Come To The Well Part 2 of 2
July 29, 2012 Chester FBC Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction
A John 4 (The woman at the well) takes place near an OT city called Shechem (Mentioned over 60x in OT)
1 In the New Testament, Shechem had been abandoned: Sychar was a small village near the ruins of Shecham.
a “Shekem” means “back” or “shoulder”, which probably refers to its location between two mountains (Mt. Ebal to the North & Mt. Gerizim to the South)
b Gen. 12.6-7, first mention in Bible: Where Abraham first entered Canaan & got the promise of God.
6 Abram passed through the land as far as the site of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land.7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him. Gen 12:6-7 (NASB)
aa Next mention is 11 chapters later (200 years).
bb Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, is camped within sight of the city
18 Now Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, when he came from Paddan-aram, and camped before the city. Gen 33:18 (NASB)
c Jacob buys some land near Shechem; where Joseph would be buried
32 Now they buried the bones of Joseph, which the sons of Israel brought up from Egypt, at Shechem, in the piece of ground which Jacob had bought from the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for one hundred pieces of money; and they became the inheritance of Joseph's sons. Josh 24:32 (NASB)
2 A little over 400 years later God would rescue the Israelites from Egyptian bondage, led in the wilderness for 40 years.
a Near the end of the journey, Moses said once they entered the promised land they were to erect an altar on Mt. Ebal
4 "So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. Deut 27:4 (NASB)
and read portions of the law before the people
26 "See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse:27 the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today;28 and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known. 29 "It shall come about, when the Lord your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal.30 "Are they not across the Jordan, west of the way toward the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh? Deut 11:26-30 (NASB)
12 "When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.13 "For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. Deut 27:12-13 (NASB)
b Years later, renewal ceremoney (Jos 24.1) reaffirming their committment to serve God in the promised land (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses @ Sinia)
1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel and for their heads and their judges and their officers; and they presented themselves before God. Josh 24:1 (NASB)
c 724 B.C., The Assyrians invaded Israel (Shechem) and sent exiled people from other nations (2 Kings 17. 23,24)
23 until the Lord removed Israel from His sight, as He spoke through all His servants the prophets. So Israel was carried away into exile from their own land to Assyria until this day.24 The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sephar-vaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 2 Kings 17:23-24 (NASB)
aa A new mongrel religion was formed by combing elements of Judaism and Baal worship.
bb Samaritan were seen as impure by the Jews.
B Jacobs well at the base of Mt. Gerizim, is @ the junction of the main road from Jerusalem in the south and splits there.
1 The eastern branch goes to the Jordan valley: The western branch goes to Samaria & the Galilee.
I
A On this day, Jesus is sitting under the noonday sun at Jacob’s well near a town called Sychar in Samaria . . . and He’s not supposed to be there.
1 The shortest route from Jerusalem to Galilee was straight through Samaritan territory (Most Jews wouldn’t go through for risk of becoming defiled, unclean.)
a 4 And He had to pass through Samaria. John 4:4 (NASB)
“had to . . .” Compulsion over convenience: Divine appointment.
b Long before this day, before her first sin, before she was born Jesus had this day marked down on His calander and hers.
c Jesus, the savior of the world (4.42) had to confront the smoldering hate between Jew & Samaritian.
42 and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." John 4:42 (NASB)
aa Where? Jacob’s well @ Sychar
bb When? 12 noon.
2 A lone woman, whose name is known only to God, comes to draw water from this ancient well only to find a tall, olive complected Nazarene sitting next to the well she has been too hundreds of times before.
a The woman came @ noonday all alone.
aa Normally, women would come draw water early/before it got too hot.
bb They’d share the load, have conversation & fellowship, lessening the burden.
cc Either she didn’t want to associate with her neighbors OR they didn’t want to associate with her.
dd The woman @ the well carried a burden alone . . . until now.
b 7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." John 4:7 (NASB)
aa 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. John 4:8 (NASB)
The disciples were gone (or they could have drawn water for Jesus.)
bb If Jesus drank from the woman’s vessel (bucket) He’d be ceremonially unclean from the standpoint of an observant Jew He’d be going against the rules.
B The woman was stunned by Jesus’ request.
1 First, He’s a Jewish man & she’s a Samaritan, woman.
a She knew a Jew would look at her and not only see a Samaritan but a Samaritan tramp.
b We learn she had been married 5 times and is living w/ yet another man.
aa Only one man can fill the void she had sought all the men to fill . . . satisfy the ache in her heart . . . wash away the pain of all the bad decisions, all the wanton nights, desperate tears of shame.
bb Only one man could remove the pain of chasing acceptance from all the wrong people, in all the wrong places in the wrong ways.
cc Only one man . . . and He’s sitting by Jacob’s well.
2 9 Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) John 4:9 (NASB)
She gives a bitter, sarcastic reply: As if she said, “We Samaritans are the dirt under your feet until you want something then we’re good enough.”
a Jesus ignores her bitterness, He’s more concerned about winning the woman than winning an argument.
b 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." John 4:10 (NASB)
aa The only water the woman could fathom was the literal water in thew ell because she was spiritually dead (Didn’t understand.)
bb Jesus is referring to eternal life, spiritual waters that flows without end.
c The water in Jacob’s well, symbolizing the old order inherited by Samaritans & jews alike, in contrast w/ the New Order, the gift of the Spirit, life eternal.
d For most of the encounter Jesus and the woman are talking about two different kinds of water: living water & well water.
aa 11 She said to Him, "Sir , You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? John 4:11 (NASB)
Where’s your basket? This is a deep well!
bb She keeps going back to the only kind of water she knows; The daily water grind.
cc She’s si ck of it, dodging the other ladies, whispers, knowing glances.
dd She would give anything not to keep coming to this well, but it’s the only well she knows!
15 The woman said to Him, "Sir , give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw." John 4:15 (NASB)
C 12 "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?" John 4:12 (NASB)
(Of course He is greater but she doesn’t know that . . . yet!)
1 The water in Jacob’s well was good water but it couldn’t satisfy their thirst indefinitely.
a It’s rabbinical tradition to compare the law to refreshing water.
b Jesus is offering something superior not only to water in Jacob’s well but to the legal religion of the Jews & Samaritians alike.
aa Crossroad city & decision.
bb Law through works or Grace through faith.
2 The water in the well was laborious to retrieve.
a 13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again;14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life." John 4:13-14 (NASB)
aa “drinks” v. 13, present participle (continuous/repeated action.)
bb “drinks” v. 14, aorist subjunctive (simple action, one time.)
b Nothing in this world will ever completely satisfy our souls.
aa Our souls deepest thirst is for God Himself, who has made us so that we can never be satisfied w/o Him.
bb Not until Jesus’ living water of His Holy Spirit is bubbling up in us are we ever satisfied.
D Many of us are like the Samaritan woman: We go about our daily routines drawing from our own little wells we’re comfortable/familiar with. (Work, play, home, church)
1 Some of us use friendship as a well (If we have friends, we’re OK.)
a If we don’t have friends/approval of others . . . we’re empty.
b Some try to make wells out of a more intimate person (Spouse, girl/boyfriend)
c Some draw from wells of intellect, talents, skills to derive a sense of identity or contentment.
d Some rely on the strength, past success, or a positive attitude that things will better tomorrow.
2 We’ve all got a few wells we count on to sustain us and bring us joy, security, hope, peace, contentment.
E 16 He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here." John 4:16 (NASB)
(Where did that come from?)
1 She’s not getting/hearing what Jesus is really saying so He tries a different approach, just as He does with many of us.
a I’m too dull of hearing, too absorbed in my own wells that I don’t hear what He’s trying to tell me.
aa Then because I didn’t listen to Him I do things my way, drift away from God.
bb Then I question/get mad at God . . . all He was doing was using my circumstances to draw me to Him.
b Jesus forces her to admit her sin because He recognizes that there is no going forward, no reaching the living water, until the hidden things/sins are exposed/cleaned out.
aa There’s no conversion w/o conviction.
bb There must first be conviction & repentance before there is any saving faith.
c 17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; John 4:17 (NASB)
aa Chatty Kathy turns quiet! Shortest answer she’s given so far! Conviction.
bb Jesus begins reading her mail to her (v. 17/18.)
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly."John 4:18 (NASB)
2 The woman does what losts of us do when God reveals sin to us . . . she goes religion on Him
19 The woman said to Him, "Sir , I perceive that You are a prophet.20 "Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." John 4:19-20 (NASB)
a “You’re a prophet. Our fathers . . .”
aa It’s easier/more comfortable to talk religion than face one’s own sin.
bb The religion I speak of is kind of rituals & empty checklists people follow when a relationship w/ Christ isn’t personal/authentic.
cc Go to church, read your Bible, prayed, Sunday School, tithe, shook the preachers hand . . . check. (Well of religion)
b She brings up Mt. Gerizim/Jerusalem but Jesus isn’t after Gerizim/Jerusalem . . . He’s pursing her.
aa Jesus isn’t a book, song, words on a screen . . . He’s a person who wants to know you.
bb Not to make you a Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, Luthern, Catholic . . . He wants to make you His.
c She’s tired of coming to the hole in the ground and she’s tired of the hole in her heart.
aa She has heard the truth and the truth does not change (but truth changes everything it touches.)
bb She thinks she’s standing beside a well and talking to a man . . . truth is she’s standing beside a hole in the ground and she’s talking to the Well.
3 When we recognize/call Him Lord, He comes our well and recognize our wells don’t really exist.
a We try to go through life relying on our works, relationships, strengths . . . we’ve beaten a path to these wells trying to get satisfied, quenched.
b In our human nature we’ve seen Jesus as being useful to us instead of being Lord over us.
aa We seem as our fixer instead of our healer: sprinkler of blessings.
bb We want Him to come join us/bless what we’re doing when what He longs to do is transform our hearts/minds.
4 When we draw on anyone/anything else other than Jesus for hope security, peace we trade the only true Well for a meaningless hole.
a There’s only way to arrive @ the well.
aa Repent of our sins and come to know God through the grace of Jesus Christ.
bb Spend time with him to become more like Him.
b The more time we spend with Him, drink of Him & allow him to change us . . . the more we look like Him.
aa We don’t find a remedy in church attendance, good deeds or in stopping bad things through human willpower.
bb Doing these things is like a diet (We know how a diet works!)
cc They work until we’re successful/content & then we go back to our old ways that make us fat in the first place!
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Respectfully,
Mike Fogerson
