Living Water

John 4:1-42

John 4:1–42 NKJV

1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 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. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” 19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.” 27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?” 28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him. 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.” 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND

Let’s take a look at this story of Jesus and the women at the well. Let’s see if there isn’t something in this story that we can take with us that very well may help to fill our parched thirsty souls. YOU KNOW WATER IS REQUIRED FOR LIFE, EVEN SCIENCE SUPPORTS THIS. WITHOUT WATER WE WILL DIE, BUT WE ALSO NEED SPIRITUAL WATER TO KEEP FROM PERISHING AND THAT IS FOUND AT THE SOURCE, AND THE ONLY SOURCE JESUS CHRIST!

According to verse 3, Jesus had been in Judea and was now on His way to Galilee. However, in order to pass from Judea to Galilee, you had to pass through Samaria. And that was the problem. You see, the Jews from Judea despised the Jews from Samaria. The people who lived in Samaria were considered half- breeds because when that land was taken captive by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. the Assyrians repopulated the area with a mix of many different peoples. The Jews who were left in Samaria began to intermarry and began to include aspects of other religions within theirs. Also, the Samaritans only held onto the first 5 books of the Old Testament, while the Jews in the Judea accepted the entire Old Testament.

Since the Jews of Judea despised the Samaritans when they had to travel to Galilee and areas further north, they would not pass through Samaria. Instead, and again look at your maps — they would go to the Jordan River, cross it and travel along the river until they passed the town of Salim, then they would begin to cross over the river. To show how much hatred existed between these people, by taking this alternate route, in essence extended the trip from a 3 day journey to a 7 day journey.

Now, with that in mind we can understand why this woman looks at Jesus and says you are a Jew and I am a Samaritan. Furthermore, according to social customs a single man was never supposed to engage a single woman in conversation when no other chaperones were present.

Jesus was breaking political, religious and social customs by having this conversation. It becomes especially intriguing as we discover what type of woman this is. . . she’s had 5 husbands and 5 divorces and is living with a 6th man. And who knows how many other men she had been with.

John tells us that she came to get water at the 6th hour of the day. In middle eastern vernacular, that means it was 12 noon. This was not the time women would come to the well to get water. The normal time was in the early morning or in the evening — when the weather was cooler. But this woman doesn’t come when all the other women did, when they would be able to gather water and talk to one another. This woman is an outcast, she’s despised by all the other women in Sychar. No woman who considers herself respectful will associate with her. When they see her walking on the sidewalk, they cross to go to the other side.

Jesus was risking a lot by reaching out to her and not following the social norms of the day. His reputation would be under attack if anyone found out and chose to follow their own interpretation of the events that took place at that well. Near the end of their conversation when Jesus’ disciples returned, they were surprised to find Him talking with a woman. Why was Jesus willing to lower himself to talk to a woman and face the ridicule of others? Because Jesus is love.

That’s a lot of background for one Bible story, but without it, the true meaning and amazing way in which Jesus reached out to this woman would never be fully understood. And we would lose the significance this message has in our lives.

LIVING WATER

Jesus asked her for a simple drink of water. And they became engaged in a conversation that would change her life forever. He gives her a hint that she’s not just talking to a weary stranger, but this is the Messiah, and if she understood that, she would most certainly ask Jesus for His "LIVING WATER."

But, this question confused her. She couldn’t figure out how Jesus was going to get his own water. That well has been measured to be over 100 feet deep. You see, when people traveled, they carried containers so they could get water out of a well. But Jesus didn’t have one.

Again in verses 13-14, Jesus offered her living water, saying, "Everyone who drinks from this well will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst." Once again she didn’t understand what Jesus was getting at. Even when He said, "the water I give you will become like a spring of water welling up to eternal life," she still was lost.

In fact she thought what Jesus was saying was going to make her life easy. She thought she would not have to return to the well each day for water, that Jesus’ water would fully quench her thirst. Obtaining water was hard work, it often required making 2 trips and carrying heavy jars full of water.

The plot now thickens as Jesus takes the discussion up a huge level. He begins to force her thinking. He tells her ‘go get your husband.’ What a strange request in the middle of this conversation. Yet, Jesus has a plan. She’s hiding who she really is and Jesus knows it.

You see, Jesus knew that her need was far deeper than just wanting an easy way to get water, she needed to find forgiveness and she needed to find what it meant to have someone truly and unconditionally love her. And that would be Jesus.

She correctly answered that she had no husband. And Jesus pounced on that answer. ‘You’re right you don’t have a husband, you’ve had 5 husbands and now you’re living with a man who isn’t your husband.’ Her facade has now been uncovered. She is forced to admit the truth.

WE DO THE SAME THINGS, TRY TO HIDE THE TRUTH OF WHO WE ARE, PUT ON A NICE SHOW ESPECIALLY AROUND OTHERS AND AT CHURCH BUT THE LORD KNOWS!!

HE KNOWS THAT WE TEND TO FULFILL OUR THIRST FOR LIVING WATERS WITH WATERS THAT ARE USELESS

THE IDOLS WE HAVE AND SINS WE ENJOY

THE THINGS THAT KEEP US DISTRACTED

FOLKS WE ARE LITERALLY THIRSTING TO DEATH AND THE SOURCE OF ETERNAL LIVING WATER IS BEFORE US YET WE REFUSE TO DRINK OF IT

WE ARE IN A FAMINE PERISHING YET THE SOURCE OF WHAT WE NEED IS IN FRONT OF US IF WE WOULD JUST STOP AND ALLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT TO CONVICT US OF THE IDOLS IN OUR LIVES AND THE THINGS WE ARE PUTTING BEFORE JESUS CHRIST.

IN THE BOOK OF AMOS 8:11 THE PROPHET SPEAKS OF THE TIME WE LIVE IN TODAY. a TIME OF FAMINE....NOT FOR FOOD AND WATER BUT FOR GOD’S WORD. IT IS AS IF WE ARE STARVING, THIRSTING, PERISHING FOR FOOD AND WATER WHILE WE SIT BEFORE A GREAT BANQUET TABLE FILLED WITH FOOD AND WATER BUT WE REFUSE TO EAT OF IT. WE IN AMERICA HAVE BIBLES IN OUR HOME, ON OUR ELECTRONIC DEVICES, ETC.... AT OUR FINGERTIPS BUT REFUST TO PARTAKE OF THE LIVING WATER, WE REFUSE TO PARTAKE OF THE WORD OF GOD.

I REMEMBER THE OLD SAYING THAT YOU CAN LEAD A HORSE TO WATER BUT YOU CAN’T MAKE HIM DRINK. BEFORE US IN THE BIBLE IS FOUND THE TRUTH.... JESUS CHRIST.... THE WAY THE TRUTH THE LIFE, THE GIVER OF LIVING WATER. YET WE DARE DRINK NOT!

WE INSTEAD REMAIN ENSNARED BY THE WORLD. DISTRACTED FROM THE SOURCE OF LIFE JESUS CHRIST. WE REMAIN PERISHING ALL THE WHILE THINKING WE ARE FINE BECAUSE WE STAY SO CAUGHT UP IN WORLDLY AND FLESHLY PURSUITS AND IN RELIGION. FOLKS THIS PASSIVE APATHY IS DISGUSTING TO GOD. AS A MATTER OF FACT THE BOOK OF REVELATION TELLS US THAT JESUS WILL SPEW US OUT OF HIS MOUTH BECAUSE OF LUKEWARMNESS AND APATHY! CHRIST IS TO BE FIRST, PREEMINENT IN ALL THINGS AND MOST IMPORTANTLY IN OUR TIME! CAN WE NOT SPARE A FEW MINUTES WITH HIM EACH DAY, ARE WE SO ENSNARED BY THE ENEMY THAT WE CANNOT SEE THE NEED..... THAT WE ENJOY THINGS OF THE WORLD MORE THAT WE ENJOY OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST..... IF SO DO WE TRULY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM??? OR ARE WE UNDER DELUSION FROM THE ENEMY THINKING ALL IS WELL WHILE WE ARE ON THE ROAD TO HELL.

DECEIT AND LIES

And what is our natural tendency when this happens? It’s to cover up who we are. We hide the truth from ourselves and others. We put on our mask and go about our make-believe world. We play the pretender, just as the woman at the well did with Jesus. She presented another self to Jesus, the one she wanted Him to see, and hid her true self. Until He removed her mask by confronting her with the truth, and made it impossible to be an imposter any longer. What must have been just as unnerving was that when she realized Jesus saw the real her, He did not condemn her. Jesus knew all about her sin — and He loved her. She felt His pure love. If she had felt condemned, she would have left.

Jesus revealed the complete truth about her and completely accepted her at the same time. The saving factor in this woman’s life was that she did not deny the truth. Jesus will forgive our sin, but only if we face it and admit it. He won’t tolerate our deceitfulness. He won’t allow us to be imposters. The truth must be understood and owned. And it is only through the truth that we experience the love of God. We don’t find God by pointing out our strengths, but by admitting our weaknesses.

IF HE HAS CALLED US THEN WE MUST ANSWER THAT CALL IF NOT HE WILL TURN UP THE PRESSURE, LIFE WILL BECOME MISERABLE AS HE TRIES TO CORRECT US AND I BELIEVE WITH EVERY PART OF ME THAT IF A CALLED BELIEVER (EVERY BELIEVER IS) CONTINUOUSLY REFUSES TO BE OBEDIENT AND AFTER GOD PATIENTLY TRIES TO CORRECT US IF WE CONTINUE TO REFUSE HE WILL ALLOW US TO BE TAKEN OUT SO WE DO NOT WORK AGAINST THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CHURCH.

Notice what the woman does!! She changes the subject. Ever been down that road before? Someone gets a little too personal, they get a little closer to the real you than you want to reveal? What you do? Change the subject. That’s the best answer, and most people will go along with you, but not Jesus. She questioned the place of worship. The Samaritans worshiped on a mountain and the Jews in Jerusalem.

JESUS ALREADY KNOWS

Jesus is blunt, He tells her the Samaritans were worshiping what they did not know. He told her everything she believed had been wrong. He said, "Salvation is from the Jews." She was uncomfortable and thought she would change the subject again. Being familiar with Jewish beliefs, she said, "I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes he will explain everything to us." Again, Jesus confronted her with a searing truth that began to burn its way into her brain. He said, "I who speak to you am He." He proclaimed that He was the Messiah, the Son of God. She assumed He was a prophet, but Jesus proclaimed He was the living God.

ALWAYS AN INVITATION TO REPENT AND RETURN TO JESUS!

The disciples came back and questioned why in the world Jesus would talk to a low life Samaritan woman. She left her water jar, I assume for 2 reasons, 1st she wanted to run and carrying a water jar wouldn’t allow her to run fast and 2nd she was going to return with people of the town. Notice her boldness. She hid from the town by getting water during the day and now she wants to share the Good News of Jesus with the people.

RUN AWAY OR WALK IN FAITH

So, what can we take from this amazing story? When you feel Jesus is confronting you, are you running away or are you staying in that relationship with Him? You see, it’s all too easy to run and hide, just like Adam and Eve did, they can run and they could hide, but they would always be found. In the same way, we will always be uncovered by God. Sometimes the uncovering can be pretty scary. We don’t want to reveal our real selves, but think about it, God already knows who we are, "the good, the bad and the ugly."

Instead of running from Jesus, what if we were to reveal more of ourselves to Him? What if we were to say —

Lord despite all of my imperfections, here I am.

Despite my sinfulness, here I am.

Despite my vulnerabilities, here I am.

Despite my helplessness and insecurities, here I am.

Even, despite myself, here I am.

You see, if we ever want to be fed by Christ, if we ever want that deep longing in our soul to be filled then we must be able to stand toe to toe with Jesus and admit who we are. The more we run the more emptier we will feel.

Blaise Pascal said, ‘each human being is born into this world with a God-shaped vacuum inside. We all have an emptiness inside us that is shaped like God himself. Contrary to what the world says, nothing else will fill it adequately. No accomplishment, relationship, wealth, or status will ultimately satisfy us because the shape of our hunger is the shape of God. This woman was thirsty in a way that she did not understand. That was what Jesus had been talking about all along: "I can give you life itself. If you knew who was speaking, if you knew the gift of God, you would ask to have your heart’s longing, your spiritual deprivation met, and he would meet it for you."

How about you? How are you going to fill that emptiness in your soul? You have 2 choices, come to Jesus and bare your soul or you can run. The decision is yours.