Encounters with Christ

The Samaritan Woman, the Talk of the Town

John 4:7-26

 

Jesus has a mission and a purpose.  He is not only for the religious somebodies like Nicodemus but for the irreligious nobodies like the Samaritan woman.   

1- Jesus Came to Save ( 3:16 -17)

John, the gospel writer, is giving us a clear picture of

Christ’s mission to the world. 

The resounding truth from this passage is that God’s elect will come from all ethnic groups.  He has determined to have representatives from every people as His inheritance.  That’s why Jesus is in Samaria .

2- Jesus Came to Save the Outcast (4:7-9)

Here are some obstacles to her Encountering Christ: 

A- She is a woman- She is a member of a socially outcast gender.

B- She is a Samaritan- She is a member of a socially outcast race.

C- She is a human- a member of Adam’s spiritually outcast race. 

Her life shows us a picture of sin’s alienating effects. 

3- Jesus Came to Give Eternal Life ( 4:13 -15)

Jesus introduces this woman to something very attractive and very new to her.  He is whetting her appetite for eternal life.  Jesus uses the idea of a never ending fountain of free flowing water.  When Jesus offers us eternal life through the gospel, He doesn’t offer a life that is stagnant but one that continually flowing a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

Jesus sees in this woman someone who is spiritually parched.  Her soul has been beaten down by sin.  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation… (Isaiah 12:3-4).

4- Jesus Came to Save Sinners ( 4:16 -19)

Why do you think Jesus would expose this woman’s sin? Does she need to be shown her sin even more?  Jesus thinks so.  It’s important that as we share the good news of the gospel with those we come in contact with that we show our love to them by gently and caringly exposing their sin.  

Jesus didn’t come to the well that day to condemn her, He came to save her.  Yet she needs to be made aware that her sin must be exposed and dealt with by Christ.  It is in Christ exposing her sin that she says, [29] "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?"    

Jesus has a great advantage over us in our evangelism.  He knows everything about everyone.  But there is something we know about everyone as well.

Everyone is a sinner- Romans 3:23 (ESV)  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

Everyone has sinned and is therefore in need of salvation through Christ.

5- Jesus Came to Reveal Himself as Messiah ( 4:25 -30)

In simple words, Jesus discloses His true identity.  Before His trial, He rarely told anyone who He really was. As the true Messiah, Jesus would usher in a New Covenant between God and His people.  Christ wouldn’t set up a physical kingdom but would be Lord of a spiritual kingdom.

We see the woman’s faith when she leaves her water jar and runs to town to tell everyone about the Messiah. 

6- Jesus Came to Reveal Himself as Savior ( 4:39 -42)

The woman gets to town and proclaims, He told me all that I ever did."    (cf. Psalm 139:1-4) 

There was a first wave of believers because of the woman's testimony.  These first believers in Samaria didn’t want to part with their Lord. 

They were so happy and excited to meet the Messiah and receive this Living Water, they forgot all of there social ills.  They forgot that they weren’t to have contact with Jews.  Their hearts overflowed with gratitude because of the mighty work the Spirit of God had brought about in their lives. (John 3:8)

No one could have predicted that the Spirit would blow through Samaria .  In fact, if one was to make a prediction Samaria wouldn’t even be considered.  Then there was a second wave of conversions.  Jesus preached to those people the gospel.  41] And many more believed because of his word. 

7- Jesus Gives A Wake-Up Call to His Church ( 4: 33 -35)

That’s hard for us sometimes.  We have our minds set on something and God presents us with an opportunity to help someone or to witness to someone.  At times we don’t take the time or we simply don’t see the opportunity.

Jesus gives His church a wake-up call.  He says, Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.

Acts 1:8 (ESV) 

    But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria , and to the end of the earth."