Introduction

Good morning, church family! Today, we are going to dive into the story found in John 4:1-42, where Jesus shows us His mission of love, compassion, and acceptance.

As we explore this story together, let let me start with a quote from Brennan Manning: "Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don't have it all together, and who are not too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace" (The Ragamuffin Gospel).

Let's read the full passage together, John 4:1-42:

Jesus' Mission of Love

This passage offers us a profound insight into the heart of Jesus and His desire to reach out to those who are marginalized, broken, and in need of His love.

In this story, we see Jesus breaking down barriers, defying cultural norms, and extending grace to a woman who was considered an outcast.

Through this encounter, Jesus demonstrates His mission of love, which is to seek and save the lost, to bring hope to the hopeless, and to offer healing to the brokenhearted.

One aspect of Jesus' mission of love that we can glean from this passage is His willingness to cross boundaries.

In the context of this story, Jews and Samaritans had a long-standing animosity towards one another.

Jews considered Samaritans to be religiously impure and racially inferior, and they would often go out of their way to avoid any contact with them.

However, Jesus intentionally chose to pass through Samaria on His way to Galilee, knowing that He would encounter this Samaritan woman at the well.

By doing so, Jesus demonstrated that His love transcends cultural, racial, and religious barriers.

He was not deterred by the prejudices of His time but instead chose to engage with someone who was considered an enemy.

This act of love shows us that Jesus' mission is to reach out to all people, regardless of their background or social status.

Another aspect of Jesus' mission of love is His ability to see beyond the surface and into the hearts of people.

When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, He did not see her as a social outcast or a sinner but as someone who was desperately in need of His love and grace.

He saw her pain, her loneliness, and her longing for acceptance.

Jesus knew that she had been married five times and was currently living with a man who was not her husband.

Instead of condemning her, Jesus offered her the gift of living water – a symbol of the eternal life and spiritual satisfaction that can only be found in Him.

By offering her this gift, Jesus demonstrated that His love is not based on our performance or our ability to meet certain religious standards.

Instead, His love is unconditional, and He offers it freely to all who are willing to receive it.

Furthermore, Jesus' love is characterized by His desire to bring healing and restoration to those who are broken.

In the story of the Samaritan woman, we see that Jesus not only offered her the gift of living water but also engaged her in a conversation about true worship.

He told her that the time was coming when true worshipers would worship the Father in spirit and truth, not in specific locations or through religious rituals.

This teaching was revolutionary for the Samaritan woman, who had been raised to believe that worship was tied to a specific place and set of practices.

Jesus' words offered her a new understanding of God and a new way to connect with Him.

Through this encounter, the woman experienced a deep sense of healing and restoration, as she discovered that she was known, loved, and accepted by Jesus.

Jesus' mission of love is also evident in His willingness to use the most unlikely people to advance His kingdom.

The Samaritan woman, who had been marginalized and rejected by her own community, became a powerful witness for Jesus.

After her encounter with Jesus at the well, she left her water jar behind and went back to her town to tell others about her life-changing experience.

As a result, many Samaritans came to believe in Jesus because of her testimony.

This story shows us that Jesus can use anyone, no matter their past or their circumstances, to share His love and message of salvation with others.

Lastly, Jesus' love is marked by His commitment to accomplishing the will of His Father.

In this passage, Jesus told His disciples that His food was to do the will of the One who sent Him and to complete His work.

Jesus was not motivated by personal ambition or the desire for worldly success.

Instead, He was driven by a deep love for His Father and a desire to bring glory to Him by fulfilling His mission on earth.

This love for His Father compelled Jesus to seek out the lost, to bring healing to the broken, and to offer hope to the hopeless.

Jesus' Mission of Compassion

In this story, we see Jesus' mission of compassion in full display ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO