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Sermon Notes of Rev.Dr.I.J.W.Oakley (2-6-1991 Cleland Baptist Church)
John’s Gospel records many of the people whom Jesus met
in the course of His ministry. He constantly directed these people to Himself.
He was the answer to the great spiritual needs of their life. Regardless of who
they were, their basic need was for Him.
John 3 records His meeting with
Nicodemus. What a contrast with the encounter in John 4. Nicodemus was a man;
here is a woman. He was a Jew; she was a half-breed Samaritan. He was learned;
she was ignorant. He was morally upright; she was of questionable morals. He was
wealthy; she was poor. He was a ruler in Israel; she was an outcast. He was
serious and dignified; she was flippant. It is hard to imagine a greater
contrast, yet basically their needs were the same. His greatest need was Christ;
her greatest need was also Christ. And whatever our superficial differences, our
fundamental need is the same.
Jesus’ meeting with this woman was at 12 noon. Jesus was utterly weary. He sat on Jacob’s well. Note in passing that, though Christ is the eternal Son of God, He was also truly human, the Word become flesh. He knew weariness, thirst, sadness, suffering and death. Two whole and perfect natures in one person. It is a comfort to us to know our Saviour is aware of our earthly lot. He is able to succour. He has grace to help us in our time of need.
How much we learn about the Lord from His dealings with
this woman. The amazing fact is that He took the first step – the initiative
was His. He made a simple request – give me a drink. One of the best ways of
winning a friend is to ask a favour, for it shows confidence in people. All the
more remarkable was the fact that He spoke to a woman, and a Samaritan woman at
that. Strict rule among Jewish rabbis never to speak to a woman in the street
– some of the Pharisees had utter contempt for women, they would daily thank
God that He had not made them a woman.
And in particular, Samaritan women – the bitter quarrel
had gone on for 400 years, the Jews of pure blood despised the half-breed
Samaritans who were heretics. Orthodox Jews travelling from Judea to Galilee
went a roundabout route to avoid going the quick way through Samaria, even
though it doubled their journey from three to six days. Even if a shadow of a
Samaritan fell on an orthodox Jew, he was considered unclean. If a Jew did take
that short cut through Samaria on his way to Jerusalem, the Samaritans would not
sell him necessities of bread and water.
Not only was she a woman, not
only was she a Samaritan woman, but also she was utterly immoral. She had five
husbands, and the man she was living with now was not even one of them. No
wonder she was at the well at noon instead of the usual evening hour for drawing
water. She wanted to avoid knowing looks and sharp tongues of other women who
would despise her.
Yet despite all that, Jesus
shows perfect courtesy and grace in asking her a favour. He knew all about her.
If no one else in the world cared for her, He did, and He longed she would have
all He longed to give her and do for her. He has the same sympathy for us in our
sins and weaknesses. He longs to display His love and power in our lives.
So after His opening gambit, He
offers her water of a very different kind – living water – that would
satisfy her spiritually. “Water” elsewhere in John’s Gospel is a symbol of
new life through the Holy Spirit into the heart through faith in Christ (e.g.
John 7:37-39). The water I give him will become in him a spring of water
welling up to eternal life (John 4:14). This water which Jesus gives is so
completely satisfying that whoever drinks of it will never be thirsty again.
These words of Jesus speak very
directly to the heart’s deepest needs. How many of us, once the masks and
disguises we wear have been taken off, can testify to the deep unsatisfied
longing of every human soul? How often in testimonies do people speak of
emptiness and dissatisfaction within? How they tried everything to meet that
need, but all in vain till they came to Christ. Augustine said, “Thou hast
made us for Thyself and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in
Thee.”
“None
but Christ can satisfy.
There
is none other name for me.
There’s
love and life and lasting joy,
Lord
Jesus, found in Thee”
Water springing up – the life that Jesus gives is no tame or stagnant thing. It is abundant life, life in all its fullness, that sparkles, thrills and satisfies. This is the wonder of knowing Christ and the great blessings imparted by Him. If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink (John 7:37), says Jesus on another occasion. In Christ they will be well fed by an ever-flowing stream, which never runs dry. Unlike the world, Christ offers a real and lasting satisfaction. If we drink at the world’s fountains, we are satisfied for an hour. If we drink at Christ’s fountain, we have perpetual satisfaction. It is not dependent on adversity or prosperity, fear or joy. This well keeps springing up, and it is all a free gift.
At first the woman misunderstood Jesus. She took Him
literally, and replied that she did not have a bucket. The well was in fact 100
feet deep. Nicodemus had made the same mistake in taking Jesus literally (“How
can a man enter his mother’s womb for a second time and be born again?”). In
both cases, Jesus was speaking of spiritual things.
So Jesus awoke a sense of sin and need in the woman, to
show her how much she needed this new spiritual life He was offering. He puts
His finger on her weakness, failure and sin, by making her admit to Him her
marriage situation. He knew her private life perfectly. He knew she had broken
the seventh commandment. Her conscience was pierced with the arrow of
conviction. She recoiled from sudden shock. Suddenly faced up to herself, her
way of life, its looseness and inadequacy.
We never really see ourselves until we are in Christ’s
presence. The Christian experience begins with a sense of sin. We are awakened
to ourselves, our need of God, of forgiveness and life. We never value the
medicine till we know our disease. Not till we see ourselves ruined do we see
the beauty of Christ.
Now in this uncomfortable position, she attempts to
change the subject by a theological discussion. She entered an argument about
the right place of worship. She hoped to turn aside the Lord’s pointing out
her sin by showing Him she did have correct religious belief and practice. But
in Jesus’ reply He comes back to His point. It does not matter where you
worship, as long as you worship in spirit and in truth. So back the conversation
comes to the state of the heart. Religion is not about outward forms and
ceremonies. The Lord looks at the heart, the state of the inner life.
People love an argument – how to interpret Genesis 1, where did Cain’s wife come from, what hymn book should we use, how ought the church to be governed, what form of baptism, set or free prayer…. These are not the real issues. The question in the forefront ought to be - what is the state of my heart? Am I right with God? Do I have new life in Christ Jesus?
The Samaritan woman realised she was in the presence of
no ordinary person. He knew her private life and secrets. He knew all about God
and His worship. Then He revealed He was the promised Saviour and Messiah that
the Samaritans, like the Jews, were waiting for. He presents Himself directly as
the answer to the woman’s problem. He was sent by God to be the Saviour and to
give life.
How ready Christ is to reveal Himself to the soul of
sinners. “I am the one you are looking for.” He is really saying, “Come to
me”. Wonderful picture of His patience and grace. No matter what our life has
been in the past or is now, the remedy is in Christ. General Booth told his
workers, “Go for sinners, and go for the worst”. Christ’s love for sinners
passes all knowledge. He is as willing to receive, as He is almighty to save.
At once this woman becomes a missionary, she leaves her
water pot and rushes into the town. Come, see a man who told me everything I
ever did (John 4:29). Come and hear, all you who fear God. And I will
declare what he has done for my soul (Psalm 66:16). At once, she was
pointing others to Christ, such was His dynamic, life-changing power.
Then other people found Christ for themselves, and discovered Him to be the Saviour of the world. He is the one who saves, delivers, and rescues men from evil and from their hopeless situation. He breaks the chains that bind. He gives power and presence to enable man to meet the future.
What is the state of your inner life tonight? Behind the
façade, are you lonely, empty, inadequate, and hungry, in search of
satisfaction? Have you indulged every whim and still feel the same? How the
heart of God goes out to all people in that situation. He does not scold or
reproach. He longs for us to have His best. He is able to give water which is a
well springing up into everlasting life.
Christ dwelling in the heart satisfies and keeps on satisfying. His grace and presence and power become everlasting life in the soul. But first He must put His finger on that sin which has to be forsaken and forgiven. Sin has to be brought to the surface. Then hear His voice and respond to His invitation – If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.
