Encountering Jesus at the Well.

Bible Passage: John 4:28-42

Thank everyone for coming out

We have been super excited about this group and how God is going to use this group.

Ive already had a lot of great conversations with a good bit of you about this group.

Some of you know my story and some of you dont

but i grew up in church and knew about Jesus my entire life

but never encountered him like i did in 2020 in my uncles basement during one of their bible studies.

I was living in the world doing what ever the world deemed right until my uncle invited me to his “cowboy church”

yep…. cowboy church…. horses, stables, cowboy hats … the whole nine yards.

That night in the most unusual place i encountered Jesus like i never have before.

The words in John actually clicked and Jesus revealed himself to me and my life was forever changed.

Just like most people after they encounter Jesus. I had the question “What now?”

What happens or what are we called to after we have an encounter with Jesus?

Well today we will be in John chapter 4 verses 28-42 so if you have your bibles and want to turn there do that now.

While you're turning there i need to give you some back story on this chapter.

This story is about Jesus encounter with a Samaritan woman at the well.

You see Jesus was a Jew and Jews and samaritans did not get along very well.

Jews hated Samaritans so bad that if the shortest route was through Samaria they would travel all the way around it to just avoid them at all cost.

Jews thought of samaritans as unclean because they were a mixed bag of Jews and gentiles.

Samaritans also didn’t see Jerusalem as the true place of worship,

they had their own temples, their own version of the bible, they also believed that unlike the jews they were the true descendants of Jacob. AKA Israel Gods chosen people.

So for Jesus a jew to be traveling through Samaria and to have encountered a samaritan much less a samaritan woman would have been pretty scandalous.

But Jesus takes it a step further. This woman was not just like every other woman. She was an outcast of the other women. there by herself.

And Jesus asks her for a drink.

This leads to a bunch of back and forth between the two of them. And if you read the full story you can tell that this woman has a lot of pent up anger toward Jesus and well Jews in general.

not much has changed in life.

jesus didnt read the room very well and proceeds to tell this woman everything she ever did wrong.

And men… how well does that go for you? telling a woman shes wrong?

well not very good.

the woman and Jesus had some more back and forth until Jesus finally revealed himself to here in

John 4:25–26 ESV

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

This must have stirred up something inside of this woman because what she does next is what i think we are all called to do once we have an encounter with christ.

Turn to John chapter 4 verse 28-30

What are we called to do once we have an encounter with Jesus?

1. Leave the Water Jar

John 4:28–30 ESV

So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.

Our very first encounter with Jesus should lead us to leave our water jar as well at the well.

Too many times Christians come into church, have an encounter with Jesus, then walk out still carrying that shame and guilt of their past.

They are treating the cross as if though it doesnt even exist.

Once you get to talk to them… and thats if they will even talk to you because a lot of times shame can lead you to seclude yourself and silent you from even talking about your issues… but if you are lucky enough to get them to talk they will have statements like this.

I could never share the gospel like that… i dont know the bible enough.

God could never forgive me for all the things i have done.

People know my past and wont listen to me….

Those are lies from the enemy!

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Shame, guilt, doubt, depression and anxiety are all tools that the devil will use to isolate you from what God has for you.

The Samaritan woman knew this all to well. Its the reason she was there all by herself.

Women during that time would come to the well either early in the morning to beat the heat or later in the afternoon.

They would also travel together in groups. Almost treating it as a social club.

Trips to this well would have happened daily for this samaritan women.

She would have this daily reminder that she wasn't worthy to be apart of a group.

She was not even apart of a family as Jesus suggested in John 4:18 “for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband.””

If you think that was bad to top it all off she was a samaritan talking to a Jew. She was a outcast of all the outcast people.

Imagine the guilt and shame she must have felt from all those very true statements.

True or not those statements hurt and can cause someone to shut down completely.

But is that what she did after her encounter with Jesus?

No, She leaves it at his feet and goes to the very people that seclude her from all this to tell them about the him. stating “Can this be the Messiah?”

You see encountering Jesus should lead you to laying down your “water jar” or what ever that is that keeps you from him.

Leave it at the foot of the cross.

Jesus tells us this in

Matthew 11:28 ESV

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

You cant do this on your own. Give it to Jesus.

After you lay it at the foot of the cross the second thing you should do is too Lift your eyes.

2. Lift Your Eyes

John 4:31–34 ESV

Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Imagine for a minute that you're the disciples…. Jesus just sent you off to find food…. you come back to find out he already had food and he’s talking to a samaritan.

like has Jesus gone mad?

Funny thing about Life after encountering Christ ……is it never makes sense.

They literally call it the upside down kingdom.

Jesus wasn't saying that he door dashed already or had some grilled cheeses stashed away lol…. no he was using a physical illustration for his disciples to understand spiritual nourishment.

John 4:34 ESV

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Pointing us to not look to find fulfillment in what this world has to offer.

trust me it has a lot to offer

but everything it has to offer is fleeting.

meaning that nothing it can give you will last.

He wants us to look to divine purpose.

for us to lift our eyes toward heaven and see what the Lord will is.

The other night i was pulling out of my parents driveway (which is two doors down from me)

and i see a man walking down the road. its like 7:30 so its pretty late and getting dark quick.

I opened my door and stepped out asking if everything was okay just to find out that his truck broke down in charlotte and he had been walking for close to 3 hours to get home.

i felt so bad for him thats so long of a walk.

I felt a nudge from the Lord to ask this guy if he needed a lift home so i asked him….

“how far away is your ride?”

because you know if he said 10 mins away well i would just let him wait but he said a hour and half out….

I knew that i had to ask this guy if he needed a ride

so i did and he said if you dont mind that would be super helpful.

was i a little sketched out …. yes

was this something i recommend to everyone to do… no

was i packing? …. yes lol

but after that trip i got home and told my wife all about it and after she looked at me for 20 mins like i had lost my mind

i told her that i finally understand what it means when the bible tells us “it is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35

Acts 20:35 ESV

In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

You see doing the will of God will always fill you way more than doing the will of man.

The third thing we are called to do after encountering Jesus is to Look at the Harvest

3. Look at the Harvest

John 4:35–38 ESV

Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”

After the women at the well encounters Jesus her very next thing to do is to tell others about him.

Jesus tells us this when he says

John 4:36 ESV

Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life

The harvest is ripe…..now today… but are you going to be obedient in going into the field to pick the fruit?

Jesus encounter with the woman was not some crazy miracle that restored a blind mans sight or made the lame walk.

No his encounter with her was just meeting her where she was letting her know that one he cared about her first …

because for a jew to ask a samaritan especially a samaritan woman for a drink would have been counter cultural at that time….

He then let her know that he still cared even though he knew everything about her past.

all of her short comings everything.

then he lets her know how much he cared by telling her he was her savior. aka the messiah.

John 4:25–26 ESV

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

The same could be true for you today.

Jesus Cares about you.

Jesus knows what you have done and still cares about you.

He also was and still is the messiah who can restore and give you a new heart.

Thats my message he has given me today. Because first you must have an encounter with Christ before you can look up to see the harvest.

I believe though that now more than ever the hearts of people are ripe for harvesting. and God wants us to be apart of that.

i want to share with you real quick a clip that helps paint the picture on how this who samaritan woman at the well encounter probably went.

Roll clip…

That video gets me so pumped makes me want to run through a brick wall every time!

So Just like Jesus said “The fields are ripe for harvest”

Go and collect Souls for the kingdoms sake!

And Now the very final point… Be a Living Testimony

4. Be a Living Testimony

John 4:39–42 ESV

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

After encountering Christ the Samaritan Woman believed and was a living testimony

this gave her the opportunity to share with others who Christ was and let them have an encounter with him.

verse 39 says many samaritans in the town believed in him because of the woman's testimony.

The woman who was an outcast to society,

looked own upon due to her past mistakes

now is entering a village full of people who know her mistakes and shes able to share with them the best news she has ever heard.

What does your life say about you and your relationship with Christ?

Do you think that God could never use you?

Do you constantly put yourself down over your short comings?

This woman was not qualified, ordained or even competent.

Thats the beauty of the gospel message.

Its not by anything you can do. But instead Christ through you.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Some may think your testimony is weak or not interesting enough.

Thats a lie from the enemy because the bible says this

2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Grace is the only thing we need.

We dont need a powerful testimony

We dont need a flashy stage, or bounce houses, firepits and cornhole.

yes all that stuff is fun and a bonus

but in reality the only thing we need is his Grace and that is given freely to us through Gods son Jesus.

To end tonights service we are going to sing a powerful worship song that invites each of us to come to the alter.

This alter doesnt have to be at the front of the stage

because its really just right where you are.

Its all about you being encouraged to encounter Jesus.

I invite each of you tonight to stand up and join us as we sing.

If you want prayer we are here for that. we can pray for you love on you and help point you right to the one who saves.

This is for everyone of all backgrounds and knowledge levels.

This isnt about if you already encountered him or if you havent encountered him.

Lamentations 3:22–23 ESV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

His mercies are new each morning and lets celebrate in that.