The Woman Who… page 4 - Sermon Outlines. Org
Beholding the Lamb Series
10-“THE WOMAN WHO DROPPED THE BUCKET & PICKED UP THE WELL”
John 4:1-30
Intro: Did you know that people will pretty much believe anything? For instance, the percentage of Americans who believe: That Elvis Presley is still alive: 10; In reincarnation: 30; In ghosts: 39; That aliens have visited earth in the past 100 years: 53; That the U.S. government is currently involved in cover-ups and conspiracies: 74. (Well, there may be something to that one!) People will believe anything, but they will stop short of believing the most important thing. People will accept all kinds of theories and beliefs, but they won’t accept what the Bible says about Jesus Christ. The fact is, people are misled!
The Bible presents to us a woman who is misled as well. She has been riding the merry-go-round of life and she worn out from it. Her Life is a wreck. She has left a Trail of bad decisions. She’s broken- bitter- and lonely. But, one day, Jesus Christ showed up outside her little town. And as she made her way to the well, she discovered her little bucket was not sufficient for her Extreme Thirst. And after Hearing Jesus- and realizing that Happiness is not found in Multiple Husbands. True Joy comes from Jesus. She sat down her water pot and grabbed a hold of the well.
I want to look at this passage today. Because I believe I am speaking to people who have grown-weary. You are tired of walking the treadmill of life day in and day out. You’re tired of the way things are and you want a change. This passage is all about how that can be a reality in your life. Let’s take a few minutes this morning and look to the Word of God for an Answer. It may be that Jesus wants to bring someone in this congregation to a place of trust today.
We see:
I. A MISERABLE SAMARITAN
A. She’s Miserable Because Of Her ISOLATION
1- She was Isolated from MAN
– This woman came to Jacob’s Well to draw water. But, she did not come when all the other women came. Most women came to draw their water early in the morning. It was a time of fellowship among the women. Fellowship and Interaction w/ others is Vitally Important. Everybody Needs Somebody.
But this woman had No Body! She was Isolated!
Why was she Isolated? The answer can be found in verses 17-18 and verse 28. She had become Isolated because she was a threat to the other women. They didn’t want her stealing their husband. Obviously, she was Attractive on the outside, but a Harlot on the inside.
2- She was Isolated from GOD
In her conversation with Jesus, He tells her that she is even isolated from God, v. 20-22. Vs. 22 Jesus said You don’t even know what your worshipping.
She was an Outcast Socially & Spiritually.
She is the picture of MANY who will walk into a Church, put on a smile, put on a show and go through the motions.
BUT NEVER CONNECT with GOD in WORSHIP.
B. She’s Miserable Because Of Her IGNORANCE-vs.7-26–
1- Her Ignorance made her think she could Argue-
Vs. 7 Jesus said, Give me to drink.
Vs. 9 she said How Is It… Ask ME- as if to say You Don’t Know Me! You want me to Give You a Drink! (come on women!)
Vs. 10 Jesus said YOU DON’T KNOW ME!
2- Her Ignorance made her think she was Alright-
She said the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. …
I feel Like Preaching A While Right Here! The Religious Crowd has no dealings with the Poor Crowd. The Religious crowds have no dealings with the Black Crowd of Foreign Crowd. I beg to differ.
How Many Churches are in decline right now Because Their AREA has Changed? Well there’s just not any kids around here anymore? No tell the truth. You mean there’s no White Kids around here…!
HEY! Jesus cared more for her SOUL than he did for her SKIN color.
Samaritans were considered Half-Breeds. A Jew despised a Samaritan. Tradition tells us if a Samaritan even crossed the path of a Jew, that Jew would SPIT on there shadow.
But Jesus did not High Hat her. He saw a Soul that was Lost.
That’s WHY Vs.4 he MUST Needs Go Through Samaria!
This is a Holy Picasso, a Righteous Rembrandt portrait of the Grace of God.
II. A MATCHLESS SAVIOR
A. He Is Matchless In His GRACE- v. 4
– The Bible tells us that “He must needs go through Samaria”.
Thank God for the Day when Jesus Must Needs Go Through Mableton Ga. I’m going to tell you, He wasn’t sitting on a well, He was sitting about 3 rows from the back of the Church waiting on me to get there!
Most Jews went miles out of their way to go around Samaria to avoid coming into contact with them. But Not Jesus! He Stepped Across the Racial Lines. Looking beyond Skin Color & Seeing A Soul that was Thirsty!
I’m Glad Jesus wasn’t too good to go to where Sinners hung out!
B. He Is Matchless In His GRACIOUSNESS v. 7-26
Have you ever tried to talk with someone about the Lord, and all they want to do is argue with you. Here is an outcast- an adulterous woman trying to talk about Worship! Thank God Jesus didn’t throw up his hands.
– Notice- Jesus was patient. He took her where He found her and gently led her to where she needed to be. Here was a woman come to the well because of aThirst. Jesus looked beyond her dry mouth- he saw beyond her thirsty lips and saw an Empty Dry Soul.
Aren’t You Glad He didn’t give up on Us- when we wanted to talk all religious- when we wanted to argue with the Holy Ghost & say not now! Thank GOD ALMIGHTY for His Graciousness!
John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.
But Notice Vs.11&12= She wanted to keep on Arguing!
BUT Vs. 13= Jesus Shocked her with the Word of God. (Bump Bump!)
C. He Is Matchless In His GIFT- v. 10-14 – Jesus promised this woman that He could give her a drink of “living water”.
She had tried Physical Relationships but they had left her friendless.
She had tried Sexual Relationships but they had left her alone.
She had tried Marital Relationships but they had left her broken.
What she needed was a Spiritual Relationship.
What She needed was a Drink from the Fountain That Never Runs Dry!
You talk about the Power of God’s Word- Jesus Word Shocked her Arguing Heart! Touched the very NEED of her life and drew her in!
Vs. 13b-14 & 15…
She said Sir I got to have some of this Water.
She said I’m Tired of coming to this well.
………It aint NEVER Satisfied my thirst.
I’m not Preaching about stopping by the Quick Trip or the BP Gas Station! But Stopping by the Cross! And asking GOD to Give You what Jesus has! Salvation & Satisfaction!!! Bless His Name!!!
III. A MARVELOUS SALVATION
I know what some of Pharisees are wondering- did she really get it?
Did she really get saved? Let’s see if anything Changed.
A. Her ARGUING Changed- vs.16-18
She said (quietly) I have no husband!
B. Her APPRECIATION Changed-vs. 19-24
“I perceive that thou art a prophet”
C. Her ATTITUDE Changed- vs. 25-30– Notice how this woman moved from not knowing Jesus to proclaiming Him as the Messiah.
In vs 9, she calls him a “Jew”. In vs 11, she calls Him “Sir”. In vs 19, she sees Him as a “Prophet”. Vs 29 she calls him “Christ”
How did she make the progression from arguing to accepting? She was led along gently, by the Lord. He brought her from knowing
The Woman Who… page 4
nothing about Him to seeing Him as her only hope in just a few minutes. It was a work of grace!
Does Salvation really change someone? Remember Jesus said the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
That well of water started Springing Up. Look at verses 28-30
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 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!
(Note: When salvation is real, there will be a change in your life.
(Ill. Do You Recall ECKERD DRUG STORE? When Jack Eckerd, the owner and founder of the Eckerd Drug store chain was saved, the first thing he did was to walk into one of his drugstores and walked down through the book shelves and he saw Playboy and Penthouse. And he'd seen it there many times before, but it never bothered him before. Now he saw them with new eyes. He'd become a Christian.
He went back to his office. He called in his president. He said, "Take Playboy and Penthouse out of my stores. The president said, "You can't mean that, Mr. Eckerd. We make three million dollars a year on those books." He said, "Take 'em out of my stores." And in 1,700 stores across America, by one man's decision, those magazines and smut were removed from the shelves because a man had given his life to Christ. Later, Chuck Colson, who led Mr. Eckerd to faith in Jesus, called Jack Eckerd up. He said, "I want to use that story. Did you do that because of your commitment to Christ?" He said, "Why else would I give away three million dollars? The Lord wouldn't let me off the hook."
Through the influence of Jack Eckerd, other drug chains did the same and so did the 7-11 chain of convenience store. And in a period of twelve months, 11,000 retail outlets in America removed Playboy and Penthouse, not because somebody passed a law, but because God wouldn't let one of his men off the hook. That's what brings change. --James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 46-48.)
THE WOMAN WHO DROPPED THE BUCKET & PICKED UP THE WELL!
Conc: Are you saved today? Are there any bad habits you need to do away with? Are you Tired of drinkning from the wells of this world that only leave you thirsty? Come to Jesus right Now!
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