Every once in a while I finish preaching a sermon and feel like we have only scratched the surface.
The passage from John 4 on Sunday is one of those passages. Over the next few weeks I will try to write about some parts that we did not cover on Sunday.
But before I do that, I had someone ask me...
If it was just Jesus and the woman at the well, how do we know what was said?
That is an excellent question. Here is what I think --
As much as God wanted us to know this story, the first people He wanted to know about it would have been the disciples. So Jesus would have shared the details with them in the same spirit that we read it today.
The passage also tells us the disciples were super curious what was going on when they returned from town. We have several places in Scripture where after the crowd is gone the disciples ask Jesus for further insight and explanation of what had just happened. Likely this would have been one of those times.
Their travel routine of long journeys by foot were perfect for these conversations. Samaria was the halfway point of one of these trips. They would have hours of uninterrupted time together for Jesus to give detail and explanation to events like this one.
One other thing…
The woman went back to town and couldn’t stop telling everyone what had just happened. “He told me everything I ever did…” She couldn't keep it in.
It is almost certain the disciples would have heard her tell the story several times themselves!
And that is how a one on one conversation becomes part of Scripture today.
It also sets up this week's message from John 9...what happens when someone meets Jesus?
See you Sunday.
Pastor Tim
