Sermon Central
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A Trusting Moment Series
Contributed by Carl Allen on Aug 13, 2009 (message contributor)
Summary: It is not until we can come to a place in our life like that Samaritan woman at the well when we fully trust Christ, that we will ever experience his grace.
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Moments with the Master Series
A TRUSTING MOMENT
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%. 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 jaded!
Our text today presents to us a woman who is jaded as well. She has been around and around, riding the merry-go-round of life and she is worn out from it. But, one day, Jesus Christ showed up outside her little town. She meets Him and He opens her eyes to the fact that there is a new life. A life that is free from the burdens and problems of the life she is now living. Jesus takes this jaded, hardened woman and He leads her to a place of trust.
I want us to look at this passage today. I feel that I am speaking to people who have grown world-weary. You are sick of walking the treadmill of life day in and day out. You are 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 to look in on this Trusting Moment. It may be that Jesus wants to bring someone in this congregation to a place of trust today.
I. A MISERABLE SAMARITAN
A. The Misery of Her Isolation (v. 6)
• This woman came to Jacob’s well to draw water.
o But, she did not come when all the other women came.
o The women came to draw their water early in the morning, before the sun rose high into the sky.
o They came while it was still cool.
o History tells us that it was about a mile from town to the well where they came for water.
o Drawing and carrying water for the day was hot, sweaty work.
o While they were there, they caught up on the local gossip and enjoyed a few minutes by themselves, away from the pressures of living in a male dominated society.
• Why did this one woman not come with the others?
o I think the answer can be found in verses 17-18 and verse 28.
o Verse 17 tells us that she is a woman of much experience.
o Perhaps she had been with men who belonged to some of the other women.
o Perhaps she was often the topic of their gossip as they drew water from the well.
o When she meets Jesus and wants to tell the people of the city that the Messiah has come, she does not go to the other women of the town, but she runs to the men, v. 28.
o It would seem that this woman was an outcast socially.
• In the course of her conversation with Jesus, He tells her that she is even isolated from God, v. 20-22.
o Even the little worship she managed to work into her sinful life was of no use for her spiritually.
o She was an outcast spiritually as well.
• She is a picture of every person who is not in a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
o Why? The Bible says that our sinful condition separates us from God.
o What a miserable condition to be in!
o To lack the ability to pray, to worship and to fellowship with God is a horrible way to live.
o Yet, many are in that condition this morning.
o They pray, but God doesn’t hear, Psa. 66:18.
o They go to church to worship, but they cannot worship in Spirit and truth because they are lost in sin.
o All their religious activity is merely an exercise in the flesh.
o It does not reach Heaven and it does not touch the Lord.
o They are lost and are isolated from God, His blessings and His salvation!
B. The Misery of Her Ignorance (vv. 7-26)
• In these verses, this poor woman tries to argue religion with Jesus.
o At first, she sees Him as just another Jew, and she wants Him to know that she has some ideas about religion too.
o She talks about their religious differences, v. 9.
o She uses sarcasm and ridicule, v. 11-12, 15.
o She tries to bring up a religious dispute in verses 19-20, in an attempt to escape the penetrating statements of Jesus in verses16-18.
