I grew up in Iuka, Mississippi. Iuka used to be famous for one thing, iron spring water. In 1904 at the World’s Fair in St Louis some of the iron water from Iuka won the gold medal for the purest and best mineral water. In the late 19th century many people traveled to Iuka for the curative power of the iron water and peaceful and tranquil park. All of that former glory was long gone by the time I came around. One spring is still running today.
In John 4 Jesus talks with a woman about drinking “living water” and never becoming thirsty again. Let’ learn more about this living water.
Please turn to John 4:1- 7 and stand in honor of the reading of the Word of God.
I. Who was this Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well
The text does not tell us her name, but it does tell us four things about her:
1. Samaritan --- the Samaritan’s were a half-breed group of people. They were half Jew and half Assyrian and because of this the Jews rejected any association with them.
Look at the end of verse 9. John the Apostle adds a footnote for his Gentile readers (Jews do not associate with Samaritans). The footnote at the down of the page makes this even stronger (they do not use the same dishes).
This story has been passed down among preachers how a young minister was visiting a backwoods family in the Appalachian hills of Kentucky 50 years ago. It was an extremely hot and humid day. The young minister talked with the father about coming to church for 15/20 minutes out in the hot sun by the water well. The man then lowered the bucket into the well and pulled up some cool water. The man grabbed a dipper and got a drink. He offered one to the preacher. He was powerful thirsty but didn’t like the idea of sharing the same dipper as the family, but knew it would offend them if he didn’t. He father scooped out a dipper of water and handed it to him. In a flash of brilliance he thought he would take his drink right next to the handle. As he finished, the father turned to the family and said, “Look he drank from grandma’s favorite spot.” The young minister looked at grandma to smile and about that time, grandma needed to spit out her chewing tobacco. ---- choose your place on the dipper carefully.
2. Woman --- Rabbinic custom stated that it was improper for a Rabbi to speak to woman he did not know. Jesus was not a Rabbi, but the woman was surprised that He spoke to her and especially that he asked her for some water.
3. Immoral --- verse 18 tells us that this woman had five previous husbands and the man she was living with then was not her husband. She was living in open sinful behavior.
It amazes me that particularly women will agree to a “live in” arrangement. A “let’s try living together” before we get married attitude. Ladies, if a man suggests this arrangement to you, then you have a clear indication he does not love you nor does he want to honor the Word of God and you should get as far away from him as you can.
Men, we have to raise the bar of expectation from each other and hold each other accountable to live and behave righteously.
4. Came at noon --- historians believe this woman came to Jacob’s well at noon intentionally. Most women came the first thing in the morning while the water would still be cool. This un-named woman came at noon so she didn’t have to associate with them. Because of all her husbands and immorality she must have felt rejected and ostracized. She had looked for love in these six men and had not found what she wanted. Now the people of the village shunned her and the Temple condemned her.
I believe this woman represents all of us who have shattered dreams and broken hearts. Maybe you know the pain this woman felt. Maybe through similar circumstances you have found the disappointments in life. I have good news for you --- Jesus can give you “living water” and quench the thirst of your soul.
II. Jesus offers her “living water”
Jesus explains to this woman the difference between physical water and the living water He is offering.
• physical water --- Water is called scientifically H2O. It is a binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade. It is essential to physical life. A person would become thirsty again.
This happened at Jacob’s Well. Jacob was Isaac’s son whom the promise of the Messiah would come. The well was 100 feet deep and 9 feet wide.
• living water in the mind of the Samaritan woman would describe running water or spring feed water. Jesus means spiritual water and when you receive it, an eternal spring wells up in your soul. He is the living water.
Verse 14 Wuest Word Studies explains that in the Greek the word “drinks” is a verb for continuous action. It describes a person who keeps on drinking of this water” through worship and Bible study.
Then for the word “never thirst” the construction has double negatives. It is for emphasis. A literal translation of the phrase “shall not, shall not ever thirst forever”
After hearing Jesus explanation, the woman wants this water. What about you? Do you want this “living water” Jesus gives? You can have it today --- it is free for the asking. In a few minutes we will be offering an invitation and I want to invite you to come forward and take a drink of God’s eternal water.
Maybe you are not experiencing the quality of life that is promised with the “living water”. Maybe the problem is that you have satisfied yourself on things of the world. The tragic story of Michael Jackson ought to be a lesson for all of us that fame and money are not enough to make us happy and fill fulfilled. Come take the “living water”!
III. The change that came to her life
The statement Jesus made to the woman in verse 16 “Go, call your husband and come back” feels out of context to you and me, but it was a test. Jesus wanted to see if this woman wanted the living water bad enough to change her life. Would she be honest with Jesus and with herself? She did.
Once the Samaritan woman came to believe that Jesus was the Christ, she gave evidence of the change:
1. She left her water jar. --- verse 28 Symbolically, this means to me that she left the worldly way of satisfying her life and now she was drinking the “living water” of God.
What do you need to quit doing so you can honor Jesus?
2. She became a witness for Him. --- verse 29, 30 She went back to her village a distance of about a ½ mile and began telling people about the man who “told me everything I have ever done”. Isn’t it interesting that her lifestyle that she was so ashamed of earlier, she now openly declares. That is the power of forgiveness.
Who do you need to tell about Jesus?
The people responded to her witness. Verses 39-42 READ.
3. Gone was her prejudice against the Jews. Gone was her confusion on where and how to worship.
Now she knows the Messiah and the made-man prejudices are gone. What prejudice do you need to get rid of?
Conclusion:
The Samaritan woman who came to Jacob’s well that day thought it was an ordinary day, doing an ordinary task until she meet Jesus. He gave to her more than she ever dreamed of having and He can do that for you too!
Are you dreams shattered?
Is your heart broken?
Come to Jesus today and let Him fill you with the Living Water.
Prayer
