John 4: 1 42
"Life," said the music critic James Gibbons Huneker, "is like an onion. You peel off layer after layer only to find out at the end there's nothing in it – nothing except tears."
I think the woman of Samaria in John 4 who went to a well on one hot afternoon would have agreed with that verdict. We're only told a little about her, but from that little data it's not hard to imagine what kind of person she was. I guess that, like most human beings, she was looking for happiness. But it seems that happiness, for whatever reason, kept eluding her grasp. It eluded her over and over and over... until one day.
#1. The woman – one who felt she was on the outside
Jewish people would have viewed the woman we meet as an outcast:
1) She was a Samaritan. Jews and Samaritans hated one another and antagonized one another for four centuries. John writes, in v. 9 "The Jews do not associate with the Samaritans." That was the understatement of the day. The Samaritans were considered half-breeds and heretics. They had rejected the Jewish temple in Jerusalem and built their own on Mt. Gerizim and the Jewish leaders had destroyed it! The Samaritans didn't like the Jews either and thought they had found the true religion. The conflict was not unlike the Jewish vs. Muslim conflicts in our own day.
2) She was a woman. Jews and Samaritans had strict social rules that said a Middle-eastern man should not have a discussion with any woman in public. Some rabbis even held that it was improper for a husband to speak to his wife in public. To think of a Jewish man speaking with a Samaritan woman known to be an outcast is almost shocking. Probably, with her past, most women wouldn't even deal with her.
3) She felt like an outcast even in her own country. Women never went to the well alone. Se did! And, she went at the hottest time in the day to fill her water jug – when no one went to the well to do this hard and exhausting work. The only possible reason for this was that she was viewed as a morally despicable because of what John tells us later, i.e., she had many men and was living with a man she wasn't married to – in a world in which that was absolutely unacceptable behavior in everyone's opinion. So she knew "respectable people" didn't want to be with her – and she didn't want to be with them!
Let me say this: I've found that those who feel this kind of isolation are at the same time a) resistant and defensive about opening up to people and b) receptive to change when we take the time to listen, to care truly, and to enter into genuine relationship. It seemed though that no one would ever come close enough to her for that to happen. Until one day...
#2. Jesus – one who took risks to cut through the barriers
V. 4. It's interesting that John starts off by telling us Jesus had to go through Samaria, because He didn't at least, not geographically. Humanly speaking, there was no had to about it. The Jews avoided that route like the plague. They would go miles out of their way to stay away from any social contact with these "despised Samaritans". Let me show you the map so you can see it.
The only reason for saying that Jesus had to go to Samaria was because a necessary encounter awaiting Him on route. It is, in other words, John's way of telling us that this encounter with the woman at the well was no chance encounter. It was to be a divine appointment.
Not that the woman knew that at all. And not that Jesus hit her over the head with it. He didn't glare at her and say, "You are an immoral adulteress and I know it. You'd better change or you'll burn!"
No, Jesus is a model of tact and discretion. He says, "Will you give me a drink?"
The woman is surprised in v. 9 and the reason is clear. Later, in v. 28, Jesus' disciples come and see Jesus talking with this woman and they're shocked too. There is little wonder why. He's a Jew – she's a Samaritan. He's a man – she's a woman. He's a religious teacher – she's almost certainly known to be a moral outcast. But, Jesus cut through all culturally erected "barriers" and entered into a relationship.
One more point is significant here: Jesus is willing to talk with her at a famous well too. The well was the rendezvous place for men and women in the ancient world. All the romance stories began at the well. For Jesus to be seen talking with a woman like this at a well was evidence that he is willing to take enormous risks to his own reputation to enter into relationship with people. It's a trademark of Jesus' whole life that he went to tax collectors' homes, touched lepers, showed mercy to prostitutes... In doing so, he often started with a physical need – addressed it – and then moved to the deeper need.
There's a moving lesson here, isn't there? Jesus will not be repulsed by our shortcomings or even our failures. He will come to you and meet you right where you are. He doesn't care what the world thinks of you or even how you put yourself down. He loves you and is ready to enter into relationship.
You may think you're not worth much: no diploma or degree, no executive position – no job even, prison record, few friends... Think about it: in John 3 Jesus spoke to a male religious aristocrat. The next day to an outcast Samaritan peasant-woman. The contrast couldn't be more extreme. But Jesus spoke to both with equal concern and equal respect. He loved both, and both needed Him. So today, know that Jesus cares about you. He comes to this church to meet you. It's no chance meeting. You're here for a reason. You may not realize it yet. Maybe you're just curious about God. Maybe you think you're a Christian but know something is lacking. And today you are hearing about Jesus.
Well, be warned! Once our curiosity brings us into conversation with Jesus, anything could happen. That's how it began with this woman. She became interested. But it didn't end there.
#3. The need – to confess a longing beyond what we want to admit (4:10 15)
In v. 10, the small talk is quickly dispensed with. With a masterstroke, Jesus quickly breaks through the chit chat to touch that spiritual emptiness in that woman's life of which we've already spoken. It's not surprising that she doesn't want to move so easily into a religious discussion.
Vv. 11 12. This intelligent and experienced woman knows Jesus is playing word games with her.
She's dealt with men before so she pretends indignation and says, "Oh, that's big talk. Who do you think you are, tormenting a workingwoman like me with offers of running water? Why, you don't even have a bucket to get water from this old well."
But Jesus will not be diverted from His purpose. See vv. 13 14.
Jesus is saying that he can give something even better than water on a hot day. He's offering an inner fountain of bubbling cool vitality that satisfies our spiritual thirst not just once but eternally. He's saying, in other words, that He's the answer to that inner emptiness that gnaws at our souls. He can offer a life that is no onion but a fountain of fulfillment and joy. With Nicodemus Jesus used the idea of needing to start life again. With the woman, Jesus spoke about needing living, refreshing water. He's offering the same thing to both – the life of God for which we are made but which we don't have if we don't know God.
This time the woman's reply is just a bit different. Vv. 15. Once again, she's still a bit closed about her real inner need. "Give me this water! Carrying this water pot back and forth is driving me mad!" That's the only need she's ready to confess.
Some think Jesus changes the subject in v. 16. But, that's not the case at all. The woman tries to say she doesn't need living water – only physical water. Jesus goes to the heart of the matter. "Bring your husband here," he says. And with that, he goes to the heart of her need. She had been trying to find life through men. The current man in her life, we're told, was number six. For her to find real life, Jesus had to touch that reality in her life! Some modern day advocates of free morality might hail her as a model of unchained sexual liberation. But I she didn't feel that way. I imagine she had hoped, like many, that marriage would make her life worthwhile: give it meaning, companionship, direction. But, somehow, every relationship had gone sour.
I can imagine that each time she met a new man, she thought, "Ah, at last this is it! I've met Mr. Right. I won't make the same mistake again." But she did. And the more shattered experiences that she underwent, the more onion-like her life became.
Why is it that Jesus called out this empty part of her life? I can imagine some people saying this woman's love life is her own concern. All Jesus is doing, it would seem, is risking offending her by this personal comment and sending her storming off in fury with all sorts of "how dare yous" and "I don't have to put up with this."
Well, the answer, of course, is that He must. Not just in the case of this Samaritan woman, but with us too. We may assume that the root of our emptiness is boredom. "If my life were more interesting," we think, "it would be okay. If only I could find the right job, the right marriage partner, then my frustrations with life would all evaporate." Countless people say that to themselves. But it isn't so.
Our real problem isn't with our jobs or even with our marriages. Our real problem is with ourselves. Isn't that true? Our emptiness isn't due to circumstances but due to the way we are living our lives. We human beings were created by God to know God. We rebel against bringing our lives under God's control. We go against His plans for us and, every time, we end up empty. Something doesn't work right.
No human relationship, no matter how good and intimate, can substitute for the relationship with God we were made for. Before Jesus can meet our needs, He has to show us the diagnosis. The diagnosis is: We need God.
Think about this woman had she never met Jesus. What kind of future could she have had? I doubt she even wanted to think about it. Age would eventually steal her beauty. Her men friends would turn to younger women. They always do and she knew it. But... most of all, she felt so dissatisfied.
Take that wretched water pot she'd carried from the village. There it stood: empty again. She'd filled it yesterday. She'd fill it again tomorrow. It was like her life a symbol of never ending thirst. She would spend the rest of her life filling that pot, but each time, on the next day, she would be just as thirsty as ever.
Have you ever had one of those days that you were so irritated that you just wanted to smash an innocent vase against the wall? This woman must have felt that way about her water pot. Empty! Empty again. That was her water pot. That was her life!
I think many of us can relate to this woman. Our jobs – our lives – seeming to be so boring. There are days in which we long for something to end the monotony of what we do day in and day out: Many try another job. They try another marriage. They try alcohol. They try drugs. They try fantasy movies. They try long hours before the computer screen. But nothing works. At best, those are only temporary escapes. Those deep sense that there must be more always return and with it, the emptiness.
There may be some parts of the Bible that we may find hard to relate to, but no one can say this woman isn't relevant to the 21st Century. You can see thousands of her within 20 miles of this sanctuary.
And John tells her story because Jesus filled her emptiness as he had John's – and John's convinced that that same Someone can do the same for you – and, actually, for anyone.
#4: The transformation – through leaving the old way of life behind and trusting Jesus
I want to walk you through the process that led to this woman having her longing satisfied, her life transformed, and her self-respect restored. How did it happen that this woman who was rejected by people and who personally tried to avoid people became the very person who led her entire village to faith in Jesus? It's a miracle story!
In Vv. 19 20 she tries to get the focus off her failures by asking a theological question. No one likes to talk about personal failure. A theological dispute is much less threatening. Those of you who have ever talked with people about Jesus know how common this sort of diversion tactic is. "What about the pagans, all these denominations, how can a good God allow all these things?" They're the same attempt.
But, there may be more than that here. You see, Jesus' words had gone home to the woman and made a profound impact. Look over at vv. 29 and 39. It had really gone home that He had exposed the failures of her life and offered something better.
I think the woman has begun to realize that this man, whom she had taken for only a rather open minded Jew, is really a prophet. And she knew enough to realize that when God sent prophets, she was being summoned to get her life right with God. And the natural question for a Samaritan would be: "Where do I do that? Where do I go to meet God?" "You tell me my life is wrong. Where do I make up for it? Where do I offer sacrifices for it? Do I go to the temple in Jerusalem or the temple in Samaria?"
To summarize the answer that Jesus gives: "The time has come when all people meet God through meeting me." "Woman," He says, "believe me that you stand on the threshold of a new era. In fact, it's here now. And one characteristic of this new era is that access to God is no longer tied to one nation or tribe. Now, it's a matter of spirit and truth."
In John's Gospel, "Spirit and truth" are key words. The important thing to know thing about those words in John's Gospel is that they are always bound up with the person and ministry of Jesus Himself. When you realize that you see that Jesus is telling us that now we worship, not on the basis of nationality, but on the basis of your response to Jesus. It is only these who receive the life Jesus brings through faith in Him who now are the true worshipers. It's a heart response, and it's a heart response to Jesus Himself.
Look at Vv. 25 26
Now, if you're going to get the full power of this, you should read what it says literally in Greek. It says, "I who speak to you I am." That's what Jesus says, "I am."
To a woman who knew something about the OT, such a bold statement could have sounded blasphemous. Remember, Moses had stood before the burning bush and talked with God. "What should I tell the people who has sent me?" "I am," God replies. "Tell them I am has sent you. That's my name." So Jesus here is not just claiming to be Messiah. He's claiming identity with God. It's a majestic statement.
Jesus offers life by offering Himself. Eternal life is nothing more or less than a relationship with Him. Eternal abundant water now comes through a relationship to the Living One. And it's to that kind of relationship and changed life that Jesus invited this woman.
Look at the affect on her V. 28. Then, leaving her water jar. John's a master of such detail. The symbol for her emptiness, there it was at His feet. She'd found the Living Water and things would never be the same again. What happens? She leaves her isolation and confidently goes and tells everyone both about her former life and about Jesus. What a change! She rushes to the very people she has been trying to avoid. It's obvious her shame has been lifted! She has a new freedom – a new identity – a new joy since she met Jesus. And, amazingly, the people in the village listen to her! They find something very believable about the change Jesus brings to this woman. They come to Jesus. And they believe! Look at their words: We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world. (John 4:42)
To Know Him
*Mayra Nolan told me about a maxim in Spanish that is translated: "Show me who you're with and I'll tell you who you are." Mothers use it to keep their children from friends who lead them astray. But, Jesus turns it on end. We are not to fill our lives with the things that a woman at the well had filled her life with. But, let's look at "Who Jesus is with" so we can see "who he is." And we see it: Hope-giver; forgiver of the past; creator of a new life and identity. Praise the Lord. That's why we have hope.
*Albert Tate pointed me to vv. 31-34: Jesus' disciples offer him food at mealtime on this long day but Jesus says he has food they know nothing about. His food in this situation was to move out of what most would have called comfort zone, to cross boundaries separating people from people, and to bring them the blessing of God. Bringing living water to a woman like this brought nourishment to Jesus' soul. Showing mercy and offering a new life is what Jesus loves to do. It's what brings him joy. Again: Hallelujah!
To Make Him Known
*To be faithful to the life of Jesus, we must cross barriers and enter into relationships with those who may not, at first, bring us prestige. Are there any people you avoid – places you drive around – just to bypass them? They are likely to be the very people and places to which Jesus will send you with his living water.
*Jesus saw a woman who had one need, i.e., to get water – but was able to move his relationship to a deeper level, i.e., to the need of her thirsty soul. May we care about needs such as hunger, or struggles in getting education or trouble with the law – so that we might be a blessing to those who feel outside – and then address the deepest longings of the human soul – to His glory.
Greg Waybright • Copyright 2010, Lake Avenue Church