John 4
v1-3: The Pharisees were concerned that Christ had made so many disciples. "The success of the Gospel exasperates its enemies, and it is a good sign that it is gaining ground when the powers of darkness are angry against it." Jesus likely chose to leave Judea to escape threats to His life. This shows that "we are not called to suffer when we can avoid it without sin, and so, though we may not change our religion for our own preservation, we may for that reason change our place."
v4-26: When Christ offered to the Samaritan woman eternal life it had little effect on her. Why? Because she had not yet been convicted of her sin. So Jesus set "aside the conversation about living water" to "awaken her conscience, to open up the wound of guilt" to prick her heart and bring about the necessary conviction. By exposing how many husbands she had and her current situation, he was rebuking her sin not acknowledging her suffering, and this was used to bring her to faith. Pray that God will convict those we tell about Jesus of their sin.
v27-42: Many Samaritans believed that Christ was a prophet or messenger from heaven because of the testimony of the woman. But after speaking with Jesus, "they believed he was the Christ, he Anointed One, the very same One who was promised to the ancestors and expected by them, and that, being the Christ, he was the Saviour of the world, because the work to which he was anointed was to save his people from their sins." Our testimony can spark in people, an interest in Jesus that causes them to consider that He is no ordinary man. But belief that Jesus is the Saviour comes when they meet with Him in His Word.
v43-54: The man believed that Christ could heal his son, even though his disease was dangerous and the situation seemed hopeless. Though he believed that Christ could do this, it seems he wasn't sure that He could do it from a distance and so insists He came and healed him. "We, like this nobleman, tend to limit the Holy One of Israel, to restrict him to our ways." Pray, but do not give orders to the Lord.
MH
ministers must work for God, to gather in souls to him.
People’s eagerness to hear the word is a great incentive to ministers’ diligence and liveliness in preaching it.
It was also easy to work now; when the people’s hearts are prepared, the work will be done suddenly (2Ch 29:36). Ministers must be stirred to take pains in preaching the word when they see that people take pleasure in hearing it.
Souls gathered to Christ are fruit, good fruit, the fruit that Christ seeks (Ro 1:13); it is gathered for Christ (SS 8:11–12); it is gathered for eternal life. The encouragement of faithful ministers is that their work leads to the eternal salvation of precious souls.
Although God is to have all the glory for the success of the Gospel, faithful ministers may themselves also take encouragement from it. The reapers share in the joy of harvest, even though the profits belong to the master
Those ministers who are variously gifted and employed should be so far from envying one another that they should instead mutually rejoice in each other’s success and usefulness. Although all Christ’s ministers are not used in the same way, nor are all equally successful, nevertheless, if they have obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful (1Co 7:25), they will all enter together into the joy of their Lord at the last day (Mt 25:21).
By instructing one poor woman, our Savior spread instruction to a whole town. Let ministers neither be careless in their preaching nor become discouraged in it because their hearers are few and humble, for in the doing of good to them, good may be conveyed to others, including some who are more significant.
It is a great discouragement to ministers to go among a people who do not value them or their hard work.
It is just of God to deny his Gospel to those who despise its ministers. Those who mock the messengers lose the benefits of the message
Henry, Matthew. The New Matthew Henry Commentary: Complete and Unabridged (Kindle Locations 233092-233093). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.