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Roof Contribution Announcement
Matthew 16:18 ESV
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
New Bethel AME Church is asking for your assistance, as we continue to maintain our local assembly for a place of fellowship and worship. We have a goal to obtain funding to replace our roof by the end of this calendar year. We are asking you to partner with us in making a monthly or one-time donation. There are multiple ways to make your contribution. Please feel free to give online via New Bethel’s website (http://www.newbethelameredtop.com), via the donate icon, Givelify, or mail your contribution to the address listed below. Please add the comment ‘roof donation’. We appreciate your continued efforts
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Lord I thank you, I can see the NEW ROOF going on by Christmas.
Sunday School Lesson
December 22
Lesson 4 (KJV)
Mary’s Praise
Devotional Reading: 1 Samuel 2:1–10
Background Scripture: Luke 1:39–56
Luke 1:39–56
39. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40. And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42. And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44. For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55. As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
56. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.—Luke 1:46, 47
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Retell the story of Mary’s visit to Elisabeth and the song of praise that resulted.
2. Explain the significance of Mary’s song with regard to its vision of the kingdom of God.
3. Write a prayer (or song) of thanksgiving that celebrates the ways in which God has blessed his or her life.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Gabriel | Gay-bree-ul. |
| Hebron | Hee-brun or Heb-run. |
| Magnificat | Mag-nif-ih-cot. |
| Manoah | Muh-no-uh. |
| messianic | mess-ee-an-ick. |
| Zechariah | Zek-uh-rye-uh. |
| Zephaniah | Zef-uh-nye-uh. |
Introduction
A. A New Arrival
How do you react when you find out someone you love is expecting a child? For many people, the birth of a child is a time of great joy—and rightly so. A new baby signifies many things: the love between a husband and wife, the enlargement of a family, the arrival of a new generation, the extension of a family line, and so forth.
Yet sometimes other feelings surround the arrival of a child—feelings such as worry and anxiety for the future, fear or uncertainty about the reactions of others, and mistrust between the parents. The Scriptures reveal such instances. Consider the mixed feelings that must have attended the birth of Seth in the aftermath of the murder of Abel (Genesis 4:25). Or think of the fear that Moses’ mother experienced that led her to hide her new baby boy in the reeds (Exodus 2:1–3).
Today’s lesson concerns a birth announcement that was simultaneously incredible and terrifying to the young woman who received it. How would she respond to the announcement?
B. Lesson Context
Last week’s lesson articulated God’s great promise to David that the Lord would establish a kingdom from the line of David that would last forever. After many centuries have elapsed, today’s lesson brings us to the fulfillment of that promise.
Luke’s Gospel opens with the announcement of two very important births. The angel Gabriel appeared to the priest Zacharias to announce that his aging (and barren) wife, Elisabeth, was to bear a son to prepare Israel for the coming of the Messiah (Luke 1:17). In due course, Elisabeth’s son was named John—eventually known to us as John the Baptist. The fact that Zacharias was rendered mute was a sign of the power of God and the certainty of His promise, as well as a rebuke to Zacharias’s skepticism.
Some six months later, Gabriel appeared to the young virgin Mary in the town of Nazareth. Gabriel told her that she would give birth to a son to be named Jesus (Luke 1:31). The promises made about this child were of the highest order. He would be called the Son of God and was to sit on the throne of David forever (1:32, 33). Mary was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the news but nevertheless pledged her obedience (1:38). Today’s lesson opens as she sets out to visit Elisabeth, a member of her extended family (1:36).
I. Family Visit
(Luke 1:39–45)
A. Traveling (vv. 39, 40)
39, 40. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
While the phrase in those days is not exceptionally precise, we should assume that the events of today’s text occurred very shortly after Gabriel appeared to Mary (see Lesson Context).
The hill country refers to the region around Jerusalem (compare Luke 1:65). It is difficult to be more specific about the destination. Some commentators suggest that a city of Juda is a reference to the city of Hebron. The book of Joshua recounts that “Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, with the suburbs thereof round about it” was given to the priests (Joshua 21:10, 11). All of this matches up well with what we know about Zacharias and Elisabeth both being from priestly families (see Joshua 21:13; Luke 1:5).
If Mary travels from Nazareth to Hebron, her journey is at least 70 miles. The fact that Mary sets out on this journey at all is amazing. According to the customs of the day, she should be accompanied on a journey of such length. Luke’s lack of details shows that he is more concerned with moving the narrative forward than on the details of the journey.
Mary saluted Elisabeth, meaning, of course, that she greets her. This is important to Luke, given that he mentions it three times (see Luke 1:40, 41, 44). This initial greeting accords with the social norms of the day. Elisabeth is the superior of the two: she’s considerably older than Mary (see 1:7), the wife of a priest, and thus a descendant of Aaron. Given these facts, it is proper for Mary to initiate the greetings.
B. Jumping for Joy (v. 41)
41. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.
We do not know the content of Mary’s greeting, but we do know something of its results. Luke has already noted that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit in anticipation of the coming of Jesus (see Luke 1:15–17). When John leaps in his mother’s womb, he begins to fulfill this role as the one who will go before the Lord to proclaim His coming.
But Elisabeth too is filled with the Holy Ghost. This is a clear indication that whatever she is about to say or do will be prophetic in nature (compare Acts 2:4–41).
C. Praising (vv. 42–45)
42. And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
Elisabeth greets Mary with a surprising fullness and richness of language. She places herself in a subordinate role to Mary, who is blessed … among women, and whose child is likewise blessed. The form and content of Elisabeth’s proclamation is definite in its prophetic quality. The loud volume of her voice in this context indicates conviction (compare 2 Chronicles 15:14; Ezra 10:12; Nehemiah 9:3–5). Similar language is used elsewhere of Elisabeth’s own son, John. John’s preaching will be, in the words of Isaiah the prophet, as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (Mark 1:3; see Isaiah 40:3).
43. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
In greeting Mary as the mother of my Lord, Elisabeth indicates her submission to Mary’s unborn baby. Her use of the term my Lord is extremely significant, echoing earlier messianic prophecies (Psalm 110:1; compare Matthew 22:44; Mark 12:36). It anticipates Jesus’ designation as Lord at His exaltation to the right hand of God (see Acts 2:33–36). Elisabeth expresses amazement that she is privileged to be a part of the work of God in and through Mary.
44. For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
The Holy Ghost empowers Elisabeth to recognize the meaning of John’s leaping and to articulate its significance in the moment. Luke connects joy with the coming of salvation and redemption (see Luke 1:14, 47). Leaping can be associated explicitly or implicitly with joy and salvation in Luke’s writings (see 6:23; a different but related word is used in Acts 3:8; 14:10).
45. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Mary is additionally called blessed because she has believed what the angel revealed to her. Mary’s acceptance obviously contrasts with Zacharias’s reaction (Luke 1:20).
Elisabeth’s first blessing was spoken in the second person (Luke 1:42: “Blessed art thou”), while this one is pronounced in the third person (blessed is she). This more general address opens the blessing to all who believe what God reveals about His Son and respond in obedience (John 6:37–40; 17:20–26; 20:29).
Say Something Nice
Most funerals feature a eulogy. This compound Greek word could be translated “good words.” It can be tricky to create a eulogy for certain people! Take President Richard Nixon for example. His legacy is always associated with Watergate. What “good words” could be spoken at his funeral?
President Bill Clinton delivered a memorable tribute to President Nixon in 1994. Clinton acknowledged Nixon’s mistakes but declared that he should not be remembered solely for them. “May the day of judging President Nixon on anything less than his entire life and career come to a close,” Clinton implored. He instead focused on President Nixon’s accomplishments.
While eulogies are associated with funerals, the eulogy of Jesus was given before He was born! Through the Holy Spirit, Elisabeth spoke good words that announced the good news about Jesus, even while He was still in the womb. How much more should we bless His name!
—J. E.
| What Do You Think? What one habit do you most need to develop to prepare you for times when God prompts you to speech or action? Digging Deeper |
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Expectant Mother’s Song
(Luke 1:46–56)A. Blessings for Mary (vv. 46–48)
46. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord.
Mary responds to Elisabeth’s greeting with the song that forms the bulk of today’s text. Like the Psalms and other poetry of the Old Testament, Mary’s Song (often referred to as the Magnificat) derives its poetic qualities not from meter or rhyme, but from the expression of ideas in parallels. Two, three, or more statements follow one another to express similar concepts. This creates a lyrical effect that conveys both thought and emotion.
The themes of Mary’s song are familiar to readers of the Old Testament. Mary adapts traditional expressions of hope in God’s promises as she reacts to God’s announcement that He is about to fulfill those promises. Mary’s song most closely resembles Hannah’s prayer of praise after the birth of Samuel (see 1 Samuel 2:1–10).
For the Old Testament poets and prophets, the days when God would fulfill His promises lay in the uncertain future (Hebrews 11:1, 2, 39, 40). Those poets and prophets could not say when or how God would fulfill His pledge to bless His people (Romans 15:8; 2 Corinthians 1:20), restore them to himself (Isaiah 49:8; Hosea 14:4), and make all nations His (Psalms 46:10; 102:21, 22; Zephaniah 3:9). They could only affirm God’s faithfulness: if He has made a promise, then He will fulfill it—period (Deuteronomy 32:4). In times of distress, hope is to be found in God’s rock-solid faithfulness.
In contrast with the Old Testament poets and prophets, Mary stands at the very threshold of fulfillment. She is pregnant with the child through whom God will act to do what He has promised. But the fulfillment of God’s promise comes at a cost: she is burdened with a pregnancy that will appear to everyone around her to be the result of sexual immorality (Luke 4:22), not divine intervention. And beyond the birth of her child, she too cannot say how God will go about fulfilling His pledge (2:34, 35, 41–51). Even so, she can, like the prophets before her, celebrate God’s faithfulness.47. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
The focus of Luke 1:46–50 is on God’s blessings for Mary personally. An example of the parallelism characteristic of Hebrew poetry is Mary’s use of soul and spirit in these first two verses to refer to the depths of her being (compare Isaiah 26:9).
The main idea of the verse before us is echoed in Habakkuk 3:18: “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” The term Saviour highlights God’s ability to rescue people from difficult circumstances (Isaiah 63:8, 9). In the immediate context, this may include Mary’s amazement that God has healed the pain of Elisabeth’s infertility. The theme of God’s salvation and His ability to do what seems impossible underlies all of Luke 1, especially Mary’s song.48. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
As Mary’s song progresses, she outlines the reasons for her praise. First, the fact that God regards the low estate of his handmaiden reveals His character. The psalmist saw God’s care for the lowly as central for understanding His work in the world (example: Psalm 138:6). The word translated low estate is also rendered “humiliation” (Acts 8:33; compare Philippians 3:21 and James 1:10). Mary seems to be referring to the oppression of poverty that she—and Israel as a whole—are suffering under (see commentary on Luke 1:52, 53).
We should take special note of Mary’s humility. To be God’s handmaiden echoes the similar expression in Hannah’s song (see 1 Samuel 1:16, 18). A handmaiden is a female slave. Mary’s use of the term recalls her earlier response to the angel Gabriel after being told that she was to conceive miraculously (Luke 1:38). This is a response of total submission by one who recognizes her unworthiness to be blessed in such a manner.
| What Do You Think? Without giving advice, how might you counsel someone whose circumstances lead him or her to doubt God’s goodness and mercy? Digging Deeper |
The Mighty One (vv. 49–51)49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
Mary gives a second reason for praise: she has some inkling of the nature of the great things God is doing through her. Two key attributes of God are emphasized as the cause of His work.
The title he that is mighty calls to mind the imagery of God as a warrior on behalf of His people that is found throughout the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 10:17, 18; Isaiah 10:20–27; 49:25, 26). God’s might cannot be separated from His holiness (Habakkuk 1:12). Isaiah frequently refers to God as “the Holy One” (Isaiah 1:4; 5:19, 24; 10:20; 12:6; etc.). The creatures that gather around the throne of God constantly say, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come” (Revelation 4:8).50. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
This verse shifts from focusing on God’s might and holiness to His mercy. Indeed, His might and His mercy are joined together in a seamless whole in this song. The God who is a warrior also lifts up the lowly, shows mercy to them that fear him, fills the hungry, and so forth. The phrase them that fear him recalls the language of proverbs. The fear of God is associated with wisdom and with blessing (Proverbs 1:7; 3:7, 8; 9:10–12; etc.).From generation to generation calls to mind the fact that God’s promises endure; they do not fail (Exodus 20:4–6; Psalm 33:11; Isaiah 34:17).
All Generations
Generational differences are real! But what are these generations? Sociologists and others recognize several, though the dates can differ slightly.
Often referred to as the Greatest Generation (born 1901–1924), its members survived the Great Depression and World War II, leading the country to rebuild after both. The Silent Generation (born 1925–1942) followed and maintained their accomplishments.
Baby Boomers (born 1943–1964) came next. They have been referred to as idealists, not content with the world that was left to them. Generation X (born 1965–1979) has been called the latchkey generation; they cared for themselves, often with limited parental attention. Today, much focus is given to the Millennials (born 1980–2000) because its influence in shaping the world now predominates.
Mary recognized that the work God had done and would do through Jesus would affect every generation—those of her day and of all the days to come. What characteristics do you share with the Jesus Generation?
—J. E.51a. He hath shewed strength with his arm.
With this verse, the lens begins to pan out to take in more of the surroundings. We move from a focus on Mary to a broader consideration of God’s dealings with humanity. This is not the first time God hath shewed strength with his arm (see Deuteronomy 26:8; Psalms 89:10, 13; 136:12; Jeremiah 32:21); now He stands ready to do it again through the coming of His Son to redeem humanity.
51b. He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
The phrase the imagination of their hearts might be confusing to some readers. Luke, like the other biblical writers, uses the heart to speak of thoughts and intentions (examples: Genesis 6:5; Psalm 141:4; 2 Chronicles 12:14). The Greek word behind imagination refers to the understanding or the thoughts of a person (Ephesians 4:18; 1 John 5:20). In other words, God has scattered those who are arrogant in their understanding or their attitudes.
Though Mary exults in God’s ability to know and judge the thoughts of the proud, we should assume these prideful attitudes are making themselves known in conduct as well. Pride contrasts with humility; only one of these attitudes finds a reward in God’s presence (Proverbs 29:23).
| What Do You Think? How would you respond to those who point out situations where God seems to be absent because wicked people are prospering? Digging Deeper |
A Great Reversal (vv. 52, 53)52, 53. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
The theme of reversal becomes explicit here. The mighty and rich—those who exult in their own strength and power in opposition to God—are very often honored in this world. But in God’s purposes, those of low degree and the hungry are the recipients of His gracious action (compare Matthew 5:45). Mary recognizes that her situation is only one example of a time when God has exalted the lowly.
Jesus will reiterate the point made here in Luke 1:53 when He preaches His Sermon on the Plain. At that time, He will pronounce blessings on the hungry and the poor (6:20, 21)—blessings paired with woes on the rich and well fed (6:24, 25).
The rich, by contrast, are sent empty away. They receive no consolation because they have placed all their earthly efforts into accumulating power and possessions for themselves. They have not cared about the suffering people who are around them (16:19–31). It is not to be so in the kingdom that God’s Son comes to establish (Matthew 25:31–46).
| What Do You Think? How would you respond to those who use passages like this to argue that true believers will always be prosperous? Digging Deeper |
Blessings for Israel (vv. 54–56)54. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy.
Mary’s song now focuses on Israel. God is about to do something new through Mary, but that new thing is part of a long history of God’s work through His covenant people. Mary sings that God hath holpen, or helped, Israel. God does this in remembrance of his mercy, an idea found in the Old Testament (examples: Genesis 8:1; Psalms 25:6, 7; 98:3).
The people of Israel have languished under foreign domination for many centuries, most recently by the Romans. God has Israel in mind and is on the move to help them. But the help He is bringing is not what people anticipate.
| What Do You Think? What can you do to prepare yourself to be Jesus’ representative to those feeling forgotten by God? Digging Deeper |
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.The reasons for Mary’s praise are embedded deeply in the original promise that God made to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever (see Genesis 12:1–3; Galatians 3:16). The coming of the Son is not a radical break with that promise but a fulfillment of it.
56. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Since the six months of Luke 1:36 and the three of the verse at hand equals nine, we wonder if Mary stays long enough for John’s birth.
Conclusion
A. A Song of Praise
God was working out His purpose for and through Mary. What He began in His humble servant has spread through the world as the good news of Christ is told in all nations to all people. Her song still resonates today as Christians seek to care for the lowly and disadvantaged, spreading hope that God sees every trial and has a plan to make salvation available to everyone. In this season, spread hope in God’s Son!
B. Prayer
Father, we are thankful for Your work through Mary. Teach us to see the ways in which You work through those the world considers “lowly.” We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
C. Thought to RememberGod works through even the lowliest to achieve His highest purposes.
KID’S CORNER
How to Find Abundant Life
Sunday, December 22, 2019
John 4:10-19
John 4:30-42
(John 4:30) They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.
Because the Samaritans knew and had faith in the first five books of the Bible, the people of the city expected the Messiah to come someday. Based on their faith in their scriptures and the woman’s testimony about what Jesus had done, they left the city to meet Jesus. Just as Philip had said to Nathanael, “Come and see,” and just as the Samaritan woman said to the townspeople “Come and see,” so they went, and they came to believe in Jesus. John recorded only a few of the results when people were invited to come and see Jesus and then believed in Him. Sometimes the best thing we can do is invite people to come and learn about Jesus, because some will heed that invitation and come to believe as they are taught from the Bible.
(John 4:31) Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
When the disciples went into Sychar to buy food, either they did not try to tell anyone that Jesus was at the well and that the townspeople should come see Him, or the Samaritans in the town did not believe the testimony of Jesus’ disciples as they bought food. It seems likely that the disciples did not understand that one of the reasons Jesus had to go through Samaria was to save a woman from her sins and to lead her and other Samaritans to faith in Him. Probably, as Jews, they did not look for opportunities to tell Samaritans about Jesus. The missed opportunities of Jesus’ disciples make us think about how often we look for similar opportunities when we leave our homes to go somewhere, and how we might begin to pray for these opportunities before we leave home. They knew how hungry, tired, and thirsty Jesus had been, so when they saw the crowd coming from the city to see Him, they urged Jesus to eat something.
(John 4:32) But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
In reply, Jesus turned the disciples’ attention from physical food to spiritual food. Perhaps they had all drank refreshing water from the water jar that the woman had left at the well; but now, they thought, it was time to eat. Probably, they had not eaten either, but had hurried back to eat together with Jesus. Within Him, Jesus had “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life,” and Jesus was eating spiritual food that fed His soul, food that His disciples did not yet know about. He would soon explain spiritual food to them; for someday as His disciples, they would deny themselves and eat this same spiritual food. All followers of Jesus have “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” and they often deny themselves and eat spiritual food the world knows nothing about (John 4:14).
(John 4:33) So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?”
Still thinking of physical food, the disciples wondered who could have brought something to Jesus for Him to eat. Notice, they did not expect Jesus to make food out of thin air for himself or for them. As we know from the temptations of Jesus in the wilderness, that was not His way. In Matthew 4:3-4, we read, “The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’”
(John 4:34) Jesus *said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work.
Consistent with His reply to the devil who tempted Him, Jesus declared to His disciples that His food or bread was to do the will of His Father and complete the work He had been sent to do. The joy that comes from beginning to obey God, or the joy that comes from being in the middle of or completing the work that Jesus has given us far surpasses the satisfaction of eating physical food. Followers of Jesus are motivated to do God’s will. They commit themselves to completing the tasks set before them by Jesus. For believers, serving Jesus and others is always more important than physical concerns. In Matthew 1:21, we learn that the Father’s will for Jesus was for Him to come into the world and “save His people from their sins.” Though salvation was from the Jews (Jesus was a Jew), the Samaritans were included among those Jesus came to save. Jesus had a whole city of people coming toward Him, and more than eating physical food at that time, Jesus wanted to complete the work of God in the life of each individual Samaritan who would receive Him as Savior of the world.
(John 4:35) “Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.
To give an illustration, Jesus again moved from speaking of the physical to speaking of the spiritual. Jesus’ disciples knew the time for planting and the time for reaping, whether for wheat or barley. Perhaps His disciples could physically see around them fields ripe for harvesting, but Jesus wanted them to also see the crowd coming toward Him as a spiritual field ripe for spiritual harvesting. Because of the testimony of the woman Jesus had met at the well, those coming to see Him were ripe for harvesting once they came to know Him. Jesus wanted to do His Father’s will and make himself known to them so they could repent of their sins, believe in Him, and receive the gift of eternal life from Him.
(John 4:36) “Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
As the Messiah, Jesus was “reaping a harvest” of believers—many all at once. His wages included the knowledge that many would be saved from sin by His efforts that afternoon and evening. He was gathering people around Him and teaching them in order to give them an appreciation for and understanding of eternal life. While His disciples were buying food, one woman came to a well. If His disciples had been with Him as a group, when she came to the well, she might well have gone away fearfully. However, God arranged for her to be alone with Jesus. Jesus had sowed words of truth when He spoke to her, and His words took deep root in her and she believed in Him. Now, she had sown a few words of truth into the minds of her neighbors, and they went to see Jesus. After they heard more words of truth from Jesus, that Jesus sowed into their hearts and minds, they came to trust in Jesus too. That very day, the sower and reaper rejoiced together, for both the woman and Jesus had sowed and reaped and rejoiced together each in their own way. Jesus’ disciples would soon sow and reap and rejoice too—that very day.
(John 4:37) “For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’
Typically, a farmer will sow his seeds and then after a time that same farmer will reap a harvest in his field. Jesus said that in spiritual matters that is not always the case. At the well, Jesus sowed seeds of truth in the life of the woman and then He reaped the harvest when she received Him and the gift of eternal life that He offered. In Sychar, the woman sowed seeds of truth among her neighbors. After they went to see Jesus, He reaped the harvest from the seeds she had sown. Of course, Jesus sowed additional words of truth when speaking to the townspeople. In general, quite often in spiritual matters, one sows, and another reaps; especially when someone comes to faith in Jesus Christ. For the Samaritans that day, the first seeds sown in their lives were the words of God in the five books of Moses that their ancestors and teachers had taught them. Then more seeds were sown by those who taught them about the coming Messiah. Before they met Jesus, they believed God would send the Messiah to them to teach them all things. In John 4:25, the woman told Jesus, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Christians can often recollect the times when some seeds of truth were sown into their lives before they came to full faith in Jesus—seeds from a loving father or mother, seeds from a Sunday school teacher or preacher, or seeds from a friend or stranger. Then, perhaps someone else harvested and helped them publicly confess their faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Day-by-day Christians know that Jesus reigns as Lord in their hearts and directs their thinking.
(John 4:38) “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”
In John chapter 4, we read for the first time about the disciples as a group beginning to work with Jesus to lead groups of people to faith in Him. During their ministry, the disciples reaped the results of the words of God sown as seeds through Moses, the prophets, the Hebrew Scriptures, John the Baptist, and Jesus. They harvested those they met who heard their words, repented of their sins, believed in Jesus, and received Jesus and His gift of eternal life. We enter into the labor of others who have labored before us when we teach someone the Bible, for many labored to preserve the Scriptures over hundreds of years, and from one generation to another many have labored to teach the Bible is true. That very day in Samaria, the disciples began to reap with Jesus those who were being saved.
(John 4:39) From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”
Many in the city believed Jesus was a prophet and the Messiah because the woman told them that Jesus had told her everything she had ever done (presumably that meant they had talked frankly about her sins). However, when she talked about Jesus, she was not gloomy and guilt laden. If she had looked like someone Jesus had changed for the worse, they would have been repelled and stayed in the city. No. They saw her as a woman totally transformed, forgiven for his sins, joyful, free from addiction to sin for the first time, excited and not withdrawn, and with “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life”—her new life inspired them to want to meet Jesus too. They wanted what she had! Imagine living as totally changed as she was, and others seeing the difference! Because of her testimony, many came to believe in Jesus up to the level of their first understanding, but this initial believing was only the beginning of a growing faith that would become “a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” within them.
(John 4:40) So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
After the Samaritans initially came to believe in Jesus, they strongly desired to learn more from and about Him. In John 4:22, Jesus told the Samaritan woman, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.” The whole town of Sychar needed to learn more about the true God so they could rightly worship the true God, the God they had not known. They did not know God was their heavenly Father and Jesus was the Son of God. They did not know what it meant for them to become and live as children of God. (In John 1:12, we read, “But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.”) After they came to know Jesus, they wanted to know Him better, and Jesus wanted to teach them all they could learn from Him over the next two days. The Bible reveals the simple fact that those who truly receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior will want to learn more and more about Him so they can love Him more, serve Him better, and become better prepared to help others believe in Jesus too.
(John 4:41) Many more believed because of His word;
People believe in Jesus because of His true words. Millions have come to believe in Jesus because of Jesus’ words and actions as they have studied the Gospel of John. These Christians are the harvest of the seeds that John sowed when he wrote his book almost 2,000 years ago. (In John 21:30, we read, “But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.”) We learn of Jesus and come to believe in Jesus from reading or hearing words from the Bible. We believe in Jesus and come to know Him because He makes himself known to us spiritually by the Holy Spirit who helps us grow in knowledge of Him from the Bible. Jesus spent two days teaching the new believers in Sychar how to know Him and talk to Him (pray) in His absence. Jesus also showed His disciples what and how to teach new believers after they came to faith in Him.
(John 4:42) and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”
After learning more about Jesus from Jesus, just as believers today learn more about Jesus from the Bible as the Holy Spirit helps them understand the Word of God (often by using preachers and teachers), these Samaritans came to know that Jesus is truly the Savior of the world. As believers in Jesus pray and study the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit, they can move beyond simply believing the truth about Jesus to knowing Jesus, to knowing Jesus is truly the Savior of the world and their Savior, and to teaching others how to believe in and know Jesus too.
How to Find Abundant Life
Sunday, December 22, 2019
John 4:10-19
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:13-14—KJV). Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14—NASB). Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14—NRSV).
In John 10:10, Jesus declared, “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Nicodemus thought he could have the abundant life by laboriously obeying the religious rules and regulations of religious teachers past and present. But Nicodemus found abundant life only after he believed in Jesus and began to follow him. After Jesus died on the cross, Nicodemus showed his loyalty by helping Joseph of Arimathea with Jesus’ burial. On the other hand, the Samaritan woman thought she could have the abundant life by focusing on this present world. She tried to find satisfaction in a succession of intimate affairs, officially sanctioned or not, that never began or ended well. So, she went alone to draw water from Jacob’s well in the heat of the noonday sun, where she met Jesus. She knew that materialistic living had not brought happiness, but after she met Jesus, believed the spiritual truths He shared with her, and accepted Him as the promised Messiah, she received eternal life. Drinking water is necessary to sustain physical life no matter how laborious to draw from a well. Drinking spiritual water is necessary to sustain spiritual life, but faith in Jesus is not laborious. Jesus promised that He would give spiritual water to those who believed in Him. By spiritual water, Jesus meant the Holy Spirit, who would so satisfy Jesus’ followers that they would have the abundant life and never need a spiritual substitute.
Thinking Further
How to Find Abundant Life
Sunday, December 22, 2019
John 4:10-19
Name ________________________________
- What is the gift of God or what are some of God’s gifts to believers?
- What are the characteristics of Jacob’s well water, and other water of that type? What happens to people who drink this type of water?
- What might Jesus have been referring to when speaking of living water?
- What are some results of the living water that Jesus said He could give?
- Why did the woman conclude that Jesus was a prophet?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- Knowing a crowd was coming soon, why do you think Jesus did not make some food out of thin air to eat? Jesus had committed himself to not using His divine powers to meet His own personal needs or alleviate His suffering; instead, He chose to live, suffer, and die fully human as we do. In Matthew 4:3-4, we read, “The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’ But he answered, ‘It is written, “One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’”
- What is the spiritual food that Jesus ate? Can or should His followers eat this same food? Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.” We can and should commit ourselves to doing the will of the Father who called us to follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and to completing His purposes for our lives as the Holy Spirit leads us according to the Bible.
- What are two fields ripe for harvesting that the disciples might have seen? They might have seen a field of wheat or barley ready to be harvested. Indeed, they probably saw or would see very soon a crowd coming to Jesus to discover whether He was the Messiah and ready to be harvested into the kingdom of God.
- How do Christians normally sow and reap a harvest? Why can both sowing and reaping be times of rejoicing for Christians? Normally, one or more Christians sow the seed of the word of God, truths from the Bible, into the minds of unbelievers; then later, another Christian reaps the harvest for Jesus when the unbeliever comes to faith in Jesus. Sowers can rejoice because Jesus has given them the privilege of telling others truths about Him from the Bible. Reapers can rejoice because Jesus has given them the privilege of leading someone to trusting in Jesus as their Lord and Savior and to receiving the gift of eternal life.
- Why did the villagers first come to believe in Jesus? After talking to Jesus, what did they come to know about Jesus? The villagers first came to believe in Jesus because of the testimony of the Samaritan woman. After two days listening to Jesus teach, these new believers came to know that Jesus “is truly the Savior of the world.”
Word Search
Sunday, December 22, 2019
John 4:10-19
Name ________________________________
R S N F A K R Z I N P K U S J
Z E R U O F Q F S D H O E F W
D Q P T C U Y W H P J G Q H K
H V F A Z O Z R T L A E O Z Y
E W Q P E K D X N W M D S H I
G V O H M R O Z O P I X T U P
X J Z R Y S F I M S J M E Q S
Z M U A K I U X C I L D P C R
K A Z F E C T I B B A R I O Y
C F O L X S P R S U L Y R M D
N O D N E L O D O K E H Q P Y
D S J V E I E R W M C X C L V
K O R S V P J C E V G E V E G
U A P A J M Q Y R L Q A X T L
H N S E U P D I K D F T F E B
Disciples
Rabbi
Eat
Food
Complete
Work
Four
Months
Harvest
Fields
Ripe
Wages
Sower
Reaper
Savior
True and False Test
How to Find Abundant Life
Sunday, December 22, 2019
John 4:10-19
Name ________________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- The disciples urged Jesus to eat their food from the city. True or False
- Jesus did not want to become unclean by eating Samaritan food. True or False
- The disciples urged the townspeople to come and hear Jesus preach at Jacob’s well that evening. True or False
- Jesus’ food was to do the will of God and to complete His work. True or False
- Jesus told His disciples that the fields were ripe for harvesting, meaning the townspeople who were coming to see Him. True or False
- Jesus said that the sower and the reaper can rejoice together. True or False
- Those who do not labor as sowers should not get the same wages as the reaper, even if they both reap together. True or False
- A person who sows cannot also reap, because a sower cannot reap where he did not also sow. True or False
- Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, and many more believed because they personally heard Jesus’ word. True or False
- Many Samaritans came to know that Jesus is truly the Savior of the world. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- True
- False
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- False
- True
10.True
Prayer
Father, we are thankful for Your work through Mary. Teach us to see the ways in which You work through those the world considers “lowly.” We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.