Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? (John 8:48)
I want us to
continue looking at God and His ways.
To a Jew, a
Samaritan was probably the most despised person. No Jew ever wanted to be
associated with them.
It is even said
that among some of the most present thanksgiving items for a Jew was that he
was not a Samaritan. No wonder they were at this point calling Christ a
Samaritan with a demon.
But that is not
the way God operated. And I will give us a few instances where He overturned
their perception.
Do you know that
it is the Samaritans that welcomed Him and without reservation received His
teaching. Do you realise that the first evangelist was a Samaritan woman, and a
serial divorcee for that?
And many of
the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, which
testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans were come
unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there
two days. And many more believed because of his own word; And said unto the
woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him
ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. (John 4: 39 – 42)
And this when
all around the Jewish nation people were always disputing with Him and asking
for the source of His authority.
It is also said
that even passing through Samaria was an abomination of sorts. Jews would take
a much longer route from one part of Israel to another to avoid the defilement
they feared they could have got from the Samaritan nation. Yet Jesus not only
passed through there, He bought food from them and even preached to them.
Remember the ten
lepers who were cleansed and only one overflowed with gratitude? He was also a
Samaritan.
But probably the
most striking of the stories is the one He used to describe a neighbour.
How dare Christ
use an abomination to describe kindness?
But that is how
God operates.
For ye see
your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many
mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of
the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the
world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world,
and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not,
to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1Corinthians 1: 26 – 29)
We need to come
to the realisation that God will never do things in ways we either understand
or approve. He is God all the time and not subject to His creation, even the
crown of that creation.
Even today God
will use people we think are outside His frame of operation for the same
reason.
He will still
use that divorcee as an evangelist to bring the corrupt and neglected populace
to the saving knowledge of Christ.
I am sure Jesus
passed through Samaria because He knew there were hearts seeking Him, though
they did not know it.
He also knew
that nobody could have gone there to take the Gospel to them.
I am also sure
that His disciples only went there because Jesus was Boss. Or why were they
wondering why He was speaking to that woman?
Those gangs need
the Gospel. Those drug peddlers and addicts need the Gospel preached to them.
Those harlots need the Gospel explained to them with the right tone, the tone
of love and concern.
Do we have that
love? Are we concerned that Christ also died for them and wants them saved?
These verses
speak about the Samaritans too.
He came unto
his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them
gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God. (John 1: 11 – 13)
And they speak
about the untouchables, the undesirables, the rejects.
Will you adopt
God’s eccentricities in your ministry? Will you start seeing positive things
about those people completely outside your acceptable?
