THE ROAD THROUGH SAMARIA:
THE UNUSUAL ROAD OF NAVIGATION
JOHN 4:1-42
Imagine if Jesus came to the world as human today. He opened the Google Map Navigation and type Galilee as destination. His current location is Judea. There are several options. But Jesus took the unusual way. He had to go through Samaria! Samaria may also means – the unusual way!
JOHN 4:1-42
I – THE UNUSUAL COURSE
1Jesus[a] knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. By going through Samaria while on his way to Galilee, what does it talks about Jesus’ intentions?
2. Do you believe in divine appointment? Tell your own stories.
3. Jesus sat waiting beside the well where the woman will surely come to meet her every day’s legitimate needs. What does it imply? Where and how Jesus waited and finally found you?
By feeling tired and thirsty, we can attest that he really live here on Earth with all the limitations of any human beings. He did not use even a little portion of his divinity so that he can make life a little bit easy for him.
• He had to go to Samaria to reach out an unknown woman in need
• He became tired and weary so that we can have rest
• He became thirsty so that we can be satisfied
• He became in need so that we become fulfilled
• He became alone and lonely so that we become happy in God’s family
• He went to Earth so that we can go to heaven
Jesus is willing to go through unusual way, to walk the extra mile, to spend more time waiting at the well of our lives just to find us and meet our deepest needs.
More than the water we drink, more than the food we eat, more than the air we breathe, the ultimate need of our soul is Jesus.
How many times in our lives that God is leading us through Samaria Road just to find one lost soul and lead that soul to the feet of Jesus.
II – THE UNUSUAL CONTACT
7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her,“Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food.
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans.[b] She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Imagine if the scenario is in today’s setting. Jesus will probably command Peter to make an appointment with the Samaritan Woman. What do you think will be the reaction of Peter or the other disciples?
2. Do you think Peter can easily find the Samaritan Woman in his phone’s contact list?
3. During the conversation with the woman, Jesus opens the conversation by saying; “Please give me a drink” as if he is the one in real need. What wisdom you can get from it?
4. What will be your reaction if a stranger suddenly asks for your help?
5. Though it is not mention there, do you think she gave Jesus a drink?
6. If yes, then what do you think will be the return blessing from that single drink that she gave?
The woman was surprise to see a Jew asking for a glass of water only to find later that she is the one in thirst.
Jesus is willing to embrace the rejects, accept the outcasts and spend time with the people that other refuse because in his heart every soul has place to belong
III - THE UNUSUAL CONCERN
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water?
QUESTION FOR DISCUSSION:
1. Based in verse 10, according to the point of view of Jesus, what is the problem of the Samaritan woman?
2. Based in verse 11, according to point of view of the Samaritan woman, what is the problem of Jesus?
3. What is the difference between the concerns of Jesus compare to that of the woman?
Woman POV: you don’t have a rope and bucket
Jesus POV: you cannot see the gift even the source of it
The woman’s concern is a bucket. A bucket represents the things that we thought would give us satisfaction. It may be a relationship with man or a woman you love. For some people it is a job, money, dream house, car, vacation, gadgets, sports, travels and many other things.
But after they got what they wanted, they are still disappointed and dissatisfied because they are still thirsty for something that they don’t even understand. Why? It is because they are looking for bucket instead of looking to Jesus, the spring of living water, the fountain of everlasting life.
Jesus knew what our soul really needs and longing for. Only Jesus can fill the vacuum in our hearts.
What is your concern today? Is it a bucket or the real well, the spring of the living water?
IV – THE UNUSUAL CISTERN
12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”
13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”
15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.”
After narrating the importance of Jacob’s well to the public, she asked Jesus; how can you offer better water than this? Jesus explains that the water that he is offering to her is different or unsual because the one who drink it will never thirsty again. We can also find this same offer from Jesus in John 7:37-39
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him…
John 7:37-39
Jacob’s well is the picture of the world. All the things that it can offer like the wealth, success, fame, happiness and luxury are all temporary. You will be thirsty again after some time and you can never find real satisfaction from them.
But Jesus is inviting us to come to him to drink of the Living water. This living water is the Holy Spirit who will be given to anyone who believes.
The joy and blessing which we will receive from this cistern is for eternal life. That’s why he assured us that we will never thirsty again after we believe and drink from this unusual stream.
V- THE UNUSUAL CORRECTION
16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her.
17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!”
Realizing the benefit of the water that Jesus is talking about, the woman admitted her perpetual need. But Jesus has to confront first the hindrance for her salvation and she is now ready for direct but loving rebuke.
Let me rephrase it this way;
Jesus: Go and bring here your bucket
Woman: I don’t have a bucket.
Jesus: you are correct, because you have had five buckets in the past but you keep on changing buckets because you are not satisfied. So, the bucket that you have today is actually not yours, it’s a borrowed bucket! When will you realize that it’s not about the bucket, it’s about the well of the living water! Unless you have the Living water, you can never be satisfied!
The woman is still thirsty not because he has the wrong bucket. He is actually not satisfied because he is coming to the wrong well.
We are not satisfied not because we don’t have the right husband, wife, job, position, education, achievements, wealth or anything that this world can offer. We are not satisfied because we are finding happiness from the well of the world wherein everything is but temporary.
VI- THE UNUSUAL CLARIFICATION
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim,[c]where our ancestors worshiped?”
21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”
Being caught red-handed, the woman tried to divert the issue on religious complexity and confusion and varied interpretation regarding where to worship. But like the master judge in court, he overrules her objection by saying it is already irrelevant and immaterial because in the New Testament, the question is not where to worship but how to worship. It should be in Spirit and in Truth.
VII – THE UNUSUAL CONFIRMATION
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26 Then Jesus told her, “I AM the Messiah!”[d]
Unable to sway the conversation to nowhere, the woman opened another topic, this time it is about the one which is common to every Jews and Samaritan alike, the coming of Messiah. He is hoping to end the conversation by suggesting that all her questions will be answered “someday” thereby delaying his required conclusion and dicision.
But Jesus surprised her with the sudden revelation of Himself. He said “I Am the Messiah” This required the woman to make a decision right there and right then.
VII – THE UNUSUAL CONVERSATION
27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?”
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION”
How many times that we find ourselves restricted to reach out or win others for Christ because we should follow the usual protocol or the traditional way or cultural expectation?
What do we feel if we found someone whose way of evangelism or soul winning is different from ours?
Many times in the life of Jesus, we found him willing to take the risk just to reach out and save people. He is not concerned to be branded friends of sinners or even demon possessed man by those conservative people because he is not concern about his reputation just to do his mission and obey His Father in heaven.
IX – THE UNUSUAL CHANGE
28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
Before she found Jesus, all her concern is about the bucket or a jar of water. But after she was enlightened about the real well, a sudden change happened in her heart. Suddenly, she discovered the real longing of her soul. And she found what she really need at the well of Jesus. That’s why, we found it symbolical here that she left her jar besides Jacob’s well and carry the fountain of Jesus within her soul. She rushed to share this awesome experience to other people.
XI– THE UNUSUAL CUISINE
31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”
32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”
33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other.
34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.
Aside from the water that he probably drunk from the well, Jesus did not ate anything. But the joy of winning one soul for God overcomes his physical hunger. Soul winning is an exciting mission. It gives joy and fulfillment to our very sou.
XI – THE UNUSUAL CROP
35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe[e] for harvest.36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. 38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”
Harvest season is the most thrilling part of farming. But in the spiritual farming, the harvest is a different crop which is more valuable. They are people brought to eternal life.
XII – THE UNUSUAL CONVERSION
39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.”
The people of Samaria were converted and believe Jesus as the Messiah. It is not through the conclusive Theology of a brilliant biblical apologist but by a simple testimony of a new believer of Christ. She is the Samaritan woman who had a dark history of multiple failed marriages. She is the bitter woman who finally stops believing in the sanctity of marriage. She became liberal and starts having relationship outside of marriage. Until one day at the noontime time, before the evening of her life, she found the Lord and her life is never the same as before.
Later, those people who were enthrall or captivated by her evident and undeniable testimony came to Jesus to investigate for personally. They later concluded that Jesus is indeed the Messiah that they are waiting for.
CONCLUSION:
At every side of the wells wherein we desperately trying to find satisfaction for our soul, Jesus is sitting there waiting. Hoping that we will heed his call to come to him and drink the Living Water so that we will never be thirsty again.
“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! – Jesus
If you have been blessed, encouraged or inspired by this sermon then it’s your turn to be an encouragement too. You can do it by sending email to this author at spy2rb@yahoo.com or post comment on the discussion box below.
