Series: Light And Life [#9]
THIRST NO MORE
John 4:1-26
Introduction:
I was surfing the radio while driving from school to school this week. I came upon a song that describes most people- (I Can’t Get No) “Satisfaction”. Regardless of what they try, they cannot find satisfaction. This morning, we are going to find the solution to finding satisfaction.
John 4:1-6 (NIV)
1?Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John-2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.
You can be satisfied by…
1. Staying on God’s route.
We find that Jesus and His Disciples left Judea to go back to Galilee. Now, most Jews traveled many extra miles in order to go around Samaria. Samaria was considered the home of half-breeds. The shortest route from Judea to Galilee went right through Samaria and that is the route Jesus took.
Often times, God’s route takes us places that we don’t want to go. There may be people who aren’t like us or people who we want to avoid on that route. Whatever it may be, stay on the route God has placed you on. It is on that route that you will find satisfaction.
John 4:7-9 (NIV)
7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
You can be satisfied by…
2. Seeing past your prejudices.
As soon as Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for a drink, she found a reason to say no. What was this Jewish man’s issue? Not only was a Jewish person not supposed to talk to a Samaritan; but a man was not supposed to talk to a woman. She immediately let Jesus know that He had made a mistake.
How many opportunities to serve God do you miss because you are prejudice? When I speak of prejudices, it doesn’t mean just color or race. Christians, you must be able to see past all of those stereotypes and listen to Jesus.
John 4:10 (NIV)
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
You can be satisfied by…
3. Knowing the giver of living water.
The woman was questioning Jesus about His understanding of the culture and His reply to her was, “If you knew”. This statement applies to all people. If they personally know the gift of God, they will be satisfied. If they personally know the giver of living water, they will be satisfied.
John 4:11-18 (NIV)
11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”
You can be satisfied by…
4. Drinking living water.
Jesus tells her that there is no water that will quench your thirst forever except for the water He offers. The water He offers brings eternal life. Of course, she asked for this water; but Jesus gave her an interesting answer. “Go, call your husband and come back.” She responded that she did not have a husband; and Jesus corrected her. He revealed to her that He knew that she had been married 5 times and was currently living with a man who was not her husband.
Why was Jesus’ statement so important? Jesus was letting her know that He knew exactly who she was. The whole reason she was getting water around noon and not early in the morning or in the evening was because she had a bad reputation. She had been with many men and was a very sinful person. She had been drinking of the water of the world- Water that was muddy, stagnant, and polluted.
Before you can drink of the living water of Jesus, you must know that you are in need of this living water. You must repent of your sin and follow Jesus.
John 4:19-26 (NIV)
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” 25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you- I am he.”
You can be satisfied by…
5. Worshipping God.
The woman knew that they were supposed to worship God; but as a Samaritan, she could not go to Jerusalem to worship God. She knew that when the Messiah showed up that they would find out the truth. The amazing thing about this moment for her was, He had showed up and He was talking to her.
Through Jesus, we can worship God in the Spirit and in truth. That is what God the Father wants from us. “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
Conclusion:
Just as the woman at the well found out, Jesus is the only way to have your thirst satisfied eternally. Jesus offers us living water; but it is not going to be satisfying to you unless you drink of this living water.
