“God’s Light” Late Mr. N. Daniel

John 4:4 “He must needs go through Samaria.”

The Jews would not go through Samaria. The Samaritans had a different belief and teaching mixed with heathen thoughts. Therefore the Jews had no dealings with them. There was always rivalry between them about the worshipping place. Was it Samaria or Jerusalem? Each claimed their own city was the place of worship. The Samaritans are a mixed race. No respectable Jew would go there. No prophet would go there. The light was never taken to that part of the land. The Jews who had to go to Galilee from Jerusalem used to cross the river Jordan, go 80 miles north and cross the river again and go to Galilee. That was the usual route for Christ. But the Bible says, ‘He must needs go through Samaria.’ Why? God wanted to put a light in Sychar. It was not easy. You can’t create light in a village. Unless electric-power connection is given to a village, you cannot see the village well lighted. For that you need wires from the power house and it will cost a great deal. There must be a power house or power produced from falling water. From there, power must be taken and the village lighted.

More than 120 years ago, there was no mission in Masulipatnam. No church and no Word of God. There was a good collector, a British official who felt sad about the condition of the people. There was an army stationed there and some of them wanted a place of worship. The collector was praying. He was praying for light. He wanted some missionaries to go there. In Guntur he had started a Sunday school and taught children. The light of God began to shine there. Now he sent an appeal to England. At that time there was a Bishop in Madras. Nobody felt equal to sending a missionary to Masulipatnam. There was no money. Money sometimes becomes a great hindrance. If you pray, something will happen. When the appeal was read in England, two young graduates – Fox, and Noble - felt they should go. The collector collected money from Christians and himself contributed. They built a house. Mr. Fox reached Masulipatnam. The mission was started. At that time, the collector was transferred. But his interest to establish the kingdom of God never waned. Mr. Noble started a college. For the first time the light came to that town.

‘He must needs go through Samaria’ There was no light in Sychar. They were proud that Jacob's well was there. There was a woman there, living in sin. Jesus knew she would become a missionary. She was living a totally sinful life. Isaiah 9:2 It was the darkness of death. India has death-dealing darkness. When I remember my childhood days, I remember the wicked temples and the wicked language around there. Only where there was a group of Christians there was light. Our church was full of light, because they were a praying people. God preserved me and protected me. When I look at churches now, such light is not there.

Jesus sat there tired. The disciples were hungry too and they went away to buy something. Jesus is the light of this world. A man who prays has light in him. Wherever he goes, he carries this light. He brings about a sense of sin in the hearts of men. Who will acknowledge that he is a sinner unless you carry light into his heart? Jesus brought that light there to Samaria. He asked for water. She replied, “I am a Samaritan. You do not receive drink at our hands." "O woman, you are blind. You don't know who is asking you for water. If you knew it, you would have asked from him living water and if you drink it you would become a well of living water,” said Jesus. There was no light in her; so she could not understand the things of God. Many don't understand the Bible. One man came to Billy Sunday and said, “I prayed very much but nothing happened.” Billy said, “There must be sin in you.” That man first denied it, but later he said, “Twelve years ago, in my company while I was balancing the budget, I pocketed the excess. Here it is.” “This has caused you darkness,” said Billy. If you hide sin, there is darkness. You do not understand the Bible without repentance and without confession of sin. You can never understand the high purposes of God. The Bible becomes a new book when you repent. Who produced it? No college professor did it but simple men. They were instructed by the Holy Spirit. Some of us try to subdue the voice of God in our heart. God sees in you a prophet. God sees in you a missionary. He sees you can be a light to many towns and cities. But where are you? Billy asked this man to return the money. He said, “I am getting a salary of 20,000. They always trusted me. Now, how can I go and confess this and return the money? I may lose my job." "You must take the consequences,” said Billy. The man obeyed. The manager put his hand around him, knelt down and prayed.

“He must needs go through Samaria." Jesus put light into this woman’s heart and it lighted the town.