The boundless love of Jesus
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The Saviour of the World
BI: We need to know that Jesus’ love is boundless and believe in the loving Saviour of the World
1. Introduction:
Friends there is a love that crosses all barriers, a love that will cross any boundaries. A love that is boundless. It cannot be shackled. We hear about it in songs all the time. Don’t know if you remember him, I grew up listening to Richard Mercer. do you remember him? Love song dedications. okay it was very corny. Don’t know what happened to that great man.
But this idea of a love that is boundless really shone through on love song dedications.
Barbara Streisand sings: I am a woman in love. And I do anything to get you into my world. And hold you within. it’s a right I defend. Pretty intense hey.
Or who can forget the Police? Not sure if they were thinking about how creepy this love song sounds now but ah Every move you make. remember that song?– I’ve sang many times at Karaoke back in the day.
Every move you make, And every vow you break, Every smile you fake, Every claim you stake, I'll be watching you
There’s a love that crosses all barriers. A love that is boundless.
Or what about Casey Chambers? Aussie singer. She sings Barricades and Brick walls, Won't keep me from you, You can tie me down on a railroad track, You can let that freight train loose, Iron bars and big old cars, Won't run me out of town, Well I'll be damned if your not my man, Before the sun goes down.
There’s a love that crosses all barriers and any boundaries. A love that is boundless.
1.1 Context:
In John chapter four we meet a woman who is just so so far from God. But Jesus pursues her. He shows her his boundless love. He can forgive anyone, anywhere, anytime.
And John highlights that Jesus’ love is boundless. Because in chapter 3 we had a man Nicodemus Jewish religious upright seeker. The barriers for him should have been miniscule. He should know Jesus is the Messiah. He knew the Old Testament. He was a teacher of the law. But he was ignorant.
John contrasts Nicodemus with this woman at the well. She’s so far away being right with God. She a Samaritan not Jewish, her life has been a long line of failed marriages, she is not even seeking God. There are so many barriers for her to know Jesus.
Yet friends, We need to know that Jesus’ love is boundless. And we need to trust in this boundless love of our Saviour. That’s my big idea. Know, Jesus’ love is boundless. Trust, the boundless love of our Saviour.
2. We need to know Jesus’ love is boundless (4:1-30)
To set the scene in verses 1 to 4, Jesus sets out for Galilee. He is on his mission to preach the Gospel. he is causing a stir. He has cleared the temple. The Pharisees didn’t like that. Now we find out that his disciples are baptizing more people than John’s disciples. So it’s getting hot politically. Tensions are rising.
So Jesus decides to get out of Judea. He goes from the South in Judea up to the north in Galilee. But to do this he has to go through Samaria. Now we’re told in verse 6 he’s quite tired. It’s a long hot walk right. It’s noon the hottest part of the day. His disciples have gone to the city to get food. Jesus is at the well. He is really really thirsty.
Now here’s where it gets interesting. A woman comes to the well. Let’s pick up from verse 7.
A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”
She’s shocked. Look at what she says.
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.)
You’re a man, I’m a woman. I’m a woman in the middle of no where. You shouldn’t be talking to me. You and I think what’s the big deal? But Jesus is crossing a cultural boundary. This does not happen in that time.
And more than that, you’re a Jew I’m a Samaritan. We don’t get along. in fact, Jews and Samaritans hated each other. Why? Samaritans were half Jews. They interbred with Gentiles. Jews saw them as impure. They were compromisers. We’re told clearly in verse 9 the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus is crossing another cultural boundary.
Now, you might be thinking, Jesus is insensitive. What’s he doing? But the fact is he knows these boundaries. He crosses them anyway to engage with this woman. His love is boundless. In fact, he has a gift to offer. Look at Verse 10
Jesus answered 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.”
if you knew the gift of God. If only you knew the gift of God. you’d ask me for a drink. I’ve got living water. That’s what you need.
But the woman doesn’t understand. she’s thinking H20. she’s thinking about water.
The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.”
How can you get me a drink? You don’t even have a bucket to draw water. How can you give me living water? Notice what Jesus says. this is a fascinating exchange.
john 4:13
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again,
He says yep you’re right if you drink this water you will get thirsty again. That’s obvious. But here’s the key bit.
but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Jesus is not talking about H20. He’s talking about a living water. drink this living water and it means you never get thirsty again. It’s a spring of water welling up to eternal life.To put simply, Jesus offers her eternal life. That’s what it’s about. Life with God forever. It’s a huge statement. This is much much much better than water. This water satisfies the thirst of her soul.
Friends this is powerful image isn’t it? When’re your so thirsty, just absolutely parched. All you want is water. You know the feeling. Just want to skull that water after eating anchiove pizza. He’s saying actually eternal life will be water for a thirsty soul. Quenching, reviving, satisfying. offers living water, eternal life to a Samaritan woman. That’s what he offers her. Jesus’ love is boundless.
But the thing is. She doesn’t get it. You see it in verse 15. John 4:15
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
She’s still thinking about H20.
So Jesus graciously changes tact. He continues to pursue her. Now, when I first read this verse 16-18, I thought, that’s random. Why is talking about her love life? what’s this got to do with anything? But Jesus is clever smarter than me. He is touching on a really sore point in her life. Her crutch. It’s that she just goes through men like a disposable glove. That’s why she’s an outcast. Come to verse 16:
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
This woman has had a tragic past. She’s had unstable relationships. 5 husbands! Think about that. We are not told why she has had so many husbands. The fact is, she’s sleeping with another man that’s not even her husband. Friends, you might look at a woman like her with her reputation has no place in God’s kingdom. Isn’t that how we can think? you’re just too far gone. You’re a no hoper. how can God change your heart?
But this fact doesn’t stop Jesus. He doesn’t sweep sin under the carpet. He brings this sin into the open, into the light. This sexual sin. It’s not beyond God’s love. Why? Jesus’ love is boundless. He pursues her.
But again she changes topics. This is too sensitive. she’s trying to keep him at arms length. I can’t face this. Again she puts up another barrier. Now it’s the religious barrier. Verse 19
The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”
She’s evasive. I don’t have a husband. This is the old let me off the hook trick. Now she’s saying, I see you are a prophet. But she does the who can know trick? But who can know which religion is right? she’s putting up another barrier. You say this. I say that. You’re Jewish – you worship in Jerusalem, I’m a Samaritan we worship at Mount Gerizim. We worship differently. Who can really tell say who’s right and who’s wrong?
It’s like when you share the Gospel and someone says, ahhh it’s all the same. All religions are the same. Be a good person. Who can really know?
But look at what Jesus does. He’s very direct. He’s clear. Verse 22
You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
Salvation comes from the Jews. Salvation does not come from the Samaritans. He clears up that misunderstanding. He corrects her thinking. She’s been following the wrong religion.
But more importantly, he loves her. His love is boundless. He tells her how to worship God. The fact that he is revealing all this is love. He says, look the argument is now irrelevant. It’s like trying to decide which color to paint super cheap auto in Epping. its pointless because it’s burnt down.
And here’s the thing. It’s not where you worship God. I said this a few weeks ago. It’s not a place. You don’t worship God at the temple anymore. That was for a time. But It’s who you worship now. It’s a person. You can only worship God through Jesus. That’s what pleases God the father. We saw this in John chapter 2:19
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Jesus is the true temple. His hour is coming. The hour when he will prove this. (Jesus is saying his hour has come - his Gospel.) He will die and rise again. Why? to save people from their sins. he makes it clear that worshipping God is now in spirit and in truth. verse 23.
john 4:23-24
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
We need to know that Jesus’ love is boundless. He shows her how to worship God! she’s a Samaritan woman. She has the worst of reputations. She worships a false God. But Jesus graciously shows her how to worship his Father. It’s in spirit and in truth. What does he mean by that?
Firstly in Spirit. This is your inner being. You’re all. Everything about you is to be worshipping God. not just your mind and not just your actions, but your whole being. It’s because of your love for God. But of course, you can only do this if you have God’s Spirit – the Holy Spirit - dwelling in you. Of course your whole being by the Spirit, but also in truth because if it’s not in truth. you are not worshipping the God the Scriptures. it’s a false God.
The truth is the Gospel. You trust that Jesus died and rose again for your sins. He is the Messiah. The lord and saviour. That’s how you Worship in spirit and in truth.
And again, surprise surprise the woman changes the topic. she says I’m going to wait.
The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”
He will clear everything up. I’ll believe everything when he comes. But Jesus corners her. Don’t ever think Jesus is not clear. Don’t ever think Jesus’ love is not boundless. Look what he says. He says he is the Messiah.
Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
I am the Messiah. You don’t need to wait anymore. I’m the one who’s spent all this time at a well explaining this to you. I’m not a random Jew. I’m the Messiah. The one God has sent.
Friends i hope you can see
Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman because he loves her - he offers living water, eternal life.
Jesus shows her greatest need is not in finding a man but finding life in him because he loves her
Jesus tells her how to worship God because he loves her
Jesus tells her I’m the Messiah because he loves her.
Friends we need to know Jesus’ love is boundless. No barrier can stop you from coming to Him. For god loved the world in this way, that he gave his only son, that whoever believer in him will not perish but have eternal life. Do you know this? Do you know that Jesus love is boundless?
Now of course, it’s one thing to do know something. But it’s another to trust it. We need to trust in the boundless love of the Saviour.
3. We need to trust in the boundless love of the Saviour (4:31-42)
Here’s my second point. This point will be shorter.
The woman leaves her jar, some say she’s how she is converted but we don’t know. She runs back to the town and says verse 29
“Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.
That’s the big question on her mind.
While she’s running back, the disciples remember they had gone to get food in the city, they have a brief discussion with Jesus about food.
They are thinking sandwiches. Rabbi eat, see in verse 31 in your Bibles i won’t read it. But He is thinking ministry. He says verse 34
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
Isn’t that interesting? The woman thinks H20, Jesus means spiritual life. Eternal life. The disciples think sandwiches, Jesus is thinking about spiritual ministry. sharing the gospel. He is here to do the will of his Father.
It would not be surprising that as the towns people hear her story, they start to pour up the hill, and you see that Jesus is filled with compassion for these Samaritans. Look the fields are white or ready for harvest. And he urges his disciples in verse 38 to think about the harvest. Stop being distracted by food. He has just shared the Gospel with this one shief of wheat. This woman who is very very lost. And now there’s this great hectare of Samaritan men and woman coming up the hill.
Friends, Jesus wants his disciples to get on board. it’s about reaching these lost souls with the Gospel.
and that’s what happens.
The Samaritans realise this is the Saviour of the world. these are sweet words. Come to verse 39 we’ll read to verse 42
Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
They hear the woman’s testimony.
They stay with him 2 days. Jesus gives them his time. he loves them.
And they believe. What do they believe? He is the Saviour of the world.
Friends Jesus is the Saviour of the World. This is the boundless love of God. he’s come to save people from their sin. and he is interested in every single person in the world.
His love is boundless. you are not too far away for Jesus love. Do not ever think that your class, your culture, your background, your potential, your looks, your money, your failed relationships, your sex life, your shady tax history, those things won’t satisfy you. Those things cannot stop you from Jesus love. Why? Because he is the Saviour of the World. He died for your sins. he died to save you. What matters most is if we trust in the Saviour.
We need to know that Jesus’ love is boundless. And here, we need to trust in the boundless love of the Saviour.
4. Implications:
Oh friends, Jesus is so wonderful. His love is just out of this world. It’s boundless. So can I leave you with 2 implications as we wrap up.
4.1 Believe in the Saviour
He gives you this gift. if only you knew This gift of God. We saw it in verse 10. it’s a gift. You can’t earn it. he died for your sins. so dont wait any longer. believe in the saviour. Trust in Jesus for eternal life. Will you receive it? you might be thinking, yeah but can I receive it? I don’t feel like I deserve. I live with regret. I am just so bad. Why would Jesus want to forgive me? Yes you don’t deserve it. And yes Jesus knows your past. He knew this woman’s whole history. He knows your history. but he gladly offers you this gift. Why? Because his love is boundless. He is the Saviour of the world and offers you eternal life. Will you believe in Jesus?
Secondly, we need to believe that Jesus will save his people.
4.2 Believe that Jesus will save his people
Brothers and sisters I want to bring you in for a moment. I want to speak frankly. This passage, as I kept mulling over it this week you can clearly see Jesus’s love is boundless. Doesn’t matter who you are. He can save you. He would love sinners like us. What a wonderful God. But I was rebuked by this passage. while i can’t believe he saved me, the other side of me thinks, how will he save them? I doubt God. I write people off. let me give you an example. Joy and I went to this families house down from us. they are Chloe’s kinder friend. We went to celebrate her daughter’s birthday. We were the only people invited. They don’t have friends other than family. They are Sikhs, full on Sikhs. Husband works 14 hour days. Wife and mother and children have limited English. And so we are at their house. It’s really all the smells and whistles, the turban, and full beards for all men… the traditional dress for women. I’m thinking to myself, how will God save them? do you ever think that? I say to Joy afterwards, we are debriefing the whole cross cultural experience. I say to her, Joy, I don’t know how God will save this neighbor? They are so far away from Jesus. How will God save them?
do you think that? They are just so hard. They cant get life together, how can Jesus save them?
This passage rebuked me. The fields are white for harvest. Jesus love is boundless. No barrier is too great for him. Doesnt this drive us to prayer. friends, I desire for our family to keep plugging away at this relationship. praying and trying to share the Gospel with these sikhs. Trust that God works by his Spirit. believe god will save his people. Jesus will bring people from darkness to light. Jesus’s love is boundless. Know it and believe it.
Lets’ pray together. Will you pray with me?