The Gospel of John | Spiritual Thirst Part 2 – John 4:27-45
All who are thirsty, no matter their race, creed, or background, can be refreshed by the living water.
Jesus disregarded the cultural and societal optics of the day by talking with the Samaritan woman at the well. He revealed His true nature to her as the coming Messiah who would save all people. John, then, in verse 27, show the immediacy of the situation by saying the disciples suddenly returned and surveyed the situation. They were shocked at the situation unfolding that Jesus would be talking with a woman, especially a woman who obviously held such tremendous secrets. Returning, probably with the food they sought to get, the disciples could not believe what they were seeing, not being privy to the details of what the two had discussed beforehand. Yet, Jesus did not exhibit any distress or emotional pain but willingly talked to this woman. The Samaritan woman stood experiencing the transformation that comes from an authentic encounter with the true Messiah.
As John describes the situation, there are essentially two different reactions to the situation unfolding. The disciples on the one end immediately fell into confusion and outrage that someone as unclean as a Samaritan woman would be talking to someone they revered so highly as their great teacher. They could not see beyond the situation in front of them. Conversely, the Samaritan woman would abandon everything to share the encounter with the promised Messiah. This moment would forever shape her understanding and relationship with God. Yet, beyond that, the presence of God she experience could not be contained within one person but burst forth into natural outpouring. She could not contain the experience within herself.
The Disciples: Confusion and Upset
The disciples came upon the situation, shocked to see the cultural norms that Jesus wantonly broke. Jesus, as a teacher of high reputation, would not even be permitted to talk to a woman due to the cultural impropriety. Furthermore, as a Samaritan, any interaction with her would be viewed as defiling Jesus by the religious rulers of the day. John gives us an insight into the mind of the disciples by the questions swirling in their minds. Some wanted to ask what the woman wanted and why she might be bothering Jesus. After all, she knew her situation and why she stood rightfully condemned and unfit to approach Jesus. Some wondered why Jesus would even be talking to someone of her lowly and impure condition. They stood confused and upset at the situation as if they had not done their job to protect Jesus good enough. Yet, it is not the disciples who protect Jesus but Jesus who rescues the disciples.
The disciples moved to console Jesus offering Him food to eat. But Jesus’ response would shake the foundational worldview the disciples held. “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.” (John 4:34, ESV) Jesus took the opportunity to defy the expectations of the disciples and unveil His purpose to them. The Jewish people sought a Messiah who would come and save them from the rule of Roman oppression. Jesus, however, came to save all people, regardless of their race, age, gender, creed, or background, from the ravages of sin. The disciples looked for the harvest that would come in their salvation, but the harvest for those who would come to Jesus stood right outside their backdoor; the gentiles and those who do not believe. Furthermore, the disciples and Israelites of the day were only parts in the larger story. They would reap a harvest they did not plant and be the instruments of the work of God.
At the end of time, the church will reveal a multitude of persons from all backgrounds and walks of life. Racism and prejudice, where we elevate one person over another or bury one person under another will not be tolerated in the Kingdom of Heaven. Furthermore, no person is too unclean to have an encounter with the Risen Lord. Those of us who have surrendered to Jesus Christ should learn from Jesus’ rebuke of the disciples mindset. Cultural or societal barriers of entry into the Kingdom of Heaven. When the church refuses to allow sinners seeking an encounter with the One, True God then it would do them best to simply shut their doors as they have lost their purpose. In truth, we are not better than any sinner or any person who feels as if they have gone too far. The disciples’ sins were no different than the sins of the Samaritan woman and just as Jesus welcomed the disciples into fellowship, He welcomed the Samaritan woman to know Him as well. This work should sustain us as it sustained Jesus Christ. When we find ourselves reaching out to the poor, broken, and weary, knowing that we once sought a Savior as well, we will find ourselves sustained by the purpose and mission of God that we all were designed to do.
- How do the disciples demonstrate a lack of understanding the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
The Samaritan Woman: Come and See
As the disciples suddenly arrived, the Samaritan woman quickly returned to her hometown. She returns, not in fear of being seen by more people, but rather transformed and renewed by her encounter with Jesus Christ. John notes that she left the water at the well. Her reason for being there, needing to draw water in secret to avoid scandal and embarrassment no longer mattered. The physical water would be of little consequence in comparison to the living water she experienced. This living water would far surpass her needs to the point of overflowing out of her. The effects of her encounter with the True King overwhelmed whatever fear of impropriety she held and trumped her concern of judgment. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, revealed Himself to her, despite all the reasons her life would say to not.
Thus, she told her story to the people of her town. Probably, they were apprehensive at first knowing who she was and her reputation. Yet, something rang true about her encounter and before them stood a new person, transformed and renewed. This woman had been changed and the effects were evident. The Spirit of God flowed through her words, though they were not eloquent or filled with theological gusto. She simply told her story of the man who told her everything she had done. The woman acted as a testimony to the power of God to save sinners. Then, when they questioned her further about this person she met, her invitation was remarkably similar; come and see. She did not become a doctrinal expert (although proper doctrine is immensely important) nor did she claim to be some kind of expert. Yet, her simply invitation to “come and see” would mean a great deal came to put their faith in Jesus Christ. In her faithfulness and overflowing joy, God would stir the hearts of many the world deemed unclean to come and receive the living water that the woman had done previously.
The Samaritan woman before her encounter with Jesus, arguably stood before Jesus at the height of her sinful life. This was rock bottom for her. And yet, Jesus came to her and presented himself to her. In a moment her life turned around and she began a new life founded on the truth of the Gospel. Then, having been a Christ follower for all of two minutes, she ran to proclaim her faith to those she knew. Often times, we wait until we have arrived at some level of learning and discipleship when in reality, our testimony provides the foundation of people coming to Christ. We fear that, by not having the answers, that our testimony would be diminished. This could not be further than the truth. If we wait until we have all the answers before we share our faith, we will be sitting on the message that introduces people to the living water. Sharing our faith is not about our own ability to know or understanding but about pointing the world to our Savior. Instead, the invitation should be like that of the samaritan woman; inviting people to come and see. When we know the one who has all the answers, we can invite people to come and meet the Savior who can provide living water that moves beyond knowledge to true transformation of the heart.
- What impacted the people of the Samaritan Woman’s village the most about her testimony? Why was it so impactful?
Discussion Questions
- Who are some of the people that society has deemed “too unclean” to associate with? What do you think could be going on in their hearts?
- How can we have compassion for those who are different than us or struggling with different sins than we are?
- When do you first experience the Gospel and how did it impact you?
- How can our message and testimony impact the people around us?
- What often prevents us from sharing our faith with people? How does our experience with Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit within us help us overcome?
- Who can you reach out to this week to demonstrate the love of God to that others might consider to be “too unclean.”
