SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). BARRIERS TO OVERCOME:
Barrier #1: racial (vs 3 & 9):
Barrier #2: social barrier (vs 7&27)
Barrier #3: religious (vs 19-20)
Barrier #4: moral (vs 16 & 19)
(2). OVERCOMING BARRIERS:
He made the effort (vs 4)
He humbled himself (vs 7)
He was natural (vs 10-15)
He was positive (vs 10-15)
He was honest (vs 16-18)
He was instructive (vs 20-24)
He made it personal (vs 25-26)
(3). THE RESULTS:
A change of attitude (vs 9,11,19,29)
A change of emphasis (vs 28)
A change for others (vs 39)
SERMONBODY:
Ill:
• If you want a good argument,
• Just state your opinion as to who is the greatest!
• i.e. The greatest footballer or team.
• i.e. The greatest singer or band.
• i.e. The greatest footballer artist or composer.
• i.e. The greatest preacher or missionary?
• i.e. The greatest Bible verse or book/
• TRANSITION:
• The list is endless, and we will find it hard to agree with one another.
• But when it comes to the greatest example and the greatest evangelist.
• No arguments!
• Jesus Christ is always first,
• And the apostle Pal second (although you might wat to argue with me on that one!)
Now in our relationship with Jesus, we need to:
• Know him (We do that better by…)
• Learning about him (which should always lead onto…)
• Living like him.
• All 3 of those things are interwoven and out work themselves in this chapter,
(1). BARRIERS TO OVERCOME:
Ill:
• On May 6th, 1954,
• Roger Bannister became the first man in history to run a mile in less than 4 minutes.
• Ever since statisticians kept records,
• It was said that no one would ever beat that record.
• But Roger Bannister didn't listen to them,
• He went out and broke it and made sports history.
• But here is my link to his story,
• After Roger broke the record,
• Within ten years 336 runners broke that record also.
• Question: What happened?
• Answer: The barrier was in the athlete's minds.
• They had believed what the experts said.
• They were convinced no one could break the record.
• It took a Roger Bannister to show them the truth,
• Often, we will never go beyond the barriers in your own mind.
• If you think you can't, you won't and never will try.
• If you are defeated in your mind, you've already lost the battle.
• TRANSITION: To reach this woman at the well,
• Jesus would break down barrier after barrier,
• Most of us would not have tried or given up, but not Jesus!
Note: Jesus had at least 4 barriers between himself and this lady:
Barrier #1: racial (vs 3 & 9):
"He had to pass through Samaria."
“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.)”
Quote:
"An unprejudiced mind is the rarest thing in the world."
• Unless you happen to be like the man who said:
• "I am not prejudiced, I hate everyone!"
• If we are honest then we must admit that we have prejudices:
• My prejudices may not be yours and yours may not be mine.
• But if we are honest, we have them!
• And there has only ever been one man who was not - Jesus Christ.
• Verse 3: "He had to pass through Samaria”.
• No self-respecting Jew would go through Samaria, they hated each other.
Ill:
• Story of the Good Samaritan had such an impact.
• No such thing, i.e. Honest thief!
• From centuries back there had been this feeling that the Samaritans had:
• Intermarried with other nations and they had corrupted their Jewish stock.
• These Samaritans were now half- breeds who had polluted and compromised their faith:
• They were despised by the Jews.
• This was land sandwiched between Judea to the south and Galilee to the north,
• Jews always went around Samaria; they would not voluntarily go through it.
Don’t forget Jesus was a Jew,
• He lived for thirty years with Jewish customs and Jewish ways.
• Throughout his life he constantly saw Jewish prejudices modelled as the norm!
• But Jesus did not take on board any of those prejudices:
• He was motivated by love for individuals – Jew, Gentile...even Samaritan!
• And so, he breaks down the first barrier which was Racial:
• Verse 9:
"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.)”
Note:
• If you've got a pencil, you can mark off 6 times in just five verses (verses 4-9):
• The words Samaritan or Samaria:
• The writer is wanting to get across a point,
• He is emphasising the fact Jews and Samaritans do not mix.
• Yet this Jew does mix with Samaritans!
• Because he saw beyond her national identity and saw the person!
Barrier #2: social barrier (vs 7 & 27)
“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her,
“Will you give me a drink?””
“Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?””
• In these verses we see Jesus talking to a woman,
• “Big deal you say”, well listen it was!
• In fact, it was a very big deal!
Ill:
• Woman at the time of Jesus were not treated with little respect at all:
• A popular prayer that men prayed each day was this one,
• "I thank you God that you have not made me a woman."
Ill:
• The Pharisees, the religious people,
• Taught that men should not talk to woman on the street,
• Quote.
• "Let no man talk to a woman on the street no not even to his own wife, or daughter, or sister".
• And therefore, never a Samaritan woman!!
Note:
• Don’t you just love verse 7: "And Jesus said to her".
• Jesus always treated woman as equals:
• He showed respect and courtesy to them and always had time for them.
• Maybe that is why they were his best followers!
Ill:
• Verse 27:
• "When his disciples returned and were SURPRISED to find him talking to a WOMAN".
• Jesus was prepared to be misunderstood even by his own disciples.
• If it meant he could win this woman to Christ.
Barrier #3: religious (vs 19-20)
““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.””
• More blood has been spilt over religion than perhaps anything else!
• ill: The very first murder in the Bible was Cain killing Abel over religion:
• That's why I don't preach religion, I preach a person - Jesus Christ!
• ill: Religion is man working his way up to God, Christianity is God coming down to man.
Note:
• Jesus points out to her it is not "Where" but "How" we approach God that’s important.
• And he goes on to say "It is by how or rather WHO you come" that counts.
Barrier #4: moral (vs 16 & 19)
Ill:
• Outcast - normally woman drew the water at dawn or dusk,
• The cooler hours of the day, when they would all go together,
• This woman comes to the well all by herself (isolated).
• And she comes at noon, the hottest part of the day.
• She is an outcast because of her lifestyle.
• No one else will give her the time of day – but this man does!
Note:
• The tact and the wisdom of Jesus in these verses.
• When dealing with people on moral issues, we need tact and wisdom.
• ill: Tact is a lost art – making someone feel at home when you wished they were at home!
• Wisdom: the ability to apply our knowledge sensitively and honestly.
• You and I would probably get a lashing from this Samaritan woman.
• “Mind your own business! Go back to your own territory etc”.
• Not Jesus!
• With tact and wisdom, he reached out to this woman, and she responded in kind.
• Because he cared, because he valued this individual – he acted.
(2). Overcoming Barriers
(1). He made the effort (vs 4).
• “Now he had to go through Samaria...”
• He went to her!
Ill:
Phone call & request!
ill:
Sundial.
ill:
Cromwell.
(2). He humbled himself (vs 7):
“When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her,
“Will you give me a drink?””
• As we noted already,
• For a Jewish man to talk to a Samaritan woman was not on!
• Therefore, for a Jewish Rabbi to talk to a woman (Samaritan) was scandalous!
• Jesus was willing to lose his reputation for the sake of the gospel.
• ill: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!”
Note:
• To be effective in reaching people we will need to make the 1st, 2nd & 3rd step towards folk.
• Despite the negative reactions:
• ill: Defensive (verse 9).
• ill: Sarcastic (verse 11).
• ill: Argue. (verse 20).
• Each time Jesus just humbly carries on the conversation.
(3). He was natural (vs 10-15)
“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.”
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.””
Notice: the natural flow in this conversation!
• Jesus did not have to force the situation,
• Rather the conversation naturally flowed out of the event of drawing water.
• i.e. Jesus did not start by saying, “I am the bread of life”.
• i.e. But “Living water”.
• i.e. Jesus did not start by saying, “I am the bread of life”.
• i.e. But “Living water”.
• i.e. Jesus did not start by saying, “Turn or burn!”
• i.e. But “Living water”.
• Too many of us are answering questions that nobody is asking!
• ill: Scratch where people are itching.
• Ill: Duncan Road; "Enrich your marriage".
(4). He was positive (vs 10-15).
• Ill: “Turn or burn”.
• I would rather be positive rather than negative!
ill:
• A young child finds a razor blade in the bathroom and is holding it in its hand.
• You as a parent have a problem.
• If you say give it to me,
• The chances are that the child will close their hand to hold on to it.
• Causing a lot of damage.
• The best way is to pick up some sweets of an apple.
• And say to the child, “Would you like this?”
• The child will then drop the one to have the other.
• TRANSITION:
• I am amazed at how people cling on to the most pathetic of beliefs,
• Often because they are scared of losing the little belief they have.
• That is why we need to offer them Christ, something or rather someone far better!
ill:
• Salesman whose sales were poor, told his boss.
• "You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink".
• Boss replied,
• "Your job is not to make them drink but to create a thirst."
(5). He was honest (vs 16-18):
“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.””
• Having offered this woman ‘life-giving’ water.
• He now tells her that she couldn't have it!
• There is a beautiful balance in the life and words of Jesus.
• The way he changes the pace, and the tone of the conversation is brilliant.
• Jesus never soft peddled his message or the demands of God.
• But he had the great gift of wisdom!
• Knowledge is knowing what to do.
• Wisdom is the ability to apply that knowledge in the right way:
• He is not condemning her.
• But in that one statement he simply exposing her, to herself and situation.
• She knew what the problem was.
• She also knew that Jesus knew because he tactfully & respectfully points it out!
(6). He was instructive (vs 20-24):
“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.””
• He told her how to get it.
• Eternal life goes beyond a physical relationship i.e. ‘Spirit’.
• You tried to find satisfaction in human relationships and failed.
• You need a different type of relationship - i.e. ‘Spirit’.
• Also, you are living a lie, not married but you live like you are.
• To know God requires honesty and truth not deception & lies!
• In our witness we must make sure we do not miss this key:
• Of showing folks the link between what they have and what they want.
(7). He made it personal (vs 25-26)
“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.””
• Vs 25: The woman says, “When the Messiah comes” he will have the answer:
• Vs 26: Jesus said: “You are looking & talking to him!”
• Jesus has brought this woman to a key moment in their conversation.
• This is a make-or-break moment!
• Her response to the person of Jesus.
• Will determine whether or not she gets to taste that ‘Life-giving’ water!
(3). The Results.
(1). A change of attitude (vs 9,11,19,29).
• Verse 9: Jew.
• Verse 11: Sir.
• Verse 19: Prophet.
• Verse 29: Messiah.
(2). A change of emphasis (vs 28)
• Notice the mission field is now the missionary!
• Quote: "You are either a missionary or a mission field"
• Quote: Leith Anderson
• “The simple definition of evangelism: Those who know, telling those who don't.”
(3). A change for others (vs 39).
“Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.””
• We are called not just to fish,
• We care called to catch fish,
• That is to be effective in our evangelism.
And to be effective means:
• In our relationship with Jesus, we need both!
• Know him, learn about him and live like him.
This week’s challenge:
• Who will you pray for everyday this week,
• Ask God to give you a natural opportunity to witness to them.
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=a3k67TspwWgTadLgeGkYbgldjG94L4gB&fmode=download
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/3Nav2OIUPhU?si=tjDeDhhr8vNrCf0r
