The Samaritan Woman

John 4 (NLT)

4 Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.

4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.

• Jesus understands when we are tired and needs a break. Its OK to admit that you are tired or sick. The church has been lied to when it is told that "If you claim it , then the devil will use it against you. So when people ask you how you are doing, tell them :God is good, all the Time. All the time, God is good."

7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”

• She came to the well alone. This may speak to her reputation or self worth. Either she was made to feel unwelcome or she had self worth issues. While others traditionally came to draw water in the morning or evening, she came in the heat of the day, to avoid the eyes and comments of others.

• There are many who are thirsty, but avoid coming to a group gathering (church) for the same reason. How do you react when the prostitute or the town drunk, or the homeless guy walks into your church? How about the homosexual or the pregnant teen? We don't bat an eye when that nicely dressed couple join us.

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?”

• Jesus broke the rules of society that said "Jews don't speak to Samaritans"

• Jews and Samaritans have hated each other since Jeroboam lead his people into a pluralistic worship of God/ Idols and changed the location of worship from Jerusalem to Dan and Bethel, in 1st Kings 12

• Samaritans were considered "half-breads" because they intermarried with other people groups who were resettled in Israel after the Israelites were taken into captivity. Israel was divided into two kingdoms. The northern kingdom, called Israel, established its capital first at Shechem, a revered site in Jewish history, and later at the hilltop city of Samaria.

• In 722 B.C. Assyria conquered Israel and took most of its people into captivity. The invaders then brought in Gentile colonists (2 Kin. 17:24) to resettle the land. The foreigners brought with them their pagan idols, which the remaining Jews began to worship alongside the God of Israel (2 Kin. 17:29-41). Intermarriages also took place (Ezra 9:1-10:44; Neh. 13:23-28 ).

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.”

• By the end of verse 15, she was convinced he had something she wanted, but the light had not yet turned on.

16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.

17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.

• Right there is her confession. Quick lesson...Confession + Repentance + Request = Forgiveness. As a math teacher, I know that if an equation is true and you change even one part of it, then it is no longer true. So, why are so many churches teaching that we have forgiveness of all our sin even if we don't do the first part of the equation? Because of 2nd Timothy 4:3

Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”

• We see that Jews and Samaritans even worshiped in different places

21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

• So many people have "head knowledge".People defend their actions with "I know the Bible. I grew up in church."

26 Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!”

27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” 28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”

• She had an encounter with Christ which prompted her to share Christ with others. If an encounter with Christ prompts us to share that experience with others, then what does it mean if we are not prompted to share Christ with others?

30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”

32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”

• That feeling you get...

33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.

34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.

• Now the rabbi teaches his Talmidim

35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. 36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life.

• Walmart's profit is measured in $ signs. Each day is compared to the same day in the previous year. If the church were viewed, as a business, then its profit would be measured in the number of people who had their lives transformed by the redemption of Jesus Christ. Based on this measure, How many churches and people who call themselves Christians are operating in the red?

What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”

• 1st Corinthians 3:6

• Our vision for ministry here at Legacy is to disciple people who will in turn disciple people, etc etc etc

Many Samaritans Believe

39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe.

• I wonder what changes took place in Christ's disciples, as far as their prejudices towards the Samaritans. How come its 2014 and we still have churches separated by color. Sure, many churches have a few people who are different in their congregation, but why is it that congregational make-up is based on color. Maybe I'm slow, but I still can't figure out why there are white funeral home and black funeral homes.

42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”

• Once you've experience a relationship with Christ, one where the seed takes root and starts to grow, you long to connect with what he has to say: his word. If you lack a desire to connect with his word, then maybe your experience with him is not what it could or should be.