Author: Jeff Englund

John 4: 43-45

‘”After the two days he left for Galilee.  (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there.”

In these three verses John transports us from the village in Samaria to Galilee. During that time Jesus and his disciples have walked many long miles. There are no newspapers announcing Jesus’ arrival in Galilee and no internet or telephone to share the news with others. When he arrives it is without fanfare. Still, he is known there and John tells us he was welcomed.  Continue reading “Scene Change”

John 4: 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.’”

There is a difference between knowing about Jesus, and knowing Jesus. A lot of people knew about Jesus while he was walking on earth, but not everyone recognized him as the Savior of the world. Here we have an example of Jesus staying with a small group of people for two days, and many of them come to believe that Jesus is the savior of the world.  Continue reading “Knowing Jesus”

John 4: 39 – 41

‘“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’ So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days.  And because of his words many more became believers.”

There are three very important points in this passage:  Continue reading “Sharing the News”

John 4: 37-38

‘”Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.  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.’”

When we are allowed to help with God’s harvest, we are helping in a joyful work! In my experience, seeing people come to Jesus makes me smile. So you might say that those of us who joyfully help with the “reaping” of God’s harvest are “Grinning Reapers.”  Continue reading “The Grinning Reaper”

John 4: 35-36

‘“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. 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.”

I write this after getting home after an evening of running errands with my wife. Since we were out and about we stopped for dinner at a local fast food place. A few minutes after we sat down two men sat down at the table next to us. Continue reading “Harvest”

John 4: 33-34

”Then his disciples said to each other, ‘Could someone have brought him food?’

‘My food,’ said Jesus, ‘is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.’’’

Of course, the disciples ask a very reasonable question. Jesus is talking about food, so why wouldn’t they expect him to be talking about food?  Continue reading “Nourishment”

John 4: 31-32

‘“Meanwhile his disciples urged him, ‘Rabbi, eat something.’ But he said to them, ‘I have food to eat that you know nothing about.’”

So far the disciples have seen Jesus turn water into wine, and clear the temple. At this point in John’s gospel, they have yet to see Jesus feed thousands with a few loaves and fishes. Not yet understanding that Jesus operates from a very different point of view, the disciples urge Jesus to eat something.  Continue reading “Eat Something”

John 4: 30

‘“They came out of the town and made their way toward him.”

Jesus’ disciples had just been to the town where the woman at the well lived. They had talked to people there because they were there to buy food. What were their thoughts as they walked into the town? Continue reading “Revealed”

John 4: 27-29

‘“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?’ Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, ‘Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?’”

Once more, using the metaphor of a theater stage, the disciples enter the scene again. They register surprise, but no one asks any questions. Meanwhile the woman at the well exits stage right, and the scene changes.  Continue reading “Conversation”

John 4: 25-26

‘“The woman said, ‘I know that Messiah’ (called Christ) ‘is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.’

Then Jesus declared, ‘I, the one speaking to you—I am he.’”

Getting Jesus to admit he was the Messiah was a full-time job for some of the Pharisees. Try as they might they could not pin him down because Jesus knew that any direct claim to be the Son of God would send them over the edge. Out here in the desert of Samaria, there are no Pharisees around. Continue reading “Unequivocally”