how valuable all people are. Will You fill us with Your Holy Spirit and enable us to love people as You do?
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