The power of direct encounters with Jesus (John 4:39-42)

Scripture Reading:
(39) Many of the Samaritans in town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” (40) So when the Samaritans came to see him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. (41) And because of his words many more became believers.

(42)They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you have said; now we have heard it for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the savior of the world.”


Observations:
(1) Being witnessed to is good, but directly seeing Jesus is better.

Pretend, for a moment, that you were a judge, and an accused murderer was on trial.

Which of the following would represent more conclusive evidence of his guilt – (a) hearing testimony from a witness who claims to have seen him commit the murder; or (b) seeing him commit the murder yourself?

The answer should be obvious, and for good reason, too. Whilst witnesses are prone to lying or being mistake, evidence seen through one’s own eyes is beyond dispute - a principle which we can see at work in the above passage.

We can see from the above passage that for some Samaritans, the woman’s testimony alone was sufficient for them to put their faith in Jesus.

But consider, for a moment, the statement in verse 41, that many more became believers after a direct encounter with him. It is apparent from the statement that for some people, the woman’s testimony alone did not in itself represent a sufficient basis for them to put their faith in Jesus. Instead, they wanted to see direct proof, a requirement which was satisfied through their own direct encounter with him.

Testimony about Jesus, it seems, though powerful, was not as conclusive as a direct encounter for some.


(2) Testimony should still be enough.

Notwithstanding the above point, this does not provide us with any form of excuse for refusing to believe the word of god in any way.

True, we do not live in the time that Jesus literally walked on the earth, and will not experience a direct encounter with him. And whilst it is possible to receive the message of Christ by direct revelation, testimony of others continues to represent the most common method by which the majority of us will be introduced to the gospel.

But not having physically seen Jesus does not, in any way, provide us with any excuse for unbelief. And when it comes time to face judgment, we will either be believers in Jesus as our savior or we will not be.

“I never saw him,” will be no excuse for not knowing him. Either you will know him or you won’t. No excuses.


Prayer:
Lord Jesus, your presence is powerful and we can read in the gospels about how time and time again, people believed as a result of a direct encounter with you.

Lord, we will not have a direct physical encounter with you in our lifetime. But let us not use that as an excuse for unbelief, and when the day of judgment comes, please do not let me say that ‘I didn’t believe because I didn’t see you.’

Instead, let you say ‘he believed without seeing me, and therefore, he is one of mine.’

In your great name, I pray.

Amen