Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

We are the woman in the story.

In this story we are the unclean, disreputable broken Samaritan woman.

Last week we considered Jesus interaction and purpose in passing through Samaria.

In so doing, we drew application to ourselves and how our mission to the world should be unprejudiced just like Jesus.

We should reach out to, serve, and present the gospel to everyone, regardless of their creed, nationality, skin color, cultural norms, or personality; and we should be willing to push aside all cultural taboos that might be set in our way – assuming they are not moral or biblical taboos.

Today, instead, we need to shift our focus from how we should reflect Jesus’ unprejudiced mission and instead reflect on the reality that we are likened to the woman in the story.

Jesus pursued a relationship with this woman.

Jesus pursued this woman with the goal of transforming her into a worshipper of God.

Jesus pursued this woman because he knew that lasting satisfaction only came in a relationship with God.

And, Jesus pursues us.

This passage first and foremost is not a passage that is intended to be a model for evangelism.

It is instead intended for every recipient to personally connect to the lady and realize that we are only truly and eternally satisfied in Christ.

Evangelism will naturally flow from people who are satisfied with Christ.

Purpose Statement.

Christ purposefully and persistently yet graciously pursues people to worship the Father, knowing that he is satisfying.

Nicodemus and Samaritan woman like the prodigal son.

Luke sets the scene for us in chapter 15.

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to Jesus – in essence people like the Samaritan woman were drawing close to Jesus.

The Pharisees look on and grumble, “This man receive sinners and eats with them” ().

Jesus responds by telling a couple of parables, the first a parable of a lost coin and the second the parable of two sons.

A father has two sons, a younger and an older.

The younger son asks the father for his inheritance, and the father grants his son's request.

The son squanders all the fortune and ends up broken, feeding pigs and eating their food.

He is forced to return home with nothing and begs his father to accept him back as a servant.

The Father, having waited longingly for his son, receives him back with a party.

The older brother, envious of this attention, refuses to be part of the party.

Instead he stays out in the field and complains.

The Father comes out to him and the son tells his father about how he has always obeyed but has never gotten a party.

The Father desires that both sons revel in the comfort and satisfaction of his wealth and companionship.

Take note of how the two sons reflect Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman.

The older son, whom these Pharisees in the story would have related to, as well reflects the obedience and pious nature of Nicodemus, whereas the Samaritan woman and this prodigal son find themselves as outcaste on the fringe of society.

The Father desires that both of them come worship him and in so doing find lasting eternal satisfaction and fulfillment.

Christ purposefully and persistently yet graciously pursues relationships.

He had to go through Samaria (4:4).

And it is with this statement in verse 4 that we see the purposeful nature of Jesus.

We know that there was not a geographical need to go through Samaria.

Many other devout Jews bypassed Samaria to get to Galilee.

Jesus and his disciples could have as well.

Yet, he was driven by his Father’s purpose, that purpose being to seek out people to worship him.

He placed himself in an unavoidable spot (4:6).

He sat on the well.

I think most of us would have offered some room to the lady as she approached.

I imagine a bit of an awkward approach by the woman as Jesus just sat there waiting for her.

She inevitably saw this lone male figure sitting on the well as she approached from a distance.

Likely, she desired to avoid a lot of engagement with this awkward Jewish man.

He shattered social norms.

He sends away all his disciples and purposefully remains alone in a public place to engage a disgraceful Samaritan woman.

He could have kept a few of the disciples with him.

He didn’t need to be alone with this woman.

He asks to drink from her cup.

Jesus says, “give me a drink.”

The lady’s response would have been normal, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)” ().

The NIV adds an alternate translation for the last phrase, “[For Jews] do not use dishes Samaritans have used.”

As well, Augustine comments on this verse.

Augustine.

You see that they were aliens: indeed, the Jews would not use their vessels.

And as the woman brought with her a vessel with which to draw the water, it made her wonder that a Jew sought drink of her,—a thing which the Jews were not accustomed to do.

But He who was asking drink was thirsting for the faith of the woman herself.[1]

I think we may at times struggle connecting to this type of interaction, yet we shouldn’t.

It wasn’t that long ago when we offered two drinking fountains in public places.

Signs above the two fountains read “Whites” and “Colored.”

In essence, Jesus walked up to the “colored” fountain and waited in line, and a black man turned to him and said, “what are you doing?

Whites don’t drink here.”

He doesn’t let the conversation die at natural points.

Basically her first response is, “why are you talking to me?”

And with that, we would have all responded with, “you’re right, sorry about that.

I’ll step aside and wait for you to do your thing.

I wouldn’t want to put you out.

I wouldn’t want to bother or offend you.”

Jesus is the guy that doesn’t seem to know when to stop.

We would have considered him socially unaware or socially oblivious.

“Jesus do you realize that you’re being really awkward right now? Leave the poor woman alone.”

Not only is he socially awkward, his response seems really odd.

He starts off by speaking of spiritual things but in a manner that would have completely been understood literally.

“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and he would have given you living water” ()

It is here that we begin to see that the dialogues Jesus has with this woman and with Nicodemus are humorously similar.

Nicodemus and Jesus.

(1) Jesus offers simple spiritual truth.

“Nicodemus, you must be born again.”

(2) Nicodemus interprets literally.

“umm . . .

yea that’s not going to happen.

Can I enter into a mother’s womb again?

I think not.” (3) Jesus expands the teaching.

“Pay attention Nicodemus!

Unless someone is born of water and spirit they cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

By the way, you really should understand this, being a teacher of the law and all.”

(4) Nicodemus once again remains confused.

“How can this be?”

Samaritan woman and Jesus.

(1) Jesus awkwardly confronts the Samaritan woman.

“Give me a drink.”

The samaritan woman pushes back with, “why are you talking to me?” (2) Jesus tells her she should ask him for living water.

(3) Woman interprets literally.

She assumes he’s referring to some flowing stream that he has access to.

“Man, you don’t even have a bucket.

If you can pull off that trick, you’d be better than our father Jacob, which of course you are not.”[2]