Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” vs28-29

This is our message. “Come, see a man.” We are pointing people to Jesus Christ, not how much we’ve changed or how good we feel. The preaching of the gospel is outward looking, instead of inwardly focused. Even when I examine myself, it’s the truth of the gospel that I confess [2 Cor 13:5]!

Don’t be so inward. Behold the Lamb, and point others to Him. Rest upon the word, and trust God to work in others. Take the burden off your back and preach the word. Zech 4:6, “So he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” We are simply OPENING SCRIPTURE. We are adding nothing. Our faith is in the word and the Spirit, not any contribution from ourselves!

Secondly, the disciples were dumb, dimwitted, and slow to learn: Let us learn patience. vs31-34

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

People can’t know a lifetime of truth in only one hour; it takes time, and we who know more ought to be more patient with others. It is shameful to abuse people under you, when we have been called to serve. Let us be examples of gentleness and graciousness. Let us teach after the example of our Lord.

It takes long suffering to deal with congregations - to go week after week and bear patiently in love - but that’s what we must do, “with great patience and instruction [2 Tim 4:2]."

We are not slave drivers. Men must worship God from their heart. He uses grace. Therefore, we do not use the whip but the gospel. We don’t make them act by fearing us. The gospel, when understood, is transformative. Let us rely on this power only. Let us preach the truth in love.

Thirdly, the fields are white already. vs35-38

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

They are ready for the harvest: it is time to get to work. Let us not sit back in sloth but go about preaching the gospel. He told us to do business until He comes [Luke 19:13]. He wants us to be laborers and transformational radicals. He wants us to put our hands to the plow and not look back, laboring powerfully by His might [Col 1:29].

He doesn’t want us asleep at the wheel or laboring for ourselves. He wants us to rely upon Him, preaching a pure clear gospel and walking in love. He wants us to study and pray [Acts 6:4]. He wants us to get the gospel to others with all diligence, sacrifice, and willingness to suffer!

In doing this, we’ll have GREAT REWARD! Christ's food was to do God’s will, and it satisfied His soul. No matter how thirsty He was… no matter how weary… saving the poor sinful woman thrilled Him, and it will thrill us too, as we labor by the Spirit.

There is a weariness in serving self… an emptiness in seeking position… but in doing the will of God, there is joy and peace [Rom 8:6]; it is eyes on Christ and walking in holiness, so that others can be saved.

Finally, He’s also told us all that we've ever done. vs39

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”

We are sinners… the most abominable people who have ever lived… dirty rotten scoundrels… who have obtained mercy. We were born evil and have done evil, even in our religion! We didn’t know what we worshiped, but we used it to cover our sins [John 4:22; Prov 28:13]. We were fools - self-righteous and irreligious, profane and snobbish - and we were dead in our sins [Eph 2:3]. Yet, He loved us from the Pit of corruption and had mercy on us.

The only thing that we contributed to our salvation was the shame and the spitting, the nails and the cruel mockings. We did nothing, and He did EVERYTHING!