The Day Jesus Was Tired

The day Jesus was tired

John 4:1-39

It is of great interest of mine to observe the way in which the Lord Jesus dealt with different souls with whom He came in contact. In John 3 we observe how He dealt with a moral Jewish man named Nicodemus, and now in chapter 4 He is deal with an immoral Samaritan woman. When you study the different conversations that are recorded that He had with different individuals, we get a glimpse of wonderful wisdom in opening up the word of God to needy souls.

The loveliest records of the master soul-winner at work is found in John 4. It is a story full of grace.

His grace is greater than all social bigotry. "Samaritan"

Intense racial hatred existed between Jews and Samaritans. So great was this hatred that, in traveling from Judea to Galilee, Jews would go miles out of their way to avoid crossing the Samaritan border.

His grace is greater than all sexual barriers. "woman"

Cultural sentiment for women was extremely low during the time of Christ. The Pharisees taught that men should not speak to women in public. One of the Jewish prayers included the

phrase, "Blessed art thou, O Lord...who has not made me a woman."

His grace is greater than all sinful backgrounds.

Jesus certainly knew what sort of woman she had been. She was woman of low morals.

From the day in which Jesus was tired, I want us to observe several things:

I. The warning that concerns - This ALARMS me.

This warning that troubles me is the simple fact that the disciples of the Lord seemed to have very little to do with what happened on this day (39). In verse, 8 we read of the arrival of the disciples in the city, but as far as I can determine, their arrival did not cause a ripple of interest in the city.

A. The tragedy they represented

The tragedy is they were bypassed by the Spirit of God, left out of this great experience. They were the disciples of the Lord. They had position and prominence, and yet they were not used of the Lord that day. You would have expected them to be in the very heart of it, but they were not.

Oh the tragedy of being by-passed by the Spirit of God.

(Saul and David’s brother are by-passed)

B. The opportunity they never sensed

Why was it that the disciples were so by-passed when such a work was done this day? Two verses would suggest they why.

1. Preoccupied -verse 8

They were concerned about a legitimate and necessary thing. Some Christians miss being used of God because we also are preoccupied with material things that we have no time to sense the spiritual needs around us.

2. Prejudiced - verse 9

I wonder if the disciples had already washed their hands of the Samaritans? On the way into the village to buy provisions, they must have met this woman with her water-pot on her way to the well. Perhaps they passed her by on the other side without any sort of friendly greeting.

They enter the city, but there is no record of their witnessing to the men of the city. Could it be that they thought God had no intention of doing anything here with these people?

All I do know is that God worked that day, and the disciples were not involved in it. This should serve as a warning to be alarmed about.

II. The wonder that captivates - This ARREST me.

Disciples arrival in the city does not cause a ripple of interest in Christ; however, the arrival of the prostitute woman three the whole city into a frenzy of excitement. Look at verses 28-30.

Her earlier solicitations were vastly different from the thrilling story which now poured from her lips. Her compelling words and her obvious transformation beget interest and soon criticize of the city were hurrying across the fields in attempt to see this man named Jesus. Here testimony was simple; however, it was successful.

Look at verse 35. Jesus was reminding the disciples of the common saying among the Jews that it was four months from seedtime to harvest. The sower sowed the seed, and in fur months, the harvest was ready for reaping; However, Jesus was stating that the harvest is already ready. Behold these Samaritans coming out already to hear the Word. Jesus wanted His disciples to see. literally, the masses of unsaved- especially the Samaritans who were approaching from the place where the disciples had just left. Here was a harvest in Samaria.

As the disciples walked along the streets of Samaria, they passed homes in which the harvest was waiting to be reaped, but they just continue in their journey.