Gospel Boundaries

The Gospel of John   •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Welcome

Thank everyone for New Years
Well, its time to dive back into John’s Gospel
If you would start opening your bibles to the Gospel of John
Chapter 4, verses 1-26
Last week we covered the ministry of reconciliation
Which is such an act of God
Because this week, as we look at the woman at the well
We learn of a great example of that reconciliation only God offers
That reconciliation that knows no boundaries
Last we we spoke that we are to see people as Jesus sees them
We are to see the world no longer as we once saw it, but in a new way
because we are new creations once we have been born again in God
And since we are new we not to look at others as we used to
But we are to look at others what they could be, children of God
Jesus will show us that example today,
As he presents the Gospel to someone that was an outcast
someone that probably never would have set foot in a church today
someone that was shamed by her culture
someone that didn’t fit in
But that someone, would be the first one to be presented the gospel outside of Jewish territory and outside of the Jewish faith
And that was exactly Jesus’ point here
See the Gospel has no boundaries
The Gospel has no reservations
The Gospel is for everyone
That is why we must be ambassadors for Christ
and share this great message with everyone,
no matter who they are,
what they look like
or where they are from
And we should see a little of ourselves in this story as well
because we all need the gospel every single day
so turn with me and lets read about how Jesus presents the Gospel to the woman at the well
This is a longer passage, therefore, if you do not stand I understand.
But for that willing, please stand as we read the word of God

Scripture

John 4:1–26 “When Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard he was making and baptizing more disciples than John (though Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were), he left Judea and went again to Galilee. He had to travel through Samaria; so he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, worn out from his journey, sat down at the well. It was about noon. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. “Give me a drink,” Jesus said to her, because his disciples had gone into town to buy food. “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.” “Sir,” said the woman, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? You aren’t greater than our …”
Pray

Illustration

Picture of Jacobs well
Elaborate
The Christ (1-6)
The Conversation (7-15)
The Conversion (16-26)
Our text this morning starts shortly after our last time we met in John
If we remember the the pharisees took a hard look at John the Baptist in John chapter 1
When he witness so greatly of Jesus and denied being the messiah, Elijah, or THE profit
Well, those same Pharisees are again seeing how Jesus’ ministry is growing
Now they are looking to investigate him

The Christ

John 4:1–6 “When Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard he was making and baptizing more disciples than John (though Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were), he left Judea and went again to Galilee.
Now, with the pressure starting to stack Jesus decides to move his ministry further away from Jerusalem
Further away from the religious zealots to an area that is a little more low key
But also a little more welcoming
It says that Jesus was baptizing, most likely this was adding to his popularity
Either way, Jesus decided to leave and move his ministry further north
But lets look at how John noted this transition of location
It says Jesus HAD to travel through Samaria
Thats interesting..
See Jews in that day would have bi-passed Samaria at any and all costs
Why, well lets just say the Jews and the Samaritans didn't get along
Thats a topic we will cover tonight during our evening service
but for now, just trust me in the fact that the Jews considered the Samaritans
Half breeds
Less than human
Inferior if we will
And well, the Samaritans reciprocated those thoughts
Just passing through that area would cause defilement in some’s eye
so, the most common route was all the way around
Cross the Jordan river
Go up it, then cross back over
But this isn’t the case this time
See Jesus took the direct path
The shorter path
The path laid out by God
There is not a doubt in my mind that Jesus took this path because it was the will of His father to witness to that woman that day
And just like we should do in our ministries
Jesus took the harder path, knowing it would produce weariness
knowing it would be against traditions of those around him
but also knowing it would produce fruit
He went this way for the Gospel
Because this is his mission
To spread the gospel to all the world
even to those that don’t look, or act like us
So as Jesus and his disciples are walking this path lets notice it is about noon
And our scriptures say that Jesus was worn out
So he stopped
In the heat of the day
To rest
To rest at a place of significance
A place known as Jacobs well
Whom are we all may know
Is an extremely influential player in Gods plan of salvation
as well within the Jewish community
So Jesus stops at this
what we know consider a special place to take a break
Now I want to camp here for a minute
See, up to this point we have seen John the author only refer to Jesus in exalted terms
some examples of how he has been referred to thus far are..
we see that the Word was God
We have seen his Glory
The only Begotten God
he manifested his Glory
He’s the Son of man
He is Lamb of God
He is above all
He who comes from Heaven
Just in 3 chapters Jesus has been referred to in this way
Yet here, in verse 6
it says Jesus was worn out… …
Other translations says that he was wearied
And isn’t that amazing
That the one that has been talked about so exclusively,
so highly so far
was weary
was worn out
See the very fact that Jesus
The agent through whom God created all things
Got tired is mind boggling
Because it shows his humanity
It emphasizes the fact that Jesus was fully God
and yet Fully man
Remember he became fully man for us
So that we know that he endures all we endure
that he feels the same way we feel
See Jesus was so full of humility and self denial
that he would not exempt himself from fatigue
because we get tired
he would not exempt himself from thirst
because we get thirsty
He would not refuse to bear the heat
because we must endure the elements
See Jesus became like us to save us
And there is no better example to follow than his!
So there, a worn out Jesus,
the worn out word or God
The worn out son of God
sat down at the well, around high noon
knowing the will of the father,
and knowing he was about to have a conversation
So let us get into the conversation shall we

The Conversation

John 4:7–15 “A woman of Samaria came to draw water. “Give me a drink,” Jesus said to her, because his disciples had gone into town to buy food.
The fact that his disciples went into town to get food isn’t much of a surprise
after all they traveled lightly
and this would have been the norm for them
BUT, what is a surprise is the fact that Jesus, a Jew
would speak to this woman, a Samaritan
And by speaking these 4 words
“Give me a drink”
Jesus broke down barriers
Barriers that had been there for centuries
Why
Because just as our sermon title indicates
The Gospel has no Boundaries
So Jesus
Broke down substantial barriers in order to spread the message of redemption,
reconciliation,
and salvation
Barrier 1 - The racial barrier
See the gospel doesn’t care about race, ethnicity, or where you came from
Barrier 2 - The Religious barrier (She was a Samaritan)
The gospel doesn't care about what religious you are,
There are a lot of religions out there
But only one that saves
and only one that is true
So all people, of all religions need the gospel
Barrier 3 - The Sexual Barrier
She was a woman
Jewish Men would and should not be speaking to women
Barrier 4 - The Cultural Barrier
We will soon find out that she was an outcast woman
The conversation continues with her surprised response
“How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” she asked him. For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.
She is taken aback by the fact that Jesus spoke to her
Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.”
Living water - are we starting to see a theme here
water has been prevalent this whole time right
between all the baptisms, and then the water was turned into wine
See water was a valuable resource in the ancient world,
a source of power and fear,
a means of deliverance and punishment,
and a vital element in religious worship.
Which is precisely why Jesus referred to it here
Do you know that we can only live about 3 days without water
Isn't it funny that that is precisely long Jesus was buried before he rose again..
Anyway, water is vital to life
And here, Jesus says that he will give her Living water!
As opposed to what.. Dead water
If you remember we briefly touched on living water when we discussed
Jesus turning water into wine
See living water is water that is moving
water that is fresh from a spring
water that is used for purification
see to this culture living water,
because it flowed was to be considered from God
Because it didn't need human hands to transport it
By saying that he is able to give her living water
he is essentially saying that he is from God’’
She thinks he is offering her spring water
much like we would see at the pool of Bethesda, something like that,
But Jesus is in fact offering her salvation
He just went From speaking of earthly things
to speaking of spiritual things
much like he did with Nicodemus
something that can benefit us when we attempt to witness to others as well
The woman, somewhat confused, still thinking on an earthly level
and still attempting to be helpful replies with
11 “Sir,” said the woman, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.”
She is still awestruck to some point right
How is he to draw this water when he doesn’t have a bucket or a rope
And the fact that he is willing to share the bucket or utensil with her is also troubling
remember, she is a samaritan
Even touching something they touch is defiling
much less drinking after her
BUT it seems as though she is also starting to come around
By asking if he is greater than Jacob
I don’t think she is mocking him
But I think she is noticing there is something different about him
something she hasn’t seen in any other Jew
Much like Jesus did with Nicodemus, he does’t directly answer her questions
Instead, he focuses on one particular point buried within her comment
The question of where to get this water
but even before he answers that
he needs her to understand her NEED for this living water
Its as if during this conversation Jesus looks back and points to the well
13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again.
Where can we find that which satisfies
See every man woman and child is thirsty for something
Whether that is money
fame
respect
God put within us this urge to worship
this urge to long for something
Now, for many we attempt to satisfy this urge
with longing for the things just listed
or by accumulating possessions
How many do we know will be feeling down or misunderstood and instead of dealing with the problem at hand will just run out and buy something shiny to fulfil that need
to make them temporarily feel better
Some find that urge fulfilled in things like food or drink
they long to quench their thirst for meaning
by cracking open a beer
or Dr pepper
or some other type of substance
But what Jesus is saying here is that those things will never satisfy you
they will only keep you coming back for more
However, what Jesus offers will never run out
That need or longing for acceptance, for whatever our own desire is
can be found in Jesus
and when we come to HIM to quench our thirst
we will never be thirsty again
He finishes this response by saying
In fact, the water I will give him will become a well of water springing up in him for eternal life.”
Not only will what He offers satisfy our thirst
it will will spring up!
The greek word behind “springing up” here doesn’t signify just a little splash
actually it represents like a geyser leaping up
picture old faithful in Yellowstone National Park
Just an explosion of water right
See where the earthily things we use to satisfy our soul are like a dribble
The living water Jesus offers to satisfy our soul is like this geyser
Just exploding with new life
with eternal life
and with this the woman stars to understand
she says in V 15
15 “Sir,” the woman said to him, “give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water”
And Jesus is ready to give this water to her
this water that will fulfill her every need
This water that provides salvation and forgiveness
But first… …
She must fully understand her need for this
And that leads us to our next point

The Conversion

John 4:16–18 ““Go call your husband,” he told her, “and come back here.” “I don’t have a husband,” she answered. “You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’ ” Jesus said. “For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.””
This poor woman had had 5 husbands and was not living with a man that wasn’t her husband
Do we see now why she was getting water at noon instead of early in the morning or late in the evening when it is cooler
she is wanting to avoid the crowds
wanting to avoid the gossip about her
wanting to avoid weird look and probably even the insults
see this woman was trying to fulfil her needs with relationships
failed relationships at that
And Jesus, again portraying his supernatural awareness
Much like he did with Simon (Peter) and Nathanael in chapter 1
does it again here
See by stating these things he is convicting her of her sin
He wants her to come face to face with the very thing that is separating her from God
So that she can understand that her needs wont be met in the ways that she is trying to meet them
And that they can and will only be met by forgiveness
See her problem, and ours as well
is not the particular sin we commit
its the fact that we are sinners
and with this very fact that we are sinners we are separated from God
From the beginning of human history this has been the case
unless we understand the true depth our sin we will never understand the true grace that God provides
Thomas Watson, a 17th century Puritan wrote
“Till sin be bitter, Christ will not be sweet”
Christ is telling us that the gospel without sin is no gospel at all
Yet for some reason all around the world stadiums, auditoriums, and mega church’s are being filled with people who are hearing condemnation free messages
messages of Love and life improvement
12 step plans if you will
bumper sticker Christianity that says “God wants you to be happy just as you are”
Brothers and sisters that is a lie!
It is impossible to be truly happy as we are
we are sinners in need of rescue
and that rescue will only happen when we turn from our sin
repent, and follow Jesus
But, like most of us would do
when confronted with our sin we don’t want to recognize it
instead we turn the other way
or change the subject
Just like this woman attempts to do here
John 4:19–20 ““Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.””
Its clear that she is starting to understand what Jesus is saying here
But she also tried to change the subject as well
Again we will talk more this evening about the different places of worship between the Jews and the Samaritans
But can we sense this tension that is forming within her right
and she is admitting that Jesus is a prophet
she is switching the conversation to a spiritual one as well
she is asking about worship and their differences
And listen to how Jesus responds…
John 4:21–24 “Jesus told her, “Believe me, woman, an hour is coming
That should sound familiar as well
remember Jesus has reffered to this hour before
In chapter 2 V4
this hour eludes to his passion
to his cruxifiction
to his death, his burial, and his resurrection
and after that time
Lets pick back up in V21
……you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.
That is God established his plan for salvation through the Jewish people
Right, Christ came through the Jewish people
But an hour
There it is again
is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.””
Jesus is saying well among many other things
But at least these 2 things
That the way that Jews and Samaritans worship will no longer matter
and will no longer suffice
Because now, proper worship will be centered on Christ
and the new life that gives
See geography doesn’t really matter to God when it comes to worship
what matters is the heart
See God is not a material being
he is a spirit
so worshipping on a mountain or in a temple will no longer matter
sure corporate worship as we doing here this morning is important
if fact we are called to do so within scripture
But! this building is not the basis of our worship
God is
And because God is spirit he comes to dwell within us
So to worship in spirit and in truth
means that we have recieved the truth
and the truth is the testimony about who Jesus Christ is
For he is the eternal Son of God of became man in order to live a sinless life
and bear our sins upon the cross so that we can be reconciled and redeemed
and we will understand that truth then we will receive the spirit
as his presence comes and dwells within us
John 4:25–26 “The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Jesus told her, “I, the one speaking to you, am he.””
Jesus held nothing back in our final verses of the morning
She was on the fence
trying to mend these concepts
and understanding that a messiah would be coming for her
And then Jesus tells her
He is the messiah, he is the living water that can quench her thirst
HE is salvation

Conclusion

Our call to action is two fold this morning
1st, The gospel knows no boundaries
Just like water flows without boundaries
So should the gospel
We are to share it with everyone
from the religious example, as seen in Nicodemus
to the outcast example, as seen this morning
to the political and powerful example, as we will see with the officials son in a couple of weeks
no matter who they are or where they come from
And Christ gave us a great example of that this morning
We don’t have to wait for the perfect time, place, or setting
to share the good news of Jesus
We must only be open and ready when the opportunity presents itself
Whether that opportunity is at work, the store,
or at a well, tired, and weary
The second call to action this morning is the fact that
we are all searching
searching for something to quench that thirst
searching for something fulfill us
and I can assure you,
nothing in this world can do that
Only Christ can do that
So stop looking for salvation in material things
and start finding it in Christ
Let us pray
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