A defining Conversation

Jesus steps into a life

Think back into your life. Do you remember certain conversations you have had that changed the course of your life?

Facts of life conversation.

A friends heart to heart

A broken relationship

Gospel of John records a number of conversations that changed people’s lives.

I.       The conversation: Initiated by Jesus

(NKJV) John 4 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.

A.     An unusual trek

B.     A required trek

C.     An intentional appointment

II.    The conversation: Coming to unlikely people

(NKJV) John 4 6 … 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.

A.     Fringe people

B.     People with bad reputations

C.     People with strange beliefs

III. The conversation: Offering  that which satisfies

A.     Beyond one’s experience

(NKJV) John 4 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.”

B.     A living satisfaction

C.     A removal of longing

(NKJV) John 4 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.

D.    A eternal refreshment

(NKJV) John 4 14 … 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.”

IV. The conversation: Must deal with sin

(NKJV) John 4 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.

A.     Knows of sin

B.     Points it out

C.     Opportunity to turn to God

V.    The conversation: About genuine worship of the true God

A.     Not about religion

(NKJV) John 4 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.

B.     About genuine worship

(NKJV) John 4 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; …

C.     Genuinely worshiping the real God

(NKJV) John 4 23 … for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.  24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

D.    About trusting Christ

(NKJV) John 4 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.” (“I AM, the one speaking to you)

VI. The conversation: Producing a transformed life

(NKJV) John 4 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.

A.     Other things less important

B.     A need to tell others

C.     Others seeing the change and responding

(NKJV) John 4 39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, … 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.”