A Conversation With A Woman At The Well

As many of you know, John is not included in the synoptic gospels. WHY? The Lord’s earthly ministry was around 3 1/2 years.

• The synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke deal with the last year of His ministry. They dealt with a lot of things in His ministry, but not in much detail.

• The gospel of John deals with the other 2 1/2 years.

Also John is different in the way he presents the Gospel. John covers things in greater depth and at greater length than the other three. A single story like ours today can cover a chapter or more.

Let’s look at this intriguing conversation between the Samaritan woman and the Lord Jesus.

I. THE PLACE

As we look at THE PLACE where the Lord had this conversation with the Samaritan woman, it is important that we look at the previous chapter and see a contrast between the life of NICODEMUS, and the life of this SAMARITAN WOMAN. As we do this we can see a contrast in several ways, such as:

A. WE SEE A CONTRAST IN TIME

In the previous chapter, John 3, we have the account of the conversation between Nicodemus and Christ.

Look at John 3:2, we read, “The same came to Jesus by NIGHT, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”

• John makes the point to let us know in chapter 3 that Nicodemus came to the Lord at NIGHT.

• But in chapter 4, the Samaritan woman came to the Lord at HIGH NOON.

Look at John 4:6, “Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the SIXTH HOUR.”

• Notice, John tells us that she approached the Lord during the daylight hours when she could be seen talking to Him.

• Nicodemus came to the Lord secretively at night, when no one could see him

He not only contrasts the TIME in which She and Nicodemus came to Christ, but also we can see a contrast-

B. IN THEIR LIFESTYLE

He makes the point that she is not like Nicodemus, she is:

• An outsider (foreigner)

• She is a half-breed

• She is not high on the social agenda

Socially she did not have anything in common with Nicodemus, but did you know the Lord loved her (an outsider) as much as he loved Nicodemus who was a Jew like Himself?

IS THIS SIGNIFICANT? Yes! One of the things we Christians have to deal with when we give our hearts to the Lord is that we have to come to recognize we all came from different backgrounds, which means that some came from backgrounds where we were taught to be prejudiced against people:

• Socially

• Racially

But anytime we are prejudiced against people for SOCIAL or RACIAL reasons, we are not being Christ-like, because the Lord loves the least among us as much as the greatest.

Sometimes preachers, when we are talking about Israel, give the impression that God loves the Jews more than other races. But that is not true!

Illus: The Lord is not like some parents, He loves us all with an equal love.

He does not love the sinners sins, but HE LOVES THE SINNER!

Some might be saying, “Preacher, if the Lord loves sinners, how can He send them to hell on the Judgment day?”

He does not send sinners to hell, THEY SEND THEMSELVES. He died on the cross for “Whosoever” will call upon Him for Salvation.

Every sinner that has ever lived had a choice in this life where they want to spend eternity, in heaven or hell. He made us all free moral agents with the ability to choose. And if a lost person chooses SATAN over CHRIST, HELL over HEAVEN then he is not going to force them to spend eternity with Him in heaven.

In this conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, the Bible reveals He loved this socially outcast woman. He loved her as much as He loved Nicodemus, who was a Jew like Himself.

We have looked at THE PLACE, now let us look at something else-

II. THE WELL

The scene takes place near the town of Sychar, at the well Jacob had willed to his son Joseph, hundreds of years before.

Look at verse 5, we read, “Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.”

When the Lord traveled to this town He was weary and tired. Look at John 4:6, “Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.”