Testimony Of The Woman Of Samaria

�Text: John 4 Vs 28-29:

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?Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, come, see a man who told me everything I ever did??

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HISTORICALLY, Jews and Samaritans were in enmity and therefore refused to see eye to eye. The enmity grew to a point that Jews regarded Samaritans as things that would serve as fuel in hell fire on the last day. And so, any point of contact was dreaded. But Jesus suddenly brought to an end this gap in order to reconcile men back to God. He spoke passionately to the Samaritan woman.

When the disciples of Jesus that went to town to buy food came back, they were still in the past. They saw Jesus, not only with a woman, but one from Samaria. They were shocked. They were disappointed. Yet for Jesus, a soul won back to God is much more important than racial prejudice.

As Christians, are there some prejudices that we have that are barring us from bringing souls to Christ? What is the relationship between the freeborn (Diala?s) and bond people (Osu?s) in the Church of Jesus Christ? Can the Church, unashamedly say: ?We are truly and genuinely one? Can a freeborn wed an Osu? I think to all intent and purpose, the Church is yet to tear down this wall of demarcation.

You can now appreciate the testimony of the Samaritan woman. In a manner of speaking, she was a social outcast. Yet, it was this rejected of society that God made use of in bringing MANY (not few or some) to Christ.

?Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went to the town and said to the people, come, see a man who told me everything I ever did? (John 11v28-29). So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them and he stayed for two days. And because of his words many more became believers.?(John 4v40-41)

Thank God, the action of the Samaritans contrasted with that of the people of Gerasenes who in Mark 5v17 pleaded with Jesus to depart their neighbourhood. But here in Samaria, Jesus had to stay with them for two full days.

The testimony of the woman was an invitation: ?Come?. It was not a casual or ordinary invitation. It was compelling as well as re-assuring. Come to Jesus the Lord or our lives.

It was evangelism: ?Come and See?. It was as if a beggar was telling others where he or she found bread. Come and see the true, genuine and unadulterated. Come and see the source and fountain of life.

It was witnessing: ?A man that told me everything I ever did?. He may also tell you something about yourself. He knows us. All secret things belong to God. (Mk. 2v8)

It was done in haste: ?Come?. No word added (not please or Oh come). But come, as if time was running out. ?Come? has an undertone of now; don?t delay.

As a child of God, what is your testimony? How many people have you led to the Lord? Or how many have you led astray? Think about it.

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Ven. Ernest Onuoha, Rector, Ibru International Ecumenical Retreat Centre, Agbarha-Otor, Delta State. www.ibrucentre.org

Source: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53170:testimony-of-the-woman-of-samaria-&catid=102:ibru-ecumenical-centre&Itemid=596

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