Monday, March 24, 2014

testimony without certainty

Good morning sisters and brothers,
Christianity is sometimes associated with aggressive certainty, so one of the things I love about John is that people give testimony without knowing everything. Faith is important, but we don't need to know everything. Here, the Samaritan woman Jesus has been talking to shares her excitement about Jesus, even while she's still not sure what to make of him. We'll see today that her testimony is still powerful, even though it's not certain. We don't have to have it all figured out; we just need the courage and honesty to follow where we're led.

God bless,
Sam

John 4:28-42
28Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people,  29“Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?” 30They left the city and were on their way to him. 

31Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, “Rabbi, eat something.” 32But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” 33So the disciples said to one another, “Surely no one has brought him something to eat?”34Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. 35Do you not say, ‘Four months more, then comes the harvest’? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. 36The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.” 

39Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.” 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41And many more believed because of his word. 42They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.”

No comments:

Post a Comment