April 22, 2012
Background Scripture: John 4:1 – 42
Lesson Passage: John 4:7 – 15, 21 – 30
Do you know the one you worship? I believe that many who consider themselves to be religious would find this question somewhat offensive. On the other hand, if this was a statement rather than a question, I am sure that many religious people would find offense in such an allegation. Yet, this is precisely the statement that Jesus made to a Samaritan woman he talked with. To add insult to injury, this was the statement of a Jew directed at a Samaritan—one of those who were despised by the Jews. This was obviously not the starting point of their dialog or it would have been more of an argument than a conversation. While traveling through the land of Samaria, Jesus became tired and sat down next to a deep well. The woman approached the well with a water pot so that she could draw some water for herself. Jesus asked her to give him some water to drink. Certainly her response should have been expected by any Jew. She responded based on the Jewish practice of not sharing drinking or eating utensils with non-Jews. Since she responded negatively to Jesus’ request, then Jesus told her about a different kind of water that she had never experienced that he could give her. Then she requested that he share this special water with her. At this point the conversation took a turn that may have been embarrassing to her. Jesus revealed to her that he was aware of her past and present relationship issues. She sensed that Jesus was no ordinary Jewish man if he knew this about her. She started a theological debate with Jesus about the proper place where one should worship. This longtime debate had become a standoff between the Jews and Samaritans. Neither side had yielded over the many years since their split. Jesus declared that both groups had the wrong concept about worship and locations. It is only through the ministry of the Holy Spirit that one can be led into proper worship of the one and true living God. The Jews, to their credit, knew the one they worshiped whereas the Samaritans did not. Furthermore, God would use the Jews to offer salvation to the entire world. The woman then referred to the Samaritan’s tradition of looking for the Messiah or Christ of God to come and reveal the truth to them. Jesus told her that he is the Christ of God who had indeed come into the world as prophesied. When her excitement became more than she could bear, she left her water pot and went back to the village to tell the others about her encounter with Jesus and she invited them to follow her so that they too could meet the long awaited Messiah. Her actions proved that Jesus had given her a portion of the living water he had talked about. It was such that she could not keep it to herself but she readily shared it with others who followed her back to the well. Then Jesus did the unthinkable for a Jew, the Samaritans invited him to stay with them and he accepted their invitation and stayed with them for two days—no doubt eating and drinking what they provided. While the Jews in Jerusalem were yet rejecting Jesus and looking to find fault in him, the Samaritan villagers gladly welcomed him and were rejoicing over the living waters given to them by the Messiah.
Robert C. Hudson
April 16, 2012
God’s Grace
14 years ago