Taste and See
John 4:27-42
Main Idea: Those who taste and see will go and tell.
I. Satisfied Soul (4:27-30)
We see here the nature of those who have begun to taste truth, how they do not remain idle with the love of truth conceived in them, but they are zealous for others to know the truth. And they do not separate themselves from others, but they desire them to be joined to them in knowing the truth.
~ Wolfgang Musculus Reformation Commentary on Scripture
II. Submissive Servant (4:31-38)
Deuteronomy 8:3: And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Psalm 147:11: …but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Psalm 149: For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation.
Isaiah 62:5: For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
Zephaniah 3:17: The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Luke 15:10: Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.
"At one level, Jesus is unique as the one sent by the Father, and his work can be accomplished by no one else. At another level, those who know Jesus, those who trust him, must follow his example. Those who follow Jesus and obey the Father can expect to experience this kind of nourishment. They will experience strength and joy multiplying when they do the will of God. They will be happy when obeying."
~ ESV Commentary
Matthew 28:18-20: And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
III. Shared Satisfaction (4:39-42)
First by report, then by His presence. So it is to-day with them that are without, and are not yet Christians. Christ is made known to them by Christian friends; and just upon the report of that woman, that is, the Church, they come to Christ, they believe through this report. He stays with them … and many more believe, and more firmly believe, on Him, because He is in truth the Saviour of the world.
~ Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers 1.7: St. Augustine: Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Soliloquies
Romans 10:13-15: For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
