Nicodemus & The Samaritan Woman

INTRODUCTION

(4th scene in John / backdrop:

Wedding

Temple

Pharisee (Nicodemus)

Sacred Well)

Jesus & Nicodemus

Nicodemus is a “man of the pharisees” (3:1-2)

AS A MAN - Thinks he’s doing well. Well-liked; respected

but He is still a MAN

Romans 5:12 “12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”

Romans 5:18 “…one trespass led to condemnation for all men…”

Isaiah 53:6 “6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

AS A PHARISEE - He thinks he is doing good

He is a religious authority

If you were to become a Pharisee in those days, you would pledge in front of three witnesses to uphold every detail of the law for the rest of your life (Barclay, John, 1:140).

public recognition

reasonably well-to-do

civil, moral, upstanding

You might be religious. You might EVEN LOOK GOOD RELIGIOUSLY, but you aren’t MORE RELIGIOUS religious than NICODEMUS WAS!

You might look good morally, but You are NOT MORE MORAL than NICODEMUS!

AS A LEADER, HE THINKS HE’S LEADING WELL

But we must use our leadership gifts to lead people to Jesus.

HE WAS NOT A GOOD ENOUGH MAN

John 3:3 “3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”” “3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

Nicodemus thought that getting in to God’s kingdom had everything to do with the physical birth.

He was a Jew.

The Jews were God’s chosen people.

If that wasn’t enough, he was “extra” obedient to the laws…he even had a title for it.

The Pharisees were among the most passionate obeyers to the letter of the law.

He was a leader on the Sanhedrin.

His peers had deemed him righteous enough to earn a spot on the highest religious / judicious council on earth.

Jesus turns all this upside down.

Nicodemus was a GREAT TEACHER…YET KNEW HE LACKED UNDERSTANDING...

His message to Nicodemus was, “You must be born again”

He didn’t ignore the up-and-in crowd! BUT He could be found with the same heart and message among the down-and-out crowd.

He moved among the marginalized, the outcasts, the vulnerable and the voiceless.

Step with me into that scene this morning as read this passage:

John 4:1–9 ESV

1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

As you read the rest of this chapter, you discover - She is the POLAR OPPOSITE of Nicodemus (from Chapter 3).

TRANSITION

Jesus & the Woman at the Well

Compare these 2 different individuals:

Opposite People in Opposite Situations

HE IS a Noble Religious Leader

// Woman with a terrible reputation

HE IS a Moral Upstanding Citizen

// Immoral - her community doesn’t like her at all

HE IS One of the “chosen” nation

// a hated ethnicity of the day

HE comes to Jesus by night with questions

// Jesus comes to HER and makes demands of her

Opposite people

Opposite situations

ONE COMMON NEED... Jesus!

Rich or poor,

religious or secular,

Brazilian

American

EVERYONE EVERYWHERE NEEDS JESUS CHRIST!

Jesus is so much more than JUST AN EXAMPLE FOR US...

He is God’s own Son.

He is truly God and truly man.

BUT in 1 Corinthians 2:14-16, Paul reminds the local church that we - the body of Christ - don’t just think earthy thoughts.

We can have the mind of Christ.

If the Spirit of Christ lives within us, then it follows that we can see Christ in action as He draws this woman at the well to NEW LIFE!

Let’s look 2 ASPECTS WE DESPERATELY NEED for Christ to form in us as we LIVE OUT THE GOSPEL.

A Heart of Outreach

John 4:1-6

There a few elements from this account that show us this incredible HEART OF OUTREACH - that Jesus has…that WE CAN HAVE.

Notice verse 4. “He had to pass through Samaria.

John 4:4 KJV 1900

4 And he must needs go through Samaria.

John 4:4 NET

4 But he had to pass through Samaria.

Jesus INTENTIONALLY WENT SOMEWHERE that most people wouldn’t go.

What’s the big deal about Samaria…if you look on a map, you’d be like - OF COURSE HE WENT THIS WAY, IT’S THE SHORTEST DISTANCE.

ALTHOUGH IT WAS THE SHORTEST DISTANCE, Jews avoided Samaria because they could so easily be “CONTAMINATED” by Samaritans.

From a Jewish Perspective:

A mixed up people!

The Samaritans were a blended people - part Jew and part Gentile,

Resulted from the Assyrian captivity of the ten northern tribes in 727 b.c.

A rejected people!

They could not prove their genealogy. They traced it back to Jacob - but the Jews rejected this claim. (“Finding Your Roots” Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.)

They continued to intermarry…which violated Jewish customs and laws of the day.

A confused people!

The Samaritans established their own temple and religious services on Mt. Gerizim. (Since they were not welcome in Jerusalem.)

They worshiped the true God along with some false idols

They were so hated that some Pharisees prayed that no Samaritan would be raised in the resurrection!

It was insult in that day to call someone a Samaritan. (This would later be hurled at Jesus as an insult.)

And yet…JESUS, goes there.

Jesus goes where other people won’t go.

Why?

Because there is ONE Woman that He will reach.

Jesus goes where other people won’t go.

Jesus does what other people don’t do.

BECAUSE THE ETERNAL LIFE IS AT STAKE

Jesus HAD to go THROUGH Samaria so the Gospel could get TO Samaria.

The Gospel came to you on the way to someone else...

CHRISTIAN, You were saved to be sent too!

A heart for Jesus is one that causes us to

go where others won’t go

do what others won’t do

and REACH WHO OTHERS WON’T REACH...

A Heart that Overcomes

JOHN 4:7-9

John 4:7–9 ESV

7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)

There was an open door, and an open heart…so Jesus opened His mouth!

Jesus took the initiative,

Jesus took the initiative in speaking.

Jesus took the initiative in speaking to a Samaritan.

Jesus took the initiative in speaking to a Samaritan woman.

This is a massive break with culture and tradition.

WHY WOULD HE DO THIS?

Jesus could have appeared on Samaritan television to spread the message.

He could have written a book and placed it in every bookstore in Samaria.

He could have held a huge evangelistic crusade in Samaria’s capital city.

But he didn’t.

He went out of his way to find this one woman and show her her greatest need.

He came to her personally.

People don’t need SOMETHING ELSE IN THEIR LIFE…they need SOMEONE...

…THEY NEED JESUS

And HE has appointed US HIS ROYAL AMBASSADORS to carry the good news of the Gospel to a lost a dying world.

Jesus had EVERY reason NOT to talk to this woman. In addition to her nationality...

Her gender is an issue in this day. It is inappropriate for men and women to have a religious conversation together.

Her status is an issue. She is 5x divorced and now living with a man. She is chief sinner among the women in her village...

Mark 2 records Jesus at a dinner with a lot of sinners...

Mark 2:16–17 (ESV)

16 ...“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jesus had EVERY REASON NOT to engage this woman...

But he knows her heart - she doesn’t…she only knows her situation.

He knows her condition - she doesn’t…she only knows her situation.

If Nicodemus was sure his works were going to count for his eternal life; this woman was sure that her horrible past would keep her from eternal life.

Jesus personally makes time for both.

He overcame every barrier in the moment TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.

one that would lead to life.

one that would reveal Him as the Messiah

one that would result in Sychar being reached with the good news of the Kingdom.

CONCLUSION

Jesus is the Living Water!

In Him is life and light.

For those of who know Jesus personally, we should take note and pray to have HIS heart as we leave this place today.

A heart that leans toward others.

Going places others won’t go.

Doing things others won’t do.

Reaching those who others won’t reach.

A heart that overcomes.

NOT overcoming things for our own sake...

BUT overcoming those barriers in the way of us sharing the Gospel with others!

ILLUSTRATION:

Once, when walking down a certain street in Chicago, D. L. Moody stepped up to a man, a perfect stranger to him, and said, “Sir, are you a Christian?”

“You mind your own business!” was the reply.

Moody replied, “This is my business.”

— THIS IS OUR BUSINESS.

INVITATION TO THE LOST:

Dear Friend,

We’ve talked to the “Nicodemus”es before.

You don’t have high enough credentials or good enough morality to earn eternal life

You must be born again

But what about you?

Convinced that Jesus wouldn’t have anything to do with you. Maybe like this Samaritan woman:

You’ve broken too many promises

You’ve hurt too many people

You’ve been battered, broken, abused, cast aside by your friends and family

CHRIST HAS COME TO YOU THIS MORNING -

BY His Holy Spirit....

Through the Preaching of the Word....

Through the loving embrace of God’s people today

TO DRAW YOU TO HIMSELF!

Come to the Living Water today.

Come to one that is pursuing YOU today.

Personally, powerfully, Jesus is commanding you to repent and trust Him…with arms outstretched and nail scars in his hands and feet where He hung, bled, and died for your sins on the cross.

This resurrected King knows you…and still calls you to be His!

Let’s pray.