Main Text: John 4:7-26, also 27-29, 39-42
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Brief Outline
I. The Real Encounter (4:7-26)
-----A. The Samaritan Woman's Impressions of Jesus
----------1. First Impression: I don't really understand who You are… (11)
----------2. You are a Prophet! (19)
----------3. You are the Messiah! (26ff.)
---------------a. Meaning of Messiah
---------------b. Parallel: 'Christ'/Christos
-----B. Who Jesus Revealed Himself to be
----------1. Non-discriminating (4:7, 4:40-41) - willing to save anyone
----------2. Source of living water (4:13-14) - gives spiritual life
----------3. Prophet (16-18) - knows that which is hidden
----------4. Messiah (26) - the chosen one of God who came to save His people
II. The Aftermath (4:27-29, 4:39-42)
-----A. She Told Others (4:27-29)
----------1. Importance of telling everyone, regardless of cultural dictation
----------2. Her encounter was fruitful
-----B. People had a Transformative Experience with Jesus (4:39-42)
----------1. Importance of a real experience with Jesus
----------2. Our need to bring others to this transformation!
Application
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Introduction
Going back to John 3, we see Nicodemus, one of the chief priests, come to Jesus by night. Jesus stresses the need to be 'born again', not of natural means, but by spiritual regeneration through faith in Him. We see a confused religious elite, yet in John 4, we see part of the process of a real encounter with Jesus as He is, and we see the lowly Samaritans serve as a foil, putting their faith in Jesus immediately.
The Samaritans were a people looked down upon by the Jewish culture. Back then, if you were a Samaritan who tried to associate with a Jew, it would be like wearing UNC face paint, clothes, and gear to a Duke game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Though many looked on these Samaritans as secondary citizens, Jesus had a different view.
Samaritans believed in the Torah and nothing else (the Law, not the Prophets). They also claimed to have a better and older copy of the Torah than the Jews. In return, and also as a result of their history of Ba'al worship, they were not allowed to participate in Temple worship in Jerusalem. Some even believed that you would be unclean if you went through Samaria (Russell, Samaritans).
In today's message, we see Jesus going to the Samaritan people, revealing Himself as Messiah, and being made known to the people that were of low status to the majority people. We will look at the real encounter with Jesus that the people had, as well as the evangelistic aftermath that followed.
Our text is the bulk of John 4, but I want to focus on the encounter and the aftermath, so we will start with verse 7. I've entitled this message, 'Let's Tell the World about Our Messiah' as a tribute to the evangelistic work that Jesus fostered and the people obediently continued after they met Him.
But before we start in this text, let us first pray.
Prayer
Background
Beginning of John 4 --
4:1-6 - Geographic explanation/background
1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
Jesus had a really keen sense to the appropriate place and timing of His ministry. He knew how people would react, and He knew where to be. He went to Galilee, and on the way, he had to go through Samaria.
Reasons for the trip:
1. To avoid the Pharisees and chief priests, who were jealous of the attention Jesus was getting. They were concentrated in Judea and could have ended Jesus' ministry before it was time for it to end, so Jesus took a trip to avoid this occurrence.
"His popularity, manifesting itself in the number of his baptisms, was exciting that envy and opposition which caused the rulers of Judea eventually to take the life of Jesus (Matthew 27:18)" (Fourfold Gospel, John 4:1-2)
2. John was put in Jail, which was likely another reason for the journey. He was taken out of Galilee, and the people could have been fertile soil for some meaningful ministry.
3. Perhaps Jesus also had a sense that He was supposed to go there as an objective part of His ministry. As He says later in John 4, His food is to do the Father's Will.
Jesus went to Sychar (Su-kar), a city in Samaria
Near the plot of land Jacob gave to Joseph about 1900 years prior
Sixth hour:
- Likely here by Jewish time, around Noon, it would suggest that Jesus had traveled in the daylight, and had now reached Sychar during a hot time of the day.
We see Him on a journey, tired, and thirsty. It is also neat to see that Jesus' humanity here. He was truly in every way like we were, yet without sin. This leads us to confidence that He is compassionate -- He understands our difficulties.
Well, this trip turned out to be evangelistic.
What does it mean for something to be evangelistic? What is Evangelism?
euvagge,lion
Eu-/-Angelion
Good-/-Message or News
The -ism here refers to the process of proclaiming the Gospel, which means Good News.
GUT + SPIEL in German, Good Word/Story
Evangelism is telling others about the Good News. What is this good news?
Jesus' message:
Mark 1:14-15 (NKJV)
14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."
So what is this good news?
God has reached down to us by providing Jesus, our only hope of eternity with Him in Heaven.
Paul mentions much of the basics in 1 Corinthians 15:
1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NKJV)
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you -- unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
As a model for how we should tell the world about our Messiah, let's look in at the encounter the Samaritan woman had with Jesus.
I. The Real Encounter (4:7-26)
4:7-26 - Jesus' Revelation to the Samaritan Woman
John 4:7-26 (NKJV)
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink."
8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
11 The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?
12 "Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?"
13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again,
14 "but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw."
16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,'
18 "for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."
19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.
20 "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."
21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.
22 "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.
23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.
24 "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things."
26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."
Two themes:
- The Samaritan Woman's Impressions of Jesus
- Who Jesus Revealed Himself to be
Walkthrough
7-12)
Give me a drink! - Jesus talks to this Samaritan woman.
We see that Jesus is non-discriminating. He is willing to save anyone of any status in any situation.
(Background - Jews and Samaritans) - The Samaritan woman reinforces this in verse 9.
2 Kings 17 gives a little bit of the history of Assyria taking possession of Samaria, the people forgetting about God, and learning to inter-marry and worship idols. This led to a great falling away of people in Samaria.
Even more, it was less common for a man to address a woman in a public setting within that culture. The Samaritan woman thus comments about how strange it is for him to be asking her for a drink of water.
Note that Jesus' question didn't touch on division. He didn't elaborate on how He talked to anybody or how He disagreed with the societal boundaries. He focused on her need -- knowing who He was.
She needed to know the Messiah, and Jesus was drawing her into a meaningful conversation in which He would show her little by little who He was.
You don't know who I am…
Samaritan woman's impression of Jesus #1: She doesn't get it
Are you greater than Jacob?
The Samaritans often claimed that Jacob was their father. The woman was saying that if Jacob needed a well and some labor to get water, then who is THIS guy claiming to be?
13-15)
Water vs. Jesus' living water
Water - you will be thirsty at some point again
Living water - satisfies, gives eternal life
We see that Jesus is the source of living water. What is this living water?
Living, as opposed to stagnant. Lively, running water. Continually refreshing and renewing. In this age, we can receive the Holy Spirit's renewal through faith and repentance (as well as asking).
We are to continually be renewed! We don't just believe and then cut off all contact with God. We need to keep coming back to refreshing and renewal in Jesus.
The Samaritan woman was like, 'I want this water!'
- I don't want to be thirsty or deal with my natural longings
- I don't want to work to get it anymore
Essentially, she is thinking, 'One less burden!'
16-19)
Jesus reveals His foreknowledge
Test: "Go, call your husband"
- Jesus often asked questions that, like water from a well, 'drew out' a person's status of faith
Samaritan woman's impression of Jesus #2: You are a prophet!
- Reacting to Jesus' knowledge of the hidden.
20-24)
Illustration: In verses 20-24, the Samaritan woman was asking Jesus concerning what she knew about worship. Today, her statement could be parallel to something like, "Hey, I heard you go to church!" Going to church is not the main point! Jesus is clear here in this passage -- He wants worshippers! The people are the important part. The Church is not a building -- it is the people transformed by an encounter with Jesus who come together.
God desires worshippers. He cares about the person, and much less about any building or tasks done to maintain an organization.
We cannot earn our salvation. We can't do an infinite number of good things to merit the grace of God. He has given us this gift, and we must respond by faithful acceptance and gratitude out of love for Him.
Salvation comes first from the people of Israel. The Samaritans had a history of idol worship -- it was a big area of Ba'al worship, and later on, much sorcery.
Jesus stated that we are to worship Him in spirit and in truth:
Spirit - With exuberance and with a changed life
Truth - Knowing Him as He is
Let us worship Him this way! We are not just called to love Jesus with our initial faith. We are to love Him with our mind, body, and everything that we are. In Matthew 22:37-39, Jesus calls us first to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, and minds. With all we are, just as David said in Psalm 103, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!"
25-26)
Samaritan woman's impression of Jesus #3: Messiah!
Meaning of Messiah
Parallel: 'Christ'/Christos in Greek
Jesus, 'the Christ' - a title
The anointed one or chosen one of God who would come to redeem His people.
It seems that she truly believed this. How do we know this?
Let's look at the aftermath of her encounter with Jesus:
II. The Aftermath (4:27-29, 4:39-42)
The Samaritan woman seemed to have a real faith experience, and as a result, she told others and many believed from her testimony.
- The Kingdom is about multiplication.
- We need to tell others, just as this Samaritan woman did!
- Great Commission, Matthew 28:19-20: Make disciples!
- We should aim to make disciple-making disciples.
A. She told others (4:27-29)
John 4:27-29 (NKJV)
27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,
29 "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"
Note that the Disciples were marveling that Jesus spoke to a woman in public. Sometimes society puts us in odd stratifications, which limits our view of with whom we can associate. Jesus shows us that we ought to tell everyone about the Good News, regardless of what culture dictates or what prejudices we have. The Gospel is open to all.
Jesus associated Himself with those who needed His help -- those who were sinners, those who were of lower social status or even lower morality. He truly came to seek and to save the lost (cf. Luke 19:10).
After an aside of Jesus telling His disciples about His fuel for life (doing the Will of the Father), more is discussed about Jesus' interaction with the Samaritans:
B. People had a Transformative Experience with Jesus (4:39-42)
Fruitful Evangelism and Encounter:
John 4:39-42 (NKJV)
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did."
40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.
41 And many more believed because of His own word.
42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world."
Note that after the Samaritan woman told others about who Jesus showed Himself to be (mostly focusing on the evidence of the sign of His knowledge of the hidden), many people were hungry to know more.
After we evangelize to others, others will only be changed if they have a real encounter with Jesus.
Note that Jesus made worshippers, which is important!
This isn't necessarily meeting Him in person, which the Samaritans had the blessing of having. We will meet Him one day, and hopefully at the mercy provided at Jesus' judgment seat, but we can have a true energizing faith in Him while here.
After Jesus Resurrected, Thomas finally believed that He was physically risen after He felt Jesus' wounds. In response, Jesus spoke to Thomas in John 20:29:
Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
We are in a culture that idolizes things that are seen. It takes a mentality of, 'You have to see it to believe it' to a level of disbanding the gift of inference that God has given us. Sometimes, even looking at what is seen, there is evidence for that which is unseen.
Our faith has not been made sight just yet.
Are we called to walk by faith, or by sight?
2 Corinthians 5:6-7 (NKJV)
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
What is faith?
Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Illustration: If you believe God for something beyond all logic, how you ask is rooted in the evidence you've seen of His character. You may see that the Lord is generous, so you will ask accordingly. You may think that the Lord is oppressive, and ask in unbelief. A.W. Tozer once wrote, "What you believe about God is the most important thing about you." This has a lot of merit. What you believe about God shapes how you trust in Jesus. If you have real encounters with Him, you should be seeing real fruit and growth spiritually.
Application
Have you had this type of encounter? Are you still seeking Him regularly for renewal, as He is the source of living water?
Do you desire to grow?
Do you have a hunger for Jesus?
Do you want to know Him more?
Do you want to tell others about Him?
How can you tell others about Him?
- In-person, directly
- Lifestyle
- Online or through other creative avenues
- Go to where people are!
Encouragement: Let your light so shine!
Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV)
14 "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Essentially, we take from Jesus' trip to Samaria:
- We need a real encounter with Jesus
- We need to tell others so that they can, too
So if you come across someone who has been downtrodden by society, or someone who nobody would normally socialize with, why not share Jesus with them? Bring them to a real encounter with Him. Our duty and privilege is to share the message with the world, despite who they are and where they're coming from. Jesus transforms lives.
So let's be obedient -- Let's tell the world about our Messiah!
Let's pray...
Closing Prayer
Bibliography
McGarvey, J.W., and P.Y. Pendleton. The Fourfold Gospel. Public Domain. Accessible online at
Russell, Rusty. The Samaritans. Bible History Online.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
