Spring of eternal living water

John 4:1-30

Key Verse 4:13-14 “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst, indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

1. Jesus is the savior of all; ethnics, sexes, educated or the non-educated, the insignificant or not.

2. Jesus showed the example how to progressively help the one who was deeply wounded.

3. Jesus is the living water who is able to quench our thirst.

4. Without bring the matter of your husband into Jesus, can you not receive living water.

5. After she acknowledged who Jesus is, her thirst was not only quenched but also she became an evangelist to her hometown people.

Gracious heavenly Father, thank you so much for giving me the wonderful opportunity to learn John’s chapter 4. Cleanse my dirty sin of my unfaithfulness! It is great privilege to prepare your words. May you bless our leader’s meeting to see your hope and vision! Please bless our Sunday worship service too! May I also have joyful and productive trip! Thank you! I pray in Jesus name. Amen!

--------------------------

Good afternoon! I attended our leader meeting in Oakland, CA to support M. Isaiah Tak’s U.C Berkeley ministry and came back late night yesterday. Hotel we stayed is located at near the Ocean and beautiful golf course. It is like the garden of Eden. Food, bed, environment were really nice. Weather is so nice. All of attendants enjoyed this meeting. We toured around Berkeley campus and went to tap and the mountain, which is able to see all circumstance and even Sanfransico. We visited the golden gate bridge. We had good fellowship together. The most impressive one was Hannnah Tak’s great passion and dedication to serve God. She is M. Isaiah Tak’s daughter and is sophomore of U.C Berkeley. She brought her two friends. They shared their life testimonies during the meeting. She invited her other friends to support praise worship.I felt that Berkeley ministry would not be existed without her dedication. I could also see God’s blessing upon her school study too when she really dedicated to God.

I remind Matthew 6:33. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. I could reflect our attitude through this event.

We treat God as the means of our life rather than he, himself is the purpose or goal of our life. It exposes our attitudes and heart at the critical moment treating God as our banding machine or our means rather than our the purpose of life.

Today, we will study the story of Jesus’ conversation with Samaritan woman to save her from her sin. She was so lonely and thirsty. She was deeply wounded due to her thirst . Nobody couldn’t quench her thirst. But Jesus gave her eternal living water and quenched her thirst. As soon as she found Jesus as her Messiah, her life was completely changed to be an evangelist for her hometown from one who really didn’t want to associate with her town people.

Let’s think about the answers of several questions?

Firstly, Why did Jesus choose the route of Samaria?

Secondly, How did Jesus help her who didn’t have spiritual desire?

Thirdly, How could her thirst immediately be quenched?

Fourthly, why should she bring the matter of her husband into Jesus to receive living water?

Fifthly, after she acknowledged Jesus as the promised Messiah, how was she radically changed?

I pray that God may open our spiritual eyes and ears to acknowledge may come into our heart as living water now by his grace!

Part one-Jesus is savior of all kinds of people. (1-9)

Look at verse 1-3. “Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.”

As Jesus ‘popularity was rising up, the religious leaders acknowledged it. So Jesus left Judea to minimize the potential damage by departing for Galilee. Because it was not time for him to involve a confliction with Jewish leaders.

Look at verse 4. 4 Now he had to go through Samaria.Galilee was to the north. Judea was in the extreme south. Samaria is laid in between them. The most direct way from Judea to Galilee was through Samaria. Using that route, the journey could be made in 3 days. The Jews usually did not pass through Samaria because there was the deep confliction between the Jews and Samaritans. I briefly explain historical background to understand today’s story.

This historical conflict describes 2 Kings 17-18. Assyria invaded into North Israel due to their idol worship and Samarian people were deported into Assyria. Not only did their race was mixed but also did their religion was mixed through this event. So Jewish people, who had great identity as God’s chosen people, despised their own people, Samarians more than gentiles. When they returned from exiles, Jewish people didn’t want to associate with them. Their hatred and coldness against Samarians was so deep.

So, Jewish people use the Jordan River to go up the eastern side of the river to avoid passing Samaria. This route took twice time as long-6days. All the Jews avoided to pass Samaria but Jesus didn’t mind. This small incident shows us how Jesus began to break down human barrier of religious, historical background.

Look at verse 5-6. “So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon.

So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near a plot of ground which Jacob had given to his son, Joseph.

Jesus had to pass through wild Judea filed to arrive Samaria. It was 12 at noon, the sixth hour by Jewish time. It was in the heat of the day. It was really hard to have trip under the dry and so hot weather. When Jesus came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, he was tired. He sat down by the well.

Look at verse7-8.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

A Samaritan woman had come to draw water. Women usually came to draw water either in the early morning or in the cool of the evening. There was a social occasion. But this woman came by herself in the heat of the day to avoid people. In verse 18, we see that she had 5husbands and on boy friend. She changed fire husbands.

When a Samaritan came to draw water, Jesus asked her for a drink of water. “Will you give me a drink?” What Jesus asked for water was not only to receive water but also to help her. This was the meeting between the Eternal God and a sinner. This was the meeting between the heavenly Prince and sinful woman who was despised by even all women in Samaritan society. It was very contrast against previous chapter 3 of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. He was educated, respected, theologically trained, powerful man. He was also a seeker of truth. However this Samaritan woman was unschooled, despised, moral outcast. She didn’t seek Jesus but Jesus visited her. Both need Jesus. Jesus is not only savior of type of Nicodemus but also of Samaritan. Jesus doesn’t concern culture, racism, and ethnics. He came to save all types of people. He is not only savior of Jews but also Samarian. He is not only savior of Americans but also mid eastern Asians, Africans, south Americans, Europeans and all. That is why we should spread the gospel to all world.

Look at verse 9.9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

How was woman’s response?

Her response was so cold, frigid and forbidding sound. When we receive those kinds of responses, we immediately want to give up conversation. However, Jesus didn’t give her up. There was a barrier of historical background between Jew and Samarian. There was another barrier as man and woman to talk with her. The Jew did not even speak to a woman in public. Jesus is holy God but she was a sinner. But Jesus broke all barriers to start conversation to save one broken soul. Jesus saw her as the one who was needed healing with compassion heart ,and wanted to help her.

Part two-Jesus is living water to quench her thirst.

Look at verse 10,11.

10 Jesus answered her, “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.” 11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?

Jesus knew she needed drinking water. He knew that she was a thirty woman. So he led conversation into living water from drinking water. When she heard living water, she understood just drinking water. Her response seemed like doubting and sneering.

12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” In verse 12, she compared Jesus to Jacob. She respected Jacob very much. Jacob might be her an ideal husband who endlessly loved Rachel. Jacob had labored for 12 years to receive Rachel as his wife (Ge20-32). However she could not find such a man so far even though she changed five husbands. Moreover, she was hurt so much from men. Jesus demonstrates clear truth. Let’s read verse 13,14.

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

What does this water mean?

This water indicates pleasure in this world. There are various thirsts for human beings. Especially thirst of love is strong. People are wandering to find right partners who really understand them and love them. Some people want to love with others like love story which is ideal love. But there is no such a love in human beings. Human beings’ love is limited and sinful. It makes us more thirst and sometimes leaves deep wound and pain. People look for physical pleasure to quench their thirst. But it make them be shameful and more thirst.

Many of us have strong thirst of recognition from others. All of us eagerly want to be famous movie stars or singers. We want to receive recognition through any activities, actions, our features, or our successful life. But after we receive recognition, it quickly fade away. We feel emptiness soon ,like fog in early morning.

Most of us have the thirst of material and power. We want to study hard for gaining it. We want to earn money and power by any means. We believe material and power can quench our thirst. But it is not true. In many researches, material is not level of happiness but it is just necessity for our lives.

Any pleasure in this world cannot quench our thirsts. it gives us more thirst. This water can temporary quench our thirst. But it cannot fundamentally quench our thirst. We have to draw water again and again for our thirst. Because our fundamental thirst came the broken relationship with God. After men forsook God, they lost true rest, peace, joy and satisfaction. Human beings seek the other ways to quench their thirsts such as all other activities coming from men-centered pleasure but the more we seek, the more we become thirty.

Jeremiah 2:13 clearly tells us the state of human beings. “My people have committed two sins:They have forsaken me, the spring of living water,and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. The cause of thirst is to abandon God who is the source of living water. Amos 8:11-14 tells us the fundamental matter of current our modern times.

“The days are coming, ”declares the Sovereign Lord, “when I will send a famine through the land—not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.12 People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east,searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.13 “In that day“the lovely young women and strong young men will faint because of thirst.14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Many people thought that rapid development of technology could make this world as Utopia. But the more Tech developed, the more people became dry and thirst and the more serious criminals are increased. People look for more strong, intense one. There is no limit for them to quench our thirst.

How is the water Jesus wants to give us? 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

It will never thirst again because this water is a spring of water welling up to eternal life. In this water, is there true satisfaction, rest, peace and joy. It indicates the Holy Spirit. John 7:38-39 tells us. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

The Holy Spirit acknowledges us to the words of truth and our sin. He leads us into repentance and makes us as new creation. When we experience new creation, we are filled with joy and full of thanks. When the Holy Spirit fill us, no matter who we are, “rivers of living water will flow from within us.”

Part three- Call your husband. (15-26)

After she heard spring of living water, her attitude was changed to Jesus. Look at verse 15. 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” She revealed her thirst matter. She was tired and board to live such a thirty life. She was so tired to draw water again and again. “Please give this water I won’t get thirty.”

When she pleaded living water, what was Jesus’ response? Look at verse 16. 16 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”This was stunning words which hit her head and heart. Gentile Jesus suddenly seemed like the detective. Jesus wanted to talk real and deep her inner matter with her. In order to give living water for her, inner matter should be solved. It is not option but absolute way to receive living water. Her matter of husband was deep wound which was most shameful and didn’t want expose outside. It was decaying wound inside her. No one wants to expose it. but Jesus challenged to bring her fundamental life problem into him.

When a physician wants to cure a patient who has decaying inside of skin, the first step is to cut decaying the root of part away by sharp medical knife and than have treatment for that part. Otherwise other superficial treatment will be in vain. Likewise her matter of husband should be solved even though it was painful for her.

He changed five husbands. When people get a divorce even one time, many people are suffering under this wound. She devoiced five times. Her inner being must be deeply scratched by all kinds of hurt. That was why She didn’t want to associate with people. She probably hated men and didn’t believe any human beings. She was a lonely and wounded woman even though others harshly criticized and condemned her due to her outward deeds.

“16Go, call your husband and come back.”It is privacy matter. However, without bringing this matter into Jesus, does healing can not come to us nor does she can get living water. When Jesus started his messianic ministry, first step of his message was to repent, and kingdom of God is near. Repentance is included with confessing our sins before God. Without true repentance, does kingdom of God cannot come to us. When people received words of God through Peter, they acknowledged their wrong deed and asked for the way of restoration. Peter clearly give them the way in Act 2:37-38.

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Do you want to have living water? “ Call your husband and come back” What is your husband? It can be your inner adultery matter, hatred matter, inferior complex matter, something you don’t want to expose but hidden your inside. In order to receive living water, you should bring it into Jesus. Jesus promised us “If we truly confess our shameful sin, he will forgive our sin no matter how serious is”.

How was woman’s response? Look at verse17. 17 “I have no husband,” she replied.She was embarrassed in Jesus’ talking and hided her truth. But Jesus embraced her who couldn’t tell her husband’s. “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 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.” Jesus exposed her serious and shameful sin to heal her.

As she had been having spiritual conversation with Jesus, her heart slowly began to open. She knew that Jesus was a prophet. Her concern of water was changed to matter of worship.

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

Her interest about worship was place because the place of worship was big issue between Jews and Samarians at that time. How did Jesus help her? Look at verse 21-23.

21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.22 You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The place to worship is not important. It is important to whom shall we worship and how attitude shall we have in worship. Our worshiper should be God. God is spirit. He doesn’t care beautiful places or luxury building, or big churches. He sees our heart. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” Those who worship must worship God with heart and body.

True worshipers should offer our heart, mind and body in our practical lives. True worship should be prepared heart. Worship should be also offered based on the truth which is words of God. We will study true worship next Sunday again. Look at verse 25.

25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” When she exposed her earnest desire to seek Messiah, Jesus represented him as Messiah.

26. Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” This is amazing moment for her. “Is he the Messiah who was talking with me? What a amazing is he who earnestly had been longer for? It is unbelievable and astonishing” Her inner being must shout out with full of joyful tear. After she met Jesus, how was her life changed? Look at 28-30.

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?”30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

She experienced forgiveness of her sins. Her heart was complete free from conviction of sin. True freedom and joy came into him. Her wound was healed. Jesus became true husband for her. She didn’t need water jar any longer. Living water was gushing out from her inner being. She couldn’t be quiet at the moment while living water began to gush out her inside. Before she met Jesus, people was the existence of hatred. Now her eyes toward people was changed as wondering soul who didn’t know living water. Her heart was burning to proclaim this eternal living water to town people. 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?

How was people’s response of her testimony? Let’s read verse 39. 39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.”

In conclusion, Jesus is living water to quench our thirst. In order to receive living water, we should bring our inner hidden sin into Jesus to be forgiven. The water, Jesus wants us give, is spring of living water welling up to eternal life. Let’s read verse 13,14 and 16.

13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

“16Go, call your husband and come back.”

I pray that God may give you earnest desire to look for living water so that the Holy Spirit touch you to bring your inner husband matter into Christ so that eternal living water may be poured out in you!