The Model - John 4:1-26 - February 24, 2008

Sunday School Lesson – The Model – February 24, 2008

This is our final lesson in this series of study.

Our scripture is John 4:1-26.

We have the opportunity to witness the Master at work witnessing to the woman at the well. HE is our model.

Most often when we go shopping, to the store, on a trip, vacation, social gathering, camping, hiking, a stroll in our neighborhood or to work we don’t think that it will provide an opportunity to witness to someone. But as we all know whether or not we open our mouths with a verbal witness, we do give a witness. That is scary. It is important that all believers keep this tucked back in our minds because the opportunity will likely come in a flash. But I have to admit; I get my mind on other things or just am plain tired, it is difficult to stay focused on seizing that opportunity.

Today’s scripture opens with JESUS extremely tired from a long day, which is so neat because it shows us that JESUS got tired and thirsty as any human does. Remember HE was tempted in all ways like we are yet HE remained sinless. Usually, opportunities to witness come when we are most vulnerable. We are in a hurry, someone has just irritated us, or something has gotten us frazzled. The scripture tells us that JESUS, the SON of GOD, was tired and thirsty. On top of being thirsty HE doesn’t have anything to draw water from the well to quench HIS physical thirst, which is good.

Our attitude is vital when we witness to others. If we have been having a bad day our attitude may need to be adjusted. We may need to utter a simple prayer such as, “LORD I am tired and I have been a bear today and I need an attitude adjustment before I take another breath.” Such a simple, honest prayer brings our hearts in tune with HIS Spirit and turns our minds to HIM. Wrong attitudes can send sour message.

Let’s read John 4:1-6:

1 When Jesus[1] Other mss read the Lord knew that the • Pharisees heard He was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), 3 He left Judea and went again to Galilee. 4 He had to travel through Samaria, 5 so He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar near the property[2] Lit piece of land that Jacob had given his son Joseph.[3] Gn 48:22 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, worn out from His journey, sat down at the well. It was about six in the evening.[4] Lit the sixth hour; see note at Jn 1:39; an alternate time reckoning would be noon

JESUS was traveling from Judea to Galilee via Samaria specifically through a Samaritan town named Sychar. Notice the words John uses in verse 4, “HE had to.” Jews wanting to make the same trip knew of a way to Galilee without going through Samaria. JESUS had a choice but to be obedient to the FATHER, HE had only one (1) choice, go through Samaria. Have you ever experienced a change of direction where GOD used you for HIS purpose? It is exciting!

I recall less than a year ago, I was waiting in my car for a couple to complete some business. The LORD spoke and told me to go into the business and pray with the couple and another person inside that business. I went into the business and almost immediately behind me a lady came in as well. I was hoping it would be just the four (4) of us in the building. The lady who owned the business asked the lady who came in what she needed. She was related to the lady that owned the business and had just stopped by. She turned to me and asked what she could do for me. I had met the owner of the business earlier. She knew that I was the transportation for the couple. I said the LORD laid upon my heart to come in and have prayer. If the roof had not been securely fastened, I think it would have lifted off because there was a loud shout that came from the lady who followed me into the business. The lady said she had not intended on stopping by the business and in fact she had passed by and the LORD told her she had to turn around and go back. She did not know why she had come into the business. She said that was one thing she could do, pray. We had a prayer meeting. GOD is still in the business of changing the plans of those who are willing to serve HIM.

Often GOD will change our plans or direction when HE has a mission for us. If JESUS had been prejudiced, HE could not have been obedient to the FATHER. The same is true for us, as Christians, our prejudice can rob us of serving GOD. Prejudice can take on many forms. It is not only racial, but can include a person’s size, social status, speech, habits, operates a business that lacks social status, etc.

As mentioned earlier, JESUS was very tired and thirsty, two (2) very normal human traits. HE sat down at the well. The scripture tells us that it was evening. Some translations place the time of the event at noon. It is a matter of whether Roman time, 6 PM or Hebrew time, noon was used by John. Many Bible scholars believe John used Roman time (6 PM) since the original text was written in Greek. A case can be made of either time. I lean toward the 6 PM time. The thought is that JESUS left Judea and walked to Jacob’s well, which is about forty (40) miles. JESUS would be tired and thirsty after such a trip. The time of the day is not the key factor but the encounter.

Let’s read John 4:7-9:

7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. “Give Me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8 for His disciples had gone into town to buy food. 9 “How is it that You, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a • Samaritan woman?” she asked Him. For Jews do not associate with[5] Or do not share vessels with Samaritans.[6] Other mss omit For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.

We need to consider several things about the relationship between the Jews and the Samaritans (social barriers):

A Jewish woman would not speak to a Jewish man in public. A Jewish man would not even speak to his wife in public.

JESUS spoke to this woman first, breaking two (2) social barriers - (1) A Jew spoke to a woman. (2) A Jew spoke to a Samaritan. Then what HE asked of her broke another social barrier – HE had nothing to use to drink from, so HE would have to use her container.

The woman immediately identified HIM as a Jew. How did she know HE was a Jew? HIS speech? What HE was wearing? We do not know for sure but some scholars believe it was by HIS accent.

The same is true for believers. When we are in the public often people either know us or about us. If we are having a bad day and our temper is short we may say or act in a short, abrupt manner. Someone watching may say, “Did you see how ugly he or she spoke to the clerk? Aren’t they a Sunday school teacher or sing in the choir at that church down the street?” Christians are on display 24/7. And I quickly admit that I do not measure up 24/7. But CHRIST wants us to measure up 24/7. So what will help us to stay focused? By having and maintaining our relationship with CHRIST.

Only as we maintain and remain in our relationship with HIM can we even begin to think of measuring up 24/7.

For this Samaritan woman to give JESUS a drink of water means, HE will drink from a container that she would provide. A Jew and a Samaritan would not share the same container. Doing so would indicate some type of fellowship or friendship. No righteous Jew would dare contaminate himself by such an association.

Hatred of the Samaritans by the Jews goes back several hundred years. The Jews considered Samaritans to be a racially impure people because they had intermarried with non-Jews but through no fault of their own.

Samaria used to be Jewish territory. However about 722/721 B.C. they were conquered by the Assyrians and half of the Samaritans were carried off to Assyria. Non-Jews relocated into Samaria who intermarried with the remaining Samaritans. Now hundreds of years later the full-blooded Jews looked down on the Samaritans. The full-blooded Jews considered these half-breeds to be social outcasts because they had intermarried with non-Jews.

As we continue, we see that John uses the words “A woman of Samaria.” This lets us know that a woman of questionable character was coming to draw water. The woman seems to be alone, which reinforces her questionable character because the local ladies would not associate with her. She was not on the top of the Sychar social calendar. She was a woman with a past.

JESUS breaks the social barrier by speaking to this woman. She immediately recognizes HIM as a Jew, likely by HIS accent.

Do you see the dynamics in the words exchanged between JESUS and this lady? I think she is feisty and JESUS already knows that. She is a woman who stands her ground and speaks her piece of mind. She has had to defend herself and she is tough. She has a take it or leave it attitude. Oh, but JESUS looks beyond what blows life had dealt her and looks straight into her heart.

JESUS asks for a drink and she fires back to HIM based upon her knowledge of her social status in the minds of Jewish men:
(1) I am a woman and a Samaritan woman.
(2) I know you Jews look down on us both as a Samaritan and woman.
(3) I know you being a male Jew that you look down on me, why would you ask me to give you a drink of water?
(4) For me to give you a drink means you will drink from my “unholy” container. You Jews are so pious. You should have brought your own “holy” containers to get you some water.
(5) But the very fact that HE has asked her for a drink and HE is willing to drink from her container intrigues and pleases her. She may have thought something like, “There is something different about this Jewish man. I will try to find out what it is.”

In a matter of seconds JESUS has gotten her into a spirited conversation. HE sees the energy she has and that she speaks her mind. Do you think HE thought to Himself, “Now, I see why MY FATHER wanted ME to come here. What a great witness she will be!!!” The most unlikely becomes the most likely in the hands of GOD provided she accepts CHRIST as her SAVIOR.

Getting people engaged in a conversation is a good why to witness to them. Find common ground to begin a conversation. Remember JESUS said I speak only what MY FATHER tells ME to speak. When we witness we must have the HOLY SPIRIT leading us as we engage in the conversation. HE will lead the conversation into the exact area that it needs to go.

This woman has fired back with several good questions. She wanted to know, “What is your motive for asking me for a drink of water because I know you Jews do not associate with us Samaritans?”

Let’s read John 4:10-12:

10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would ask Him, and He would give you living water.” 11 “Sir,” said the woman, “You don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.”

JESUS answered her question with a question. HE has her attention. JESUS said, “If you only knew the gift of GOD and WHO is asking you for a drink, you would ask HIM and HE would give you living water.” JESUS tied HIS physical request for a drink of water to spiritual matters. JESUS said, “If she knew the gift of GOD.” Several possibilities come to mind regarding “the gift of GOD” – grace, GOD’S Spirit, or the Messiah. JESUS used the word “Gift.” A gift is freely given to a person and cannot be earned. We know by reading ahead that she does know about the coming Messiah. JESUS used these words to shift her thinking from physical water to Spiritual water or living water. If you only knew who was speaking to you, you would ask HIM to give you a drink of living water. The term “living water” was used in the Old Testament to refer to the cleansing grace of the HOLY SPIRIT resulting from a person having a right relationship with GOD. In some instances it was a metaphor for GOD.

If you had the right relationship with GOD, then you would have known to ask ME for “living water” and I would have freely given it to you.

Living water got her attention from two (2) points of view:
(1) Living water is not stagnant water but flowing water. This is likely the connection the woman first made with this reference to living water.
(2) Living water referred to the refreshing and cleansing grace of the HOLY SPIRIT.

The idea regarding “living water” intrigued her. But her thoughts are centered on physical water and wanted to know more about this living water. How do YOU plan to get this water since you do not have a bucket? So where do YOU get this living water? She knew that physical living water was water that flowed either from a deep well or on the surface. She knew the area was not aware of any moving surface water. She poses another question, “You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are YOU?” To me this last statement leads me to think that she is beginning to see JESUS as someone very special and HE has her attention.

Let’s read John 4:13-14:

13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again—ever! In fact, the water I will give him will become a well[7] Or spring of water springing up within him for eternal life.”

JESUS knows HE has her attention and interest, so HE continued the conversation regarding “Living Water.” HE knows she is thinking about physical water but HE wants to lead her to focus on the Spiritual. JESUS moves from the physical to the Spiritual by comparing the physical water to Spiritual water. JESUS ties eternal living water to Himself. HE is the source of this eternal living water.

Her mind is turning and she thinks if I can satisfy my need for water then I won’t have to come to this well every day. She focuses on satisfying her physical needs.

Let’s read John 4:15:

15 “Sir,” the woman said to Him, “give me this water so I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.”

She wanted this water so she would not have to come to the well again. It was clear that she had not made the connection JESUS wanted her to make. So HE goes one (1) step further.

When witnessing it is important to allow the HOLY SPIRT to reveal to you when you need to continue to probe to bring enlightenment.

Let’s read John4: 16-24:

16 “Go call your husband,” He told her, “and come back here.” 17 “I don’t have a husband,” she answered. “You have correctly said, ‘I don’t have a husband,’ ” Jesus said. 18 “For you’ve had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 “Sir,” the woman replied, “I see that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,[8] Mount Gerizim, where there had been a Samaritan temple that rivaled Jerusalem’s yet you [Jews]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus told her, “Believe Me, • woman, an hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans[9] Samaritans is implied since the Gk verb and pronoun are pl. worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

JESUS knows HE will have to probe more. HE requested her to go get her husband. She answers HIM honestly. She does not have a husband. This reveals to HIM her heart. Then JESUS takes another step and revealed to her that HE already knows about her. She makes the connection that HE is a prophet. But she must have questioned, “If HE is a prophet and already knows about me, why is HE speaking to me? But HE is speaking to me.”

She wanted to know where JESUS was coming from Spiritually because HE had stepped over many social barriers that a regular rabbi would not have done. So she asks HIM a spiritual question, “The Samaritans have their place of worship and so do the Jews.” It seems that she knows the scripture and HIS answer to her question was important to her. Some say she was trying to change the conversation. That could be true but I think she saw JESUS as someone who was not the typical Jewish rabbi and she felt comfortable discussing Spiritual matters with JESUS. To me she seems to be very intelligent.

The bottom line was JESUS said it was not a matter of where you worship but it is the attitude of your heart when you worship. I think that matched up with her belief. She liked that answer.

Let’s read John 4:25-26:

25 The woman said to Him, “I know that • Messiah[10] In the NT, the word Messiah translates the Gk word Christos (“Anointed One”), except here and in Jn 1:41 where it translates Messias. is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will explain everything to us.” 26 “I am [He]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. ,” Jesus told her, “the One speaking to you.”

JESUS knew her heart all along, SHE KNEW ABOUT THE COMING MESSIAH!!!! I think she had never heard such an answer in all her life and it was so refreshing. She did not see how ritual was the way to worship GOD. True worship was all about the attitude of the heart and a person was not limited to worshipping in a certain place. Since HE had answered her question the time was right to reveal Himself to her.

What unspeakable joy must have flooded her heart when she heard “I am [He]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. ,” Jesus told her, “the One speaking to you.” I AM THE PROMISED MESSIAH STANDING HERE IN YOUR PRESENCE.

Let’s read John 4:27-30:
The Ripened Harvest
27 Just then His disciples arrived, and they were amazed that He was talking with a woman. Yet no one said, “What do You want?” or “Why are You talking with her?” 28 Then the woman left her water jar, went into town, and told the men, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They left the town and made their way to Him.

Did she encounter the living CHRIST? Without a doubt! She left her water jar and went straight to tell others. Seems that she all of sudden forgot being a social outcast. She had encountered the MESSIAH.

There is nothing more beautiful than a life that CHRIST has changed.
CHRIST the model. HE engaged her in conservation by finding common ground that involved both of them – HE needed a drink of water and she had the means to provide HIM with what HE needed. HE used this common ground to let it lead them down a path that would lead them to a conclusion. HE was patient, engaging and sensitive to her questions. HE used her questions to lead to another level of pursuit. HE controlled the direction of the conversation. HIS focus is on the target of bringing her to a point of decision. This is important because Satan will provide tangents and distractions. The person witnessing must control the direction of the conversation.

The most unlikely became the most likely. In GOD’S hands all people are precious to HIM regardless of what life has dealt them. HE has a plan for each one of us. Never think because of your past life that you cannot be used mightily by our LORD. The blood of the LAMB has redeemed all believers and all believers have been saved by grace. None of us can claim spiritual superiority. Our LORD teaches us how and when to witness through the HOLY SPIRIT. It is never about how many souls we can brag about, it is about serving our LORD and being obedient.

Every witness does not produce salvation. Often we are called to plant a seed, do some watering, encouraging, weeding and many other things that fit into the plan of GOD. Just know that no matter how small a witness we may think we have given, when salvation or repentance comes to the person whom we have been led to witness comes about, our account in the heavenly treasury becomes a little larger. Only when we get to heaven will we know how many we have influenced to accept CHRIST.

Our part is to remain and maintain our relationship with our LORD and be willing to do as HE asks. Here am I LORD use me.