Talking To Those People

Talking to those People?

John 4:39-4:42

Introduction-

Last week we looked at the coming of the New Year, having a new beginning if you will. I asked you what you hoped for in 2014. I asked you if you had a plan in place for the New Year. I gave you lessons learned from Apostle Paul.

Acknowledge that you have a past.

We do not have to let our past enslave us.

You can move on, but it must be intentional.

You can reach your goal if God is in it and you let Him help you.

How you doing with that? January 5th, you haven’t given up yet have you?

This morning we will get a lesson right from Jesus. Jesus lives and models His teachings.

If you would turn to John chapter 4.

We are going to see Jesus speaking to “those people”.

Society really has a mean way of dealing with those people.

Those people are usually economically, educationally, emotionally, and geographically different than we are.

Truth be told, those people are anyone that we do not associate with or anyone we feel is beneath us to associate with.

I am sure that never happens in the Christian circle. We don’t look down on any particular people, we are just different.

Jesus where we pick up the text was in the thick of ministry.

He cleared the temple and dealt with all the righteous Jews that thought themselves better than others.

He condemns those taking advantage of others for personal gain. He explains to a Rabbi what it meant to be born again and what it took to gain the kingdom of God.

Then, while the disciples were off chasing food down for everyone Jesus encounters the Samaritan Women at the well.

She is by-far one of those people in the eyes of the Jews and the eyes of His disciples.

Jesus ministry takes him to Samaria.

A place where Jacob’s well is and a place that all Jews knew of its history.

A Samaritan was a half-breed.

A Jewish person mixed with some other nationality . To a full blood Jew, Samaritans were those people you have nothing to do with.

To a Samaritan, the Jew was one of those people because of their holier than thou attitude.

Jesus shows up at high noon (sixth hour) thirsty and wanting a drink from the well. Not unusual to be thirsty at high noon, but unusual for a Samaritan women to be at the well at noon. Water was usually drawn early in the morning to avoid the high temperatures.

Jesus at the well bye himself, disciples gathering food elsewhere,

4:1 “Will you give me a drink?”

Dialogue

Samaritan women (9) “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan women. How can you ask me for a drink? (Remember they hated each other)

Jesus(10) “If you knew who it was that asked you for a drink, you would be asking for living water.”

(11) Samaritan women

“You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.”

If I was Jesus, that is where I would of said exactly! I have nothing to draw water and I am looking for a drink.

This isn’t cultural. I have nothing to draw water and I am thirsty.

Forget the fact that I should not drink after you because being a Samaritan I would be ceremonial unclean.

Forget the fact that you are a women and I should not even be talking to you

This is about having a face-to face-moment with Jesus! Seizing the moment!

Jesus does not have barriers set up for who He will and won’t talk too or associate with.

We are all sinners and we all need to have an encounter with Jesus.

Jesus asks her for a drink, while we are doing that- let’s talk!

She tries to get all spiritual and cultural.

I am a Samaritan and you are a Jew.

We should not be even talking to each other.

How can you even ask me for a drink?

Jesus by-passes all the argument and gets right to the point. If you knew who asked for a drink, you would be asking for living water.

“This water you will thirst again, but I offer living water and a chance at eternal life.

It peaks her interest, ok, give me this water so I will not get thirsty and have to draw water again.

Okay, go get your husband and come back.

“I have no husband answered the Samaritan women.”

Jesus- (17) “you are right when you say that you have no husband, the fact is, you have had 5 husbands and the man you now have is not your husband.” What you have said is quite true.

You would think that this is a knife to the heart of the Samaritan women.