American Loon

All Glory to God the Father and to our Savior Jesus Christ

This week, we are still dealing with the after effects of the Woman at the well’s encounter with Jesus. She and all her people had been walking in darkness and this was not a recent problem, it was one of the reasons that her people had been carried off by the Assyrians in 732 BC. You can read about it in 2 Kings 17.

Notice verses 9 to 12 of the chapter mentioned above, “The Israelis practiced secret things that were not right, offending the Lord their God. In addition, they built high places for use by all their towns, watchtowers, and fortified cities. They set up pillars and Asherim on every high hill and in the shade of every green tree, where they made offerings on all the high places, as did the nations whom the Lord had expelled before them. They also practiced other wickedness, provoking the Lord to become angry, and they served idols, a practice that the Lord had warned them, ‘You are not to do this.’”

The Lord had told them quite explicitly “You are not to do this”, and while they had ears, they were no longer listening. Sure they had prophets giving them the lowdown on how they strayed from the path. Amos (Amos 1:1) was a sheep herdsman, and prophet that foretold the destruction of the northern kingdom of Israel. He was known as a prophet of doom, mostly because he was given a hard message from God to deliver. But who wants to listen to some sheep herder coming in from the hinterlands and giving you the bad news? Amos 5:4 “For this is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: “Seek Me so that you may live.” For a people told this and rejecting it, well, there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

In fact they had not been listening for a long time. We could go back to Joshua, (Joshua 1:1-9) who had been chosen by God to lead the people after Moses had been given unto Heaven. One of his first tasks was to deal with Jericho, which was a favorite story of mine from Sunday School. Just before the walls of Jericho came down, we find in Joshua 7:1 that “The sons of Israel acted unfaithfully regarding the things designated for destruction”. The tribe of Judah kept some things that God had said to destroy. While not one of the specific tribes of Israel that were eventually carried off to Assyria, bad friends make bad company. You learn from those you surround yourself with. The whole chapter of Joshua 7 is fascinating, I encourage you to pursue it.

The entire Jewish people had been prone to hard headedness and rebellion from the very word go. We see we are not all that different today as way back then. America’s spirit of Individualism can be seen biblically as rebellion. Does that make us Jews in spirit? Does it even make you wonder?

I bring up the Joshua story here to illustrate the rebellion of people and also because we have another very important person in the Jericho story. Another harlot, Rahab. No, I don’t have a thing for harlots, God uses the downtrodden, the hopeless, the weak. Jesus said in Mark 2:7 “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” 

She did the very opposite of the woman at the well, she turned from her idolatrous people, to faith in the Lord. Such a faith that she saved her family while risking her life for these Jews and also became a mother in the line of David. Boaz was her son, and Boaz married Ruth (Ruth 2) and that’s where I enter into this story. Ruth was my very first Bible Study about a year and a half ago. Interesting to me, but a big yawn from you who are wondering where I am going with this. 

These Samaritans that had turned out for Jesus on the words of a harlot, were Gentiles that had been put in this land when the 10 tribes of Israel were carried off. They are known as the lost tribes of Israel because they were never granted a right of return from God. Judah was also carried off to Babylon but Daniel had read the scripture that stated 70 years of exile were almost up. He prayed diligently to God and was answered by an angel. (Daniel 9:20-22) We know from Ezra and Nehemiah how that went. 

We’ve had a nice trip through the Old Testament and now we come back to these people called the Samaritans. Certain people from the nation of Israel stayed behind when the rest were carried off into Assyria in 732 BC. These people intermarried with the Assyrians, Gentiles introduced to the land to replace those that were carried off, producing the Samaritans. The Samaritans had their own temple, their own copy of the Torah – the first five books of the Old Testament – and their own religious system. There was an issue among the Jews and Samaritans as to where the proper place of worship was. The following exchange took place between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. (John 4:19-23) And now we are just about back where we started. The Bible states that many from the city believed in Him because of the word of the woman. (John 4:39) They asked Jesus to stay with them and He did for 2 days. (John 4:40) Many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:41-42)

They came because the woman at the well had told them something of herself and the man she had talked to. They more than likely knew that she was a harlot, but she posed the question that these men of the city felt they had to judge for themselves. And when they came, they stepped out of that haze of darkness that had hung on them for generations and entered into the light. And many believed; not all, but many. We find this in 2 Peter 3:3-9 Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue just as they were from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed by being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly people. 

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

God wants none to be lost, but He knows the darkness of men’s hearts. Jesus knew those that came to him at the well came with willing hearts. It is likely that some, hearing back from those that had been to the well and the good news they had heard there, some did not believe. Considering it foolish talk or not willing to betray their long held beliefs of their countrymen. It is not said why but the Bible tells us why. Jesus said it in Matthew 7:13-14: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Are you on that wide path? Taking life as it comes, looking out for number 1? None of us knows the span of our days. Jesus told us to be disciples and to make disciples. Specifically “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Yes, he was talking to His disciples, but were his disciples to do all the work? They have been gone for some 2000 years and yet raise your eyes and observe the fields, that they are still white for harvest. (John 4:35) It is our job, as this book was written for us to read and obey. Listen to Christ Jesus and find someone to come alongside and encourage. Hospitality and fellowship is a good start. Surely this is something that even the aged and infirm can do. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

Let the Holy Spirit lead you as to what you can do. And have Faith that God is above and loves you. Go forth and serve your King.

All Glory to God the Father and to our Savior Jesus Christ

At the end of last week’s study, Jesus had told the Woman at the well that I am He. In fact, He had given her, in that short time together, knowledge of everything she needed to be saved. These are in verses 10 and 13 of John 4. They boil down to one thing, belief in Him. It really is that simple. Belief in Christ, that He was sacrificed for our sins and rose again from the dead to sit on a throne on the right hand of the Father. Confirmation of this is found in Luke 22:69, Romans 8:34 and many other places in the Bible, both in the old and new Testament. Jesus Himself told Matthew “But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mat 26:4) God prophesying to His Disciple of what is to come.

Those are all things you can trust in, believe in with all your heart. We let so many things get in our way of belief. The secular world insists that we believe their “Experts”. Evolution, The big bang theory of the start of the universe, Vaccines to cure what has so panicked the whole world that nobody in a position of authority is able to think with any shred of common sense. You’ve only to listen to the news to verify that. Christ is our only truth. (John 14:6) And belief in Him will let you, after your last breath, stand before our Savior and bask in His radiant Love and Glory. (Revelation 7:17) I bet you don’t hear that on the news. The prince of this world (satan) wants you to believe in this world, not the One that created it.

Let us continue with our lesson.

The disciples show up, coming back from buying food in town, and find their Rabbi talking to a woman. Jesus had picked these guys from whatever they had been doing in the world. And they came to Him with all their prejudices and preconceptions. Meaning they were men of the world. Keep in mind that men and women of that day did not act in the way that we do today. The two genders, yes there are only 2, (Genesis 1:27) if they were not married or family, were kept at arm’s length. This came from the Old Testament patriarchs who knew that only trouble came from unrestrained access to females. We seem to have forgotten that bit of common sense. 

So finding your teacher, the Messiah, talking to a woman might have raised some eyebrows. I grew up as a blue collar working man and worked among similar men. If I and my buddies had come upon that scene, we would have said something, but these disciples did not. The bible states that they had been amazed that he was speaking with this woman, yet no one said, “What are You seeking?” or, “Why are You speaking with her?” (John 4:27) Here we find that in just that little bit of time spent with Jesus, they had been changed. If you seek the Lord, He will let you find Him, Deuteronomy 4:29, but don’t expect to remain the same old sinner you were. You were walking in darkness, and now this brilliant light is shining upon you. We see this in the previous lesson when Jesus told the woman to “Go, call your husband and come here” and the woman said “I have no husband.” She didn’t have to do that. I am sure she was used to lying to conceal her shame. But now, she was standing in the Light and she could no longer conceal her shame from the One who knew all. (John 4:16-18) It is the same with us. Churches that say Christ loves you just the way you are have either not read the bible or choose to interpret the bible in a very unbiblical way. They have in fact opened their doors to darkness. (John 1:5) Your soul is at peril if you believe that stuff. 

We continue…

The woman, this harlot that had stood in the Light, again John 1:4, left her water jug and went off to her village to speak to her people. She wanted to share the Good news. I feel the same thing. I want to share the Good News. What I find curious is people that say they are Christians have spent a good portion of their adult lives going to church most every Sunday, and feel no compunction to share the Good News. They seem content to go to church and leave the rest of that stuff to the preacher. First let me direct you to Matthew 7:14 where Christ, Him crucified for our sins said “For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Then we go to James 2:18-20 “But someone may well say, ‘You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.’  You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.  But are you willing to acknowledge, you foolish person, that faith without works is useless?” What is this works that James is talking about? Surely not just sitting in the pew, letting the Pastor do all the heavy lifting. If you are currently going to a church that is content to let you just sit there, you are going to have to pick up the bible, blow the dust off and read it. Then find a bible preaching church. Your soul is at peril.

The woman at the well went to her people and told them “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is He?” (John 4:29) I have heard it said, you can talk to a man, but you can’t tell him anything. There is some truth to that. This woman, who I am sure all knew as a harlot, used her own shame to make them listen to what she said. Clever girl. Most times you are not going to credit a woman of shame telling you anything of worth. But when the Holy Spirit is involved, you listen. And they did, the bible states “They left the city and were coming to Him.” (John 4:30) Jesus was sent to save the lost. The Jews, for the most part, weren’t having it, but this village of Samaritans were coming to him on the say so of this harlot. 

Meanwhile back at the well, the disciples are telling Jesus “Rabbi, eat something.” (John 4:31) But He tells them “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” The disciples were puzzled at this, bumbling around like the innocent sheep they had become, asking if He had been fed by somebody else? (John 4:33) Jesus sets them down and gives them a lesson in the Fruit of the Spirit. 

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.  Do you not say, ‘There are still four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I tell you, raise your eyes and observe the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have come into their labor.” 

Raise your eyes and observe the fields. The fields in our day are still white for harvest and there you are sitting in your pew, or maybe not even going to church at all, because the government has said it’s scary out there. Who you are going to believe, the government or Christ? We do not have a timid God, so why are you timid? Repent your sins, (Acts 3:19) read your bible, (Joshua 1:8) and then get out there and serve your King. (Revelation 19:13, 16).