Who Is God Seeking? (John 4:16-24) Series

Let's start this morning by rereading last week's passage, starting from John 4:1:

(4:1) Then, when Jesus knew that the Pharisees heard

that Jesus, many more disciples he is making and baptizing than John--

although Jesus himself was not baptizing,

but his disciples--

(3) he left Judea,

and he departed again for Galilee.

(4) Now, it was necessary for him to pass through Samaria.

(5) Then, he comes to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

(6) Now, there was Jacob's well.

Then, Jesus, having become tired from the journey, was simply sitting at the well.

It was about the sixth hour.

(7) A woman of Samaria comes to draw water.

Jesus says to her,

"Give to me to drink."

(8) For his disciples had gone to the city,

in order that food they would buy.

(9) Then, the woman-- the Samaritan one-- says to him,

"How are you, a Judean being, from me to drink you are asking-- a woman of Samaria being?"

For Judeans don't have dealings with Samaritans.

(10) Jesus answered,

and he said to her,

"If you had known the gift of God

and who is the one speaking to you,

"Give to me to drink,"

you would have asked him,

and he would have give to you living water.

(11) She says to him,

"Lord/sir, neither a bucket do you have,

and the well is deep.

Then, from where do you have the living water?

(12) You, not greater than our father Jacob, are you, right?,

who gave to us the well,

and he from it drank,

and his sons,

and his livestock?"

(13) Jesus answered,

and he said to her,

"Everyone drinking from this water will thirst again.

Now, whoever drinks from the water that I will give to him,

will absolutely never be thirsty [again] for eternity,

but the water that I will give to him will become in him a well of water springing up to/for eternal life.

(15) The woman says to him,

"Lord/sir, give to me this water,

in order that I shall not thirst,

nor come here to draw [water]."

Last week, we ended in verse 15. Here, the Samaritan woman totally stalls out in her growth. She wants the water Jesus offers, but why? It's a lot of work getting water from the well. Life would be better, and easier, if she wasn't ever thirsty.

And who does she think Jesus is? At first, she thought Jesus was simply a Judean. Then, she called him "Lord/sir." But here, for a second time, she uses the same title-- "Lord/sir."

And so we read her words in verse 15, and we find ourselves wondering, is the woman going to end up more like Nicodemus, than Nathaniel? Is she just flat out unable to reach the higher level of truth? Is she stuck at the lower, earthly level of understanding?

Jesus sees, and hears, that she has stalled out. She just can't understand God's gift. But, unlike Nicodemus, she's not hostile. Just confused. She WANTS God's gift, but she doesn't understand what she's asking for, or why she should want it.

So in verse 16, Jesus tries a different approach.

Actually, first, let's reread John 4:10:

(10) Jesus answered,

and he said to her,

"If you had known (1) the gift of God

and (2) who is the one speaking to you,

"Give to me to drink,"

you would have asked him,

and he would have give to you living water.

Up until now, Jesus' words have been focused on the "gift of God." But she's been unable to really understand God's gift, because she doesn't understand who is the one speaking to you. You have to understand both, together, for them to make sense.

Starting in verse 16, Jesus is going to try to reveal to her who he is.

Verse 16:

(16) He says to her,

"Go.

Call your husband,

and come here."

(17) The woman answered,

and she said to him,

"I don't have a husband."

Jesus says to her,

Rightly you said (that),

"A husband I don't have."

(18) For five husbands you had,

and now, the one whom you have isn't your husband.

This, truthfully, you have said."

Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus has had been able to see right through people. He knows what's in their hearts-- whether good (John 1:42, 47), or bad (John 2:24). He can tell if people come in truth, without deceit (John 2:24-3:1), or if they are genuinely open.

Here, that happens again. He looks at the woman, and he knows an astonishing truth about her. She's had five husbands, and she's currently living with someone she isn't married to.

And Jesus gives her credit at this point-- Jesus makes a big deal about how she has spoken truthfully. [And let's not get sidetracked, and call her a sinner, or adulterer, or some such thing.]