Untitled Sermon (2)

Preaching / Teaching John 4: 13 - 23‌

Our preaching pericope on this morning comes to us from the book of St John the apostle, 4th chapter 13-23 verses. We are excited and encouraged to bring this word to you today and it can be for some of us a refreshing for the start of the New Year. For our time with you today, we will share:

“Water from the Well: An Examination of True Worship”

The historical circumstance and prelude to our passage finds Jesus leaving Judea just as John’s disciples and Pharisees began to argue about who baptized more people. John’s disciples went to him and said ‘that man who you testified about’ is taking in more candidates for baptism. Everyone is going to him. Funny how didn’t mention the man’s name, although John testified about him so… they had to know who He was, his name and that he was related to John at that. Curious… how now Jesus becomes ‘that man’. The pretense is that John’s disciples were concerned about the reputation of their Rabbi, their leader. That could be possible, but I also believe that John’s disciples were more so concerned about their own reputation as his followers wanting to maintain their prominence as ‘John’s disciples’. John reminds his followers that I have already told you … “I am not the Messiah, but was sent ahead of him”, “He must become greater and I less” and how He would come to offer eternal life to those that believe (Jn 3:36).

We now find Jesus having left Judea on his way to Galilee by way of Samaria. Generally, the Jews would not travel through Samaria, but Jesus had purpose in his passage.

-1-

There was such tension between the Jewish people and Samaritans, Jews would usually go around Samaria into Perea and the Decapolis to get to their destination. The hatred of the two groups ran deep: Samaritans were mixed heritage with Gentiles while still claiming to be ‘true’ recipients of the Abrahamic promise. The Samaritans also built their own counterfeit temple – Mount Gerizim and created their priesthood and sacrificial system. All independent of the Jewish people and their tradition. As well they sided with the pagan kings in persecuting the Jews. Conversely one of the Jewish leaders destroyed the Samaritan temple. The hatred ran both ways.

Jesus gets to the well about noon (sixth hour of the day), weary from traveling. A woman comes to draw water from the well. Jesus disciples are not with him -they go to town to buy food. There is much significance in each of these statements. Please understand this was not just any woman, but a woman despised of the Jesus’ people, his ancestry – a Samaritan. Jesus speaks to the woman and in doing so he violates three conventions of that day: social, cultural and religious.

1) Woman were considered inferior to men. No Middle Eastern man ever spoke to a woman in public not even his wife.

2) The woman was a social outcast. No self-respecting man, especially a teacher would ever speak to a woman of her reputation.

3) No Jew ever spoke to a Samaritan. They believe Samaritans had betrayed their faith, creating their own institutions of worship.

However, Jesus speaks to the woman: “Will you give me a drink?” The woman responds, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman, how can you ask me for a drink? -2-

(This was significant to the text that John had to remind readers that Jews had no association with Samaritans.) Jesus in perfect wisdom and perfect love now introduces himself as the giver of Living water delivers what I like to call his ‘Gotcha moment!’ with the woman in vs 10…’if you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have him and ask him and he would have given you living water’.

The crucible of my text begins at verse 13. Jesus’ response to the woman who provided 3 dilemmas to the Messiah: 1) you have nothing to draw water with 2) where is this living water, 3 are you greater than our father Jacob who drank from this very well?

All natural responses to a spiritual address.

Jesus says “Everyone who drinks from this water will be thirsty again… but with my water you will never thirst. It will be like a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (vs 13)

(Illustration 1) I am reminded of a story that I read about a couple of wounded men in battle. They would cry ‘Water, Water!’ but the water was not clear, murky. One of the attending soldiers brought the man the muddy water to drink. The soldier tasted just a little bit of it, gave it immediately back to the soldier- he says ‘If I could only have a drink from my Father’s well!’ This was years ago when well water was conventional. This woman had an entire well of water before her and did not know it! Oh, if we could remember to draw from the well of water that satisfies our thirsts – no matter the thirst – eternally!

-3-

The Samaritan woman’s response in verse 15 is like much of our response… ‘give me this water so that I won’t get thirst and keep coming again and again to draw water’(!) A natural response to a spiritual problem. Whatever you have for me so that I do not have to repeatedly come here or return to the well – I will be grateful. The shame and ridicule I feel coming here is too much, I must come alone, in secret, at the hottest hour of the day to avoid the other women. The Samaritan woman only thought of her present, natural condition and who may blame her. However, she had no idea that the answer to all her dilemma lied within her reach or … belief.

Jesus turns the tide of the discussion that reveals his purpose for their not so inconsequential meeting. “Go call your husband and come back” (v 16).

“You have had five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband”. The manner of which Jesus handles the woman is with love and care. Allowing her to acknowledge her truth openly, without His rebuke or scorn. No condemnation…Profound. Prophetic. Purposeful.

The scripture does not reveal why the woman had 5 husbands, many state perhaps she outlived them, and she remarried each time. Some state that they may have all divorced her, very easy to do in the first century. A husband could divorce for any number of reasons. Living with a man now, possibly abandoned – may have been her only means of survival. (side note: Not like today- woman have an abundance of opportunities and options for livelihood).

Our Samaritan woman is a woman seeking, a woman thirsty. She begins to examine within herself, still not completely understanding who this stranger is – she resolves that he is a prophet (v. 19). She changes the conversation; some say to avoid Jesus going further into her obvious

-4-

immorality, possibly from embarrassment that her sin is uncovered, or she feels that as a prophet he may be able to answer a question that has resonated with her for some time:

“We as Samaritans worship here (on this mountain), you as Jews worship there (Jerusalem)”(v 20). Remember the woman is thirsty.

(Illustration 2) Salt Creates Thirst. There is a story about a few young people who were discussing the text ‘Ye are the salt of the earth.’ They went around the room trying to explain to one another about the meaning of salt. One said, ‘salt provides flavor’, salt preserves, keeps things from decay. (that’s why there is so much salt in canned goods or vegetables – preservation). All of sudden a young Christian girl said, ‘Salt creates thirst’. The room grew quiet. Most of the kids had the same thought “Have I ever made anyone thirsty for the Lord?”

The woman was a developing a THIRST for the living water of Christ and did not yet know it… and soon would carry that thirst throughout her community. It is said she became the first woman evangelist as a result of her discussion and revelation of the Living Water – Jesus Christ.

Jesus provides three bold and revelatory truths the Samaritan woman and to us today-especially if you do not know him or have accepted Him as Lord. 1) He offers her water beyond her perception of water – fulfillment of natural thirst to receiving eternal life. 2) He becomes her prophet, through as a stranger, revealed the personal aspects of her life. 3) He provides the plan to know true worship of God through Him and the Holy Spirit. Worship is not longer confined to a locale or building- it is to worship God the Father.

-5-

Her traditional worship was to worship at Mount Gerizim- the place that they set up as location chosen by God for a holy temple. They believe it to be the place where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac, where the Jews believe it to be Mount Moriah also known as the Temple Mount. 2000 years later, the Samaritans worship there at Mount Gerizim.

The time is coming when your will worship the Father neither on this mountain or Jeursalem (!) (v 19)

True worshippers! Jesus introduced this new, transformational worship to the woman then and today. Your traditions will not bring you to true worship. Your grand cathedrals, mega churches, conferences, and theatrical events are not the way to worship. Today we are like the woman and many others in scripture trapped by locales, traditions, and religiosity when it comes to submitting, serving and worshipping God. So much so that some of us cannot determine what we believe in or who we are in Christ anymore.

(Illustration 3) Whom Are You Doubting? A man tells a story about meeting Dr. Dwight L. Moody, founder of Moody Bible Institute. Dr. Moody asks the man whether he was a Christian. The man replies that he’s not sure whether he was a Christian or not. Dr. Moody asked whether he was a church member. Then point him to read a passage of scripture from John 5:24: “Verily, verily I say unto you, He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Dr. Moody asked the man whether he believes it, then whether he accepts the scripture. The man responds ‘Yes’ to both.

-6-

But still says ‘something I think I am a Christian, other times I do not know. He then asked the man to read it again and asks the man the same question on whether he believes it.

The man, just as he was going to say “sometimes I do not…” realized for the first time that he was doubting God’s word. We have to believe God’s Word about what he says about us. Not how we feel or what we feel – but the Word of God that has already proclaimed “if you hear and believe on Him that sent me… you shall have everlasting life and not come into condemnation…”

Christians often attempt to measure themselves with others in the “right” form of worship, “right” temple, “right” church, “right” denomination All of this wonderment can cause one to doubt our stance in God, his Word and what his word says about us. Jesus did not get into an argument with the woman about “right” place of worship; but instructed her to the true nature of worship. Worship the Father in the Holy Spirit and truth – for that is what the Father is seeking. (v 20-23)

Accept the Water (Jesus Christ) from the Well that will never run dry. Become a True Worshipper of God. John 7:37, 38 “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them”.