God's Goal

“God’s Goal”

John 4:4-29

God’s goal is not to make us happy, it’s to make us His, not to get us what we want, but to get us what we need.

Intro: Early in his career, Thomas Edison invented a vote-recording machine for use in legislative chambers. By moving a switch to the right or left, an official could vote for or against a proposal without leaving his desk. The machine would replace the tedious business of marking ballots, counting them, etc. Elated with the prospects, Edison obtained a patent -- his first -- and headed for Washington.

Eagerly he demonstrated his machine to the Chairman of Congressional Committees. This gentleman, while complimenting Edison on his ingenuity, promptly turned it down. "Filibustering and delay in the tabulation of votes are often the only means we have for defeating bad or improper legislation." he told Edison.

The young inventor was stunned. The invention was good; he knew it and the chairman knew it. Still, it wasn’t wanted. Said Edison later: "There and then I made a vow that I would never again invent anything which was not wanted."

Bits & Pieces, May 28, 1992, pp. 11-12.

The Bible has a simple story. God made man. Man rejected God. God won’t give up until He wins man back. The number one problem facing our society today is that people don’t realize their need of a relationship with God and some that do, don’t want it. In the Samaritan woman we see Jesus intentionally leading her to the “Goal of God”.

1. Jesus gets her attention. (v.7) “Give me a drink”

a). Sometimes we’re too busy asking God to give us, to hear His request of us.

b). What jar are you holding today? Is their something in your life that consumes your thoughts and attention? When the Samaritan woman came near to Jesus she was focused on drawing water and getting back to her house.

c). We as Christians should be focused on pouring out our lives for the gospel.

2. Jesus reveals the truth. (v.10) “If you knew”

a). If she knew the gift of God was available to her. Why didn’t she know? Because no one ever told her. Too many people today are burdened down with the water jars of this world unaware God has something better for them.

b). The water she was seeking was a temporary outside source that kept bringing her back to the well. The water Jesus offers is an eternal inside source that God provides within the soul.

Illustration: Our water system provides water to my home. I control how much water I use, and never use all that is available. It’s available at anytime but I only use it when I turn on the faucet. God has made living water available to everyone, He has installed living water lines to all of our souls, but not everyone is aware of what God has provided. It’s like even though my house has indoor plumbing I go to the pond behind my house draw out water then sterilize it and use it in my home. Now that would be very burdensome especially when you consider I have indoor plumbing available. By accepting the gift of God (salvation through Jesus Christ) we tap into God’s eternal water system.

Sometimes we don’t experience the full benefits of the living water flowing through us because of kinks. It’s like when you get a kink in your water hose, at the faucet the water pressure is good but at the end of the hose you get low pressure. Sin will cause our hose to kink and even though we have the living water flowing into our soul we don’t experience the results we should until we repent and confess. Are you tapped into this living water? Is it flowing freely through your life and watering those around you?

3. Her first question: Is God able? (v. 11) “The well is deep”

a). When we question what God can do through us we question God’s abilities more than ours. We must remember this is the same God who simply spoke this world into existence, parted the Red Sea, and spoke through a donkey.

b). “The well is deep” Jesus doesn’t bring something from deep within our human nature, He brings it from above. We should never struggle down to the depths of our human nature and try to get water for ourselves. The well of our human nature is too deep to complete us, to free us, and to save us. We must look to God.

4. Her first reaction: A quick fix. (v.15) “Give me this water”

a). Some people never show up to church unless they’re in need of a quick fix from God. Just going to church won’t permanently fix our blowouts.