SEEKING SAMARITAN'S

In today’s text we find Jesus once again in conversation. In the preceding chapter Jesus was engaged in a midnight conversation with a devoutly religious Jew and a learned theologian named Nicodemus. Today’s text, , is a conversation with an uneducated and immoral Samaritan woman. The contrast between these two characters is meant to establish a truth concerning Jesus ministry. There is no one beyond the need of grace (). There is no one beyond the reach of grace (John 4).

What is also striking about the two dialogues is Jesus’ remarkable ability to be ‘at home’ with each and to present the good news of salvation in a way that spoke to their individual universal need. She was lost in her rebellion and he was lost in his religion.

Jesus’ revelation of Himself to this woman demonstrated that God’s saving love knows no limitations; it transcends all barriers of race, gender, ethnicity, and religious tradition. In contrast to human love, divine love is indiscriminate and all-encompassing (cf. 3:16).

The story of the Lord’s encounter with the woman at the well unfolds in three scenes: the encounter, the exchange, the experience. It is the longest recorded conversation Jesus has with anyone.

Jesus encounter with the Samaritan.

Jesus pursues Samaritan.

§ He is not hindered by his physicality. (v. 6)

The phrase “had to” shows that Jesus pursues Samaritan’s. John frequently used the verb (had to) to speak of Jesus fulfilling the mission given Him by the Father (3:14; 9:4; 10:16; 12:34; 20:9). He had to because it was the Father’s will,

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.

John 4:34; 5:30; 17:4; ). On His return to Galilee, Jesus had to; the Lord was compelled to pass through Samaria and stop in a certain village because He had a divine appointment there. He had to pass through because Jesus seeks those who are lost. He had to pass through because it is not right for living water to be withheld from those who are thirsty. he had to pass through because this woman’s name had been penciled in the Savior’s divine appointment book in eternity past.

On His return to Galilee, Jesus had to; the Lord was compelled to pass through Samaria and stop in a certain village because He had a divine appointment there. He had to pass through because Jesus seeks those who are lost. He had to pass through because it is not right for living water to be withheld from those who are thirsty. He had to pass through because this woman’s name had been penciled in the Savior’s divine appointment book in eternity past.

He is not hindered by her locality.

Notice that Jesus is not hindered in his pursuit. Scripture tells us that “he had to pass through Samaria”. His had to was compelled by her need.

He is not hindered by her nationality.

Jew’s, Jesus nationality, hated Samaritan’s to degree beyond anything we can imagine. The road through Samaria was shorter (3 days) than the coastal road or the road on the east side of the Jordan (6 days), which is why many Jews traveled on it, especially at the time of the major religious festivals. But so great was their disdain for the Samaritans that the stricter Jews avoided traveling through Samaria altogether. Jesus was not repelled by her nationality but compelled by her need.

He is not hindered by his physicality.

Jesus was not hindered by her locality or nationally nor was he hinder by his physicality; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. Jesus did withdraw for times of rest but here we have an account of Jesus giving us an example of Paul’s writing to the church at Galatia when he said “and let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up ().

The stage was set; Jesus was in the right place at the right time for an encounter in God’s will. He was in reality keeping a divine appointment that He Himself had made before the foundation of the world. This divineness of this appointment is seen in the facts

Jesus is setting at the well. Men did not go to well’s, this was a woman’s job, except to meet women. This truth is learn from Jacob meeting both his wives at a well. Women drew water in the cool of the evening. We know this from Moses writings in

Genesis 24:11 ESV

And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.

We know this from Moses writings in ; And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.

; And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.

And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.

This encounter does not occur without divine appointment. There is not enough randomness in the world to bring this together.

This woman came at high noon, perhaps because of her desire to avoid public shame. What was also unusual was that this woman came from such a long distance to this well when there were other sources of water closer to the village. Here situation was so severe that she would rather walk the extra distance in the hottest time of the day than face the hostility and scorn of the other women at the closer well later in the day.

Jesus’ exchange with the Samaritan.

Jesus makes a PROBING statement.

Jesus uses a universal physical need to address a universal spiritual need.

Jesus begins His exchange by making a probing statement. The Lord’s simple request, “Give Me a drink,” was in that culture a shocking breach of social custom. Men did not speak with women in public—not even their wives. Nor did rabbis associate with immoral women (cf. ). Most significant of all in this situation, Jews customarily wanted nothing to do with Samaritans. But Jesus shattered all of those barriers.

(The word translated dealings in John’s explanatory note literally means “to use the same utensils.”) But Jesus was the infinitely holy God in human flesh. He could not be defiled by a Samaritan water pot. Whatever He touched—even corpses () or lepers ()—did not taint Him, but instead became clean.

Jesus used a universal physical need to address a universal spiritual need. Jesus continues to use Old Testament imagery of water to explain salvation. God refers to himself in

Jeremiah 2:13 ESV

for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

as; “the fountain of living water”. Jeremiah also tells us in (17:13) that “those who forsake the fountain of living water shall be put to shame.” The Lord in () invites everyone to “come, come everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”

Jeremiah also tells us in (17:13) that “those who forsake the fountain of living water shall be put to shame.” The Lord invites everyone in

Isaiah 55:1 ESV

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

1 to “come, come everyone who thirsts, come to the waters.”

Jesus doesn’t offer her a well but a spring. Wells must be dug. They are man made. Jesus is not a well. He is a spring/fountain. A spring/fountain requires no work. They are natural. They are free. Water must be drawn from a well. Fountains freely flow. There is no drawing only drinking. Jesus had spoken to her about the water of eternal life, and she seemed willing to accept it, but no conditions had been stated. As with any lost sinner, this woman needed to understand two crucial issues before she could receive the living water of eternal life—namely, the reality of her sin and His identity as Savior. In these last two points; Jesus addressed both of those issues.

Jesus makes a prophetic statement.

Jesus exposes her sin.

§ Jesus expounds her sin. (vv.17-18)

§ She seeks to Experience salvation through religious ritual (vv. 19-20)

§ Jesus Extends to her salvation from her sin through personal repentance and relationship with God the Father. (vv. 21-26)

§ She ENTRUSTS herself to Christ for salvation. (v. 39)

Since the woman failed to grasp the nature of the water He spoke of, Jesus moved the conversation to her need for repentance and salvation from sin. His command, “Go, call your husband and come here,” exposed the heart of the issue—her sin. Those who truly thirst for the righteousness God provides in salvation will confess and forsake their wicked ways

Isaiah 55:6–7 ESV

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

) “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; 7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Jesus did not come to grant sinners perfection in the next life while leaving them to continue in sin in this one (cf. ; ; ). On the contrary,

Titus 2:14 ESV

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

; cf. ; ; ). As a result, those who come to Him and truly receive the living water of eternal salvation have “been freed from sin, [and become] slaves of righteousness … and enslaved to God” (, ; cf. ; ; ). Jesus responded to the woman’s interest by offering her the opportunity to confess her sins and receive forgiveness to be purified and delivered from iniquity to righteousness.

As a result, those who come to Him and truly receive the living water of eternal salvation have

Romans 6:18 ESV

and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Jesus responded to the woman’s interest by offering her the opportunity to confess her sins and receive forgiveness to be purified and delivered from iniquity to righteousness.

Her response.

The woman’s response was not a lie but it was elusive. Her desperate attempt to conceal her sin from Jesus was futile; Jesus rebuttal forces her to face it:

His rebuttal.

John 4:17–18 ESV

The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”

John 4:18 ESV

for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.”

While commending her for her truthfulness (as far as it went), Jesus nonetheless unmasked her sin.

“You are 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.” While commending her for her truthfulness (as far as it went), Jesus nonetheless unmasked her sin.

Shaken by Jesus’ amazingly accurate knowledge of her sinful life, the woman said, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.” By calling Him a prophet, she affirmed that His knowledge of her sordid lifestyle was accurate. No longer did she attempt to hide her sin; rather, this statement constituted a confession by which she was turning from her sin, hoping to receive the water of eternal life.

She seeks to Experience salvation through religious ritual

She seeks to experience salvation through religious ritual.

Jesus Extends to her salvation from her sin through personal repentance and relationship with God the Father. (vv. 21-26)

Jesus clarifies that salvation is not found in religious ritual but in a personal relationship with God the Father. Jesus is relentless and like a skilled spiritual surgeon he quickly responds by once again extending salvation from her sin.

John 4:21–26 ESV

Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 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. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 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.”

John 4:21–24 ESV

John 4:

The Father is seeking such people to worship him.

She ENTRUSTS herself to Christ for salvation.

John 4:

It is at this point that she entrusts her life to Christ. Jesus is saying; “The one you are looking for you are looking at.”

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.”

It is at this point that she entrusts her life to Christ. Jesus is saying; “The one you are looking for you are looking at.”

John

John 4:29 ESV

“Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?”

John 4:39 ESV

Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”

The story does not focus on look at what she has done but look at what Jesus has done.

The Samaritan’s Experience with Jesus.

She was different.

o She made a DIFFERENCE. (vv. 39-42)

Genuine saving faith always makes a person different. We see an immediate change in her life. This woman, who once was avoiding towns people, is now telling people in her town to “come and see.”

She was determined.

This experience made her determined in telling and bringing others to Christ.

She was dedicated.

She was not only determined to tell everyone but she was dedicated in telling everyone her story of redemption.

She made a DIFFERENCE.

This dedication made a difference in that many believed. Though they were influenced by the woman’s testimony, hearing from Jesus Himself was the clincher. So they were saying to her, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.” Such words were not intended to denigrate her testimony, but rather to indicate that their time with Jesus confirmed it.

Testimonies are used in powerful ways by the Holy Spirit. However, let us not forget Paul’s word’s concerning salvation in ; How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Lift up your eyes! Look! the fields are white for harvest! They will come if we will go! Tell them that he knows everything they have done and yet he came. Tell them that he has intimate knowledge of their sin and He is not repelled for it is the very reason he was compelled to come. Tell them that Jesus came and drank their cup, the wrath of God, so that they can drink from the spring of eternal life.

If there is anyone here this morning who has never trusted Christ as Savior then this is your appointed time. The Savior has come to your well today. He is offering you Himself the living water. This offer is without price. It’s free gift but you ask for it. “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him.”

Following Christ doesn’t mean you want thirst again. It means that you will never be without supply for your thirst. It means that you will have a constant supply of thirst quenching, soul satisfying living water.

Christian, are you ready to leave this place committed to living like the Christ of our story? If so, you have missed the point of today’s text. The text doesn’t teach us to go live like Jesus. It teaches us that we are the woman and that we are to go and live like her.

For over thirty years the Salvation Army and William Booth in particular were subject to some of the most vile persecutions Christians suffered in modern times. But the General lived to see the day his army would be honored around the world. His own King Edward VII invited him to Buckingham Palace in 1904. All the persecution and trials of the previous decades must have seemed insignificant to Booth as he heard King Edward say, “You are doing a good work—a great work, General Booth.”

When the king asked Booth to write in his autograph album, the old man—now seventy-five—bent forward, took the pen, and summed up his life’s work:

Your Majesty,

Some men’s ambition is art,

Some men’s ambition is fame,

Some men’s ambition is gold,

My ambition is the souls of men.

John Harper’s Last Convert

John Harper, the newly-called pastor of Moody Church in the early 1900s, manifested his Christian character in the sinking of the Titanic. Dr. W. B. Riley related the death of Harper.

“We have the history of John Harper’s end, for survivors, brought to harbor in safety, told the same. When the Titanic was struck by the iceberg that drove in her sides, and sent the ship to the bottom, John Harper was leaning against the rail pleading with a young man to come to Christ. … ”

Four years after the Titanic went down, a young Scotchman rose in a meeting in Hamilton, Can., and said, “I am a survivor of the Titanic. When I was drifting alone on a spar that awful night, the tide brought Mr. John Harper, of Glasgow, on a piece of wreck near me. “Man,” he said, “are you saved?” “No,” I said, “I am not.” He replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

“The waves bore him away; but, strange to say brought him back a little later, and he said, “Are you saved now?” “No,” I said, “I cannot honestly say that I am.” He said again, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” and shortly after he went down; and there, alone in the night, and with two miles of water under me, I believed. I am John Harper’s last convert.”

Gypsy’s Trousers’ Worn Knees

The late Gypsy Smith used to tell the story of the conversion of his Uncle Rodney. Among gypsies, it was not considered proper for a child to address his elders unless spoken to. This would be doubly true if a child spoke to an elder on spiritual matters. So young Gypsy prayed and waited for his opportunity. One day, the lad’s uncle took note of Gypsy’s worn trousers. “Laddie,” said Uncle Rodney, “How do you account for the fact that the knees of your trousers have worn nearly through, while the rest of the suit is almost like new?”

“I have worn the knees through praying for you, Uncle Rodney,” the boy answered. Then he added, tearfully, “I want so much to have God make you a Christian!” Uncle Rodney put his arm around Gypsy in fatherly embrace, and a few moments later fell on his knees, confessing Christ as his Saviour!

Life Group Questions:

· What area(s) did the Holy Spirit impress you to make immediate application?

· What were you convicted about today?

· What where you taught today that you did not know prior?

· What where you reminded of today that you had forgotten or neglected?

· What part of this do you believe yourself to be most like Jesus and the least like Jesus?