“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. [20] Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” [21] “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. [22] You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23] Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. [24] God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John.4.19-24.NIV)
Jesus is the bridge between God and sinners who repented and or willing to repent. He is also the bridge in diversity, discrimination, segregation, racism, cultural differences.
The Samaritans were a group of people who lived in Samaria, an area north of Jerusalem. They were half Jews and half Assyrian. When Assyria captured the northern kingdom of Isreal in 721 B.C., some were taken in captivity while some were left. The ones left behind inter married with the Assyrians. Thus, they were not full Hebrews but half and half Gentiles. They have their own unique first five books of the scriptures and their own unique system of worship. During Jesus time, the Jews and the Samaritans did not deal with each other. Jesus however preached to the Samaritans bringing the good news to them.
The half Jews and half Gentiles were made whole in that instance closing the identity gaps. It is somehow ironic because Jesus came to save both the Jews and the Gentiles. In that sweet moment, the Jews and the Samaritans became brothers in Christ Jesus. No longer enemies.
Same still resonate today across the world. In a vertical way, we are reconciled with God. In a horizontal way, we are all embraced into His loving arms (the cross). We become brothers and sisters instantly. No more hate speech, discrimination or segregation. Jesus is Lord!
WORD: "But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.”
(Act.10.15.NLT)
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