John Part 11
Notes
Transcript
Ok, picking back up where we left off last week,
And if you missed it,
We are in the middle of chapter 4
We were online only last week
So, you can either listen to the podcast
Or watch it on YouTube
To get caught up
But we left off at verse 15
And Jesus is in Samaria
A place Jews never tread
And he is talking to a woman alone
Something a Rabbi wouldn’t likely be doing
And he is sitting by Jacob’s well
And the Samaritan woman
Comes out to get some water
And Jesus starts this conversation with her
About water
Now, the woman was confused
Just like the Jews were in Chapter 2
When Jesus was metaphorically talking about the temple
but figuratively talking about his own body
and just like in chapter 3
when Jesus talks metaphorically about birth
and Nicodemus is confused
But Jesus is figuratively talking about the NT
elements of water baptism
and the out pouring of the gift Holy Spirit
And here Jesus is metaphorically talking about living or running water
But is actually subtly talking about the gift of the Holy Spirit again
When he says living water
She thinks he means a river
But he tells her the living water he is talking about
Will lead her to eternal life
We find out in chapter 7
That this living water is the Gift of the Holy Spirit
Which would not fall on God’s People
Until after Jesus is glorified
And this happens in Acts chapter 2
for the very first time
and is still happening today
2,000 years later
Now, after Jesus talks about this living water with this woman
We left off in verse 15 where she asks Jesus…
15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
Now, after she asks Jesus for this living water
And mind you
She still doesn’t understand
That Jesus is not talking about literal water
She has no idea that he is talking about
what would happen in Acts chapter 2
But she really wants this water Jesus is talking about
Watch what Jesus says…
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
She wants living water
Which she thinks is going to come from some
ice cold spring in the mountains
but Jesus really means the Gift of the Holy Spirit
And when She asks for this living water
Jesus says… ok… but first, grab your husband.
Before you get this gift of eternal life
that comes from this living water
that I’m talking about
Go call your husband.
Why would Jesus say that?
See, many people today will tell you
that if you want eternal life
You just need to believe in Jesus
But they never tell you what that really means
How do I believe in Jesus?
If we pay attention to the gospels
They are showing us
That believing in Jesus
requires obedience
If you want this eternal life giving water
… Go do something Jesus says
And that “something” is going to be different
depending on the person who is asking Jesus
for some of his living water
For this lady
Jesus knew exactly what to ask of her.
a simple trade really
You go get something for me
and I’ll give you water which will unlock
enteral life
There’s just one problem
Jesus asked her for the one thing
That she could never do.
He says, get your husband
and bring him to me
and she says
I have no husband…
17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’;
So, that’s it then.
She’s missed her chance
A golden ticket to heaven
Water that brings you eternal life
Gone.
Because she can’t produce the thing Jesus asked of her.
Jesus wants to see her husband first…
but…She has no husband.
Then Jesus says, you’re right in saying, “I have no Husband”.
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”
So, you understand here
That Jesus already knew before he asked her
to bring him her husband
That she didn’t have a husband
In fact, he knew that she had a lot more going on in her past
than she would have cared to share with a stranger at a well
She had had broken relationship
about broken relationship
and finally gave up even getting married
and is now with a man she is not married with
and, it seems plausible that he was actually married to someone else
by the way Jesus says, he is not YOUR husband..
It almost implies that he is someone else’s husband
So, Jesus is dragging up her messy past
Something she likely wanted to keep buried
But, this is what happens when you ask Jesus
for some of his living water
Before you get a drink of it
Jesus wants to show you why you need it in the first place.
You see, the living water, which is the gift of the Holy Spirit,
Is always proceeded by repentance.
You can never drink that living water
before you lay out all your messy baggage before Jesus
and let him show you that without him
you were never really satisfied with the water this world has to offer you
You were always thirsty
and never quenched
You went from relationship to relationship
You went from drink to drink
You went from drug to drug
You went from high to high
You went from one sin to the next sin to the next sin
Always thirsty
never satisfied
Before Jesus gives you a drink
He will ask you to bring him something
And that something will be different from one person to the next
But every person has something they need to bring to Jesus
And Jesus knows exactly what it is
before you bring it to him
He just needs you to see it
and understand
that what you are trading
is not worth keeping
it isn’t worth holding onto
Because what He wants to give you in return
cannot be compared to anything this world has to offer
So, after Jesus reveals her entire secret past to her
She says…
19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.
Now, recall the main purpose of this book
John said that he wrote all this to show us
that Jesus is the Christ
The Messiah
And throughout the book
John is showing us witnesses to this fact
And he is doing it in a way that was very common in the 1st Century
Through stories.
In narrative form.
This is not exactly how we would do it today
We would often consider stories
to mainly be fictional
And we would present facts in reference books
or scholarly writings with a bunch of footnotes
and citations
But John is doing what 1st Century people did
He gives us the facts by telling a story
And in these stories
We see this type of thing peppered throughout it
Nicodemus called Jesus “a teacher come from God”.
But he didn’t call him the Christ
And here, this woman calls Jesus, “a prophet”…
but she didn’t call him the Christ.
In fact, she says in verse 25 that she knows the Messiah is coming one day
indicating that she did not think Jesus was him
but to her Jesus was only a prophet
So, what John is showing us is
that many people who saw Jesus
heard Jesus
and witnessed his miracles
did not instantly figure out
that Jesus was the Messiah
So, to me, it is like John is saying
I know you might be having a hard time believing
That Jesus is the Messiah if you never saw him in person
but even the people who saw him in person didn’t believe at first
It wasn’t obvious to them
He looked like a normal Jewish man
He was a kingly figure
He wasn’t a warrior character
He was just a man like me and you
and when he spoke
Some said he was a teacher
Some said he was a devil
Some said he was a prophet
But, John says at the end of the book
That when you put it all together
You must know that Jesus was more than a man
He was the Word made flesh
He was the Messiah
The Christ
The savior of the world
The Great I AM.
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.”
Ok, so, this is a cultural discussion here
She is pointing out the difference in the beliefs
of the Samaritans and the Jews.
The main point is the place
or location of worship
What is the holy place
Where is it?
Is it here
or is it back in Jerusalem?
Since you are a prophet
And you can read my past like a book
What is your opinion about the location of worship.
Is it here on our mountain
Or over there on your mountain in Jerusalem?
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
So, she is asking Jesus..
Is the right place to worship
here on our mountain
Or over there on your mountain?
And Jesus basically says… it is neither
The PLACE of worship won’t really matter soon
It used to matter
But the hour is coming when it won’t matter
You have to understand something here.
This woman was called ceremoniously unclean by the Jews
Because she was a half breed
They basically condemned her the day she was born
because her parents broke the law
and married gentiles
So, she had no promise of eternal life in her mind
She had no way to drink that living water
So, when Jesus brings up eternal life to her
She asks him about the PLACE of worship
I’m sure she was wondering if this Jew
Who offered her eternal life
And was a prophet
And knew her past
Was able to justify her place of worship
If you are saying I can be saved
and most Jews say that I can’t
Then maybe you are saying that I can stay right here
and worship God on my mountain
Or… are you trying to tell me that I need to go to Jerusalem
and worship there?
And Jesus says… just hold on…
Pretty soon, it won’t matter where you worship
because taking animals to the temple in Jerusalem
is going to be a think of the past
and the veil is about to be torn
and I’m about to pour out my Spirit on all flesh
and all those promises of a New Covenant in the OT
are about to come to pass
The hour is coming
when living water is going to be flowing
even right here in Samaria
It didn’t used to be that way…
But things are changing.
That’s what he says in the next verse...
22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
So, Today, you are worshipping in the wrong place
And worshipping the wrong way
The Jews have the key to salvation TODAY
but…
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
So, God is looking for people
Who aren’t just trying to worship God in the right place
at the right time
and the right way
That’s what the Jews were doing
They did have it right
They were worshipping in Truth
And we need that kind of worship
But, God is looking for more than just right worship
He wants a people who worship both in truth
but also in Spirit.
24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
So, it is good that she wants to know the right place to worship
But pretty soon, the place won’t matter
Because God is going to pour out His Spirit on all flesh
So, you need to have the truth
but you also need to have the Spirit.
It seems to me by her next statement
That she didn’t really understand what Jesus said
I think she was looking for the black and white answer
Do I
A. worship here
or
B. worship there
And Jesus says…
C. You can worship wherever you want as long as it is in Spirit and Truth.
So, she’s like.. okay I guess I’ll have to get my answer from someone else who knows…
25 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.”
The Messiah will have the answer to my question.
I’ll find out then if I should worship on my mountain or bring sacrifices to the temple on your mountain.
But then Jesus says…
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
The first person Jesus admits his identity to
a Samaritan woman with 5 husbands
Andrew said Jesus was the Messiah in Jn 1.41
and Nathanael call him the Son of God and King of Isreal in 1.49
but here in chapter 4
we find the first time Jesus says it about himself.
So, you see how John is building a case that Jesus is the Messiah
Slowly through the form of story telling
27 Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?”
This verse confirms to us the weirdness of this situation
A Jewish Rabbi talking to a sinful Samaritan woman.
I don’t even know how we could compare that to today
It might be something like the King of England
Have a long conversation with a convicted murderer on death row.
It is just not a picture you’d ever expect to see
And his disciples confirm this by their thoughts
but they do not say a word about it
28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people,
We’ve talked about the abandoned water jar recently
So, I won’t belabor the point here
except to comment that when you meet Jesus
You won’t be thirsty for the things that you once craved
She goes into town
And she says…
29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”
So, Jesus said he was the Messiah
And yet, she is still questioning it
You see how John is trying to address future readers of the book
who might be asking the same question
Could Jesus really be my savior?
And John is going to answer that question as the story goes on.
30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.
So, a crowd of people are coming to see this man
who was able to reveal the entire woman’s past
to find out if he is the Messiah.
This is why it is important to share your testimony as often as you can.
These people would have never left town to go out to this well
to find Jesus
if she didn’t testify about what Jesus did for her
And your neighbors will never come find Jesus
If you don’t tell them what Jesus has done for you
Come see a man, she said
A man who told me all I ever did
I think he is the Messiah… come see for yourself
31 Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
So, recall back in verse 7
that the disciples had been gone
this whole time Jesus was talking to the woman
They were in town while she was with Jesus
And then when they came back
She leaves and goes to town to tell people about Jesus
So, his disciples were not there with her
They could have backed up her testimony if they were
but the timing is interesting to me
She went back alone
and convinced a crowd to come out to see Jesus
And meanwhile, it says…
His own followers were still worried about food.
This sinful woman is bringing a crowd to see Jesus
And his own followers are more concerned with the natural
Don’t ever think you need to be the leader
or the preacher
or the deacon
or the bishop to bring people to Jesus
You just need to have a testimony
and you are qualified
Because most of the times
those who have been around Jesus too long
will forget about their testimony
and forget about bringing people to Jesus
and will need to be reminded from time to time
but a sinful woman who just met Jesus 5 minutes ago
and is bringing a crowd out to meet the Messiah.
So, they offer Jesus food…
32 But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”
33 So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?”
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
What a convicting answer Jesus give them
They are worried about eating food
while a sinful woman is bring people to meet their Savior
and Jesus says… I’ve already got come food that you do not know about
And of course, he is speaking metaphorically again
just like he did with the destruction of the temple
and being born again
and with the living water
He says he has food
and then tell us that the food is to do God’s will.
And Jesus says in verse 32 that his own disciples
do not know anything about that food
Meaning… they are not familiar with God’s will
which is to seek and to save the lost
Which is what this sinful Samaritan woman is out doing
while his own followers are breaking bread
Then Jesus tells a parable about what God’s will is...
35 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.
36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
37 For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’
38 I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
So, Jesus reveals to us that God’s will is for us to reap the harvest
He said, some will sow, and some will reap
This metaphor means that some will plant seeds of truth
into the lives of other people
seeds that will grow into eternal life
but the one who plants the seeds might not be the same one who reaps the harvest of souls
So, we will need to work together
And this woman is sowing seeds in Samaria
but in Acts chapter 8
The disciples would reap a giant harvest of souls
souls they did not labor for
souls they did not plant seeds for
because they were out getting food
while a little sinful woman was out planting seeds
If you think you can be harvested
and not then turn around and plant more seeds
or help with the harvesting of more souls
then think again.
36 Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
This sounds to me like Jesus is saying we need to keep the sowing and reaping going even after we are harvested ourselves
How else will we rejoice together?
How else will we receive our wages?
How else will we produce fruit for eternal life?
This doesn’t seem like an optional task to me
Jesus is imploring his disciples to keep sowing seeds
Keep reaping a harvest
Keep sharing your testimony about what Jesus did for you…
Now, Let’s look at the results of the woman in Samaria’s testimony
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”
40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days.
41 And many more believed because of his word.
42 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.”
So, she sowed the seads
and that got people to see Jesus themselves
and then Jesus reaped new believers
because they hadn’t just heard it from the woman
now, they had met Jesus themselves
and they heard “his word”
and verse 41 says, it was HIS word that caused them to believe
The woman believed because of the words of Jesus
She shared her words
her words got people to come see Jesus themselves
and then they heard HIS words
and then they believed
Do you see the cycle John is demonstrating to us?
Hear, believe, share,
hear, believe, share,
hear, believe share.
We would not be here today
if someone broke that cycle
and simply heard, believed, and then got some food.
and never shared their testimony for other’s to hear and beleive.
We will stop here for now
and when we pick up in verse 43,
Jesus is going to his hometown
and he will heal someone there
and he will produce more believers
