Episode 23
Woman of Samaria, Part 3
Prayer
Heavenly Father, grant us clarity, discernment, and a deeper comprehension of Your word. Help us to embrace Your teachings with open hearts and minds. May we find strength in our faith as we navigate life's challenges, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
John 4:17-26
John 4: 17-20, The woman answered, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, You said well,‘I have no husband, for you have had five husbands; and he whom you now have is not your husband. This you have said truly.The woman said to him, Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.
Reflection
Following the icebreaker, casual chatter, and her candid disclosures about her failed marriages, the woman began to suspect that Jesus might be a prophet. Overwhelmed by feelings of shame and discomfort, she shifted the conversation toward religion. She remarked that while the Samaritans worshiped on Mount Gerizim in Samaria, the Jews conducted their worship on Mount Zion in Jerusalem.
John 4: 21-22, Jesus said to her, Woman, believe me, the hour comes, when neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, will you worship the Father. You worship that which you don’t know. We worship that which we know; for salvation is from the Jews.
Reflection
Jesus emphasized that the location of worship is unimportant; what truly matters is worshiping the one true God. Because God is omnipresent, He can be revered from any place and at any time. While the Samaritans worship a false deity, the Jews honor the true God. Salvation was first offered to the Jews and then extended to the Gentiles.
Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
John 4: 23-24, But the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such to be his worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Reflection
True worshipers engage in worshiping God both in spirit and in truth, as God embodies spirit and truth. They transcend the physical realm, offering worship that resonates in the spiritual dimension. Moreover, they honor the true God through sound doctrine and theology.
John 4: 25, The woman said to him, I know that Messiah comes, he who is called Christ. When he has come, he will declare to us all things.
Reflection
Similar to the Jews, the Samaritans held an anticipation for the arrival of the Messiah (Christ). In a profound encounter, Jesus disclosed to her that He was indeed the Messiah. Remarkably, the first individual in the New Testament to recognize Jesus as the Messiah was the Samaritan woman. Jesus declared, I AM.
Exodus 3:14 God said to Moses, I AM who I AM.
The Hebrew equivalent for I AM is Yahweh, who revealed Himself and communicated with Moses in the burning bush. This presence is recognized as the pre-incarnate Christ, also known as a Christophany. Jesus is indeed Yahweh.
Application
God is spirit and embodiment of truth. It is essential to worship Him in both spirit and truth. Jesus Christ is the path to God, the ultimate revelation of His truth, and the source of eternal life. Embracing the truth liberates us from sin. Jesus is Yahweh, the eternal, self-sustaining, and only true God of the Bible.
When you align your life with His teachings, you become vessels of His grace and mercy. Your actions reflect His light in a world that desperately needs hope and healing. As you walk in His footsteps, your faith becomes a beacon for others to follow. In this journey, you experience profound transformation, guiding those around you toward redemption and love.
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