Jesus Knows Your True Thirst (John 4:6-15)

Introduction

Have you ever been thirsty? Like Really thirsty. So thirsty you felt like your mouth was sand?

Think about that time. Think what it felt like. How miserable it was because all you could think of was “I need a drink.”

When you got that drink it was probably almost like heaven.

I bet you tried to take it all at once. You probably turned the bottle or cup up and drank it all in as fast as you could.

You probably spilled some on yourself too.

You may have even felt like that was the best drink you had ever had in your life.

We need water to survive. We need it more so than anything else other than oxygen.

Without water you can only last approximately 2.5 days. Without food you can last according to one study I saw around 1-2 months.

Water is extremely important to us. Just like when you have been running and playing or working hard and need a drink. That drink gives you a boost and helps you to go on.

That is great and I love water. But today I want to tell you about a better water. One that makes any water here seem like nothing.

This water is called living water by Jesus.

He tells the woman at the well about it and I want to tell you about it today.

The text is found in John 4:6-15

John 4:6–15 NLT

6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”

It is amazing what all is in this section.

First we see that

Jesus Knows What it is Like to be Human (6-7)

It says that Jesus was tired, weary, and thirsty.

He felt all we feel. Yes, Jesus is God and our savior but He felt human feelings.

He knows what it is like to be a human.

This tells us that Jesus understands and knows what you feel.

He knows if you are tired, depressed, upset, mad, or anything else.

Jesus Knows.

He knows our needs because He had needs while He walked the earth.

This means He is not too far away from you.

He is not so above you that you cannot relate with Him. He knows and He longs to visit with you.

He can relate with your thirst, whatever it may be, and He is waiting for you to visit with Him.

He wants to visit He became a man and knows what it is like to be like us.

Which leads to another aspect of this Scripture

That...

Jesus Knows Who You Are (8-9)

This woman was shocked by the question of Jesus.

She was for a few reasons.

She was a Samaritan. That means she was an outsider to the Jewish people.

She was a woman and He was a man alone together. The cultural norms did not allow for this to be.

Basically, this was counter culture and not normal.

Jesus broke the bounds of normal when He asked her for a drink.

Just think about anyone who you think is an outsider. What would happen if you kindly spoke to them?

They would be in shock because someone made it a point to visit with them.

Maybe you are the outsider. Maybe you struggle with people not treating you with kindness.

Well, Jesus is sitting there asking you for a chance to visit.

Or maybe you feel that Jesus would not want to talk with you or seek you.

This shows that He does. This shows that He will go to the outsider and draw them to Him.

He is not against you like many people may be. He is for you and He is asking you for a chance to visit today.

Just look again at this section.

John (Jesus and the Woman at the Well / 4:1–26 / 27)

The woman came to the well with shame on her mind. She was avoiding human contact, but the stranger at the well was probably little more than an inconvenience. How often at the supermarket, gas station, or even in church do we pass by people loaded down with guilt. They find themselves having to pursue life’s necessities, hoping to avoid anyone who knows their real needs. Dreading judgment and rejection, they live in fear. And yet, when shown real concern, when gently confronted, these same people find great relief in unburdening themselves. When you greet someone with “How are you?” do you stop long enough to show him or her that you really want to know? Simple caring is a gift valued infinitely more than it costs to give.

This is a twofold application for you and me.

Jesus went out of His way to speak to this outsider. He will do the same for you.

But it also shows that maybe we need to be more open to the outsider and reach out to see how they are. To try and help.

They may ask, and you may ask, “why are you asking me?” That is okay. We will have that, Jesus did and Jesus did not stop with that question. He continued to visit with the woman because...

Jesus Knows Our Confusion (10-13)

Here He makes it clear what He offers–living water.

This is salvation. A life that is full, complete, active, joyous.

He tells her that He is the Messiah. The one who gives life to those who ask Him for it.

He makes it clear that He will give her Life if she asks.

But there is confusion.

She is hung up on the world and does not grasp that He is offering something more than just water.

[S]he’s in for a shock—as is everyone who starts to take Jesus seriously. He has living water to offer all right, but when you start to drink it it will change every area of your life. (Tom Wright, John for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-10 (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 43.)

This is understandable. We all get confused. He does not let the confusion stop His offer.

He knows our confusion.

So I need to ask here, Are you confused? Do you sometimes wonder what God is doing? I know I sometimes do.

Do you sometimes think the world is better than God/ Do you think He is not as good as you have heard?

Do you think that you can find something better here rather than God?

If so it is okay. Jesus knows your confusion over many things.

He does not get angry at your wondering. He offers you this living water too.

The woman was confused and asked a question that was still in the here and now thinking.

She is confused that Jesus is offering something that sounds like it is better than her ancestors.

Sometimes we have that hangup too. We think that something that our families have said and done for years is better than Jesus.

Jesus makes it clear that what He offers is greater than all that.

Verse thirteen makes this clear when He told her that the water in the well would fix your thirst for a bit but you would need to drink again and again.

But, the water He offers does not thirst again. It is living water. It will make one fulfilled and never thirsty again.

Any attempt to find full satisfaction in the world will only lead to disappointment and despair. Jesus knows this and He knows your confusion over what to do.

Do not let that confusion and questions stop you from taking Jesus up on this offer of Living Water.

The water we need does more than we can imagine. And...

Jesus Knows What Water We Need (14-15)

Just think about the thirst you have had before. Remember how thirsty you were.

Jesus says right here that if you take the water He offers, you will never thirst again.

This water will fulfill you and make you to see those who look down on you with pity.

You will not be angry but you will hurt for them and desire them to have the same feeling of fulfillment you have.

You know your eternal thirst has been fixed.

Now, the woman here felt that this would stop her from having to return to the well for water daily. That is not what this living water does.

It takes away the sin and hurt in your life. It removes the bad and makes it filled with good.

It bubbles up and overflows out of you.

It does not resolve every need in life. It does not make everything perfect here.

It cannot do that in you alone but if others take and drink this water, then the world will be different.

Remember the part about those you see who are hurting and need ing something? Well, when we share what Jesus has given us, we will help to make the world better. We will help to resolve some of the issues we have in the world.

Why, “The gospel is for every person, no matter what his or her race, social position, religious orientation, or past sins. We must be prepared to share this gospel at any time and in any place. We must also be prepared to deal with those who may be accustomed to being ill-treated and who are not sure of our motives. Jesus crossed all barriers to share the gospel, and we who follow him must do no less—even if misunderstood.” (Bruce B. Barton, John, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1993), 80.)

Jesus offers you this living water today. He crossed all boundaries to get the offer to this woman. He does the same for you.

He knows what you need in all areas of life, but the most important need is Him and His offer of Living water.

What do you say about that offer?

Conclusion

We know that,

John (Jesus and the Woman at the Well / 4:1–26 / 27)

Spiritual functions often parallel physical functions. Our bodies hunger and thirst; so do our souls. But our souls need spiritual food and water. The woman confused the two kinds of water, perhaps because no one had ever told her about her spiritual hunger and thirst before. We would not think of depriving our bodies of food and water when they hunger or thirst. Why then should we deprive our souls? The living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written Word, the Bible, can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls.

Jesus knows what we feel, He knows what we face daily, He knows our confusion, and He knows what water we need to drink. He offers it today. It is yours for the taking just as it was for the woman at the well. Will you be confused and still want the world or will you be like the woman and exclaim, “Please give me this water!”

Will you today take this offer of living water from Jesus? Will you today believe in the only begotten Son of God?

When you do you receive this amazing gift of everlasting life that is yours in Christ.