A Thirst for Living Water

The snacks in the cupboard

Hunger is a funny thing. Your body tells you it wants food.

Our bodies do need food to survive, and hunger is the feeling God has given us to remind us to put food in our bodies.

But it can be deceptive. Sometimes I have to remind our kids - you’re not hungry, you’re bored. Actually, as an adult I need to tell myself that. Although, it’s usually not that I’m bored, it’s probably more about getting a bit tired of what I’m meant to be doing and food is a good distraction.

And so you open the pantry, or possibly the fridge. I was probably only there 10 minutes ago, but somehow I seem to hope that maybe something might jump out.

Sometimes there might be a box of open shapes.

You know, sometimes I can convince myself… ‘I’m not hungry… I’m not hungry!’

But after that second or third time I open the pantry door, I think, well, I could probably have one or two.

It’s the fatal mistake.

My body seems to think I’m now really hungry. I’m not really, but the taste has triggered something in me.

So I have a few more. And then a few more. Repeat this a few more times. Well, there’s only a few left in the box now, I may as well finish them.

I wasn’t even hungry, but I’ve just eaten the remaining shapes in the box.

My brain messed up what I was truly hungry for.

Something similar happens in life.

We have a hunger. I’m not talking about food. I’m talking about that feeling of being satisfied.

What gives us that satisfaction? Well, in a way we can be deceived like I get deceived thinking that I’m hungry for a box of shapes.

A desire to make the most disciples

Today, in our journey through John’s gospel, we find ourselves in chapter 4 where we will meet a Samaritan woman.

But the chapter actually starts with Jesus in Judea, and we get this remark that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was gaining and baptising more disciples than John (and for the record, that refers to John the Baptist, and not the apostle John in which this book is named after).

We’re told in verse 2 that this was actually a misconception in that it wasn’t Jesus doing the baptisms, it was his disciples.

That clarification can almost seem pedantic and we might wonder why it is even got a mention. Except that, as I’ll show throughout this message, that this chapter seems to have this recurring theme of people placing their desire in the wrong thing - thinking this will bring satisfaction.

And with that in mind, this first one is very interesting, because what seems to be valued is results.

They were impressed by the number of disciples being made - or probably more to the point, intimidating by the numbers.

Now perhaps we might argue that having more disciples is something to be proud of. And perhaps it is. The question is not whether it is a good thing or not, but rather whether this is where you will find your satisfaction? Now, we’re going to see the answer to that later in the passage, but at this point in time, I want to highlight the idea that even good things like gaining more disciples, is actually a misdirection of our hunger for satisfaction.

But let’s move on because it is after mentioning this that we’re told Jesus starts traveling towards Galilee which is going to take him through Samaria.

Historical background

Now first, let’s have a quick history and geography lesson to help us figure out these people from Samaria.

Let’s take ourselves back to the Old Testament times where we find Israel at it’s strongest, under King David and followed by Solomon. Unfortunately the unified nation split and we get a northern and a southern kingdom, which unfortunately do not always see eye-to-eye, despite their common heritage.

Fast forward a few centuries and we’re now in the 700’s BC. The northern kingdom are attacked by the world super power of the time, Assyria, and forced into exile, but for the time being, the southern kingdom remain.

A bit over a century later, the Southern Kingdom are also defeated and taken into exile, but by a different world super power, namely, the Babylonians.

Now, despite both the Northern and Southern kingdoms being taken into exile, the two stories diverge in a very significant way.

The Southern Kingdom is allowed to keep their identity. Even in exile, they remained separate from the people around them.

The Northern Kingdom by contrast, intermarried with the people they were exiled with. When the Northern kingdom returned, their theology ended up being quite limited, particularly in the fact that they only accepted the first five books of the bible as their authoritative scriptures. This led to some significant divergences in their theology, one of which we’ll see later in the passage we have here when they argue about the appropriate place of worship. It was these people that by the time of the New Testament were known as the Samaritans.

But you know what, even beyond just the differences in theology, it really boiled down to the fact that they just hated each other. They both looked at the other with disdain. They both thought the other had completely corrupted their religion.

This is the historical background, but now for the geography part of it. Samaria was largely located between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea.

Now, the people in the northern region around the Sea of Galilee and the people in the Southern area around the Dead Sea and including Jerusalem, identify as Jews who accept what we call the Old Testament as scripture. The Samaritans live in between these two regions.

This is significant for what we are looking at today, because when Jesus wants to go from Judea up to Galilee, he needs to go through the region of Samaria.

The Samaritan Woman

Okay, I hope you got through that lesson alright, but back to the story.

Jesus is travelling through this region full of people he’s been taught by his culture that he shouldn’t like. But he comes across Jacob’s well, which has its own rich story - but I might leave that for another day.

It’s the middle of the day, and things are hot. Jesus decides to sit by the well, while the disciple that were travelling with him decided to go down to the local town to pick up some food.

But then comes a Samaritan woman.

Now, I’ve already just described how hated the Samaritans were, but this here is a woman as well. In this time and culture, it is not appropriate for a man to speak to a woman - and a Samaritan woman at that.

Now, if you heard last weeks message when I spoke about Nicodemus, one thing you’ll notice about this woman is that she is almost the exact opposite of Nicodemus.

He was a male Jew who was well educated and respected. She is a female Samaritan who it’s about to become apparent was despised by her own people. He is given a name. She remains nameless from a historical perspective.

But these differences are not going to stop Jesus. And so he simply asks “Will you give me a drink?”

The Samaritan woman knows a cultural barrier has just been crossed.

She voices her surprise, but Jesus then says: “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water”.

Now this idea of ‘living water’ is full of deep meaning, but on one level it can just mean water that is from a flowing spring or stream and thereby clean. We’ll see the deeper meaning soon, but the woman thinks Jesus is talking as if he can get the clean water for her, which makes no sense to her because he has no means to get any water.

Jesus answers - but this water will quench your thirst in such a complete way, you’ll never need to drink again.

This is a real satisfaction. A satisfaction that is ever lasting.

Well, the woman is pretty excited about that, understandably. She is thinking in very literal terms.

Interestingly, Jesus doesn’t actually correct her.

He’s starting to talk about a satisfaction - and this woman is about to experience satisfaction. Not the kind of satisfaction I felt when I ate a box of shapes - that was a false satisfaction… rather the satisfaction that we really need.

Her husbands

Well, in verse 16, the conversation is about to take a turn that seems very much unexpected, and it’s Jesus that makes this turn.

Remember, these two have just been having this discussion about living water with the woman remaining ignorant about the true meaning. Without correcting her, Jesus asks her to get her husband.

What’s her husband got to do with this?

Well, it turns out this woman has had five husbands, and the man she is with now is not actually her husband. And Jesus shows his supernatural knowledge by revealing that he knows this without her actually saying so.

So we might wonder, is the whole purpose of this part of the conversation to just to demonstrate Jesus’ supernatural knowledge?

I perhaps want to suggest an alternate reason, and it relates to what I’ve been talking about, namely, the misdirected quest for satisfaction.

Now I am reading between the lines, and you always need to be a little careful when you extrapolate information, but I’m going to suggest that this woman has been trying to find satisfaction in men.

Now, I want to be clear… in this passage, Jesus isn’t using this as a moment to condemn her or make her feel guilty for what she’s done… rather, he’s highlighting it because he’s saying, you don’t need to find satisfaction here, because the living water that Jesus is offering is where satisfaction truly lies.

Our satisfaction

If you were in this conversation, what might Jesus highlight with you about where your quest for satisfaction has been misdirected?

Is it in work or study?

Perhaps like this woman, you too try to find satisfaction in relationships.

Perhaps your trying to find satisfaction in finding comforts. You want the comfortable life.

Now, these things are not wrong in and of themselves. Working hard or studying hard is good. Relationships are good. Finding enjoyment in life can be good.

The problem is when we think this is what truly satifies.

Worship

But the conversation is about to take another turn in verse 19, and this time it’s the woman who shifts direction. She brings up one of the big contentious issues between Jews and Samaritans, namely, where the temple should be located.

For the Jews, Jerusalem is the Holy City and the temple goes here, and so this is a focal point of their worship.

For the Samaritans, it’s Mount Gerizim.

So why this change in direction?

As random as it might seem, I think this woman is starting to see what Jesus is talking about. She’s starting to feel like someone is meeting her needs, not just her desires, but her deepest needs.

Coming from a Jew, she needs to get to the heart of one of the big disagreements.

Now these kinds of matters can prove divisive. This could be the moment that Jesus the Jew, and the Samaritan woman actually remember why they aren’t meant to be talking to each other.

But what Jesus is doing is bigger than this.

He’s about to change the entire understanding of the temple situation. I don’t have time this morning to explore the theme of the temple, but Jesus is going to tell this woman, that worship is no longer going to be about going to a temple, but rather be about worshiping in Spirit and in truth (v24).

That’s not suggesting two different forms of worship… it’s rather characteristics of the one type of true worship. Worship that is based on the truth of Jesus Christ.

This part of the conversation ends with Jesus identifying himself as the Messiah, and the woman being all but convinced it is true, goes off to tell others. She even leaves her water jar behind (28) she is that excited to tell others.

Jesus and the disciples

The scene shifts focus.

The disciples return and are surprised to find Jesus speaking with a woman.

In verse 31, they try to convince Jesus to eat.

Now I want to suggest, this next part of the conversation continues the same theme we’ve been following throughout - namely, that we think we can find satisfaction in things of this world.

Now, it’s a perfectly reasonable request to try and suggest Jesus should eat. He is after all human, and human’s need to eat.

Jesus is going to make a point… in verse 34, he tells them that his food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. By the way, that’s an echo from Deut 8:3.

Now, he’s not suggesting you shouldn’t eat, but yet what we find, is that there is something deeper than just the things of this world. Honouring God and doing His work is far more satisfying.

As Jesus continues, he’s going to in a sense, address an issue that was started way back in verse 1 of this chapter.

Remember, the focus was on who was making the most disciples?

Well, the satisfaction should not be on the number, the satisfaction should be on whether or not you are doing what God wants you to do.

Jesus shifts this into an agricultural metaphor, talking about sowing and reaping.

Some people sow, that is, tell people about Jesus. Other reap, that is, they are with them at the moment that they recognise there need for Jesus.

Your satisfaction should not be in the result per se, but in whether you are being true to God’s calling.

The Samaritans

In verse 39, we now hear about the Samaritans that believe because of the testimony of this woman.

They come to Jesus and urge him to stay. Jesus ends up staying with them for two days.

Something beautiful happens in this place. A change occurs. They have found the true living water and they experience a satisfaction unlike anything they’ve experienced before.

Application

And so as we think about this passage from our own perspective, we’re reminded how we so often seek after satisfaction in the wrong areas. Sometimes, like the desire to have the most disciples, we can dress it up as something good, but it’s really a desire to boost our ego.

But this passage should be a wake up. We need to recognise when we try to boost our ego, or look after our own comfort, or do anything that is essentially self-centred, while there might be a level on which we succeed in our intended outcome, and sense of satisfaction is going to be short lived.

There is something better.

Something you can taste. Think of the freshest water you’ve ever tasted. But now think, this is spiritual water.

Dip your cup in this well.

How do you do this?

It starts by recognising when you’re at the wrong well.

You need to be at the right well. Take the time to get to know Jesus. And accept the free gift of living water.

This story should also motivate us to tell others about this gift as well. We can be like this woman who shares the good news. But recognise this, she doesn’t go because she’s forced to. She goes because she has experienced something beautiful and she can’t but help to tell others.

But also recognise this… here is a woman who really is not a person of high standing in society. Everything about her suggests she is despised - even the fact that she came at midday, the hottest part of the day. Yet her testimony is effective.

The point is, it does not matter who you are or what your background is. You matter to Jesus, and you can be effective for his kingdom.

For those of you who might be feeling unimportant, it might just be that you can have a far bigger impact than those others who might seem far more respectable.

Conclusion

It can be so tempting to go for things that will feed our immediate hunger in a worldly way.

The biscuits in the cupboard can seem awfully tempting. Recognise what your true hunger is.

Recognise that your food is to do the will of God and finish the work he has given you.

There is satisfaction to be found, and it is not in anything of this world.

True satisfaction is found in the living water that Jesus provides.

And once you have tasted it, you’ll want to share it with all around you.

Let me pray...