The Only Man Who Understood Women Series

Jesus had been in Jerusalem, where he met with a religious fellow named Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a good man, yet Jesus told him that he needed to be “born again”.

• Sometimes it was about the crowds…5,000 fed, women touching His hem while pushing through the crowd….taking off the roof to get round the crowd. But it was also sometimes about individuals who were way from the crowd.Here is an unsuspecting, undeserving in her mind woman who like most other days took a trip to a well.

WHO GOD SPEAKS TO IS BECAUSE HE MAKES THE CHOICE TO DO SO: 5 So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph ; 6 and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. 9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 6th Hour was hottest part of the day – Terrain was very mountainous and hilly so Jesus would be humanly very tired and thirsty.

• We read this with little disruption in our emotions but for a Jew to read this there were THREE GLARING ISSUES at work here.

a. The SAMARITAN Issue: Jews hated Samaritans. Took the long way around the area so they did not step on Samaritan soil. They were the half breed leftovers from the Assyrian Captivity.

Israel was divided into 3 regions – Judea in the South / Samaria in the middle – Galilee further North. The Areas of Judea and Galilee were populated by Jews – but Samaria – belong to the Samaritans.

1)There was a long standing 400 yr feud between Jews and Samaritans.

The Samaritans were known as half breeds { After the fall of the Northern Kingdom – to the Assyrians

1) Assyrians infiltrated the land and intermarried with the Jews there.

When the Assyrians came they brought with them their pagan religions and practices – When the Jews returned from exile during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah –

1) The Samaritans offered to help in the construction – but were denied by the Jews

They didn’t worship in Jerusalem – but instead built their own temple at MT Gerizim.

1) Their temple was later destroyed by the Jews

b. The SOCIAL Issue: She was a WOMAN – Men and women did not mix socially like this especially over religious issues. There was a Court of the Women separate from where the men were. Men, especially religious men did not speak to women in public.

c. The SIN Issue: This SHE was not only SAMARITAN but also had gotten pretty good in the SIN department.

1) 5 husbands so far. She considered herself the last person God would ever reach out to.

2) In fact very few if any people went to the well at the hottest time of day. 105 possibly. This would keep her from seeing people who surely scorned her because of her past and present behaviors. THERE IS JESUS WAITING. A man, a Jew, a Teacher from God Interesting that He would come to place when people usually aren’t there and not bring His own bucket.

3) Jesus initiates the conversation.

• Point to consider is that DIVINE APPOINTMENTS are the norm and should be considered as we go through our day or take time to pray.

WHAT GOD OFFERS IS BETTER THAN ANYTHING WE CAN FIND ANYWHERE ELSE: 10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."

• Jesus tells here that God has something much better than she is finding in this life if she only knew enough for it and from Whom to ask it.

• LIVING WATER:

HOTELS: Often have area with optional snacks and water. Don’t ever drink the water not because it is bad but because it is expensive. That are of stuff costs as much as the room.

BRAZIL in 2009 our group was checking out. Wayne came to me asking about all the added expenses that were on my room. I said I didn’t know of any. While we were giving each other confused looks some giggling started off to the side. Some of the others had started putting their stuff from the front desk, like water, on just my and Lynne’s room. God expensive but had to have fresh water there.