Christian Living
An unpopular woman seeking to fill a basic need met up with Jesus at the well. It might appear that the two met by co-incidence, but Christ was on a mission. He came to seek and to save the lost. He would go wherever there was a need, no exception. Every soul was and is important to God. He desires that all be saved and none would be lost.
John 4:3 tells us that Jesus left Judea and headed for Galilee. Verse 4 reveals that His mission lead Him through Samaria. Around noon Jesus and His followers approached the village of Sychar. This was the right place and the right time for a historical event to take place. It was about midday and the human side of Jesus grew weary so He sat down by the well to rest while the disciples went into the city to look for food.
JESUS ACCEPTS NO BARRIERS:
Many Jews would have avoided traveling through this town because of their dislike for the Samaritans. Christ saw beyond their cultural differences however. Jesus demonstrated that God’s love knows no boundaries. In the midst of a hostile environment, a Samaritan woman found the answer to her problems waiting at the well. As she went about her daily activities it is unlikely that she anticipated anything eventful happening to her. Life for the woman was probably mundane. She was unaware of the fact that Christ meets us in our everyday needs.
NOT JUST AN ORDINARY DAY:
It was the day of deliverance for a community. It began with one woman and her routine duties. The simple task of getting water led a group of people to the reality of a whole new life. John 4:7 says, “There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water and Jesus asked her for a drink.” She was astounded that He would even approach her. A Jewish man talking to a Samaritan woman was not a common sight. But Jesus was not restricted to man-made barriers. This was the beginning of anew day for this community.
Jesus had a gift to share with the woman but He approached her by asking for a drink of water. He told her that if she only knew who He was and what He had to offer, she would be asking Him for a drink instead. This led to a dialogue between the two which allowed the woman to ask many questions. Jesus welcomed her questions, it gave Him the opportunity He needed to reveal Himself.
John 4:11, the woman asked Jesus how could He give her living water when He didn’t have a bucket or a rope. She wondered, where will He get this water, did He have any idea how deep the well was? She sensed that this was no ordinary man so she asked, “Are you greater than the man who gave us this well?” Jacob himself and his children drank from this well are you greater than he?
John 4:13, says, “Jesus answered the woman and said, “This water will only quench your thirst for awhile. The water I am offering you will satisfy your thirst forever. In fact you will have a well of living water within you to refresh you continuously.” The woman let go of her resistance and said, “Please sir, give me some of that water so I will never again be thirsty. Then it would be no need for me to make the daily trip to the well anymore."
IMPROPER RESPONSE:
Jesus uncovers this woman weaknesses by letting her know that He know about her personal life. This woman’s response to Christ was much like some of ours. We are interested in having our circumstances changed and God desires to change our hearts. the woman wanted to change the subject but Christ was not going to leave her in the same condition He found her. What Christ uncovers He restores by taking the old and making something new. One does not have an encounter with Christ and remain the same.
After Jesus confronted the woman about her husband, she said unto Him, “You must be a prophet. How else could you know all these things? John 4:19, John writes, “Jesus saw beyond her facade and that she did not want to deal with the real problem.
A LIFE RADICALLY CHANGED:
The Samaritan woman preferred to discuss the right place of worship than failed marriages. Jesus reminded the woman where to worship is not as important as who to worship. He caused her to know that worship is spiritual and it is to be genuine. The woman responded by saying, “I am sure when the Messiah comes, He will explain everything to us.
Jesus answered the woman and said, “I am the Messiah!” The woman left her water pot. She had been refreshed by the living water, her thirst had been quenched. When Christ fills the void we leave behind those things in our past. The woman went back to the village differently than when she came. She was excited, she felt good, she was alive, she was changed! The change was so radical that she brought her community out to meet Jesus.
Those neighbors who perhaps had scorned and criticized her lifestyle, now had to take notice of the woman. There is something about having a new heart that gets people’s attention. This principle of change became a song of some sort; “you look at your hands and they look new and you look at your feet and they do too. You have a new walk and you have a new talk because this inside change works it’s way to the outside.” What is more exciting is that when you are transformed you have to tell somebody, you can’t keep it to yourself. People were probably asking, “Is that the same woman?” She took advantage of their curiosity and evangelized the whole community.
When God blesses us and people inquire with amazement, it is our opportunity to witness about the love and the power of God in our lives. Curiosity leads to questions, which leads to dialogue, which leads to sharing our faith. Jesus gave us the perfect example for witnessing; address the need, ask appropriate questions, give specific information and give the person a chance to respond.
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