Hugh's News & Commentary

What an amazing story is given to us about God's love for the whole world in the Gospel of John.

The drama unfolds as we look in on a conversation Jesus had with a member of the religious crowd in Jerusalem. His name is Nicodemus. 

Then, Jesus moves from this nighttime appointment with a man in the "in-crowd," to an unannounced encounter with a woman of Samaria whose name is not given, an outsider who comes with her burden of broken relationships, loneliness, shame and guilt. They meet at Jacob's well that he had given to his son Joseph.

If is not known for sure how much this woman knew about the concept of "the Messiah." As a Samaritan she only knew about the first five books of Moses, called the Pentateuch. She had no knowledge about the Psalms, the historical and wisdom books, or the prophets. She knew enough, however, to know that when the Messiah comes He will explain everything to us.

This dear woman came at noon when no one usually came to draw water. She wanted to avoid any contact with the women who had already condemned her. She was not well thought of in the village of Samaria. Yet, she had a desire to worship God and brought up the whole matter of where to worship in Mount Gerizim or in Jerusalem. Could it be that she was looking to find the right altar or a place to find forgiveness and wholeness? In the encounter Jesus gently opens up the deep wound of her sin with love and tenderness. She discovered that she could trust Him with her life and yet be loved and not condemned. In that loving relationship she discovered the Source of forgiveness, pardon, cleansing and a new life. In John 3:16, we read, "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." She discovered that it is not some much the place where one worships, but more importantly the attitude of the heart when one is rightly related to the One we worship.

I have thought about this passage for hours. We are confident that we do not have a full transcript of the conversation Jesus had with this woman. And it is not for us to know all the details of what was said. That conversation is sacred and sealed from us. It seems to me that Jesus filled her in on all the Scriptures she had missed reading. He did that with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The writer of the Book of Luke tells us this account: "Then Jesus quoted them passage after passage from the writings of the prophets, beginning with the Book of Genesis and going right through the Scriptures, explaining what the passages meant and what they said about Himself" (Luke 24:27, TLB). As they talked among themselves they described their experience like this, ". . . our hearts felt strangely warm as He talked with us."

It was to this woman of Samaria that He revealed He was the Messiah. I believe this is the only place in the Gospel where Jesus speaks of Himself as the Messiah prior to His trial. Jesus said in his response to her statement about the Messiah "I who speak to you am He" (v. 26).

She leaves her waterpot and goes into the city. She doesn't talk to the women, but to the men. Here is what she said, "Come see a Man Who told me all things that I ever did. 'Could this be the Christ?'" (v. 29).

What a powerful method to get the attention of men. Her witness was in the form of a question. They would have to find the answer for themselves. She had found the Living Water and His Name is Jesus, the Messiah. In her simple declaration she offered an opportunity for them to respond. The glory of God had come to this village and the people turned to Jesus.

The best witness for Jesus is one that is spontaneous. Although it is good to learn and memorize Scriptures, there is nothing quite like a personal testimony right out of the heart. Jesus moved into this community and the people responded. May God help us to tell the story about Jesus to others. They are searching for living water that satisfies the soul.

What are you doing to tell others about Jesus? Let us look for opportunities to speak a word for Him as He directs us by His Holy Spirit. May God help us all to share our faith with others around us.

After I had finished tonight's Hugh's News that will go out at 3 a. m. on Wednesday, August 25, 2010, I felt I should share something about the Messiah recorded in Isaiah 42:1-9. I felt compelled to come back up to my office over my garage to copy the words from this great Old Testament book. I composed this Scripture on my keyboard. My PC Bible 4 program was not responding.

Hear the Word of the Lord:

"See my Servant, Whom I uphold; My Chosen One, in Whom I delight. I have put my Spirit upon Him; He will reveal justice to the nations of the world. He will be gentle--He will not shout nor quarrel in the streets. He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the dimly burning flame. He will encourage the fainthearted, those tempted to despair. He will see full justice given to all who have been wronged. He won't be satisfied until truth and righteousness prevail throughout the earth, nor until even distant lands beyond the seas have put their trust in Him.

"The Lord God Who created the heavens and stretched them out and created the earth and everything in it, and gives life and breath and spirit to everyone in all the world, He is the One Who says [to His Servant, the Messiah].

"I the Lord have called You to demonstrate My righteousness. I will guard and support You, for I have given You to my people as the personal confirmation of my covenant with them. You shall also be a light to guide the nations unto Me. You will open the eyes of the blind, and release those who sit in prison darkness and despair. I am the Lord! That is My Name, and I will not give My glory to anyone else; I will not share My praise with carved idols. Everything I prophesied came true, and now I will prophesy again. I will tell you the future before it happens."