Rescued – Week 1
Woman at the Well
2 Kinds of people relate to this story
- Those who feel distance between yourself and God
- Those who feel distracted from what God wants them to do
4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. John 4:4-5
7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. John 4:7-8
9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” John 4:9
Jesus loved breaking down social and cultural barriers
10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” John 4:10
What are you chasing that you are convinced will satisfy you?
“But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? John 4:11
And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. John 4:12
But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.”15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” John 4:14-15
16 “Go and get your husband,”Jesus told her.17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied.
Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband— 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” John 4:16-18
Jesus knew where she was thirsty and he also knows where you are thirsty
19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 20 So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?” John 4:19
21 Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans know very little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. John 4:21-22
23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24
She is looking for a distraction to divide and Jesus is determined to display to her who he really is.
We often times would rather have a genie than a God
25 The woman said, “I know the Messiah is coming—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”26 Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah! John 4:25
27 Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, “What do you want with her?” or “Why are you talking to her?” John 4:27
28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone,29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him. John 4:28-30
Those who have been rescued understand the importance of rescuing others.
Who do you know that needs to know who Jesus is?
31 Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, “Rabbi, eat something.”32 But Jesus replied, “I have a kind of food you know nothing about.”33 “Did someone bring him food while we were gone?” the disciples asked each other. John 4:31-33
34 Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. 35 You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe[d] for harvest. John 4:34-35
36 The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! 37 You know the saying, ‘One plants and another harvests.’ And it’s true. John 4:36-37
38 I sent you to harvest where you didn’t plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest.”39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” John 4:38-39
Next steps
- If you feel distant from God, go all in on Jesus.
- If you feel distracted, run back to the mission of rescuing people.