Chapter 4 takes
place primarily in Samaria
recounting Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan women at the well and the
response of Samaritan village when they heard her testimony. The chapter closes with Jesus healing a
royal’s son almost dismissively. In
chapter 5, we find the story of crippled man that Jesus healed on the Sabbath –
the first of several times that Jesus challenged the traditions of the Sabbath
and attribution of the effects of sin.
The final section for this week contains a rebuke of the Pharisees and
Priests by Jesus in which He establishes that He is the fulfillment of the Old
Testament prophecies. There are three chapters in the Desire of Ages
that help to expand on this week’s readings.
They are entitled: “At Jacob’s Well”, “’Except Ye See Signs and
Wonders’” and “Bethesda
and the Sanhedrin”.
1.
Chapter 4:1-42
The exchange between Jesus and the woman
contains several interesting sub-plots.
First, Jesus had to overcome the prejudices that existed between the
Jews and Samaritans to demonstrate that His work was for the entire world. Second, He exposed her need for her Savior
without shaming or guilt. Finally, He
sent her as the first missionary to her village. The folks responded because they saw the
change in her demeanor.
- What prejudices do you hold on to that keep you from connecting with others?
- Why was the Samaritan woman so effective in drawing folks to the well to hear from Jesus?
2.
Chapter 4:43-54
News of Jesus’ miracles has traveled
quickly around the country. Jesus is
asked by a nobleman to come to his house to heal his dying son. Jesus points out that the man’s faith is lacking
as his begging is that Jesus come to his house instead of for healing.
- Is your faith strong enough to ask that Jesus heal you instead of just “coming into my heart”?
3.
Chapter 5:1-18
“Do you want to get well?” asked
Jesus. What a strange question it would
seem. Of course the crippled man wants
to get well but begins with all the excuses.
“Get up.” It was a simple command
but one that required the cripple to immediately exercise a faith in Jesus’
power that he couldn’t just seconds before.
- What excuses do you need to stop using so that you can take up the work of sharing the story of Jesus and being His partner is ministry?
4.
Chapter 5:19-47
After Jesus is accused of breaking the
Sabbath by healing the crippled man. The
Pharisees send spies to watch Jesus and try to convince the people that Jesus
is not the Messiah. Jesus uses the Jews
own scriptures – in particular the prophecies of Moses – to establish His role
as the Son of God and the Messiah. He
calls out the Pharisees telling them that they “miss the forest for the
trees.” They are so intent on searching
the scriptures for the Messiah that they fail to see Him standing in front of
them.
- Jesus stressed the urgency of the time and the need to have the right focus to those listening to Him. Am I guilty of missing the forest for the trees? Can I be too concerned about the meaning of current events or keeping the rules that I miss the opportunity to fulfill the “one anothers”?
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