Faces In The Bible The Samaritan Woman At The Well Wed ...

[Pages:5]Faces In The Bible The Samaritan Woman At The Well ? John 4

Wed, Sept. 2, 2020

Background/Intro

In John 3:25-30 we find that the Pharisees were attempting to incite competition between Jesus and John the Baptist.

In order to avoid the controversy and trouble with the Pharisees, Jesus determined to return back to Galilee from Judea ? John 4:1-4

It is unusual and significant that Jesus chose to travel through Samaria. The Samaritans were despised by the Jews, and, as far as the Samaritans were concerned, their hatred of the Jews was just as strong. It was the usual practice of most self-respecting Jews to avoid going through Samaria when traveling between Judea and Galilee. The usual route would require them to cross the Jordan River into the barren desert of Perea where they would head north and cross the Jordan River again into Galilee. They would take extreme measures in order to avoid any contact with Samaritans.

Jacob's well ? John 4:5-6 The field where this well was located had great religious and historical significance for the Jews and the Samaritans. The well was located in a field that was the very first parcel of real estate recorded in Scripture that any Israelite ever owned in the Promised Land. According to Gen. 23 and 25, Abraham had purchased this field known as Machpelah from Ephron the Hittite for 400 shekels of silver in order to use a cave in it as a burial place of Abraham's wife Sarah. It had been Joseph's request to be buried in the Promised Land, and his bones were buried at this very location where we now find Jesus in John 4.

Jesus is seated alone at this well when a Samaritan woman comes to draw water from it.

She had a social conscience

It was not considered proper for a man to speak in public to a strange woman.

Jews were to have no dealings with Samaritans.

A respectable Jew would never consider using a polluted Samaritan drinking vessel in order to get a drink of water. He would immediately become defiled, and this woman knew it.

So, she clearly had a social conscience related to how men should interact with women and how Jews should interact with Samaritans.

She had a sordid past

If John is referring to Jewish time, Jesus arrived at the well around noon.

Undoubtedly, most women of the village would travel to the well to get their daily supply of water early in the morning, before the hottest part of the day.

Perhaps this woman waited until later in the day in order to avoid contact with other more respectable members of society.

John 4:16-19 ? She currently had no husband, and she was living in a sinful relationship.

She had a religious background but no knowledge of the truth

There were three important things she was ignorant of: Who Jesus was What He had to offer How she could receive what He had to offer

She confused the material with the spiritual ? 4:11 She was concerned about "how" He would obtain the water rather than believing that He already possessed it.

Jesus clarifies by separating the spiritual from the physical ? 4:13-14 Jesus claimed that whoever continues drinking the actual physical water from this well (referring to the things this world has to offer) will thirst again and never be fully satisfied.

Jesus taught her several things ? 4:21-24 Where you worship is not the issue ? What matters is who you worship and how you worship. The religious tradition she had grown up with was totally and utterly false. Only those who have the indwelling Holy Spirit and who obey the truth can worship God in an acceptable manner.

There was one truth she did know and understand ? 4:25 Messiah was coming and He would reveal secrets of the heart.

It was at this point that Jesus declared Himself to be the Messiah ? 4:26 This is the single most direct and explicit messianic claim Jesus ever made.

Most Bible scholars believe that it was at this point that this Samaritan woman put her faith in Christ and was converted. This is when she drank of the "living water" and was born again.

This direct claim of deity, so pointedly and directly declared, is not recorded in Scripture again until the night of His betrayal. As recorded in the gospel record, Jesus never denied the truth about being the Messiah, but He always avoided explicitly stating that He was the Messiah. It was only when asked by the High Priest Caiaphas in those early-morning hours before His crucifixion that He so clearly and plainly revealed His identity.

She had an amazing transformation

One of the sure evidences that her faith was authentic was manifested in her desire to share it with others.

She had been so transformed by Christ that she wanted others to know about it.

She returned to the village and told the men that she had met the Messiah, the One who told her everything she ever did.

No doubt, the men were the ones who were most familiar with her reputation.

But, the shame and burden of her sin and guilt had been lifted and her past no longer mattered.

When this woman boldly announced that she had found the Messiah, the men of Sychar welcomed the opportunity to meet Jesus themselves.

God used her simple testimony, and the result was that many people traveled from the town to the well to meet Jesus that day, and many people of the town were saved because of her testimony.

Lessons from the Samaritan Woman

Since eternity past, it has been God's redemptive plan to save sinners. In His divine providence, He was to meet a sinful Samaritan in need of the "water of life".

Whether they realize it or not, people are thirsty for living water. Christ is the only one who can offer "living water".

No matter how great the sin or how terrible the sinner, Christ can and will forgive.

We know from the scriptural account that this woman was a terrible sinner, yet Christ wanted to save her from her sins.

The gospel has no bounds. The gospel is for everyone regardless of their background, their religion, or their ethnicity.

It is possible for someone to know "about" the Messiah without knowing Him personally.

Even though this Samaritan woman had a religious background, she was still spiritually blind and unaware of the spiritual truths that lead to salvation.

 True conversion results in a strong desire to tell others. Other than the Word of God itself, a personal testimony is probably the most powerful tool to be used in bringing others to Christ.

We should be patient when witnessing. This woman did not come to faith in Christ immediately, but Jesus was patient with her. He answered her questions but did not allow Himself to get sidetracked with peripheral issues or religious discussions or debates.

Conclusion

Scripture does not tell us whatever became of this obscure, sinful, Samaritan woman; we do not even know her name.

But, we do know that she was gloriously saved that day when she met the Lord Jesus at that well. Her life was transformed because she partook of the "living water" Jesus offered to her that day.

We also know that revival came to her city because of her witness. No doubt, she continued her evangelistic ministry with continued zeal for some time. We won't know until we get to heaven what the fruits of this woman's ministry were; but not doubt, they were vast and far-reaching. It is entirely possible that the Samaritan city of Sychar became a center of gospel activity and witness. We should never underestimate the power or potential of one life that has been transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ.

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download