DATE: 15th March, 2020
THEME: JESUS THE SOURCE OF LIVING WATER
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Exodus 17:1-7
Romans 5:1-11
John 4:5-42
Psalter: Psalm 95:1-11
INTRODUCTION
Our text today presents to us a woman who is jaded by life. She has been around and around, riding the merry-go-round of life and she is worn out from it. She has tried drinking from every well around her, but she has left them all just as thirsty as she was when she came.
One day, Jesus Christ showed up outside her little town. She meets Him and He opens her eyes to the fact that there is a new life. A life that is free from the burdens and problems of the life she is now living. Jesus takes this jaded, hardened woman and He leads her to a place of trust. He leads her to take a drink of living water from the well of faith. When she drinks the Lord’s water, she discovers that There’s More Than Water In His Well.
As we reflect on this text today, it reminds us of where we were when the Lord found us. Just like the woman in these verses, we were also looking for something we did not have. We were drinking from every well we could find, but none were satisfying the thirst in our souls. When we met Jesus Christ, and He offered us a drink from His well, We found out that There’s More Than Water In His Well.
BODY
I. THE TRAGEDY OF THE WOMAN
A. The Tragedy Of Her Isolation – This woman came to Jacob’s Well to draw water. But, she did not come when all the other women came. The women came to draw their water early in the morning, before the sun rose high into the sky. History tells us that it was about a mile from town to the well where they came for water. Drawing and carrying water for the day was hot, sweaty work. While they were there, they caught up on the local gossip and enjoyed a few minutes by themselves, away from the pressures of living in a male dominated society.
Why did this one woman not come with the others? I think the answer can be found in verses 17-18 and verse 28. Verse 17 tells us that she is a woman of much experience.
▪Perhaps she had been with men who belonged to some of the other women.
▪Perhaps she was often the topic of their gossip as they drew water from the well.
When she meets Jesus and wants to tell the people of the city that the Messiah has come, she does not go to the other women of the town; she runs to the men, v. 28. It would seem that this woman was an outcast socially. In the course of her conversation with Jesus, He tells her that she is even isolated from God, v. 20-22. Even the little worship she managed to work into her sinful life was of no use for her spiritually. She was an outcast spiritually as well.
B. The Tragedy Of Her Ignorance – This poor woman tries to argue religion with Jesus. At first, she sees Him as just another Jew, and she wants Him to know that she has some ideas about religion too. She talks about their religious differences, v. 9. She uses sarcasm and ridicule, v. 11-12, 15. She tries to bring up a religious dispute in verses 19-20, in an attempt to escape the penetrating statements of Jesus in verses16-18. Through all of this, Jesus shows her just how little she knows about God, about worship and about herself.
Notice the little word “if” in verse 10. Regardless of what she thought she knew, Jesus points out to her that there is one thing she does not know. She does not know Who Jesus is and that is the main thing! Jesus tells her that “if” she only knew, she could ask Jesus for “living water” and she would be forever satisfied!
C. The Weariness Of Her Inconsistencies – Here she is, a woman with a checkered past, living a wicked life, v. 16-18, yet she feels that she is qualified to argue religion with the Lord Jesus Christ. She demonstrates a clear picture of hypocrisy in action!
Here is the bottom line: God said it and it is settled forever, Psa. 119:89. He has already told us that the only way to Heaven was through Jesus, John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Acts 16:31.
II. A TENDER SAVIOR
A. He Is Tender In His Grace – The Bible tells us that “He must needs go through Samaria”. Most Jews went miles out of their way to go around Samaria to avoid coming into contact with them. The Jews hated the Samaritans! They were considered to be an inferior race because they were descended from Jews who had intermarried with Gentiles that had been placed in the land by the Assyrians.
Thank God that Jesus does not operate like other men! He did not care about their heritage. He did not care about the hatred of others. He did not care about the racial lines drawn by ignorant men. He operates in the realm of grace! Jesus went to that place and sat on that well because He wanted to save this poor woman!
Note: Getting to Heaven will never depend upon you! It depends entirely upon His grace!
B. He Is Tender In His Graciousness – Jesus works with this woman patiently. He took her where He found her and gently led her to where she needed to be. He brought her to the place where she was ready to hear about Him and about Who He was. Then, when He revealed Himself to her, v. 26, she was at a place where she was ready to believe on Him.
C. He Is Tender In His Gift – Jesus promised this woman that He could give her a drink of “living water”. He promised her that this water would satisfy her in the depths of her soul. I would imagine that this probably appealed to her. She had tried all types of physical relationships to satisfy the deep longings of her soul and they had all left her empty and thirsty.
▪Sex had not satisfied her. ▪Marriage had failed five times to satisfy her.
▪Living in the depths of sin on the fringes of society had failed to bring her happiness.
Here, Jesus offers her an opportunity to find everything she has been looking for, by merely receiving His offer.
In other words, Jesus is promising that just one trip to Him will satisfy the soul forever. You may have tried it all, and if you have I think I can safely say that it has left you feeling empty and unfulfilled. But, if you will come to Jesus, receive Him into your heart and life, He will save you and forever satisfy the deepest cravings of your heart!
III. A TREMENDOUS SALVATION
A. It Changed Her Activities – When she hears that Jesus is the Messiah, v. 26. She has all the information she needs. She forgets about her mission to get some water from the well, v. 7. Now, she wants to tell others about the well of living water she has experienced! That “artesian well” Jesus spoke of in verse 14 is starting to flow and she cannot keep it in. She is different and she wants others to experience it too!
This is what Jesus does in every life He redeems. He changes old sinners into something brand new, 2 Cor. 5:17. The old activities and attractions of sin and the world lose their appeal to the newborn saint of God. They know they are saved, they know they are different and they want others to hear about how Jesus can change them too! When Jesus comes in, He will change everything! You will walk differently, you will talk differently and you will think differently.
B. It Changed Her Ambitions – Notice that she runs to tell the men about Jesus. Why the men? They all knew her; many probably knew her intimately! The other women hated her, but the men loved her. So, she runs to the very people who had shared her life of sin. Imagine how their curiosity is piqued when she comes running in their direction. However, this time things are different!
▪Now, she isn’t talking about a rendezvous; she is talking about redemption.
▪She hasn’t come to arrange an affair with a guy; she has come to tell about amazing grace.
▪She hasn’t come looking for a date; she has come to talk about a Deliverer!
Yes, she is different, and the ones who knew her best see the change first! Everything changes when you meet Him!
C. It Changed Her Acknowledgment – Notice how this woman moved from not knowing Jesus to proclaiming Him as the Messiah. In verse 9, He is a “Jew”. In verse 11, she calls Him “Sir”. In verse 19, she sees Him as a “Prophet”. By verse 29, she has reached the place where she calls Him “Christ”. She sees Him as the need of her soul. How did she make the progression from antagonism to acceptance? The Lord led her gently along. He brought her from knowing nothing about Him to seeing Him as her only hope in just a few minutes. It was a powerful, miraculous work of grace!
CONCLUSION
Are you saved today? If you are, rejoice! Like that Samaritan woman that day, you have discovered that there is more in His well than just water. There is life, joy, peace, blessings, power, glory, a blessed eternity, and so much more. You ought to praise Him for that today. If you are not saved, you need to come to Jesus Christ right now. If you will come to Him, He will save you. Enjoy the service. Stay PROTECTED FROM CORONA VIRUS. Stay BLESSED.
PREPARED BY:
Very Rev. Dr. Samuel Yaw Dua Dodd
CALVARY METHODIST CHURCH
ADABRAKA-ACCRA
