The Eccentric God 2

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?