An Invitation To Living Water (John 4:4-39)

Jesus takes us to a strange yet chosen encounter between a Samaritan woman and himself.

“Now Jesus had to go through Samaria.”

Jesus specifically chose this route, one which Jews avoided and was out of the way, because he was on a mission! 

“Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well.  It was about 12 noon.  When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’ The woman said, ‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan. How can you ask me for a drink?’”

Jews didn’t speak or associate with Samaritans because they were unclean! Jesus, a Jew, spoke to her nonetheless.

“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.’” 

Jesus’ answer confuses yet engages the woman to something she has never heard of. 

“Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob?”

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst.  Indeed, the water I give will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.  Sir, give me this water so I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.’”

Jesus doesn’t reveal who he is but offers her the water he knows she wants for human reasons.  She wouldn’t have to come to the well to draw water at the hottest time of the day in order to avoid other women.  This ‘living water’ would be her escape from facing their rejection! 

“Jesus told her, ‘Go, call your husband and come back.’ ‘I have no husband’ she replied.”  “Jesus said to her, ‘You are right when you say you have no husband.  The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.  What you have just said is quite true.’  ‘Sir, I can see that you are a prophet.’”

Jesus confronts the woman with her sin, not to condemn her but to reveal who he is, and the real need of ‘living water’ in her life.

“The woman continues, ‘I know that Messiah is coming and will explain everything to us.’  Jesus declares to her, ‘I who speak to you am he.’” 

What can we learn about Jesus from his encounter with a sinful shunned woman? 

Jesus intentionally sought out this person to set her free.

Jesus saw into her heart. He came to the well to meet her, to offer her ‘Living Water’ and release her from her shame.  

Jesus knew she longed for the Messiah. Seeing Jesus for who he is set the woman free. John tells us that, after meeting Jesus, the woman ran to the very people who had shunned her to tell them she had found Messiah!

The words Jesus spoke to the woman at the well are for us to see and understand him as He is.

·      Jesus pursues us as we are, whether we are hiding from people in shame or removed from him by intention.

·      Jesus sees our heart and wants to speak with us as he did with the woman. 

·      Jesus desires to set us free, giving us ‘Living Water’ that will quench our spiritual thirst and allow us to share with others the joy He gives.

I am very conscious that I have written this invitation to you to reach out to Jesus on Good Friday with Easter Sunday Coming!  This Jesus that pursued the woman at the well 2,000 years ago is alive today and pursuing us. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever!

His ‘Living Water” is waiting. Come and Drink!