It's Deeper Than The Well (Part 2)
Notes
Transcript
Doxology:
This is my Bible. It is God’s Holy Word. It is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path, and I will hide its words within my heart, that I might not sin against God. Amen!
Scripture Reference: John 4:27-42
Context
Context
We are continuing our thought today of “It’s deeper than the well.”
Last week, we were able to see Christ at work first hand. Jesus and the disciples are travelling to Galilee but they had to go through Samaria to get there. As they journeyed, they came to Jacob’s well, which is in Samarian territory.
Jesus was weary from the journey, so he stayed there to rest while the disciples all went into town to get some food. As soon as they were out of sight, a Samaritan woman showed up at the well to draw water.
Jesus breaks down the cultural barriers of their day and engages in conversation with this lady. She was very reserved at first, but throughout the conversation, Jesus is able to help her see her need for salvation. He leans into this concept of being “deeper than the well.”
He helps her to see that salvation is about more than Jews and Samaritans; it is about more than Mount Gerizim and Jerusalem; it is about more than physical wells and physical water.
All of these physical things hold us back from worshipping God fully, so Jesus is breaking down these physical barriers between our heart and God so that we can lean in fully.
His disciples, who went to buy food, are on their way back. Unfortunately, they too are being restricted by the same cultural mindset.
He is about to share with them the same message, simply using a different parable.
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
This account of Scripture unfolds in my mind as if it is a play. It has acts and scenes. So that is how we are going to break it down today:
Content
Content
Act 1: The Divine Interruption
Act 1: The Divine Interruption
Scene 1: The Disciples show up just before the woman leaves (27-28)
The disciples went to buy some food. Upon their return, this woman is still at the well speaking with Jesus.
They have no idea what has taken place, or the nature of their conversation, but there is one thing they do know....This is uncommon.
27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”
They marveled that He talked with a woman...
In their culture, it was very uncommon for a Rabbi to speak to another woman whose husband was not present, or who was not married.
It was even considered shameful. To some, even sacrilegious.
The fact that this was a Samaritan woman made it even worse. If they would have known her history of sinfulness, it would have even been worse than that.
Regardless of how they felt about it, they refrained from asking questions. I am sure they spoke about it amongst themselves, but they did not bring it up to Jesus.
As they drew near, the woman runs off into the distance, leaving her waterpot behind.
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,
Some have questioned the meaning of this detail:
Some say she left in such a hurry that she simply forgot it…whether through excitement, fear of the disciples approach, etc.
Some say she left it for Jesus. According to the text, we never actually see where she gives Jesus a drink, so some say she left it so that He could help Himself to the well.
I personally believe it was more planned out than either of those two things, though it might encompass them as well.
If she gets back to town and no one believes what she has to say, she at least has an excuse to go back to the well. She left her waterpot and needs to retrieve it. This could entice a few to go along with her, seeing that she already has to go anyway. At the very least, it is a great excuse to get to see Jesus again.
In truth, we really don’t know why she left it. The text simply does not say. Either way, it was a detail God wanted us to see and ponder.
Scene 2: The Woman goes back to the city and tells them about Jesus (29-30)
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,
She approaches the men.
Notice that it is the men whom she approaches. It doesn’t say that she approached everyone, or that she approached the men and women, but just the men.
In their culture, it was the men who were considered the leaders of society. If anyone was going to make a major decision, it was going to be the men. If anyone was going to inflict change within the culture, it was going to be the men.
She just had a bomb dropped on her by Jesus. “Salvation is of the Jews”, Jesus said. If she is going to have any chance for this new information to take root and take hold, it is going to have to come through the men of the city, so she goes to the men.
She gives her experience.
29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”
First thing she does, is share her experience. “Come see a man who tole me all things that I ever did.”
She starts off by making this radical claim of a man with divine intellect. No normal man can these things. Starting off her claim of Jesus in this way instantly grabs their attention.
“You mean that a total stranger, who is a Jew, was able to tell you everything about your life? Tell me more!” Right!
She poses the possibility of Jesus being the Messiah as a question.
But then she does something even more strategic. If she comes right out and claims that He is the Messiah, they might just stone her for doing so. Remember that these people hated the Jews. Furthermore, they thought the Jews had it all wrong, and they had it all right. So she has to be careful how she articulates this to a very strict, religious crowd.
Instead, she poses the possibility of Jesus being the Christ as a question. “Could this be the Christ?”
John MacArthur points out that this question in the original language actually carries forth a negative connotation. In other words, it is a question that elicits a negative response.
“Could it actually be possible that this man is the Christ?” See, it is a question of doubt…almost as if it is rhetorical. All she is doing is planting the seed in their minds. She is not wrong in doing what she did, because this is probably the only way to get any of them to go see Jesus.
Matter of fact, that is exactly what happens.
30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
Act 2: The Divine Insight
Act 2: The Divine Insight
Scene 1: The Disciples Spiritual Immaturity (31-33)
31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?”
The Disciples urge Jesus to eat.
Jesus explains that He has food that they do not know of.
They struggle to see the truth of this claim.
This verse right here shows us that they are no more spiritually inclined than the woman was. Jesus tried to speak to her in the same way, and she didn’t get it either. They are just as clueless as she was when Jesus first started talking to her.
On the Surface, these young men and this woman are complete opposites:
They are a group of many, but she is only one.
They are men, but she is a woman.
They are Jews, but she is a Samaritan.
They are disciples of Christ, but Jesus is a total stranger to her.
Beneath the surface, they are more connected than they realize:
They both are bound by cultural prejudice.
They both fail to see the spiritual nature of things.
They both seek to honor God but are ignorant of how to do so.
They both are loved by Jesus.
They both are being helped by Jesus.
They both have a place in the Kingdom of God.
Salvation is available to them both.
Scene 2: Jesus’ Spiritual Insight (34)
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
Just like Jesus did with the woman, Jesus now has to go a bit deeper for these young men to understand what He is actually trying to say. “My food” - the thing that satisfies Me, the thing that fills Me, the thing that gives Me sustenance and keeps Me going - “is to do the will of Him who sent me.”
Jesus explains the physical benefits of being spiritually focused. Did you know that was a thing? Did you know that being spiritually focused actually benefits your body?
1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
What is He saying? It’s deeper than the well.
We get so caught up in the physical side of life, that we rarely check into the spiritual side of things.
It’s deeper than you claiming God, does God claim you?
It’s deeper than salvation, we are called to be sanctified.
It’s deeper than do’s and don’ts, it’s a matter of the heart.
It’s deeper than what others see in you, it’s what God sees in you that counts.
It’s deeper than here and now, it’s eternity that’s at stake.
It’s deeper than making a living, it’s about making a life that matters.
It’s deeper than you and me, it’s our witness to our children and an entire generation that will one day take over when we are dead and gone.
It’s deeper than being good looking or sexy, can you see yourself building a life with this person?
It is always deeper than the well.
Notice again what Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”
Jesus is telling these young men, “You can spend your whole life trying to finish your own work if you would like, but it will never bring satisfaction to you. The only way to truly be satisfied, is to put God first, to accomplish His will in your life. When you do that, you will have peace. When you do His work, you will have fulfillment.”
Scene 3: Jesus’ Spiritual Illustration (35-38)
35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!
36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.
37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’
38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”
Jesus uses the crop harvest to paint a picture.
Those who participate in the work will be rewarded. (36)
It is not performed alone, but accomplished by many hands. (36-37)
This shows the need for multiple people to accomplish the task.
It also shows that all work performed to produce the crop is necessary.
As Jesus speaks of the fields being white for harvest, the Samaritans come walking through the fields. (35)
This shows the spiritual nature of this lesson. It is a parable.
Act 3: The Divine Instruction
Act 3: The Divine Instruction
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.”
40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
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.”
The Samaritans originally came because of what the woman had said.
Jesus planted a seed, watered the seed, and saw the fruit…all within the same woman.
But she then went and planted seeds, brought them to Jesus to be watered, and again there was increase.
They urge Jesus to stay with them, so that they might understand the truth of who He was, the truth of God’s Word, and the truth of God’s work through Him.
Many more believed because of His teachings.
The disciples got to watch firsthand how Jesus handled Himself among unbelievers.
They got to listen to what He taught them.
They got to listen to how He operated.
Did He eat their food?
Did He drink their drinks?
Did He sleep under their roofs?
Did He teach men and women?
And so much more.
They got to watch the master in motion. It was truly a wonderful experience for them to be a part of.
All of it pointed forward to what would ultimately be achieved through Calvary. They needed to see this.
God sent Jesus for everyone. If they were going to be uneasy about this, it would have been better for them to get out now, before it got to deep.
Nonetheless, they came to realize that it was much deeper than the well.
Commitment
Commitment