Need to Go Through Samaria

John 4:3–10 NKJV

3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman of 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 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

Jesus was in Judea, the area around Jerusalem, and He was on His way to Galilee, the region where He did most of His miracles, where He was from.

Jesus was on a mission,

from Judea to Galilee

from ritual to miracles

From Galilee to the Cross

from the temporal miracles to eternal salvation to all that believe

But He needed to Go through Samaria

Judea, Samaria, and Galilee

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem, which is the region of Judea

this was the religious center of the Jewish world

the temple was there in Jerusalem, the location of the holy feasts

the high priest and other high ranking priests were there

the daily sacrifices and incense offered there

Judea was also the are where the Roman governor was stationed

Judea was the holiest area of the Jews, many Pharisees and Sadducee along with scribes and doctors of the law

After Jesus was born, his parents fled into Egypt becasue Herod wanted to kill him

When they returned after the death of Herod (the Great), they went to Galilee, becasue Archelaus reigned in place of his father

Galilee was the area of Israel (or Palestine) that was furthest tot he North

this region included the towns of Nazareth, where Jesus lived, and Capernaum, Bethsaida, Chorazin, Gennesaret , and many other places where Jesus did most of His miracles

The region of Galilee was also mostly Jewish population, but also included some non Jewish cities.

These people tended to be less formal in the religion - which was made more so by the distance to Jerusalem

like the difference between some Pentecostals, and Episcopalians perhaps

Some of their southern neighbors thought they wee lax in their performance of the religion, but they were accepted as Jews nevertheless.

And Right in between these two regions was Samaria

The Samaritans were generally hated by the Jews, both on the South and the North.

They were called Samaritans becasue of the capital city of the Northern kingdom before the fall of Israel centuries before.

the people had been relocated by the Assyrians, and replaced with captives from other countries.

But they brought back some Jews in an attempt to bless the land.

as time went by, many of these people mixed their religion with superstitions and elements of the pagan people

this type of things is very common today among many nominal Christians.

people claim to be Christian, and still read their horoscope, and have lucky charms, are practice demon consulting like Ouija boards and fortune tellers.

The Jews hated them for this betrayal of the faith. They considered them enemies, even worse than the Romans in many cases

as a result,t hey would not even talk to them, or have anything to do with them at all.

So, now that you have an overview of the regions:

Jesus has just been in Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and He now needs to return to Galilee

But He needs to go through Samaria

Jesus Needs to Go Through Samaria

You could say the Jews and the Samaritans had some “racial tensions”.

in fact, the differences they had might make many of the differences we are seeing today look mild.

They had very little in common, and they didn not like each other

each side blamed the other for their differences and their hatred

But Jesus Needed to Go through Samaria -

And I think many of us need to go outside of our comfort zones these days

there are a good many Christians that need to look beyond their traditions learn a little about people that are different from them

Of course I am talking about White Christians looking beyond their world views and prejudices

but I am also talking about black Christians looking beyond their own prejudices and opinions also

and Hispanics, and Asians, and while we are at it, different denominations, and more.

Perhaps He could have avoided it, though it would have been difficult.

Today it is easy to avoid going places you don’t want to go -

we can hop on a plan, or a train and get straight to our destination

or with the interstate highways, even in cars, we can avoid nearly all contact with others

Although He it would have been strange to avoid going through, He could have avoided the stop at the well that day.

But Jesus needed to go through Samaria - It was part of His destiny - His divine purpose

Jesus was not going to go to the cross, the grave, the resurrection, or the ascension, until He first went through Samaria

Perhaps the scribes and pharisees of Judea would like to think that Messiah identifies with them only

or perhaps the Galileans would like to think of Him as only their Messiah

He is Messiah to Judea, Egypt, Galilee, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the eath

Jesus says to her “Give Me a Drink”

Jesus didn’t just pass through this area, He stopped and spoke to her.

here He is, alone at this well in Sychar -

the people around there are not like people in His hometown

And this particular woman, is probably an outcast even among them

she is coming at about noon - long before the other women of the town

she was probably what we would call one of the lower class people of the town

have you ever been in a place where you were an outsider? maybe outside your comfort zone

I recall my first trip to New York with some friends ---

So often we try to make an invisible wall -

don’t make eye contact - don’t say anything - just pass through

But Jesus comes right out and speaks to her -

She asks “how are you, a Jew, speaking to me?

Here was a great opportunity for Jesus to talk about their differences

she was obviously aware of them -

But instead, He was more concerned about her salvation

John 4:10–14 NKJV

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Jesus points out her need for Living Water

Like so many people, she can’t see beyond the now - she still answers about regular water - not knowing He is speaking of spiritual water

Then Jesus speaks even more about this living water

this water that will be in you - and spring up into a fountain of everlasting life

My friends, if you have not drank, and continue to drink of this water, you have no real life

Giving her this living water was of much more importance to Jesus than getting into a conversation about why the Jews and Samaritans don’t talk to each other.

John 4:15–18 NKJV

15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”

As soon as she asks for the water, He mentions her husband

Jesus know of course that she had no husband -

imagine the guilt that might have come to her mind -

she tried to divert - partly cover it - saying she had no husband -

But Jesus knew the truth - and drew it out here - she had had five husbands - she was a very immoral woman -

He knew of her need of repentance - not judgement or wrath -

John 4:19–24 NKJV

19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Once again, she tries to divert the attention of the conversation back to one of the issues of controversy

There was a huge division between the Jews and Samaritans over where they would worship

the Jews considered Jerusalem and the temple to be the place of Worship - and the three annual feasts mandatory

The Samaritans believed that Mount Gerizim was the holiest place, and the place where people should come to worship

they believed that this was the pale where Abraham offered his son Isaac

This was perhaps their biggest point of contention

Since she has accepted that He was a prophet, it probably made sense to get right to what was to her, the most important point

Here again, Jesus could have gotten into the conversation with her

After all, He is God - He was there when Moses recieved the instruction about where to worship

If anyone knows and has the right to say, it is Him

And He chose not to -

He said neither one of them are right

those who worship God must worship in Spirit and in Truth

when you are in the Spirit it no longer matters whether its in Jerusalem or on Mount Gerizim

when you are in the Spirit, it no longer matters whether you are black or white, rich or poor, privileged or underprivileged, American or not etc.

look at Philemon - rich or poor - we are brothers -

all these things are but for a moment

The Answer Is Neither

If you are looking for God to validate you concerning whatever point you are clinging to to justify divisions, you are likely to be dissapointed

How are you building the kingdom of God?

How are you leading people to eternal life?

If you are not helping to gather, then you are scattering

He is not on Your side!

Like the angel who met with Joshua at the conquest of Jericho -

He was there as Captain of the Host of The Lord

Do not expect Jesus to be on your side - You must be on His side

His side comes before your political party

His side comes before your Country

His side comes before your Race

His side comes before your denomination, tradition, culture, friends, or career

He is not a Baptist, and American, a Hebrew Israelite, or any other label you want to put one Him.

Jesus could have let this woman draw Him into a conversation about their differences, or about their History over the preceding 1,500 years

But the truth is, it does not really matter what happened 400 years ago

It doesn’t even matter what happened in 1960, or last week if you don’t have eternal life

If you do not know Jesus Christ, and know Him as Lord - then everything else is useless

And if You do know Him as Lord - then everything else is past -

Paul said “what things were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ” - all his proud heritage, and zeal

He said “when I was with you, I purposed not to know anything at all except Jesus Christ - and Him crucified”

Do you Know Him?

Are you ready to Go through Samaria with HIM?