Day 6
Scripture:
Scripture:
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)
Reflection:
One problem Jesus faced when he claimed to be the Messiah, is that the crowds had all sorts of erroneous expectations for what “the Messiah” was supposed to do. Chief among these was the belief that the Messiah would come only for the Jews, and he would deliver them from their political oppressors, the Romans. Jesus disappointed on both counts. Instead, he claimed to be the light of “the world” (John 8:12), and the bread of God that “comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33). The Samaritans in our above scripture knew that they had better get it right: they went and spent two days with Jesus and “heard it for themselves”, to conclude he really was “the Savior of the world”. Including the Samaritans, then, not just the Jews. The good news of Jesus Christ isn't restricted to a specific time and place. It is worldwide and world changing. John the Baptist already called it at the very beginning of Jesus’s ministry: “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Not only is Jesus the savior of the world, but what he saves from isn’t political oppressors, it is sin. He claimed that the Son of Man had “authority on earth to forgive sins” (Luke 5:24). That claim also got him into hot water with the religious leaders. The Pharisees were utterly offended: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (v.21) Offensive as it may be, that is the Christian good news: Jesus is the “friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34), the good physician who came for the sick, not for those who think they are well (Luke 5:31). And whose sins does he forgive? Those who believe in him: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26). That was the purpose of John in writing his gospel: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (20:31).
That also explains why the work of the Messiah is for the entire world, not for the Jews only: not everyone is born a Jew, but everyone may come to believe in the Christ, and in him find forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
The beautiful fruits that these yield in the life of a Christian are gratefulness and love of God. When Jesus proclaimed to a sinful woman who had anointed his feet with oil, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace”, the Pharisees once more wondered “who is this man who even forgives sins?” Jesus had just finished telling them one of my favorite stories, the parable of the two debtors. A lender forgave two people who couldn’t repay him: one who owed 50 denarii and another who owed 500. Which one will love the lender more? The one who owed more. Jesus connects our love of God to the forgiveness of our sins. Whoever has been forgiven little loves little, whoever has been forgiven much loves much. (Luke 7:47-50)
I love much.
(John 4:39-42)
Reflection:
One problem Jesus faced when he claimed to be the Messiah, is that the crowds had all sorts of erroneous expectations for what “the Messiah” was supposed to do. Chief among these was the belief that the Messiah would come only for the Jews, and he would deliver them from their political oppressors, the Romans. Jesus disappointed on both counts. Instead, he claimed to be the light of “the world” (John 8:12), and the bread of God that “comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33). The Samaritans in our above scripture knew that they had better get it right: they went and spent two days with Jesus and “heard it for themselves”, to conclude he really was “the Savior of the world”. Including the Samaritans, then, not just the Jews. The good news of Jesus Christ isn't restricted to a specific time and place. It is worldwide and world changing. John the Baptist already called it at the very beginning of Jesus’s ministry: “Look, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).
Not only is Jesus the savior of the world, but what he saves from isn’t political oppressors, it is sin. He claimed that the Son of Man had “authority on earth to forgive sins” (Luke 5:24). That claim also got him into hot water with the religious leaders. The Pharisees were utterly offended: “Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (v.21) Offensive as it may be, that is the Christian good news: Jesus is the “friend of sinners” (Luke 7:34), the good physician who came for the sick, not for those who think they are well (Luke 5:31). And whose sins does he forgive? Those who believe in him: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26). That was the purpose of John in writing his gospel: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (20:31).
That also explains why the work of the Messiah is for the entire world, not for the Jews only: not everyone is born a Jew, but everyone may come to believe in the Christ, and in him find forgiveness of sin and eternal life.
The beautiful fruits that these yield in the life of a Christian are gratefulness and love of God. When Jesus proclaimed to a sinful woman who had anointed his feet with oil, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace”, the Pharisees once more wondered “who is this man who even forgives sins?” Jesus had just finished telling them one of my favorite stories, the parable of the two debtors. A lender forgave two people who couldn’t repay him: one who owed 50 denarii and another who owed 500. Which one will love the lender more? The one who owed more. Jesus connects our love of God to the forgiveness of our sins. Whoever has been forgiven little loves little, whoever has been forgiven much loves much. (Luke 7:47-50)
I love much.
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