Jesus: The Water Of Life Series

3. The Jews of course believed worship must happen in Jerusalem while the Samaritans believed that worship could happen on Mount Gerizim.

4. They both awaited the arrival of the Messiah that God had promised.

B. Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman are filled with hope, love and grace.

1. Jesus speaks to her of living water but she does not fully understand the concept because much like Nicodemus the woman is thinking in physical terms while Jesus is speaking in spiritual terms.

2. During the conversation the woman’s worst fears are realized as the issue of her past mistakes begins to surface as Jesus turns the conversation so the woman will see her sin and her need for forgiveness.

3. Although Jesus confronts the woman’s sinful life He does not dwell on it, in fact He affirms her truthfulness about her situation.

4. Jesus’ intention was not to condemn the woman but to help her see the mess that she was living in and that there was hope for her to change her life.

C. Through Jesus Christ grace is made available to everyone including those who are viewed as unworthy by the rest of the world.

1. Jesus’ knowledge of her past and His ability to address her difficult question about worship leaves her thinking that He might be the Messiah.

2. As Jesus confirms that He is indeed the Messiah, He shows that worship is not dependent upon a place but upon a continual relationship with God.

3. Jesus in His conversation with the woman avoided two common mistakes we make by making rush judgments without all the facts.

a. We often accuse causing the individual to raise their defenses.

b. We excuse the sin and enable the person to continue to live in denial.

4. Jesus’ disciples return to find Him speaking with this Samaritan woman and are surprised. However, none of them confront Him about it.

5. The account shows us that grace is not inhibited by social or gender barriers and is not withheld because of one’s past.

III. A powerful but unexpected response.

A. The woman responded to Jesus’ message in a way that no one would have even imagined.

1. The woman leaves behind her water jar which was the very reason she had came to the well and heads back to the village to share her exciting discovery.

2. Many Samaritans come to Jesus because of the testimony of the woman but even more important is that their belief is confirmed as they each encounter Jesus on a personal basis.

3. As the woman entered the town no longer was she worried about hiding from her past, she was excited because she had been changed by an encounter with Jesus.

4. What made the woman’s message so attractive was the fact that she simply told everyone what Jesus had done for her.

B. The only correct response to God’s grace is a changed life that is fully committed to Him.

1. What was it about Jesus that could make a woman with every reason to hang her head in shame now speak publicly with great transparency about her experience?

2. God has the ability to use our past failures and experiences to share with others the wonder of grace. For this to happen we cannot dwell on the guilt and shame of our past.