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Book: John
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John 4:19,20 The Clamant Cry of the Soul for God
I. The woman of Samaria.
A. She was a woman with a bad reputation.
1. Going to the well to draw water was a social occasion
for the women. They usually went together sometime in
the morning, it was a time for socializing.
2. The fact that she came alone at noon probably
indicated that the women of the town did not have much
to do with her.
3. She was perhaps a threat to their marriages, they did
not trust her around.
4. You would surely not think that she was a good
candidate for salvation.
5. Think again.
B. Why is it that she had been married 5 different times, and was
now just living with a man?
1. She no doubt had a inner thirst that she was trying to
fill.
2. She made a very common mistake that is being made over
and over again, and that is thinking that the deep
thirst that she was experiencing could be filled in a
relationship with a man.
a. She no doubt felt that if she could just find
the right man her life would be content.
b. I imagine that with each new husband she felt
this is the one that can bring me happiness.
c. I received a card from a friend who was
announcing his fifth marriage, the card read,
"Once in a lifetime you know that you have
found that special one." He had such high hopes
for this new relationship, but alas, they have
since divorced.
C. Deep within every man there is a thirst for God.
1. David described it in the 63rd Psalm,
O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee: my
soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a
dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
2. Again in 42:1 "As the deer panteth for the water
brooks, so panteth my soul for Thee O God. My soul
thirsteth for God for the living God."
3. Man tries to satisfy this thirst in many different
ways.
a. Some try to satisfy it with alcohol. Paul said,
"Be notdrunk with wine wherein is excess, but
be filled with the Spirit. These may seem to be
strange things to couple together, but there is
a close relationship. What is a man seeking
when he turns to alcohol? He is trying to
satisfy a deep inner need. What happens to the
man that is filled with the Spirit? That deep
inner need is met.
b. Many have tried to satisfy that inner thirst
with pleasurable experiences. A new romance,
surfing, sky diving, a Harley motorcycle.
These things in and of themselves, except the
new romance if you are already married, are not
wrong.
c. A Christian can enjoy these things far more
than a non christian. Because a Christian is
not looking for them to do for him what they
cannot do, and that is to satisfy the deep
inner craving for God.
3. Note as Jesus was talking to her about the water that
He could give to her, He said, "If you drink of this
water you will thirst again, but he that drinks of
the water that I give will never thirst again."
a. There is the key, drink of the water of the
worldly pleasures, they my satisfy for a
moment, but you will thirst again.
b. Write that over every worldly ambition of
your life.
c. Write that over every earthly pursuit.
II. Note the method of the witness of Jesus to her.
A. He started on the common level, a drink of water, to quench
the thirst Its a very natural thing to ask for a drink of
water.
B. He quickly moved the conversation from the material into the
spiritual. From the physical thirst of man to the spiritual
thirst of man, but she was not following Him.
C. He told her that if she knew the gift of God and who it was
that was asking for her for a drink of water, she would have
been asking Him for a drink of water.
C. He aroused her curiosity by speaking of water that if you would
once drink it you would never thirst again. He was speaking in
the spiritual realm, she was still thinking in the material
realm.
1. I believe that she felt He was just putting her on with
talk of magic kind of water.
2. Her response was, "I'll take some." Then I will not
have to come out here every day to draw water from this
deep well.
3. He told her to first go and call her husband.
4. She answered, "I have no husband."
D. He is about to speak to her about the gift of God and identify
who it is that was speaking to her, so He answered her, it is
true that you have no husband, for you have had five husbands
and you did not marry the man you are presently living with.
1. This bit of information had its desired effect, for she
probably flashed back on His statement, "If you knew
the gift of God and who it was that was asking you for
a drink." Just who is this who asked me for a drink?
She responded, "Sir, I perceive that you are a
prophet." At this point she realized that He was not
just putting her on, but was very serious about living
water and that inner thirst in her life.
2. She realized that this man could see right beyond her
mask and deep within her soul. She had not fooled Him,
He knew everything that she ever did.
3. Does it surprise you that Jesus would be offering the
gift of God to someone like this? A person who had gone
through five marriages, and was now living in adultery.
4. If you are surprised, it is only because you do not
know Him very well. He is the most kind, merciful,
gracious man who ever walked on the face of this
planet.
a. One day He said to the Pharisee's, "The harlots
and Publicans will go into the kingdom of God
before you."
b. Again as He was being criticized by the
Pharisee's for attending a party with sinners
and Publicans, Jesus said, "They that are well
do not need a Physician, but those who are
sick. I did not come to call the righteous but
sinners to repentance."
c. Sometimes Satan lies to us and tells us that
we have gone too far, that there is no
forgiveness for us.
d. Like the servants of Jairus who said, it's too
late, trouble not the Master.
e. There is a old hymn of the church that I have
not heard sung for years, "Christ Receiveth
Sinful Men" I only remember a part of the
refrain, it goes, "Sing it o'er and o'er again,
Christ receiveth sinful men."
5. If it were up to us, we probably would not have offered
living water to this woman. We would have been too
disgusted with her loose life style.
6. Jesus saw beyond the stained rough veneer into the
thirsty soul that was searching for God. He had
compassion on her. I sometimes wonder if He was really
thirsty?
7. When she realized that He could see right through her,
she asked the question that was burning deep within
her soul. "Where can I find God?" "Our fathers say that
we should worship in this mountain, and the Jews say
Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." She
was lost because of the theological debate.
a. So many people are confused by the theological
debates.
b. Their quest for God is hindered by the
theologians, they don't know who to believe.
The argument is over the place or form.
c. Jesus answered in essence that neither was
right, for God is a Spirit and the true
worshippers worship Him in Spirit and in truth,
for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.
III. The great revelation.
A. God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in
Spirit and in truth.
1. It is interesting that John puts this story side by
side with the story of Nicodemus who had come to Jesus
by night.
a. To Nicodemus the diving imperative was "You
must be born again." You cannot enter the
kingdom of God unless you are born of the
Spirit.
b. To this woman the divine imperative is, "You
must worship God in Spirit, and in truth."
c. Sharp contrast between the two persons who had
come to Jesus, the one a man of the cloth so to
speak, and the woman of the street, yet the
message is essentially the same. To know God,
to enter into a relationship with God, you must
enter into the realm of the Spirit.
2. As He began to open to her the path to God through the
dimension of the Spirit, she answered, "I know when
Messiah comes, He will teach us all things." He will
settle the debates and show us in the true path to God.
a. It is interesting that she believed in the
coming of the Messiah, even though she was
living such an impure life.
b. She had had a spiritual background somewhere,
perhaps a godly mother or father in her
background, but she had strayed far from the
teaching of her early childhood.
She was trying to find meaning for life in men,
rather than in God.
B. Jesus answered her remark concerning the Messiah with the
second revelation, "I Who speaketh unto thee, am He."
1. This is the first occasion in the scriptures where
Jesus directly revealed Himself to someone as the
Messiah.
2. Others had said it of Him, but this is the first
acknowledgment of it by Him.
3. The Jews came to Him in chapter 10 and said, "How long
do You keep us in doubt, if You are the Messiah, tell
us plainly."
4. Matthew and Mark tells us that when Jesus was on trial before the High
priest that the high priest said to Him, "I adjure you before the
living God tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God?" and Jesus
answered, "I Am."
C. Two great revelations to this woman of Samaria, the revelation
concerning God the revelation concerning the Messiah, the Son
of God.
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