Encountering Christ
Text: John 4:1-14
Tell the story of the Samaritan Woman at the well and bring out these points.
I. In spite of her past Jesus offered this woman a possibility. (John 4:10) “Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”
Jesus saw her need was much deeper than for physical water. This woman had a deep spiritual need that could not be met by merely drinking water from the well. He got her attention by offering her living water that would quench the deep sense of thirst that was filling her soul. All of her life she had been searching, longing for something to quench the thirst of her soul. She had tried relationships, but they had left her hopeless. Perhaps she tried materialism, but had still never found relief from the thirst that was within. Then Jesus came and offered her the Living Water of eternal life and Salvation that would quench all of this thirst.
II. In spite of her sin Jesus offered her a promise.
(John 4:14) “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
Before this woman could receive this Living Water from Jesus, she first had to see the need of her heart. Thus, Jesus began to probe into her past. He said, “Go call your husband.” She said, “I have no husband.” Jesus took the probe deeper into her painful past by pointing out the fact that she had had five husbands and that the man she was currently with was not her husband.
Before anyone can receive God’s gift of salvation, he/she needs to
III. In spite of her preconceived notions, Jesus offered her His presence.
(John 4:26) “Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.”
