"the Samaratin Woman: Breaking Down Barriers For The Kingdom Of God" (Message 9 In 2021 Series On Gospel Of John) Series

“BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD

(Sermon Nine in 2021 series on Gospel of John)

John 4:1-42

Greenmount and O’Leary Churches of Christ

March 15, 2021

Video Link: https://youtu.be/DCQKExvdu7U

INTRODUCTION:

1.) As the popularity of Jesus increased, the Pharisees heard Jesus was baptizing more disciples than John the Baptist, though it was his disciples doing the baptizing.

A.) Because of this, Jesus left Judea and headed back to Galilee.

B.) On this journey back to Galilee our text tells us that he headed back by way of Samaria.

C.) This would have been the quickest way but, most Jews travelled one and a half times the distance to avoid the hated Samaritan people.

2.) In John 4 Jesus is seated at Jacob’s well and a Samaritan woman comes along to draw water.

A.) Scripture tells us that Jesus was tired.

B.) His disciples had gone at noon for food, so we can also assume he was also hungry.

I.) A SAMARITAN WOMAN COMES TO DRAW WATER.

• It was not unnatural for a woman to draw water from the well.

o It was usually the women who carried the water in that day.

o Even today in those cultures it is usually the women who carry the water.

o What was unnatural was coming to the well at noon. The women usually came early in the morning or at dusk to avoid the heat of the day.

o In fact, the well could be a social gathering time for the woman to interact with the other women of the community.

o some have suggested the fact that this woman came at noon could indicate she was trying to avoid social interaction with other women of the community.

1.) Jesus approached the woman and asked: “Will you give me a drink?” (4:8)

A.) This question does not seem that odd to us but it kind of caught this woman off guard.

aa.) For nearly six centuries there had been hatred and antagonism between the Jews and Samaritans.

ab.) Not only that, but she was a woman, and the culture of the day dictated a man would not speak to a woman in public, even his own wife.

ac.) John 4:9

B.) Jesus turned the conversation to the spiritual, and to her need of salvation.

ba.) John 4:10

bb.) He had asked for physical water but now offers her living water.

bba.) Living water referred to water that was moving and not stagnant.

bbb.) At the same time, this living water may even have been a reference to Jeremiah 2:13: where God told them, they had forsaken God who was the Living Water.

.01) This woman would not have been familiar with that quote as they only accepted the first five books of the Bible.

3.) As the Living Water Jesus could bridge the gap between man and God as well as the gap between man and man or man and woman.

A.) This woman still only thought in physical terms, of physical water.

aa.) John 4:11

4.) For just a moment a light comes on and then disappears almost as quickly.

A.) John 4:12

“Are you greater than our father Jacob.?”

II. THE SAMARATIN WOMAN IS INTRODUCED TO THE LIVING WATER.

1.) At the best there is only temporary satisfaction in physical water but living water would give eternal satisfaction.

A.) John 4:13

aa.) “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.”

aaa.) We all know that truth. We can get a glass of water in the morning, and a few hours later our bodies will again crave water for our physical needs.

B.) Jesus was not speaking of merely physical water.

ba.) Jesus was in the process of turning the conversation from physical water to her need for spiritual water, or salvation.

bb.) Jesus was speaking of the Living water, which is also the Gift of God; Jesus was speaking of himself.

bc.) John 4:14

bd.) As we look at our text, we see this woman still misses it.

bda.) John 4:15

bdb.) At the time, the woman could only think in physical terms.

.01) It was a chore coming to the well every day for water.

.02) Life would be so much easier if Jesus could give her some of this “magic” water that would reproduce itself.

III. JESUS BROUGHT THE CONVERSATION TO AN EVEN HIGHER SPIRITUAL LEVEL FOR SALVATION.

1. Jesus brought her to see her spiritual need and shortcoming.

A.) “Go call your husband.” (4:16)

aa.) As we had said a few minutes ago it was socially unacceptable to be speaking to a woman alone like this.

ab.) Many would not even have met there at the well with this woman as Jesus had done.

B.) “I have no husband.” (4:17a.)

C.) “You are right when you say you have no husband for you have had five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband.” (4:17b-18)