John 4:43-45

And after two days He departed thence, and went into Galilee

Moral usefulness

I. MAN MAY DO MUCH GOOD WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD. TWO days Jesus spent in Samaria, and what did He accomplish?

1. He broke up religious monotony.

2. Set minds thinking.

3. Won many to His cause.

4. Sowed truth that has yielded glorious harvests in all subsequent ages. Every man can and ought to accomplish great spiritual good in two days--not only by preaching and writing for the press, but by indoctrinating hisfamily with Christly sentiments, and distributing through the neighbourhood the “Bread of Life.” No man will be able to plead the brevity of life for moral uselessness.

II. MAN’S EFFORTS TO DO GOOD ARE OFTEN OBSTRUCTED BY A STUPID PREJUDICE.

1. Christ here states a fact. Of course there are exceptions. Home teachers are not so valued as foreign.

2. There is no good reason for it. The doctrines of a teacher should be independent of his country.

3. There are bad reasons for it. The prejudice springs from jealousy, envy, pride.

4. The prejudice Christ felt was against His usefulness. Prejudices are fetters that enslave the intellect, clouds that obscure the vision, bolts that shut out the truth.

III. MAN’S DESIRE FOR DOING GOOD SHOULD BE THE INSPIRATION OF HIS LIFE. Christ leaves Samaria, confronts a powerful prejudice, and enters Galilee. “What for?” To do good. Such should be the great aim of all men, for two reasons

1. It is the greatest work, enlightening the intellect, liberating the will, purifying the heart, transforming the man into the image of God’s son.

2. It is a most soul recompensing work. It covers a multitude of sins, wins the sympathies of immortal spirits, and secures the approbation of conscience and God. The fruits of all other fields we leave behind at death, but from this field we shall gather sheaves to all eternity.

IV. MAN’S POWER TO DO GOOD INCREASES AS HIS PAST USEFULNESS GETS RECOGNIZED (John 4:45, see chap. 2:23). The Galileans had witnessed His wonders in Jerusalem. What they knew of Him disposed them to accept Him. Man’s power of usefulness is cumulative; the more good he does the more his capacity for usefulness increases. (D. Thomas, D. D.)

A prophet hath no honour in his own country

A twice verified proverb

I. NEGATIVELY (John 4:44).

1. Regarded. Christ had an eye to this maxim when He avoided settling in Nazareth; which showed

(1) Christ’s intimate acquaintance with human nature.

(2) His ability to read the signs of the times.

(3) His wisdom in selecting the most advantageous fields of labour--all of which qualities are essential to the preacher or teacher (1Ch Matthew 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:9).

2. Exemplified (Luke 4:29; Matthew 13:58). So Christ’s servants find the circles most difficult to impress are those of one’s household and Luke 6:40; Matthew 10:25).

3. Explained.

(1) Envy. His fellow-townsmen were amazed at His superior wisdom and manifest supernatural gifts (Matthew 13:54).

(2) Pride.

(3) Familiarity. A prophet must be something of a mystery man if he would make his way in the world (John 7:27). Familiarity breeds contempt.

II. POSITIVELY (Matthew 13:57).

1. Illustrated, as in Judaea (John 2:23; John 4:1) and Samaria (verses 39-41), so now in Galilee, the inhabitants accorded Him a joyous welcome. The judgments of strangers are more to be relied on than those of friends. So with the apostles (Acts 13:46; Acts 15:3; Acts 15:7; Acts 15:12; Acts 18:6).

2. Justified. The behaviour of the Galileans was not an unreasoning enthusiasm. They had witnessed Christ’s miracles at Jerusalem nine months before (John 2:23), and had apparently then arrived at Nicodemus’s conclusion (John 3:2). It was, therefore, becoming and right that they should meet Him with acclamation. So already has the Gospel effected such marvels that it has a right to a cordial reception.

Lessons:

1. The power of prejudice.

2. The advantage derived by the Gospel from publicity.

3. The ultimate triumph of Christ’s kingdom. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.)