Bringing Others to Christ

27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"

1. (verse 27) What do you think was the disciples’ reaction? What do you suppose they were thinking of Jesus talking with this woman?

MacDonald comments, "When the disciples returned from Sychar they found Jesus talking with this woman. They were surprised that He would speak with her, for she was a Samaritan. Also, they could possibly discern that she was a sinful woman."

Here MacDonald reveals to us the two things that hinder us from sharing the gospel message with others. The first is prejudice. The woman was a Samaritan who, in the eyes of the Jews, was an inferior person. A superior attitude on our part will prevent us from sharing our faith with many who need to hear that God loves them.

The second thing we see is that the disciples may have observed that she was a sinful woman, and therefore felt inclined to keep their distance from her. But Jesus came to save sinners. It is those who are struggling with sin that need the message of Christ the most.

28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,

29 "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"

2. (verses 28-29) What indications are there in these verses that the woman truly had a life-changing experience?

Notice that the woman left her waterpot and she began sharing the gospel message with others. The purpose of her coming to the well was to get water. The fact that she forgot about the water and left her water pot indicates the change that had taken place in her life. As the Believer’s Bible Commentary tells us, "Whenever a person is saved, he or she immediately begins to think of others who are in need of the water of life."

Who is there that you need to share your faith with? Leave your waterpot. Ignore the cares of this life for a little while and simply share Christ’s message with others. God has chosen us to be his emissaries.

30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.

3. (verse 30) Why did all the people come to Christ?

The woman of Samaria began sharing her faith with others, and the people came to Christ. Her message was simple but effective. In order to tell others about Jesus, we don’t have to be eloquent. The message of salvation is a simple message. I am sure this woman did not feel worthy to be telling others how to live their lives. She may have felt the shame of her sinful past. Perhaps she was ostracized by many in the city. But this day she could not refrain from sharing the good news of what Christ had done for her. She had become a new person in Christ and wanted others to have the same joy she now felt.

31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."

32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."

33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?"

4. (verses 31-33) Why do you think the disciples were pre-occupied with food? Which have you been more like this week – the disciples or the Samaritan woman?

The disciples’ pre-occupation with food was natural since Jesus had just sent them in the city to buy food. But since they were looking at the physical, they couldn’t see the spiritual.

Notice the difference between the focus of the disciples and that of the woman. The disciples were concerned with physical things, the Samaritan woman with spiritual things. Because of the disciples’ pre-occupation with food, they overlooked the great spiritual harvest which was in the process of taking place. With what are we pre-occupied that takes our attention from needy souls around us? Do we spend so much time seeking after the things of this world that we don’t have time to notice the spiritual needs around us?

34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.

5. (verse 34) What are we supposed to be doing? What distracts us from spiritual things?

Jesus said his food was to do the will of the Father who sent him and to finish the work. Shouldn’t we be doing the same? God sends us to do his work just as he sent Jesus. What are we to be doing? We need to be doing God’s will, not necessarily what we want to do, but what God wants us to do. We also need to finish the work. He has called us to work for him. Let us not quit halfway through and give up. But let us be faithful to the one who has redeemed us and complete the task that he has given us.

35 "Do you not say, `There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!

6. (verse 35) Where is our harvest field? Do you think it is ready for harvest?

I believe the Lord is telling us today, Lift up your eyes, look at Merced, and see how the fields are white for harvest. There are people who are your neighbors who have never heard the good news of how Jesus will help them out of their troubles. There are people who were raised in church but have wandered far from the Lord. They are ready to hear the invitation to come back to the house of the Lord. There are those who have wandered from God because of their experience with cold and indifferent churches. They are open to someone who can reach out to them in genuine Christian love. We have a city full of needy people. Let us be like the Samaritan woman and tell them about Christ.

MacDonald writes, "The disciples should not think that harvest time was still in the distance. They could not afford to spend their lives in quest of food and clothing, with the thought that God’s work could be done later on. They must realize that the fields were already white for harvest. ... At the very moment when the Lord spoke these words, He was in the midst of a harvest field containing the souls of Samaritan men and women. He was telling the disciples that a great work of in-gathering lay before them, and that they should give themselves to it immediately and diligently. So today, the Lord says to those of us who are believers, ‘Lift up your eyes, and look at the fields.’ As we spend time contemplating the great needs of the world, the Lord will lay on our hearts a burden for the lost souls around us. Then it will be up to us to go forth for Him."

36 "And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.

37 "For in this the saying is true: `One sows and another reaps.'

38 "I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."

7. (verses 36-38) What should be our attitude if we present the gospel message, but don’t see any results? What do you sense God is telling you about the harvest field? Is now a time of sowing or reaping?

Now I know some of you will say, But I have invited a lot of people to come with me to church, and it never did any good. How do you know it didn’t do any good? You may have been planting a seed. We need to show God’s love to people. Allow them to see Christ in us. As we do this, we will be planting a seed in their heart that the Holy Spirit will cause to grow.

We must continue to plant seeds, but I believe the message for our church today is that the fields are white for harvest. For whatever reason, God has appointed this time to bring in new believers into his kingdom by using our church. Let us be faithful to his call in our life. Let us not hesitate to tell others about Christ. May we reach out to others in love. Perhaps you will be like the Samaritan woman, and many will believe because of your word.

39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did."

8. (verse 39) How effective was the women’s witness of Jesus? How can we be as effective?

I want you to notice something here. Verse 39 tells us many believed in Christ because of the woman’s testimony. We would have to say this Samaritan woman was the least qualified person to share the gospel message. She had no training; she had never been to one Bible study. For that matter, she had never read the Bible. Besides all that, she was a notorious sinner. She had a bad reputation.

What’s keeping you from sharing the message of faith? What is it in your life that makes you less qualified than this woman? When we begin sharing our faith, we will find the strength and ability. We will see those who are hungry for God coming into his family.

40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.

9. (verse 40) Knowing about the animosity between the Jews and Samaritans, how do you think the disciples responded to this two-day visit? What barriers prevent us from sharing the gospel message with others?

This may have been a difficult time for the disciples. They were staying with those that the Jews considered "Gentile dogs." How would you feel if you were forced to stay two days with people that you had been taught all your life were sinful and inferior? On the other hand they had to be rejoicing because here was a whole city of people who were turning their lives over to God.

Do you have barriers that prevent you from sharing the gospel message with others? Allow the Lord to rid you of these prejudices so that you can be an effective witness for Christ to all people.

41 And many more believed because of His own word.

42 Then they said 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 Savior of the world."

10. (verses 41-42) Some of the Samaritans did not believe until they heard Jesus. What part did the woman have in their acceptance of Christ?

11. (verse 42) Who needs to hear from you about Christ this week? Write down some names and pray that God will give you the opportunity to witness for him.

Verse 41 tells us many more believed because of the words of Christ. Some will believe because of our testimony, but many more will only believe after they have heard Christ’s message for themselves. Even though many did not believe because of the Samaritan woman, still she brought the people to the well where Christ was waiting. Let us bring people to a church where Christ is waiting. God’s divine plan has been to use churches and those of us in them to bring the message of salvation to others. We are privileged to be allowed the honor of leading others to Christ.

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	A Study of John 4:27-42