Do you have trouble talking to people you don’t know? I’ve seen some gifted people shutter in their boots at the prospect of being the first to speak to a stranger. Once I was in a Jack In The Box with a good friend who happens to be a pastor in the inner city of L.A. The place was crowded and as you know many Jack In The Boxes are pretty small. We were talking about God and the great commission and there was an oriental lady sitting adjacent to us. As we continued I could sense the Holy Spirit saying to me, “Talk to her.” In being obedient I not only shared the Gospel with her, but introduced her to my friend and made sure she had his address and the times of the services at his fellowship. She showed up at the next service and stayed with the church and grew until she left the area. We never know who will respond to the Gospel, but we should always be sensitive to the people around us. Many have never heard the Gospel and you may be God’s chosen vessel to present the message of salvation in Christ.
1. Jesus wasn’t afraid to go into strange places.
A. God sent Jesus to redeem all nations not just the Jews. None of the religious Jews would go through Samaria because to them the entire area was polluted.
B. Archeologists have discovered what they believe is Jacob’s well. It’s over 135 feet deep. It wasn’t a natural well, but it filled with water when it rained and from the dew of the mornings.
C. It was about noon when being tired, Jesus sat on the edge of the well. He didn’t have a bucket and rope to bring up water, (though He could have done a miracle), but God meant for Him to meet a certain woman and to teach her a few things.
2. A Samaritan woman comes to the well
A. The well itself could easily be symbolic of Jesus Christ Himself who wants all of us to turn to Him for salvation.
B. She came to the well in the heat of the day because as a woman she would have been pushed to the back of the line early in the morning when most men came to the well.
C. Picture her coming to the well and finding the road-weary Jesus sitting on the well coping. She being a Samarian would probably have approached a Jewish man sheepishly because of the mutual distrust of the
Jews and Samarians.
D. When Jesus saw her He asked her to draw some water for Him.
3. The woman responded to Jesus
A. She was utterly surprised at Jesus’ request because of her race. The Jews thought that to have anything to do with a Samarian would defile them.
B. She asked Him why He would receive water from a presumed half breed and traitor to Israel.
C. Jesus seeing the opportunity to give her the good news of salvation spoke to he figuratively, hinting at the Holy Spirit who is the Water of Life to the believer in Jesus Christ.
Jesus presents Himself to us in many ways. He confronts us perfectly with no more nor less then we can use or understand. He gives us the facts to consider based on our lives and leaves the choice to us as to turn to Him or not. Having wet your appetite to know Jesus better, what are you going to do about it? We come to God and call out to Him only when we realize we are lost without Him. The Scriptures bare testimony of His love for humanity and His method of arranging our experiences providentially in order to gain our attention. Has He gained your attention enough for you to ask for His help? He has the gift of eternal life in Him and He wants to give it to you without cost. He paid the price for your sin already. Will you allow Him to be your redeemer, or will you continue to resist Him? He paid the price for your salvation in full. You can only know freedom in this life if you make Him your Lord. Will you?
