In Jeremiah 9 and 10 God continues to lament the necessity of punishing the people of Israel and Judah, “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: I will now refine and test them, for what else can I do with my sinful people?” They have been duplicitous in their dealings with others and with God. Jerusalem will be destroyed. The people will be scattered.  God is hoping that this punishment will bring the people back into a relationship with Him. God warns the nations not to corrupt His people even further.

God also bears the punishment for the people’s sin. He is no longer in communication with His children and this brings him much pain.

John 4 contains an encounter between Jesus and a Samaritan woman. She is at the well getting water when Jesus approaches her and asks her for a drink. Men do not approach women like this and Jews never approach Samaritans so she is startled.

During their conversation Jesus reveals her life of sin and offers her forgiveness. While early in the conversation she tries to hide her iniquities, she readily accepts his gift of new life through forgiveness. She brought others to see Jesus because of what he had done for her. Many Samaritans believed because of her testimony.

After Jesus left Samaria he encountered a roman official who asked him to come and heal his son. Jesus told him that his son is healed. When the man arrived home he found out that the boy started improving at the same time Jesus said he was healed. He and his household became believers.

Jesus meets these two people for whom he wasn’t sent. He came for the Jews and yet others heard and believed. We might think that Jesus couldn’t have come for us, either because of what we have done or because of who we are and yet He offers us forgiveness and new life.