He speaks of living The road ran through a valley and the town was up on a hill. C. The fact that encounters can get very uncomfortable sometimes because they convict us of our own sinfulness and our need for a savior. In her joy and excitement, she went out and told others. And he is seeking her through Jesus. The Samaritans said that their mountain, Mt. The first step towards recognition of a need for salvation is for a person to acknowledge that she is a sinner. 52When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, Yesterday, at one in the afternoon, the fever left him.. I have the water of life. It is presented in the form of a dialogue between Jesus and a woman of Samaria. He spoke to an adulteress. Jesus is as committed to you and your salvation as he was to the Samaritan woman. We are introduced to two types of transformation. We named four possible purposes for why Jesus left Judea and headed for Galilee. Her answer shows that they were on different wave lengths. If this is the case, then Ive got good news for you today. Nevertheless, take heart. The disciples had gone into the town and only brought back bread. The holy Son of God shed his blood for us. Required fields are marked *. He always has thousands of purposes in everything he does. The story in John 4 about Jesuss meeting with the Samaritan woman at the well reveals woeful truth about ourselves and wonderful truth about Jesus. This is not just happening. That maybe youre being looked down upon by otherswhether fairly or unfairly. And its for you, you who are thirsty and know your need. What would this womans response be: Faith or rejection? Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. . So just maybe you might know some thirsty people in your life, in your town, who could use this living water that Jesus has so freely given to you. And here comes what ought to be strike three. Thats what well find out this morning as we consider the case of The Samaritan Woman: A Well-Known Story.. Jesus said: I have new birth for you (living water), and he said, Where is a womans womb big enough for me to crawl into? She says, You have living water for me (new birth); wheres your bucket? This is a picture of us. Do you know your need? So this is the well-known story of the Samaritan woman. The worship of God would no longer be located in a certain place, like the temple in Jerusalem. They were a mixture of Israelite and heathen elements. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. When Jesus says to her in verse 23, True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him, its hard not to think: Jesus is the hound of heaven. We have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. He will show you how to approach a person and what to say. Their religious beliefs and practices were in need of correction. The disciples went into the town to buy food, but Jesus sat alone by the well. Behold, I freely give But you may not have till next week. Also, any comments with profanity, name-calling, and/or a nasty tone will be deleted. The Jews said that Mt. Christ and the Samaritan Woman, by Bourdon Jesus has taken a boring and ordinary situation and has made it astonishing. Can you imagine what her self image was. Therefore, he was not merely responding. He even asked her for a drink, which meant that he would have to receive water from her water jar. Yet Jesus accepted her. It started with Jesus truly reaching out in friendship to this outcast woman. If this content was helpful to you, please consider leaving your feedback in the comments section at the bottom, and sharing it with friends and family via email and social media, or both. That is why we will not be thirsty for God again. He told his disciples He wanted them to be His friends and He showed what true friendship looked like. B. You cant be asking me to use the same bucket. He knows the real me. Copyright 2019 by Zondervan. That isnt done. (Omniscience) He accepted her just as she was. They were hot and weary, which likewise tells us that this was in the middle of the day. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. A. Thats what the Samaritan woman was doing. They were both at the well needing water. . It wasnt like he said: Divorce? You are right when you say you have no husband. Here is Don Carsons description of the situation: After the Assyrians captured Samaria [the capital of the Northern kingdom of Israel] in 72221 BC, they deported all the Israelites of substance and settled the land with foreigners, who intermarried with the surviving Israelites and adhered to some form of their ancient religion (2 Kings 1718). Zion in Jerusalem, where the temple wasthat was the place to go to get your guilt taken care of. Their conclusion is revealing. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Eternal life. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life (verses 1314). But do you realize that we who have trusted Him already must make the same choice daily? Jesus stayed with these Samaritans for 2 more days at their request. ), 9The Samaritan woman said to him, You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan(G) woman. And the phrase Im using to describe her, that is, The Samaritan Woman at the Well, this tells us why. But John said that Jesus had to pass through Samaria. Is this because he had an appointment to keep? And my sons and daughters are superior they never die.. (C) 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. The disciples were as literal in their understanding as the woman was. One of the ways is through Friendship Evangelism. Now I would like to go back to the conversation Jesus had with His disciples while she was telling the good news back in town. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:17). Notice how Jesus responded to her question. Five previous husbands, and now shes shacking up with a guy. And he accepts you, even if you do not have all your theology perfectly straightened out yet. WebJesus meets a Samaritan woman 4 1-7 Now when the Lord found that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus is making and baptising more disciples than Johnalthough, in fact, it was not Jesus who did the baptising but his discipleshe left Judea and went off again to Galilee, which meant passing through Samaria. Then take heart. Jesus claims to give one drink that will satisfy our hearts thirst forever. Many years ago a young man who sought supernatural intervention for his problems, walked into a Hindu Temple, hoping to receive the favor of the gods that the temple was dedicated for. It should, because there would be another day, also at about the sixth houronly now Jesus would be hanging on a cross. He revealed something about God that is nowhere else stated so clearly in the NT. . There are needs people can meet, and there are needs only God can meet and we should know the difference. https://www.tiktok.com/@glasfordumc/video/7209741860959472938 All friendships for believers must have a spiritual aspect, either for evangelism or for encouraging and building others up. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a08faff52183c5466f175cd3c80d3b9b" );document.getElementById("f8470a62dd").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But he did so without compromising the truth. A stream of people was already coming down. has given all things into his hand. Jesus is not the victim of human whim. And the Assyrians then brought in other peoplesGentiles, non-Jewsto live in that area they had conquered. He would even die for her. WebA Samaritan Woman Meets Her Messiah. Jesus spoke of the complete satisfaction that comes from doing what God Those are really the only two options anyone has and as we befriend people and witness for Christ, we must make this clear. Friendships and love grow as we reveal ourselves, accept and trust each other and challenge each other. There is a lesson for us here. First, it may be a matter of timing. But He also models something very important. Your email address will not be published. That thirst we were all born with. The comment form collects your name, email and content to allow us keep track of the comments placed on the website. Talk about an encounter! A. The first type is individual transformation. The disciples were as literal in their understanding as the woman was. For instance, we see that Jesus accepted her even though she was a Samaritan. He sought to be alone in Samaria. 9 Then the Samaritan woman said to Him, How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, who am a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 43After the two days(AN) he left for Galilee. We all need friends who know who we really are and love us anyway. But usually our problem is to know how do to do it. This water becomes a spring a well of water (verse 14: The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water). (The transformation of the Samaritan woman. By the way, if you are reading this sermon online please feel free to leave your comments at the end. And my water is superior. Many of you know the unparalleled joy it is to see a person trust the Savior because of your efforts. As our text says: Just then his disciples came back. She ministered to so many over the years, encouraged so many to keep moving forward. The gift he gave was so great that it . And with his divine insight, he lets her know that he knows: Jesus asks her to go call her husband. This is graciously relational. It makes it easy for us to forget that Samaritans and Jews did not get along well in the time of Jesus. But people want to know the real you. An encounter with Jesus can also change our life. But we must gather them in. Why? C. Encounters arent seasonal or geological. Access 50+ premium resources. Sermon: Faithfulness is the Key to God's Blessings, Sermon notes: 6 things that the Lord hates and the 7 things that are detestable to Him, New Year Sermon: An old Challenge for a New Year, Fathers Day Sermon: Qualities of a Godly Father. Jesus spoke of the complete satisfaction that comes from doing what God wants us to do. WebJohn 4 New International Version Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman 4 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. Not for permission to get a drink, but for a drink from her bucket. . He revealed himself to her because she needed what He had to offer, and He accepted her as she was. You must decrease; I must increase. The living water that Jesus gives is new life in the Spirit. Secondly, she was a Samaritan. And she had had five marriages before that, all of which apparently had failed. Well, she did not know a lot, but this was one thing she did know. Jesus was. Now what could be so strange about that? Read John 4:7-8 A. Even though you belong to a church that teaches the gospel in its truth and purity, perhaps some of your personal religious beliefs and practices need some correction and strengthening. He spoke to a Samaritan. Our heavenly Father is a seeking God. work together for good. Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. Because this man Jesus, this is indeed the Savior of the world.. If you go back about 900 years before Christ, the united kingdom of Israel got divided, split in two. He knew the hour of his death, and how it would come. The Samaritans also only accepted the first five books of the Hebrew Scripture, and rejected the rest. Jesus in His humanity was descended from Abraham, the father of the Jews. Each of us was born a sinner. In John 3:3435, John had just said, He whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. You know, our Lord has an ample, never-ending supply of this living water to give. Notice how He used her detour to enlighten her further. Everything is intentional. WebJohn 4 A Samaritan Woman and a Nobleman Meet Jesus. You obviously are a prophet sent from God, so you must know. But Jesus doesnt send her to either place. So, are you thirsty? Your feedback is very important to us. The gift he gave was so great that it changed her life. The woman was interested. . This is not usually our approach, is it? Where do you look to quench your thirst? The key verse for the background of this relationship is verse 9: The Samaritan woman said to him, How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 4Now he had to go through Samaria. God accepts the Samaritan womanGod accepts you and meonly because of this man at the well. The story of the nameless Samaritan woman at the well, recorded only in the Gospel of John, is a revealing one, full of many truths and powerful lessons for us Not just the provincial idea that the Jews had that the Messiah would deliver Israel from Roman rule. His presence is not limited to seasons or a geographic location. Many references in the Bible to water do not mean H2O, but refer to the Word of God or salvation. Now Jesus abruptly seemed to change the subject. So that was strike two against her. The Book of John Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones It just wasnt done. C. Just because encounters take place when we least expect them, doesnt mean they are coincidental or circumstantial. There is no safe fence to sit on. We cannot make true friendships when we always wear a mask to protect ourselves and hide our real self. That the Samaritan woman finally understands that Jesus refers to water which is more than physical is made clear by 4:28: she leaves her waterpot behind because (at least for the point our author is making) she wont need it to carry the kind of water Jesus now has her interested in! God is pursuing this woman. He says, in verses 14. If sharing your faith is difficult for you, tell your heavenly Father that you want to be obedient, but you need His help. Jesus tells her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. The woman is confused; shes thinking merely of H2O: Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. For those who love him and are called according to his purpose, all of them all of them! Wealth, beauty, art, education, power, pleasure, career, even marriage all are finally meaningless in the effort to find the essential values of life, to find personal fulfillment, to quench our thirst. The disciples go into town to look for some food, while Jesus remains at the well and gets some rest. Sitting here by the well, Jesus was tired and thirsty at about the sixth hour. The Cross And Christs Suffering For Sins (1 Peter 3:18-22), 6. And they also set up a couple of rival shrines, which God had not authorized. Yes, this is how Jesus has living water to offer you and to all sinners: His sacrificial death has won for you forgiveness for all your sins, whether you have led an immoral life, like the woman at the well, or a pretty respectable life, but still you know your need. Why would a good God let such evil happen? B. WebJohn 4:7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. He used terms that had deep spiritual significance. This woman was living with a man outside of marriage. He is author of. Do the words had to in verse 4 only mean it was geographically shorter? He offers her living water. For we know this man Jesus, and we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world. It is eternal, everlasting life, life that overcomes even death itself. Who was He? One of the glorious things about having a sovereign Savior is that he is always multi-purposeful, and his purposes are always gracious for those who trust him. (AG) 36Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests(AH) a crop for eternal life,(AI) so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Of that life-giving stream. Scripture passage and lesson focus: John 4:25-42. And so you and I can say, with those Samaritans who came to faith in Christwe can say joyfully about Jesus: We know that this is indeed the Savior of the world., Your email address will not be published. It is gracious that he cares that John is not publicly discredited more than necessary. That is why we sin. They were racially impure. Unable to see the glory of the only Son of God. B. And this same Jesus is here with us, right now, at this hour. And if so, why? Isa 44:3; 55:1; Jer 2:13; 17:13; Zec 14:8; Jn 7:37, 38; Rev 7:17; 21:6; 22:1, 17, Da 4:2, 3; S Jn 2:11; Ac 2:43; 14:3; Ro 15:19; 2Co 12:12; Heb 2:4, NIV, Verse Mapping Bible, Comfort Print: Find Connections in Scripture Using a Unique 5-Step Process, NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture, NIV, Beautiful Word Bible Journal, Galatians, Paperback, Comfort Print, NIV, Biblical Theology Study Bible, Comfort Print: Follow Gods Redemptive Plan as It Unfolds throughout Scripture, NIV, The Woman's Study Bible, Full-Color, Red Letter: Receiving God's Truth for Balance, Hope, and Transformation, NIV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People. About 400 BC the Samarians erected a rival temple on Mount Gerizim. They knew that more people were following Jesus than were following John the Baptist (verse 1). a. The Samaritan Woman at the Well (John 4:5-30, 39-42), Have you ever felt like youre a bit of an outsider? She passed into eternity in Sept 2015 and is with our dear Jesus. (John 15:14, NIV). What was the gift? Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Our text notes: It was about the sixth hour.. Jesus accepted the Samaritan woman. And the Father is seeking her worship. He went from being a man by the well to a Jew to a prophet to the Messiah. All any of us have to really share is what Jesus Christ has done for us personally. Living water was used symbolically in the O.T. Jesus accepts you. [a]), 10Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.(H), 11Sir, the woman said, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Yet I think most of us feel guilty because we hardly ever tell anyone about the greatest gift in the world (salvation through Jesus Christ). Nicodemus was a possible seeker while the woman was a true worshiper . 41And because of his words many more became believers. Why did that prompt Jesus to leave? to refer to God. We need to remember that encounters are heavenly appointments, although they look like random supernatural manifestations. The Cross And Unjust Suffering (1 Peter 2:19-25). So that area around Samaria was off, even from the outset. (AQ) And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. This is Johns version of the prodigal son (Luke 15) only here it is a prodigal daughter. The new and abundant life that Jesus gives will last forever: They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. John's Gospel: A Discipleship Journey with Jesus Jesus meets a Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar. And it was considered inappropriate for a good pious rabbi to have a one-on-one conversation with a woman in public. (AA) Could this be the Messiah?(AB) 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him. This living water Jesus gives, he gives free of charge. I mean, Im able to hide my faults and shortcomings from peoplewell, most of my faults from most people, at least. What you have said is true.. They had a corrupt mixture of Jewish and pagan religions. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.. Therefore share your experience with others. And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. When you see the glory of Jesus in these stories for what it really is the glory of the only Son from the Father you experience grace. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Jesus here is talking about spiritual thirst and spiritual refreshment and life. She knew it, and Jesus knew it. He accepted the Samaritan woman, in spite of her faulty theology that needed correction. It would be a great encouragement to me and a contribution to the edification of the Church. 2.) Over time, the people there would intermarry, and so the ethnic identity and solidarity of the nation would be weakened. I can think of four possibilities. Jesus speaks the very words of God. The Father loves him. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. That is exactly what he did when He died on the cross and rose from the dead. He is infinitely wise, and everything he does relates to everything else that he does, sooner or later. And the sign over it said, Colored Samaritan. Verses 68 say, Jacobs well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well [literally, on the well]. The story of the nameless Samaritan woman at the well, recorded only in the Gospel of John, is a revealing one, full of many truths and powerful lessons for us today. The story of the woman at the well follows on the heels of the account of Jesus interaction with Nicodemus, a Pharisee and prominent member of the Jewish Sanhedrin ( John 3:121 ). WebFred B. Craddock is professor of preaching and New Testament at Candler School of Theology in Atlanta. Detail from Polish painter Henryk Siemiradzki, 'Christ and the Samaritan Woman' (1890) 106.5x184 cm, Lviv National Art Gallery, Ukraine. A tired Jesus is sitting at the well, waiting for the disciples, when a woman appears. And my gift is superior. The sins we commit are just the evidence that we have a sinful nature. And whats more, Jesus accepted her even though she had led a sinful, immoral life. What was living water? promises about a Savior coming from the Jewish people were true. viewed the Samaritans not only as the children of political rebels, but as racial half-breeds whose religion was tainted by various unacceptable elements. The Samaritan woman does not disagree with Jesus, but she knows that it is going to take a miraculous work of God to make it so. Maybe you dont have all your ducks in a row yet. If you drink it, you never thirst again that is, its always there to satisfy you when your longing soul is thirsty (verse 14: Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again). He gives you what he gave that woman at the well: living water. Only men could initiate divorce. . Racial and religious obstacles, moral and social obstaclesthese were the barriers that stood in the way. The opening verses of this chapter havethe impression that the entire incident was circumstantial. During Lent, we take special notice of ourselves as sinners, spending time and effort to recognize the seriousness of sin and to rejoice in Christs victory over it. . He offers her Gods acceptance. Where do you get that living water? She doesnt see yet. You can also subscribe without commenting. 4. Now Jesus began to reveal who He was to her. Are you a sinner? Now does Jesus accept you? And they believed also. God sent Jesus. But now He lives permanently in each one of us who belong to Jesus. She had a jar, He did not. At a well, a place where people come to draw water. Second, he may have left because the Pharisees may have used this popularity of Jesus to discredit John. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Work in cooperation with the Holy Spirit to transform your life. This should Now as they were gathered by the well, Jesus turned their attention to the town on the hill. Worship would not be in man made temples or churches, but in the inner sanctuaries of peoples hearts. You could wait till next week to taste and see to believe and receive him. This man Jesus gave the Samaritan woman the gift of God: acceptance, forgiveness for her sins, living water, and eternal life. He is standing by the fountain marked Colored watching a black woman fill her water bottle and then, for all to see, says, Can I have a drink from your water bottle? She says, at the end of verse 9, Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. But more literally it says, Jews dont use together with Samaritans. ), B. We must learn how to make friends, and be a true friend to them just as Jesus was. 9. This the only time before His trial that Jesus stated this so clearly. . The Cross And Separation From The World (1 Peter 4:1-6), 7. There on the cross, Jesus will say, I thirst. He, the sinless Son of God, the only wholly innocent manJesus would endure the physical agony of the crucifixion, plus the burden of bearing the punishment that we sinners all deserve. This was intentional, because it would have the effect of breaking down the national identity of the people they had conquered, those who remained in the land. He sits in the light of day with a Samaritan Woman who has suffered the oppression of her male-dominated society and the schism