The Living Water Pt 2
The Living Water Pt. 2
John 4:1-26
Intro
a. It will never end, you can open the newspaper any day and find evidence of how this world is falling apart through its depravity
i. News story from just yesterday of Erin McClean, 31 of Knoxville, Tenn. Charged with first degree murder
1. Of a 18 yr old student having an affair with his wife
2. His wife just started last year as a teaching intern where she met Sean Powell
3. Debra Flynn, the mother of the student
a. Flynn, whose son sometimes stayed at her home in Nashville, said she later found text messages on her phone. "Come home. Baby, I love you. You are beautiful," they said. She believes Erin McLean preyed on her son. "These teachers are feasting on our children in school and something has to be done," Flynn said.
ii. Suspected insurgents hurled explosives and opened fire on an Islamic school in southern Thailand, killing three Muslim students and wounding another seven, police said Sunday.
a. The attack occurred late Saturday evening in a Muslim boarding school. Attackers sprayed dozens of bullets into the school's dormitory where about 75 boys were sleeping. A 12-year-old boy and two 14 year olds were killed.
b. The police believed that Muslim insurgents had staged the attack and hoped to convince local Muslims that authorities were behind the violence -- a ploy to win villagers over to the insurgents' cause. "Insurgents always use this trick of attacking Muslim people to instigate villagers and get them to believe that police or soldiers were responsible for the attack,"
c. Thailand's three Muslim provinces have hundreds of religious Islamic schools, some of which authorities have accused of harboring insurgents and serving as a training ground for violence.
d. Thailand was stunned by a cold-blooded attack last week in which suspected insurgents ambushed a commuter van and killed eight passengers, shooting them in the head execution-style.
e. Since January 2004, when the resurgent Islamic separatist movement began its offensive, more than 2,000 deaths have been claimed.
2. Some of you are aware, the most violent, fundamental Islamic movement is not in the Middle East but in South East Asia.
a. It is there that we are now recording the highest of casualties, martyrs of Christians than anywhere else in the world
b. The purpose of this is not to turn the pulpit into Entertainment Tonight or a source of your does of current events
i. But a reminder that as Christians we need to see the world in our Christian worldview
ii. It is only the Christian worldview that not only provides a source of the problems that the world is encountering, but offers the solution
1. But can the church do
a. Do we just shrug it off- thank God that wasn’t Downey High or a school where you may be teaching or attending
b. Do we say thank God that’s happening in Southeast Asia and not here
i. Whether they are reports of infidelity or mass killings, these people have the same destination- spiritually speaking and so do those you entreat with each and everyday
2. If you are a committed soldier of Christ- you will take on the commission of Christ and no that the fight is not a massive engagement- like in the movie 300, but it is fought heart to heart, from one heart to another- that is the battle ground and that is the prize
a. May the church never become apathetic to that charge
Reading of the Passage
Opening Prayer
1. The Circumstances, 1-6
c. Jesus’ Commission, v.4
i. He “had to”
ii. He was obligated to one purpose, doing the Father’s Will
1. Since the beginning of time, Christ was purposed by the Father to redeem all of creation
a. This meant to cross every human barrier with a message that effected every human person
iii. We as the church of Jesus Christ are charged with the same purpose, the same mission
1. We can never allow our prejudices, selfishness, pettiness, laziness to ever be an obstacle to our purpose in life
2. May I remind you of the cost of discipleship, Matthew 16:13-26
a. The church “has to” reach out to the lost
d. Jesus’ Mercy, v.6
i. Even though He was weary, tired totally in beyond the point of any criticism or judgment, He reached out
1. His heart reached out to what he desired most- to save another soul
ii. May the compassion for another human soul stir us to action
II. The Contact, v.7-15
a. The time of this encounter
i. It was the “sixth hour” noon time
1. That is why the disciples were not present- they were off getting a meal for Jesus
2. It was customary for women to come to draw water for their households
a. But they would do so around dusk, when the sunsets, but this woman approaches at high noon
b. And she travels to a well further away for the city than other sources of water closer to her home
3. She rather face the hostility of the sun and its heat rather than the hostility of her fellow citizens
a. At times we no idea what we put other people through because of our indifferences and judgment
i. I hear stories within church, people walking to avoid others, attending different services
ii. I hope that will never be in our ministry
1. The price we make other s pay because of our own selfishness
ii. Jesus’ Request, “Give me a drink.” V. 7
1. We may not give this any thought
a. In the 1st century, this was taboo
i. A man does not address a woman in public, even a man to his own wife
2. Woman’s response
a. From this statement, we witness how Jesus crosses every human barrier of prejudice, every taboo is knocked down by Christ
i. He crosses the gender line
ii. He crosses the racial prejudice line
1. To go into detail about the hatred of Samaritans and Jews, you have to listen to last week’s message
iii. We will soon see that He will cross the morality line as well
b. What adds to this picture to make it more astounding- he is willing to ceremonially defile Himself
i. He is about to share the same drinking utensil as the woman
ii. “dealings” literally means “sharing the same utensils”
1. One thing you love about eastern culture, we all share the same condiments
2. That would just gross out any westerner, they get grossed out when you double dip
a. One Jewish rabbi said to share a meal with a Samaritan is like a Jew to eat swine
3. Jesus’ Quid Pro Quo, v.10
a. He turns the table on her
i. He speaks as though she is the thirsty one and he is the one holding the water
b. She is confused, v. 11
i. It’s like witnessing to a rich person, what do you mean I am the loser- look at all I have, look at my stuff
1. “He who dies with the most toys wins”
ii. They have no concept of the spiritual reality
c. The Living water- like bottled water, new and improved water
i. They are speaking on two different planes
1. She is on the physical realm and Jesus is speaking of the spiritual realm
ii. Isn’t it so unfortunate that as Christians we do the same
1. We equate God’s goodness based upon the physical realm
2. If we understood what God has done, given us eternal life- everything else is gravy
a. We learned this lesson in Exodus 11, 2 instructions to Moses
b. The Egyptians gave all their possessions to the Hebrews, so they plundered the land
iii. The living water He was offering is salvation- in all its fullness, forgiveness of her sins, and not only the desire to live an obedient life but also the ability to do so, eternal life with God
d. Living Water- OT metaphor for salvation
Jeremiah warned “all who forsake (the Lord) will put to shame. Those who turn away on earth will be written down, because they forsaken the fountain of the living water” - Jer. 17:13
In Him the redeemed “will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation” - Isa. 12:3
“Everyone who thirst, come to the waters” - Isa. 55:1
And God promised regarding the New Covenant "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” – Ezek. 36:25-27
e. I really don’t know why kids hate baths
i. I love baths- singlehandly responsible for the water drought we will experience this coming summer
ii. Because they don’t have traumatic bathing experiences as I did
1. Bath houses in Korea- seeing my grandmother naked, all the grandmothers naked
a. The way they scrubbed you, you came out refreshed
2. Sinners living the way they do, never bathing
a. What a joy it is- child of God
i. You can go to the Father, If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sins and cleanses you of all unrighteousness
f. That was what Jesus was offering her, v.13
i. You feel dirty, you feel parched, your soul is empty and void
1. You are seeking life for something but you don’t know what it is
a. Is it success, is it fame, is it money, is it women, is it possessions?
b. Is there really anything living for? Dying for?
g. The woman still thinks on a physical plane, v. 15
i. She is desiring of it- only to fulfill her earthly needs
ii. Sure I want Christ if He gives me what I want
Lecture of Dr. William Lane Craig- How can there be a God is there is evil and suffering in the world?
Logical question if we have the presupposition that the purpose of God is for the happiness of man- you have every right to justify your judgment of God and His existence
iii. Clearly the woman was still confused until she gets two things straight
1. The reality of her sins
2. The identification of the savior
III. The Conviction, v. 16-19
a. Since she was lost in the conversation, Jesus was going to get real with her
i. V.16, “Go, call your husband and come here.”
ii. You cannot have salvation w/o repentance
1. There is no way God will allow you to remain as you are and accept you in the eternal life just as you are in your sins
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world? But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? And why not say "Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just. Rom. 3:5-8
Pastor once speaking on the liberties of Christ, went on gave the illustration where he a couple of buddies went down to Tijuana and smoked cigars
2. What you see is the patient heart of God
a. 1 Peter 3:9, God is not slow in his promises as some consider slowness, but He is patient, desiring no one to die but all to come to repentance.
b. Just as when Adam sinned in the Garden, “where are you?”
b. Whenever we are cornered by our own sins, do we not try to justify, to hide the truth by not revealing total truth
i. V. 17, “I have no husband”
c. Jesus’ reply, “you have spoken well”
i. Being amazed with his insight- she believes Jesus to be a prophet
1. She affirmed that his knowledge of her sordid lifestyle was accurate
a. This was the attempt for her to reach out for a solution to her lifestyle
b. Now that we have the reality of her sins, she needs the identity of the Savior
IV. The Christ, v.20-26
a. Now knowing her sins, her next step was where should she go
i. Just as the Philippian jailer ask Paul and Silas, “what shall I do to be saved?”
ii. There are sometimes when we witness, people ask you what shall I do, we don’t know what to do, I haven’t been trained on that yet
1. She suggests should she go to the temple, the Mt. Gerizim
b. Jesus’ reply, 21
i. That was all irrevalent- you don’t have to go to church to be saved, you don’t have to be baptized in church, Catholics who believe part of one’s salvation is in the sacraments
ii. The place is not relevant, it is the nature of worship that is important, v. 21
1. Spirit- not the Holy Spirit, but the inner spirit of a man
a. That worship comes from within, not through external rituals or ceremonies
b. Praise and worship comes for the inside out, a pure conversion of the soul
2. Truth- that worship is consistent with what scripture teaches and centers on the incarnate Word, Jesus Christ- the center of our worship
a. We know God to have revealed Himself through the word
b. And the perfect expression of God is the Word, Logos, Jesus Christ
i. Who in the fullness of time He became flesh and He dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth- John1:14
iii. She is still confused but hopes I the future day where maybe she can receive salvation
iv. Hope never fails
1. Jesus reveals Himself, v.26 “I who speak to you am He”
a. This is the first account of where Jesus reveals His identity as the Messiah
i. Why here, why now, of all people her?
ii. Wouldn’t he wanted to make a bigger impact, His debut
iii. The consistency of His nature, consistency of the herald of the angels to the shepherds
1. He came to those who needed Him, and no one is too low to be saved by Jesus
2. There are 3 realities we find here for salvation
a. Salvation comes to those who recognize their desperate need for spiritual life- those that are thirsty
b. Salvation comes to those who recognize their sins and repent
c. Salvation comes to those who will accept Jesus as their Messiah, Savior
V. Invitation to accept Jesus