There's Something in The Water

John 4:1-14

King James Version (Chapter 4)

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, 2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) 3 He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. 4 And he must needs go through Samaria. 5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. 7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink. 8 (For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.) 9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. 11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? 12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: 14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Get on fire for God and men will come and see you burn. John Wesley (Founder of the Methodist Movement

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Great Commission)

When Jesus ascended to heaven after his mission on earth, the angels asked him: “Did you accomplish your task?”

“Yes, all is finished,” the Lord replied.

“We have a second question,” said the angels. “Has the whole world heard of you?”

“No,” said Jesus.

The angels next asked, “Then what is your plan?”

Jesus said, “I have left twelve men and some other followers to carry the message to the whole world.”

The angels looked at him and asked: “What is your Plan B?”

Friends, there is no Plan B. Jesus desires to reach the world through men and women like you and me.615

The well. (vs. 5-6)

a. It’s location:

Through Samaria was the most direct route from Judea to Galilee, but strict Jews, wishing to avoid defilement, bypassed Samaria by taking a longer, less direct route. This involved crossing the Jordan River and traveling across from Samaria on the eastern side of the river.

4:5 Sychar was located just east of Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The reference to the property that Jacob had given his son Joseph reflects the customary inference from Gn 48:21–22 and Jos 24:32 that Jacob gave his son Joseph the land at Shechem that he had bought from the sons of Hamor (Gn 33:18–19) and that later served as Joseph’s burial place (Ex 13:19; Jos 24:32).

b. It’s history: populated by the racially mixed peoples who resulted from the Assyrian captivity in 722 B.C.

c. It’s benefits: it supplied water for the benefits of many bodily function.

it was a source of community unification.

It served as a reminder of the Samaritans heritage. there connection to Jacob, who gave the well.

2. The woman. (vs.7-9)

a. Her needs: She need fellowship with God. She had a hunger and a thirst for righteous. She need assurance. We are all like the Samaritan woman, we all need...........

b. Her routine: Women generally came in groups either early or late in the day; this solitary female coming at midday highlights her public shame.

c. Her relationship: Jesus, Give me a drink. a Jewish man and rabbi, violated all sorts of social taboos by speaking publicly to a Samaritan woman of questionable morals.

His humanity, suffered from physical limitations.

3. The water. (vs. 10-14)

THE WELLS OF THE WORLD

All things that are of earth are unsatisfactory. Our spirit craves for something more than time and sense can yield it. Nothing which comes of earth, even if it should yield a transient satisfaction, can long maintain its excellence.

a. It’s availability: 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.’

b. It’s affordability: concerning spiritual things? If she had known, she would have asked, and Christ would have given. But the first link was missing and, therefore, the rest of the chain was not drawn on. Sometimes all people need is a little wise instruction, and they will then trust the Savior. God grant that we may always be ready to give it. Some need much more than that, but Christ could truly say to this Samaritan woman, “If you had known, you would have asked, and I would have given.”

c. It, alteration:“Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again.” And therein he took up his parable against all earthly things, whether fame, or riches, or fleshly pleasure, or anything else beneath the sun. Whoever drinks at these shallow wells will not quench but thirst. If for a time he imagines that he has done so, he will be deceived, and in a little season the old craving will return. Waters from his own cistern may stay a man’s desires for a while, but before long he must thirst again.

Jeremiah 2:13 “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.”

Closing: The witness

King James Version (Chapter 4)

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men, 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? 30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Psalm 34:8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!