GOING TO SEEK WATER, BUT BRINGING HOME THE WELL
Scripture: John 4:1-29
Main Theme: In the Scripture we view today, we see a woman who was in great need. Yes, she needed water, but really needed so much more. If you desire to have more than just water, and you want a well, then please read carefully and see a “man”, Who can give you what you are really in the greatest need for.
- WHY DID JESUS GO THROUGH SAMARIA?
- Notice carefully that Jesus, though growing in popularity with the people, did not stay to gain fame from the people, he simply went about the next part of his plans. How do we know that? The Bible tells us in verse four that Jesus “had to go through Samaria.” Why would it be so important for him to do such a thing? The place of Samaria was the one place on earth that the average Jew would do anything to avoid going through. They would rather take a longer trip to go north by going northeast instead of having to go through Samaria. Why? Because when the Assyrians defeated them, the area of Samaria was repopulated with people of other nations, religions, etc. Therefore, to be a person from this area meant that you were not a true Jew, even if you were born of at least one Jewish parent, at least according to the Jews who were full-blooded Jews. In fact, the people of Samaria were looked down upon as no better than an animal, such as a dog. In fact, dogs in our society are treated better than the Samaritans were by the Jews.
- One reason Jesus had to go through Samaria was to teach those Jews, and all who were prejudiced against them, as well as those of our day with any kind of prejudice, thinking themselves to be better than others, a valuable lesson. That lesson being that in the eyes of God, we are all equal. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” The term, “all” is inclusive, meaning that we are all included. I may be a preacher of the gospel, but I am no better than anyone else because Jesus died for all. However, all will not accept Him, but we need to share the gospel with everyone because everyone was that important to Jesus.
- A second reason Jesus had to go through Samaria was because of this woman’s need. We will explore her need in the following sections. It is important to note that Jesus was willing to go out of the way, even for just one woman. We will see that her testimony will affect others, but it was her Jesus first went to see. We who are the children of God need to realize that we need to go when led by the Holy Spirit of God to go to somebody. What if that “somebody” would have been us, and nobody cared enough to go out of their way to bring the gospel to us.
- One last word about this woman’s need. What she thought she needed was water. And many times that is the way it is in this life. However, sometimes we overlook our true need because we really don’t know what our true need is. Did this woman “need” water. She most certainly did, or she would not have gone to the well to get it, instead, she would have stayed where she was and done something else. Yet while she was at the well, “she met a man”, only this was not any ordinary man. It was the One Who had the answer to everything in life she could ever need or desire. He was God in the flesh, the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ of Nazareth.
- WHAT KIND OF WOMAN WAS THIS?
- As we already have seen, she was a despised Samaritan. She was also a woman, and women in that day and age were not really respected that much. Their opinions didn’t matter, they were looked upon only as child-bearers and housekeepers. But in the case of this woman, it seems kind of unusual that Jesus would go out of the way to see this woman. Jesus came for we ordinary, sinful people, and that is most certainly what this woman was. Notice in verses sixteen through eighteen, the question Jesus asks of her, her reply, and how Jesus knows “all” of her truth. He asks her to go call her husband, and she answers she has none. Then Jesus said that she had told the truth, that she has had “five” husbands, and the one she had now, whom she was living with, was not her husband. She knew she hadn’t told him this, and she was amazed at the fact that he had knowledge of her life that he would have known no other way except that God had shown to him. We have so many who have married and divorced, married and divorced, and continued that vicious cycle, such as this woman had, thinking that the problem has been with the other person, and not them. I think the root problem is that most people in our society marry not for love, but for either lust or money, and either one of those two will never last, hence, a high rate of divorce. This woman had no idea what true love was, and Jesus was here to teach her that lesson. A love that will last not just in the good times, but also in the bad. Not just here on earth, but for eternity. Not just a love between a man and a woman, but one between a woman and the One true God.
- HOW WE KNOW SHE TOOK HOME THE WELL?
- We all know why Jesus was at the well, but what about the woman? She had come to get some water. How do we know something amazing happened that she took home the well instead? Look carefully at verse twenty-eight. Keep in mind why she was at the well, to get water. We don’t know how far she had walked, or how badly the water was needed, but one thing we do know is that when she left, her waterpot didn’t go with her, but was left. Doesn’t it seem strange to you that the very thing she came for, she left? Why? I think we find our answer in what she did whenever she left. In the next verse, verse twenty-nine, she goes into the city to tell those there what had happened to her. Jesus had told her Who He really was, and she believed Him. She was so overcome with joy, that she could not contain herself. She was not a “silent” witness, instead, she had to do as a song by Don Francisco says, “gotta tell somebody.” As a result of what she did, some believed, but many didn’t until they themselves heard Jesus. After hearing Him, spending time with Him, they too believed. Without her testimony, none of them would have heard of Jesus. Without Jesus purposely going through Samaria, none of this would have happened. Isn’t this what happens when one is first saved. We want to tell everyone about Jesus. We are excited. We want everyone to know about the change that has taken place in our heart, as we opened the door of our heart, and Jesus now lives within us in the Person of The Holy Spirit. I remember well the night I was saved, October 18, 1972. The very next day at school during recess, I was telling one of my friends, and I had no idea, but he also was saved that very night at another Church service. We were both so excited. This is how this woman felt. A woman that people looked upon as a no-body, became somebody as a result of meeting Jesus and taking what he had offered, “Living water”. It’s time we realize that Jesus came to seek and to save all we “nobody’s”, and I for one am so thankful that now I am a “somebody” in Him. It’s also a message to we Christians, that sometimes we “must needs to go out of the way” to tell others about Jesus, that He is that “Living water” that will quench all their thirsts.
- It’s sad to say this, but many who were once excited, saying that Jesus saved them, seem to have no excitement at all anymore. To those, I say two things. (1) either you were not saved, or (2) You are not growing in Christ, spending time with God, because if you are spending time in prayer and in His Word, then I can promise you that there is a sense of excitement for you, because each time I open my heart and mind, allowing Him to teach me, to love me, to be my guide, then my life is so enriched. I am even more excited now than I was the night I was saved. Why? Because I have been through so much, and seen the hand of God watching over me, protecting me, guiding me, and meeting my every need, seeing that the Word of God gives me true meaning to this life, and most of all, I have read the end of the Bible, and I know that we win and that one day soon, we, the Bride of Christ, will be with Him forever and ever. How can one not be excited knowing that we will one day soon be in the physical presence of the One True Holy God, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob? By and through His Holy Spirit, we don’t have to wait to enjoy Him, because His presence is with us now, we need only take time to spend with Him to enjoy Him. Psalm 16:11 tells us that in His presence is the fullness of joy. Not just joy, but the fullness of joy. I will choose joy over happiness any day. Happiness is based on feelings, which can change at a moments notice. Joy is, however, based on an inner peace with God, being filled with the peace of God, and enjoying the daily presence of God in one’s life here while on this place God calls Earth. It is important, however, as we see Psalm 16:11, that we do not take it out of its proper context. In the verses that precede verse eleven, the Psalmist David is overflowing with thanksgiving, praise, and joy for how God has been so good to him. Now in verse eleven, he can say assuredly that God will show him the path of life because he has experienced it already, he knows that in God’s presence is the fullness of joy, and he knows at the right hand, the hand of favor, there are pleasures forevermore. What a difference it makes when one is totally, and completely sold out to God. As an old song goes, “I’d rather have Jesus” than anything.!!!
- WILL YOU TAKE HOME THE WELL?
- There may those who read this who go to Church on a regular basis, give tithes (which means a tenth, and it’s not just money, or else in Malachi 3:10 it would say “tithe”, being singular, rather than “tithes”, which is plural, meaning more than one thing, also being our time, our talents, our everything), go to both Sunday School and Preaching services without missing an occasional service due to sickness. However, whenever you leave, it’s like you got on a merry-go-round. You got on at one place but only went round and round, doing the same thing as before. But let me ask you this question, especially to you who say you are a Christian. Did you come to services today to be there, to be seen, or even to catch up on gossip, or were you excited before you even left home, coming with a sense of expectation, expecting to be in the very presence of Holy God, to join others in worship of Him for Who He is, not just for what He has done? I’m afraid that as one fellow preacher once said, “many people’s expectations has expired.” If that is where you are at, then don’t wait until the next Church service, remember that the true Church is not the building, it is we, the children of God. We can have “Church” at any time, for we can pray, ask forgiveness (1 John 1:9), and repent of our sinful ways, and God will give us a good old spiritual bath to clean us up right then and there. I don’t know what you say to that, but I say Hallelujah, and glory to almighty God for His grace and amazing love to usward. Don’t get me wrong, we are to go to Church services. If you don’t think that you do, then if you are really one of God’s children, then a must read for you is found in the book of Hebrews, chapter ten, and verse twenty-five. I won’t begin to preach on it here, for it is pretty much self-explanatory. Also, the Bible tells us in Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.” Of course, that’s another message, the key being “together.” One day soon God may lead me to do a message on this verse.
- What about you who are thirsting, but can never seem to find anything to quench your thirst? You have tried everything that the world has to offer, alcohol, sex, drugs, power, pornography, and yet time after time you have come away empty. Have I got great news for you? These wireless companies are trying to get you to try their services, even just in the last few months, one company says, “Try our services, and if you don’t like it, then you don’t have to keep it.” I challenge you to do something. It may seem that I’m asking you to do it for me, but I promise you that it’s for you. In the next thirty days, I dare you to read the book of John in the Bible. Not the whole book in a day, but a little at a time. The entire book is only twenty-one chapters, so read what you can each day. Each day listen only to gospel music (k-love is a great one for me). Take time to look around, see the creation for once. I’m not saying for you to go to the mountains, or to the beach, or even for you to go to the grand canyon. Get up early and watch the sunrise. Take time at night to look at the moon and the stars in the sky. Think about how they got there, and read the first chapter of Genesis. Look at the trees, feel the wind as it blows. God has given us signs of Who He is, and they are all around us, but few have taken the time to actually “see” that they are there. After reading the book of John, reading the first chapter of Genesis, and really “seeing” God’s creation, then after thirty days, if you cannot tell God is speaking to you, then please, in the section for prayer, please give me at least your first name, that I may pray for you. And if you took me up on my dare, and found out that not only is there a God, but that you now know Him personally, please give me at least your first name, that I may pray for you. The very purpose I agreed to do this website is to reach people just like you. Saved or lost, we all need Jesus. For those who are saved, we all need a deeper walk with Him. Those of you who are lost need to know that He is real and that He loves you so much that He died for you. If you need to speak to me, then contact me from the website, leaving me a way to contact you, by either email or phone, and I promise you that I will do my best to contact you as soon as possible. My prayer is that messages like this help you to know that I really do care about you, but even more, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ loves you more than I could ever put into words. I can honestly say that because His love for me is something that I could never explain. Sometimes I wonder why He could ever want someone like me in His family, and I can’t honestly give you a reason, because I don’t deserve it. However, I am so thankful that His love is beyond that of anyone I have ever known. I will be praying that I hear from you one day, either during the thirty day period or afterward. My greatest prayer is that I see you in God’s kingdom, as His child, and my brother or sister in Christ. Eddie D. Greene