Living Water

Living Water

John 4: 5 - 13

Intro: Water is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance. Water covers 71% of the Earth’s surface; while 1.7% is in groundwater. Some organisms are 90% water. About 60% of the human body is water. The brain and heart are 73% water, the lungs about 83%, the skin is 64% water, the muscles and kidneys are about 79% water and even the bones contain 31% water.

I This episode is found only in John, takes place in an the unexpected and unlikely place of Samaria.

A The animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans goes back to 200 BCE over a dispute about the correct location of the center of the Judaic faith.

B The Jews worshiped at the temple in Jerusalem while the Samaritans built a shrine at Mt. Gerizim which was destroyed by Jewish troops in 128 BCE.

C VS. 9 “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink? A Jewish man did not initiate a conversation with an unknown woman, a rabbi did not engage in publish conversation with a woman, and Jews did not invite contact with Samaritans.

II Yet the conversation between Jesus and the Samaritan woman consists of 13 exchanges about water.

A VS. 10 – “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked hima hd he would have given you living water.”

B “Living water” GK ?d?? ??? hydor zon has 2 possible meanings: 1) It can mean fresh, running water (spring water as opposed to water from a cistern) or 2) it can mean, life-giving water.

C The woman hears only the meaning “running water” / Jesus offers water that gives life. Both meanings are joined by John.

III What do we gain from this story? What is John teaching us here? There are 2 lessons to be learned here:

A The connection of Jesus with a Samaritan clearly calls the church to reach out in inclusive ways, challenging the many boundaries and barriers we encounter in society.

B The words “living water” encourages us to be a canal rather than a reservoir. Water in a canal moves from one place to another, a reservoir only moves when it overflows.

C. This story encourages congregation to move out beyond our cozy confines flowing with the love of Christ Jesus to people and places beyond our bounds.

Concl. It has been written that if you are wise, you will be a canal that delivers water as it receives it rather than a reservoir that waits until it is filled before overflowing. The danger in being a reservoir is that the water we “contain or hold” may become stagnant and worthless. Jesus encourages us to share “living water” with the world around us.