I was reading and re-reading the Gospel text for this Sunday (3 Lent) when all of a sudden…like a throw from left field…I was hit smack dab in the face with something I hadn’t seen before.

The text is about Jesus encounter with a Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well…at high noon.  Jesus is tired, hungry and thirsty.  So with Jesus hanging out at the well and the disciples going to town to buy food, a woman shows up to draw water.  To say this woman had shady past would be putting it lightly.  Blown away by the mere fact that Jesus would even talk to her; Jesus and this woman get into a question answer session about living water and worship.  Through this conversation Jesus tells her "everything she had ever done".  Being blown away by this coupled with Jesus revealing to her that HE is the Messiah, she runs back to town to share HER testimony: "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Christ?"  The people come flocking to Jesus to see this "Messiah".

But here is what hit me in a face like a line drive baseball…

Verses 39 says, "Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me everything I ever did.’"  The woman’s testimony wasn’t "Come and see…I have found the Christ!".  But rather she explained her encounter with this person who could be the Christ…then she left the rest up to the people.  The woman shared her experience and allowed others to have their own experience of Jesus.  The woman was not concerned with whether they believed or not.  She just shared her testimony and left it at that.  The Samaritans (like the woman at the well) were thirsting for something…as Jesus said, "You Samaritans worship that which you do not know" (verse 22).  They were searching for "Living Water" but had no clue what they were searching for.  They were searching for relief…they were searching for meaning…but all in the wrong places.  Then comes Jesus…and he gave Living Water.

This woman’s testimony really struck me (as you have already seen).  She shared from her experience and let others have THEIR OWN experience and left the rest up to Jesus.  I wonder if we can learn something from this woman.

But first…

We need to go to Jesus.  We need to ask questions.  We need to talk to him and listen to him.  I think too many people sitting in the pews "worship that which they do not know".  They go through the motions.  And if THAT is the case, then how can they possibly give testimony. 

Telling people what Jesus has done has far more staying power than telling people straight out that he is our Lord and Savior.  For some, "Lord" and "Savior" may have little meaning.  But tell them how your sins have been forgiven unconditionally, then you may grab their attention.

Jesus knows everything we have done and still he died on the cross for me and for you; forgiving our sins.  "Come and see this man who has forgiven my sins.  Could this be the Christ?…You betcha!"

-edh-