Challenge & Connection

Jesus Challenges An Outcast

John’s focus here is still on Jesus Christ, God in a body. He reminds us in this narrative that God loves all mankind, even those who others label as an outcast. The ability for Christ to love wasn’t determined by the object or person. It was determined by the character of His love.

Jesus Challenges Us Regardless Of The Circumstances

John 4:5 Then came He to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 4:7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said unto her, “Give Me to drink.”

As Jesus leaves Judea, He passes through Samaria to reach Galilee. There He encounters a woman who was an outcast, because of her heritage and life choices. There around Jacob’s well, He challenges this woman to face her sin and seek the One who is willing and able to restore her.

Jesus Connects With Us Where We Are

John 4:7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said unto her, “Give Me to drink.” 4:9 Then said the woman of Samaria unto Him, “How is it that thou, being a Jew, ask a drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria?” For the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

There was a serious hatred and bitterness between the Jews and the Samaritans. This woman was in a difficult place because of her choices and also partly because of her heritage.

We cannot control every aspect of why we are in the situations and predicaments of our lives.

But much of the time, we can. She could not control her heritage, nor the negatives associated with it. But, she was in control of her life choices, and of her responses to all that occurred.

Jesus reaches out to connect with her at a well, regardless of her situation. Many of her day would not have even considered it. From the days of Nehemiah and the rebuilding of the walls, there had been a severe bitterness between Jews and Samaritans.

There were religious and theological animosities, and by the first century the Samaritans had developed their own religious heritage based on the Pentateuch: for example, they worshiped on Mount Gerizim, not in Jerusalem.

A Connection With Jesus Ends In Conviction

John 4:15 The woman said unto Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come here to draw.” 16 Jesus said unto her, “Go, call thy husband, and come here.”

Before any true salvation, there must first be conviction of sin. This woman could not drink of this living water without admitting her sin. Jesus had to help her get to that point. The conviction is seen in the question she asked. She’s been convicted of her sin and she senses her need. She says, “I’ve got to make it right. In order to make it right, I’ve got to go worship God. Now where should I do it? Should I go up to Gerizim or down to Jerusalem?”

Jesus Challenges Us To Trust Him

John 4:25 The woman said unto Him, “I know that Messiah comes, who is called Christ. When He has come, He will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said unto her, “I that speak unto thee am He.”

She said, ‘the Messiah will correct this mess I’m in, when he comes.’

She is a regular sinner just like us. A person comes to the end of their rope and says: Oh, my life is crumbling, I better go to church, I need some religion to fix this.

When we come to the sense of our sin and see the mess we are in, we don’t need ritual or religion: we need Jesus Christ.

The outcast believed Christ and shared the discovery and belief with others.

John 4:29 “Come, see a man who told me all things that ever I did. Is not this the Christ?”

Every man, every woman, every person must recognize, first of all, their need for living water, for a spiritual resource and rebirth.

At the same time, every person must see the sin of their life and face it for what it is. Every person must behold and trust Christ, the Son of God, the forgiver of sin, the giver of living water. Only then is there a new beginning, and new life.