Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 52-57
     New Testament Reading: John 4

Now many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of what the woman said when she testified, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. Many more believed because of what he said. And they told the woman, “We no longer believe because of what you said, since we have heard for ourselves and know that this really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:39-42)

It was around noon and the scorching sun was high in the sky. Jesus and His Disciples had already traveled over twenty miles by foot. The road was rough and rugged, and the air was dry and dusty. The journey was over mountainous terrain in an unfamiliar land. Tired and hungry, the Disciples went to buy food. As Jesus sat down by a well to rest, along came an unexpected guest – a woman came to draw water.

Jesus began a conversation with the woman and told her about Him. It is interesting to see the progression of the woman’s understanding of Jesus by the names she used for him:
  You Jew – v9
  Sir – v11&15
  A Prophet – v19
  Messiah, The Christ – v25

She then left her water jar and went to town to tell them about Jesus. Many from the town came to see him and invited Him to stay. For the next two days, Jesus taught them, and many more believed.

Nowhere in the New Testament do we find such a city-wide revival as mentioned here. Not since Jonah preached to Nineveh did an entire city repent of their sinful way and turn to the living God.

But do you notice something missing from this narrative? Jesus instructed His disciples to disciple the people of this town (v35-37). Yet there is no mention of them during their 2-day stay. Instead, we read of this Immoral Samaritan Woman, whom we don’t even know her name, being obedient to Jesus by sharing her newfound faith, witnessing to all the town’s people. Truly, ‘the woman at the well’ out discipled the Disciples!

Far too often, we live our Christian lives like the disciples did during these two days. Instead, we need to learn a lesson from this story and follow the example of the Samaritan woman at the well.