Woman Leaves Water Jar, Shares Living Water
Daily Scripture
John 4:25-30
25 The woman said, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one who is called the Christ. When he comes, he will teach everything to us.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I Am—the one who speaks with you” [Or It is I, the one who speaks with you].
27 Just then, Jesus’ disciples arrived and were shocked that he was talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 The woman put down her water jar and went into the city. She said to the people, 29 “Come and see a man who has told me everything I’ve done! Could this man be the Christ?” 30 They left the city and were on their way to see Jesus.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
“She tries a different tack. Perhaps this will put the stranger off. ‘One day the Messiah will come,’ she says brightly. ‘Why don’t we wait till then? He’ll make it all clear’…. ‘That’s me,’ says Jesus. And he goes on saying it. Whenever people come round to the key questions, and say, ‘If only someone would come and sort it all out!’, then there he is. ‘That’s me.’” * Amazed, the woman went into town to tell the very people she’d been avoiding about Jesus. In wonder, she asked, “Could this man be the Christ [Greek for “anointed one,” or “Messiah”]?”
- Your task: reach out to a hostile area with the good news of God’s love. What kind of person would you choose for that? Jesus chose a friendless, outcast woman, who was effective mainly by saying, “Come and see.” Do you allow your limitations to block you from sharing what Christ means to you? Consider the woman at the well, and ask God in what ways you can be a channel of Christ’s love today.
- Jesus’ disciples were “shocked” to find him talking to a Samaritan woman. They knew Jesus sided with rabbis who did not favor free-and-easy divorce (cf. Matthew 19:3-8). But his grace prevailed over “the rules,” and she met a caring Savior willing to offer a beautiful future regardless of her painful past. Have you ever had to weigh strict rule-following against human pain and need? How can Jesus’ example help you to find your way in those cases?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, you showed why a living, breathing Savior could better represent God’s love than a static rule book. You’re my Lord and Savior—keep showing me how to treat others the way you did. Amen.
GPS Insights
Darren Lippe
Darren Lippe serves as a Couples Small Group co-leader & Men's Group Leader, while volunteering in a variety of other capacities at Resurrection. He and his wife, Doris, first met in a Resurrection Single Adult Sunday School class in 1997 and were married in what is now the Student Center. They are empty nesters with 2 college-aged sons, Matthew and Jacob.
In 2006 Dos Equis beer started an ad campaign featuring a bearded, debonair older gentleman who was touted as “The Most Interesting Man in the World.” He claimed to have performed outlandish feats like being able to speak Braille or being able to slam a revolving door. Today the ad is a popular joke with people asserting even more absurd achievements.
As we read today’s passage, I would submit that the Woman at the Well could make a strong case for “The Most Interesting Woman in the World.” (Since “Woman at the Well” is a tad cumbersome, I’ll call her “Brooke.”) Let’s take a look:
Aside: He can win a game of “Connect Four” in only 3 moves.
Brooke has already had an intelligent discussion with Jesus about the correct place to worship God, the idea of living water, & the animosity between Jews & Samaritans. In today’s passage their conversation turns to the Messiah.
Aside: He can cook Minute Rice in 20 seconds.
The Jewish view of the Messiah focused on “the Christ” serving as a King, Prophet, &/or High Priest. However, in the years leading up to Jesus, with Jews facing all sorts of political oppression, the Jewish expectation of the Messiah evolved to also represent a leader/conqueror who would restore the Jewish Kingdom & redeem the people from their suffering.
Aside: His log-in password is the last 6 digits of Pi (3.14…)
Conversely, since the Samaritans (like the Sadducees) believed only the Torah in the Hebrew Bible (the 1st 5 books of the Bible) were reliable and excluded the Writings & the Books of the Prophets, their picture of the Messiah primarily drew inspiration from Deuteronomy 18:18, which describes the Messiah as a Prophet of God who will speak God’s truth to the people.
Aside: He won a “Lifetime Achievement Award.” Twice.
Because Jesus had correctly outlined her past travails, when Jesus declares that He is the Messiah, Brooke comes to believe He is a Prophet of God & the long-awaited Christ. She excitedly runs to tell the villagers the Good News.
Aside: Siri asks him questions.
Brooke’s conversion scene is unique. Jesus doesn’t preach a sermon, He doesn’t perform some act of healing, & He doesn’t miraculously present a cup to draw water from the well. Jesus wisely knows exactly what will help Brooke come to faith & He guides the conversation to help Brooke believe.
Aside: He knows why “Birds suddenly appear, every time you are near.” *
So, what makes Brooke my preferred candidate for the “Most Interesting Woman in the World?”
- Brooke was a woman with a heart openly seeking God & her Messiah.
- She was a woman painfully aware of her past but was able to embrace the freedom offered by Jesus’ love.
- She was quite prepared to discuss her faith & could intellectually joust with Jesus. (Bear in mind, this is the same Jesus who would flummox the best & brightest of His generation with theological insights & questions.)
- Brooke was also wise enough to realize that in the presence of the Promised One she was wise to put any further questions aside.
- Fascinatingly, Jesus chooses to make His Messianic proclamation for the 1st time in His ministry in a private conversation with Brooke–not on the steps of the Temple or to His Disciples. There must have been an amazing rapport/connection between Jesus & Brooke.
- Finally, Brooke was so filled with love, she eagerly shared Jesus’ message of salvation with her entire community–even with those who didn’t deserve her grace.
May we model our own faith walk after this amazing woman.
Aside: He eats ghost peppers during Chiefs play-off games just to increase his heart rate. *
* Editor: Now THAT is ludicrous.
For the curious (and younger), it was the Carpenters, in their song, “Close to You,” who famously asked, “Why do birds suddenly appear?” “‘(They Long To Be) Close To You’ was in fact written by the extraordinary Burt Bacharach and his songwriting partner Hal David.” (From The Story Of… ‘(They Long To Be) Close To You’ by the Carpenters – Smooth)
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Wright, N. T., John for Everyone, Part 1: Chapters 1-10 (The New Testament for Everyone) (p. 45-46). Westminster John Knox Press. Kindle Edition.
