January
22, 2003
COULD
THIS BE THE CHRIST?
"The
woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city,
and said to the men, 'Come, see a Man who told me all things
that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?' Then they went
out of the city and came to Him" (John 4:28-30, NKJV).
"The
woman had been filled with joy as she listened to Christ's
words. The wonderful revelation was almost overpowering. Leaving
her waterpot, she returned to the city, to carry the message
to others. Jesus knew why she had gone. Leaving her waterpot
spoke unmistakably as to the effect of His words. It was the
earnest desire of her soul to obtain the living water; and
she forgot her errand to the well, she forgot the Saviour's
thirst, which she had purposed to supply. With heart overflowing
with gladness, she hastened on her way, to impart to others
the precious light she had received.
"
'Come, see a man who told me all things that I ever did,'
she said to the men of the city. 'Could this be the Christ?'
Her words touched their hearts. There was a new expression
on her face, a change in her whole appearance. They were interested
to see Jesus. 'They they went out of the city and came to
Him.'..
"In
the words spoken to the woman at the well, good seed had been
sown, and how quickly the harvest was received. The Samaritans
came and heard Jesus, and believed on Him. Crowding about
Him at the well, they plied Him with questions, and eagerly
received His explanations of many things that had been obscure
to them. As they listened, their perplexity began to clear
away. They were like a people in great darkness tracing up
a sudden ray of light till they had found the day. But they
were not satisfied with this short conference. They were anxious
to hear more, and to have their friends also listen to this
wonderful teacher. They invited Him to their city, and begged
Him to remain with them. For two days He tarried in Samaria,
and many more believed on Him. They Pharisees despised the
simplicity of Jesus. They ignored His miracles, and demanded
a sign that He was the Son of God. But the Samaritans asked
no sign, and Jesus performed no miracles among them, save
in revealing the secrets of her life to the woman at the well.
Yet many received Him. In their new joy they said to the woman,
'Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves
have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ,
the Savior of the world' (John 4:42).
The Samaritans
believed that the Messiah was to come as the Redeemer, not
only of the Jews, but of the world. The Holy Spirit through
Moses had foretold Him as a prophet sent from God (Deuteronomy
18:15). Through Jacob it had been declared that unto Him should
the gathering of the people be (Genesis 49:10); and through
Abraham, that in Him all the nations of the earth should be
blessed (Genesis 18:18; 22:18. On these scriptures the people
of Samaria based their faith in the Messiah."-- The
Desire of Ages, pp. 191-193.
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