John 4-Living Water

Introduction: History of Segregation

Usually when we speak of borders we typically imagine physical walls. Walls that historically have been used to either keep people out, such as what the Trump Administration hopes to do for reasons of economics according to them. Or in other cases, walls that have been used to keep people in: such as the Berlin Wall, a defining symbol of the Cold War, which not only physically, but ideologically, divided the families of Berlin from one another. Walls have also been built because of fear, fear of violence and war such as in the case of Israel with the Palestinian Territories. But the walls that we have built between countries, communities, and people groups have not aways been physical ones.

Place of

Yonkers

“In 1985, a federal judge ruled that the city of Yonkers, had [intentionally] segregated its citizens [for 40 years] by deliberately cramming [98% of] it’s public housing into one square mile.” What this eventually did was have all of the minorities that lived below the poverty line (predominantly Black and Latino) concentrated in the southwest part of Yonkers, while all of the white, middle-class folks were in the east side of Yonkers. In this case the mark of segregation was not defined by a wall, but by a road: the Saw Mill River Parkway. But it was not only defined by a road, it was defined by the color of your skin; it was defined by financial inequality.

So to resolve this problem, the Judge ordered the city to integrate by building new housing for poor minority residents on the white, middle-class side of town. Through this integration, the judge thought Yonkers would, “see the light. To see that they had erred, that they had sinned, and that this remedy would really cure them if they could only see the light.” However, the City of Yonkers was so upset with this decision that it “incited a three-year, angry, sometimes violent fight that made headlines around the country and brought Yonkers [who had a budget of $300 million a year] to the brink of bankruptcy before it was finally forced to comply,” according to the NYT. And although the initial ruling was a little over 30 years ago it wasn’t until 10 years ago (2007) when they managed to settle the case.

Though this ruling was a little over 30 years ago it wasn’t until 2007 (10 years ago) when they managed to settle the case.

He ordered the city to integrate by building new housing for poor minority residents on the white, middle-class side of town

a three-year, angry, sometimes violent fight that made headlines around the country and brought Yonkers to the brink of bankruptcy before it was finally forced to comply.

Lisa Belkin, a reporter for the NYT wrote an op-ed about that time titled “The Painful Lessons of Yonkers Housing Crisis.” It was her reflection of the situation. After having accomplished the political outcome they were hoping for and integrating part of the minority community into the predominantly white community, she wonder if the Judge was right: that Yonkers would “see the light . . . see that they had erred, that they had sinned.” She says

Back then I thought I was watching an ending — “the trouble” was officially over, the city [of Yonkers] had lost, the houses were finally here. I’d hoped it would offer a fresh start for the residents who had been chosen (literally out of a bingo drum) for the move . . . It also felt like a turning point, a new chance for the city, maybe even the country, to see that integration could work, . . . The lesson of Yonkers would be that proximity can make neighbors out of strangers and bridge racial gaps one street at a time.” However, she concluded, “That didn’t happen.”

“The lesson of Yonkers would be that proximity can make neighbors out of strangers and bridge racial gaps one street at a time.” (And although they managed to accomplish the political outcome they were hoping; they managed to integrate part of the minority community into the white community), she concluded, “That didn’t happen.”

“The lesson of Yonkers would be that proximity can make neighbors out of strangers and bridge racial gaps one street at a time. That didn’t happen.”

“The fight that was meant to map a road out of racial separation instead further codified it.”

She essentially goes on explaining that the segregation that was once happening from a distance, was now happening from across the street. The circumstances may have changed for many. But the “change of address” she said, “didn’t solve all their problems.”

Couple of days ago I was in D.C. and I went to visit the Lincoln Memorial which is also the place MLK delivered his famous “I have a Dream” speech. As I was standing between the symbols of the Civil War and of the Civil Rights Movement I realized that what had happened in Yonkers was deeply rooted in a long history

of racial divides and inequality

of barriers human beings have placed between themselves to feel superior to one another

of oppression and hate that has long marked human history since day immemorial

Prop: This is why it’s important for us to go into the passage that we are about to enter. Because this is a subject that Jesus himself did not shy away from and neither should we. And through his example we will learn what it means to live the Gospel of which we claim to be impacted by. We will also learn that there is a fundamental problem within humans. So long as it continues to be unaddressed, then no matter how many policies push forward in our societies, not matter how many addresses we change we will continue to be distracted with the fruits of the problem, never targeting the root of the problem.

Trans: Before we enter into the conversation, let’s make a couple of observations:

Body:

Radical Problem: Layers of Division–Judaea vs. Samaria

Judea and Samaria

When you study the history between Judea and Samaria you ask yourself why would Jesus feel like “he had to pass through Samaria.”?

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 71.34 δεῖ

had = δεῖ (dei): it must necessarily take place, often with the implication of inevitability.

δεῖa: to be that which must necessarily take place, often with the implication of inevitability

Very interesting when you study the

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) 1256 δεῖ

δεῖ (dei)

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 71.34 δεῖ

δεῖa: to be that which must necessarily take place, often with the implication of inevitability

To Jesus there was NO going to Galilee WITHOUT going through Samaria

No religious Jew would ever step into Samaria although it was a short cut to Galilee. But the Jews preferred going through the long way to avoid going through Samaria

Political Divide: The reason goes back to time when the tribes of Israel were divided into two rival kingdoms—Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

when the tribes of Israel were divided into two rival kingdoms—Israel in the north and Judah in the south.

The two kingdoms were rivals for approx. 200 hundred years. One capital in Jerusalem, Judea, the other capital in Samaria.

That’s 200 years of history rooted in war, murder, division, betrayal, unfaithfulness, distrust.

Crossing over to the other camp didn’t send the friendly signals to your boys back home.

There was a political divide that separated Samaria from the rest of the country.

The Samaritans were a people that had been conquered and taken captive. But there were a few that were left behind and these few began to intermarry with the Canaanites. This created more layers of division:

Religious Divide

The Jews in Samaria became syncretistic with the Canaanite Religion. They mixed Judaism with various beliefs of the Canaanite religion.

Jeroboam’s reign was challenged when the Jews (in Samaria) continued to look to the temple of Jerusalem as their main sanctuary (). To counter this, he erected two competing sanctuaries in Dan and Bethel, each with a statue of a golden calf (). And they began to credit the golden calf for what Yaweh had actually done on their behalf.

Jeroboam’s reign was challenged when the people of Israel continued to look to the temple of Jerusalem as their main sanctuary (). To counter this, he erected two competing sanctuaries in Dan and Bethel, each with a statue of a golden calf ().

Jews in Judea began to look at the Jews in Samaria as Political traitors and religious Heretics

Racial Divide

The Samaritans were a people that had been conquered and taken captive. But there were a few that were left behind and these few began to intermarry.

The way the Jews began to mix Judaism with the Canaanite religion was because they were also intermarrying with them.

They were looked upon as impure. No longer as truly Jewish.

The Jews in Judea therefore wanted nothing to do with the Samaritans

“Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, 2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”

“Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the Lord, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ houses and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.” Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build” (, ESV)

“Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who brought us here.” But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses in Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel.” (, ESV)

4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made them afraid to build

Samaritans were considered Political traitors, religious heretics, now racially inferior.

Marginalized within the Marginalized: But Jesus having to come to Samaria is much more radical than we think

Not only was it scandalous for a Jewish man to speak to a strange woman in public. But in addition to that, our text says that she came to draw water at noon

But in addition to that, our text says that she came to draw water at noon

Scholars: This was unusual! Typically women would draw water early in the day when it wasn't hot yet, to have enough during the rest of the day for their housekeeping chores.

Why was she there alone in the middle of the day?

Answer? A Samaritan woman coming at noon means she was a moral outcast, also marginalized within her own marginalized part of society.

We see how sin taints us and often times drive us to treat others as we hate to see others treat us.

Samaritan woman coming at noon means she was a moral outcast, also marginalized within her own marginalized part of society.

“Hurt people hurt people”

All cards stacked up against her:

Not only was she a woman in here society, she was a samaritan–she was a moral outcast.

Are you beginning to understand why Jesus had to pass through Samaria?

Radical Behavior: “Jesus had to pass through Samaria”

Radical Behavior: By coming to this place and initiating a conversation with the Samaritan Woman, He is deliberately reaching across every significant barrier that people can put up between themselves!

By coming to this place and initiating a conversation with the Samaritan Woman, He is deliberately reaching across every significant barrier that people can put up between themselves!

Despite Every

Racial barrier

Cultural barrier

Gender barrier

Moral barrier

And every reason that would tell him, a religious Jewish man, to have nothing whatsoever to do with her!

Jesus says, I don’t care!! I have to pass through Samaria

John shares this after Chapter 3: Nicodemus vs. Samaritan Woman

Like Nicodemus: Come to Jesus by night in search for answers. Religiously inclined.

Like the Samaritan Woman: who are marginalized, push aside, and ostracized by society

Need us to feel as compelled as Jesus was when he “had to pass through Samaria.”

The Samaritan woman was amazed by this, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria.”

In contrast to Nicodemus who comes by night, Jesus comes by day!!!

Trans: We enter into the Conversation. The way it takes place is interesting in and of itself. Though Jesus is open to her he is also confrontational, but in an artful and gentle way

Trans:

Real Problem: Verse 10-14 Depending on men for ultimate recognition

Living Water metaphorical to Eternal Life

First world people may not walk away with the same impression as the Samaritan woman. We are accustomed to having ready access to drinking water. Most of us know very little about real thirst.

Our bodies contain a lot of water so profound thirst can be agonizing.

Therefore some of the most satisfying experiences is tasting water after having experienced great thirst.

But those who live in hot and dry climate next to a desert know a lot about thirst

Because our bodies contain so much water, to be in profound thirst is to be in agony.

Our bodies contain a lot of water so profound thirst can be agonizing.

Therefore to taste water when experiencing great thirst can be one of the most satisfying experience.

Therefore some of the most satisfying experiences is tasting water after having experienced great thirst.

What is Jesus saying? “I have something as basic and necessary to you spiritually as water is to you physically. Something without which you are absolutely lost.”

Living Water—Deeper meaning

Not only is it life saving

It satisfies from the inside (v. 14b, “The water that I will give . . . will become in [you] a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Deep soul satisfaction.

That does not depend on the circumstances!!

What will make you happy? Almost always you will think of something outside of you!

Sometimes we set our hopes

Romantic Love

Career

Politics

Social causes

There are people like the Samaritan Woman that will not come to us. They need us to pass through where they are!!

Money

Whatever it is that makes you say “if I had that!, then I know I have recognition etc.” usually it is outside of you!

YET Jesus is saying there is nothing outside of you that can truly satisfy the thirst that is deep down inside of you!!

Tim Keller, “You don’t need water splashed on your face you need water that comes even deeper down inside you than the thirst itself.”

And Jesus is saying “I CAN GIVE IT.”

I can give absolute satisfaction in the core of your being!!

Regardless of the circumstances

Trans: Sometimes there are things in life that get in the way of our hearing what Jesus is talking about.

Recognizing the Problem (Thirst): Unable to see our Soul Thirst

Shallow Hope

So long as we have the hope of perhaps achieving those things outside of us. We think we have a pretty good chance, or a shot at reaching our dreams.

You can experience your inner emptiness as drive

Your anxiety as hope

So it is possible to remain almost oblivious to how deep your thirst actually is

We’ll tell ourselves: We feel unfulfilled because we haven’t achieved our goals

We need to feel that same compelled as Jesus had to pass through Samaria!

We can live our entire lives without admitting to ourselves the depth of our spiritual thirst

Shallow Hope Reached:

That’s why there are a few people in lives who actually do achieve their dreams and are shocked in the end, when they realize none of those things truly satisfy!

They can enhance our emptiness: Drugs, pleasure, party, achieving

Ill. The great tennis champion Boris Becker said, “I had won Wimbledon twice. Once as the youngest player. I was rich, I had all the material possession I needed. It is the old song of movie stars, pop stars who commit suicide. They have everything and yet they are unhappy. But I had no inner peace.”

You might say, “I rather have his problem than mine.”

The point is that he has the same problem. Like us he thought money, sex, accomplishment and fame would solve it. The difference is he got all those things and in the end they didn’t satisfy his thirst.

Let’s be frank everybody has got to live for something. Is that something you are looking for, enough?

Jesus is saying if he is not that thing, it will fail you.

David Foster Wallace, and award winning novelist, put it this way, “Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never feel you have enough. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, you will end up feeling like a fraud, always on the verge of being found out.”

David Foster Wallace, and award winning novelist, put it this way, “Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never feel you have enough. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, you will end up feeling like a fraud, always on the verge of being found out.”

Radical

David Foster Wallace, and award winning novelist, put it this way, “Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of God or spiritual-type thing is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never feel you have enough. Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly, and when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you. Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart you will end up feeling like a fraud, always on the verge of being found out.”

Everyone trusts in something for their salvation.

Several years after, Wallace killed himself. His words should serve as a warning, “pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.”

Trans: The Samaritan Woman thought she could get what Jesus was offering her without acknowledging her spiritual thirst

Trans: The Samaritan Woman thought she could get what Jesus was offering her without acknowledging her spiritual thirst

Resolve to leave the Problem and Embrace the Living Water

She finally understood:

Everything she couldn’t get from her society

Recognition

Affection

Satisfaction

Hope

She looked for it in men. In many men.

So long as we continue to quench our thirst with the wells of water outside of us, one will never be enough. “Pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive.”

It is pertinent for us to return to the words of Jesus when he says, “Everyone who drinks of this water (outside of you) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”” (, ESV)

Conclusion: What do we take away from this?

We need to realize the outcasts. Start within us!

Sometimes we don’t realize it but we marginalize others with our actions

Let’s be determined to go to their Samaria!! It may be uncomfortable, but that’s ok!

It may somewhere you’ve never been before, that’s ok!

It may be somewhere where other people are telling not to go, but that’s ok!

Jesus never let any of that stop them.

Recognize that there is nothing outside of you that will ever satisfy the longing thirst you carry inside.

Jesus is the only Living water and he is willing to make it overflow from inside of you.

Never forget where the Living Water truly flows from.

Social Justice is extremely important. As Christians we need to be there.

It feels good when we have a lot of people dependent on us. I get that. But neither you nor I, are the source of the Living Water

Let’s Pray