John, Part 14
Series: The Truth About Salvation, Part 5
John 4:1-14
- Continuing mini-series: “The Truth about Salvation”; two more messages left
-- We’ll finish this next week; which sets up an incredible truth about Jesus
-- Today: unpack together a familiar story – but (CH) do we know its application?
- Read John 4:1-14 / Pray
Point 1 – Jesus Travels to Samaria
- Jesus has left Judea to help take the heat off of John; RE: religious questions
-- Traveling back through Galilee, he passes through Samaria (MAP)
– Judea: southern section of Israel
– Galilee: northern section of Israel
– Samaria: central section (between the north and south) of Israel
- Backstory: Bitter hatred existed between Jews and Samaritans:
– Why Samaritans were bi-racial, half Jews (by birth) / half Samaritans
– When captured by King of Assyria 700 yrs earlier, they were scattered
– Naturally, intermarriage took place as they resettled in new lands
- Their religious practices were also infused in the new lands they lived
– This caused a mixture of false gods and God to be worshiped
– Infuriated ‘native Jews’ who developed a learned hatred for them
– Eventually God of Israel won, but they weren’t considered “real Jews”
-- SEE: Our legalism is often the fuel when it comes to unfounded hatred!
- As Jesus traveled, He came to the town of Sychar (ancient pronounce: sue-har)
-- Very little known about this city except for three Biblical events:
– Jacob bought a piece of land here (Genesis 33:19)
– Jacob willed this land to Joseph as he was dying (Genesis 48:22)
– Joseph’s bones were eventually buried in this area (Joshua 24:32)
- TR: This sets up the discussion to happen and eventual Gospel proclamation
-- RE: Series called “The Truth about Salvation” – see the first two truths …
Point 2 – First truth: Jesus is the Living Water
- Couple of things to understand:
1. Living water is “of God”; it is found in the new life that God gives
2. Living water is “the gift” of God; freely given / not earned or deserved
3. Living water is “received” by asking for it; it comes from a desire to have it
- Water that is alive is continuously refreshed; this is what Jesus is offering
-- To a Jew, living water represented as active & moving (think: fresh spring)
-- Dead water would be the opposite (a pond; mosquito breeding ground, etc.)
- It can only come from a place higher than man; must be from authority over us
-- For example: the woman talks of the importance of the well given from Jacob
-- True, this is important – consider the words of Jesus in response (re-read v10)
- Much like we still do – she missed what is really being said …
-- Her focus is on physical things (drawing water, having a bucket, rope, etc.) (v11)
-- And! She is comparing this to Jacob (a man) who she only knew of (v12)
- CHALL: How often do we compare the wisdom of God to what “we know”?
-- APP: Do we try to draw comparisons and value of who He is over our wisdom?
-- This is exactly what this woman does in v12: “this we have, so who are you?”
-- Remember testimony last week, John 3:31 – “…He is greater than anyone else”
- TR: Leads to an important question: Why does living water matter?
Point 3 – Second truth: Only Living Water can Satisfy
- Humanity always has a problem here: We continue to try to find our own way!
-- From the Garden to now we look for ways to manufacture satisfying solutions
-- EX: We try to excuse sin in the hopes of satisfying our own selfish needs/wants
- This act is a perfect example of using “stagnant” or “dead” water to provide hope
-- IMP: If it’s of our own making it will never last b/c it is from “the creation”
-- WHY? We cannot manufacture something greater than the Creator! (rem: gift)
- This is exactly what Jesus is teaching this woman … It’s not about the well!
-- She is focused on its archeological and historical importance (from who it came)
-- It’s not about the church building, the song preference, or “fill in the blank”
- She is having a real encounter with THE true life (Jn 1:14) and totally misses it!
-- This is what Jesus unpacks and teaches her in v14 (APP for today) (Re-read)
- Give you 5 key truths about living water to reflect on:
1. Living water comes from Christ alone – John 7:37
2. Living water keeps us from thirsting again – Zec 13:1
3. Living water is a well that is placed IN us – John 7:38
4. Living water springs up and continues to move – Isaiah 12:3
5. Living water becomes everlasting life – Revelation 22:17
The Point:
- Each of these things is given to us, or fulfilled, in the presence of the Holy Spirit!
- This is why it is a gift – it’s not something that we can manufacture or produce
-- It must be received because at birth we didn’t possess it (we lost it in our sin)
- When we consider this woman’s condition (see next week) something happens
-- We either feel pity, or sorrow, or maybe judgment for her … yet …
-- Are we not in the same position today in our sin?
- Do we not need the same cleansing water to remove our sin? YES!
-- If you’d admit that you needed this – then would you share with someone else?
- Pray
