May 11-May 17

Devotional on John 4-7
Stafford North
Edmund, Oklahoma

John 4 tells of one of Jesus’ most unusual conversations—his visit with the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar. Read John 4:4-26, 28-30, 39-42 and be prepared to answer some questions from the reading.

1. How did Jesus use his conversation to reach someone with the gospel?
He started with a simple conversation about a drink of water and soon had re-directed the conversation to spiritual things. We should always be looking for ways to work something spiritual into conversations we have with others. We can tell them about what has happened at church, about a scripture we have read, about something from a sermon or class, or about an upcoming event.

2. What are two words Jesus used to tell us how to worship? In “spirit” and in “truth.” God is spirit, and we have a spirit made in His image. Our worship should be on a spirit to Spirit level. Our inner being, the part of us that thinks, reasons, feels, and loves, reaches out to make contact with God, the Great Spirit. We make the words of the song our song to Him, and the thoughts of the prayer our prayer to God. Worship is also to be in truth. That means that we worship, not in the types and shadows of the Old Covenant but in the reality of the New Covenant, and that we worship by using the revealed truth of that covenant to direct us in what we do to worship.

3. Who does Jesus tell the woman He is? The Messiah. The long-awaited one about whom the prophets had spoken. The woman was very excited to learn of this and we should be excited too. This Messiah, the Son of God, the one who came from heaven to give Himself as a sacrifice to take away our sins, wants to have a personal relationship with me. Jesus wants to help me by forgiving my sins and guiding me though life. I should not only follow Him but count this as such an honor that I will never forsake Him.

4. What was the woman’s first thought when she learned that she had met the Messiah? To share this message with others. What a great example she is for us. When we think of what Jesus has done for us, we should be excited to share this message with others whom we can bring to Him.

5. What happened when the woman told others about Jesus? They wanted to learn more and came to see Jesus. When we tell people of Jesus, and tell what He has meant in our lives, those we reach will want to know more about Jesus. What an excellent example the Samaritan woman is for us. We should bring others to Jesus as she did.

Soon after this event, Jesus told his disciples that “the fields are white unto harvest.” We have many around us who need Jesus, and so the fields are white in our day too. Let us work and pray that the Lord of the Harvest will send us forth as reapers.

[Stafford North has been teaching Bible and other subjects at Oklahoma Christian University since 1952. For 38 of those years he was also in the administration, serving for 20 years as Executive Vice President. Stafford began preaching in 1948 and has been an elder at the Memorial Road Church of Christ since 1972.

Stafford has written a number of books on religious topics such as Unlocking Revelation, Like a Thief in the Night, and Handbook on Church Doctrines. He also conducts many seminars on the work of elders and the work of teachers.

Stafford and his wife, Jo Anne, have four children and ten grandchildren. She is active in jail ministry and in teaching elementary children.]