John Ch4v1-26 - The Thirst Quencher

That's on page 1066 in the Red Church Bible.

It's John chapter 4, and Yvonne's going to read it for us,

John 4 · chapter mention

and then Johnny's going to come up.

Thanks so much.

Morning, everyone.

So it's John chapter 4, and it's page 1066.

John 4 · chapter mention

So, now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard

that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John,

although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized but his disciples.

So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.

Now he had to go through Samaria.

So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar,

near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.

Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey,

sat down by the well.

It was about noon.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her,

Will you give me a drink?

His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.

The Samaritan woman said to him,

You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman.

How can you ask me for a drink?

For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.

Jesus answered her,

If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink,

you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.

Sir, the woman said,

You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep.

Where can you get this living water?

Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself,

as did also his sons and his livestock?

Jesus answered,

Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,

but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.

Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

The woman said to him,

Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.

He told her,

Go call your husband and come back.

I have no husband, she replied.

Jesus said to her,

You are right when you say you have no husband.

The fact is, you have had five husbands,

and the man you now have is not your husband.

What you just said is quite true.

Sir, the woman said,

I can see that you are a prophet.

Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain,

but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.

Woman, Jesus replied,

Believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father,

neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

You Samaritans worship what you do not know.

We worship what we do know,

for salvation is from the Jews.

Yet a time is coming,

and has now come,

when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.

For they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks.

God is spirit,

and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.

The woman said,

I know that the Messiah called Christ is coming.

When he comes,

he will explain everything to us.

Then Jesus declared,

I, the one speaking to you,

I am he.

Thanks so much,

Avin,

and thank you,

Sam,

for leading,

and let me add to his welcome,

and say it's good to see you all here this morning.

Please keep your Bibles open there in John chapter 4.

John 4 · chapter mention

We've been looking through the Gospel of John,

an account of the life,

death,

resurrection of Jesus,

and the people who he met.

Today we're going to meet the woman at the well.

Let's pray and ask for God's help as we look at his word together.

Let's do that now.

Father God,

we all come today with different needs,

things we desire,

things we want to change,

things we want.

But we ask that you would show us Jesus,

and how he fills us,

and satisfies us.

May what we hear today,

truly quench our thirst.

Amen.

So,

what's your drink?

Advertisers go a long way,

don't they,

to convince you

that you need to drink.

Each brand has their enticing tagline.

Red Bull

gives you wings.

LucasAid

fuels and hydrates.

Heineken

refreshes the parts

others can't reach.

Coke

Coke

always the real thing.

We've all got our

favourite drinks that we turn to,

to quench our thirst.

thirst.

But there's a deeper kind of thirst

that we all have,

isn't there?

A thirst for happiness,

a longing for the good life.

We all thirst for that better job,

the next holiday,

the new iPhone 16,

or whatever tech thing you're wanting.

feeling.

Or perhaps your desire is simply

that you long to be loved

and accepted.

And in an effort to quench our thirst,

we turn to all sorts of things,

to people,

to other things,

hoping and wishing

that it will give me that feeling inside

of being once and for all

satisfied.

satisfied.

Well,

in our text,

John chapter 4,

John 4 · chapter mention

Jesus offers a drink.

And it's a once and for all drink

that promises to satisfy us deeply

and eternally.

A drink that will forever quench

our thirst.

Did you see it there in verse 14?

Jesus said,

whoever drinks the water I give them

will never thirst.

Isn't that incredible?

How can we today

experience this drink?

Well,

let's follow Jesus

as we encounter

his meeting with this woman

at the well.

first of all,

Jesus offers

living water.

Jesus was travelling

north.

Look at verse 3.

Jesus had left Judea,

which was in the south,

and he was travelling

back towards Galilee

in the north.

Verse 4.

Now he had to go through

Samaria,

at which point we should all go,

oh,

gasp,

horror.

going through Samaria?

Well,

that's like a proud corkman

crossing the border

into Kerry.

Or someone literally

going from Israel

and walking through Gaza

today.

It's a no-go area.

You just don't do

that sort of thing.

Why?

Well,

look at the end of verse 9.

It says,

for Jews,

do not associate

with Samaritans.

To the Jews,

Samaritans were

racial half-breeds,

religious heretics,

unclean,

people you avoid

at all costs.

But Jesus isn't bound

by racial

or religious bigotry.

Jesus is God

come in person,

coming to give life

in all its fullness

to all people,

whatever our background

or our culture

or wherever we are from.

You see,

Jesus is on a mission

and so he intentionally

crosses cultural

and social barriers

to offer

living water.

And so after

a long walk

and feeling thirsty,

Jesus sits down

by a well.

Verse 7.

When a Samaritan woman

came to draw water,

Jesus said to her,

would you give me

a drink?

Well,

look at the middle

of verse 9.

She answers,

how can you ask me

for a drink?

Don't you realise

I'm a Samaritan,

you a Jew?

We shouldn't be here.

We shouldn't even be talking.

Verse 10.

But Jesus answered her,

if you knew

the gift of God

and who it is

that asks you

for a drink,

well,

you would have asked him

and he would have

given you

living water.

What is this

living water?

Well,

two things

to help us understand.

First,

it's spiritually

quenching.

When Jesus

offers this

living water,

the woman

is clearly

confused.

Verse 11.

She says,

well,

you haven't got

any cup with you

and,

well,

this well

that Jacob,

our ancestor

that he dug,

it's been here

for centuries.

What are you going to do?

Are you going to build

and dig down

your own well?

But Jesus

wasn't talking

about physical

water.

He was talking

about a drink,

the drink

of spiritual

life

that you receive.

Look at verse 13.

Jesus answered,

everyone who

drinks this

water will be

thirsty again,

but whoever

drinks the water

I give them

will never

thirst.

A couple of years ago,

Kirsty and I

went to Sardinia

and

very hot,

about 30 degrees

plus

and we decided

to do a very clever

thing and go

for a walk.

And as we were

walking along,

well,

it got hotter

and hotter.

There was no breeze.

We had a bit of water

with us

and you would

take a sup of water

and within 30 seconds

you were gasping

for more water.

The problem is,

10 minutes later,

we're all wanting

a drink

of something.

Where Jesus

is offering

a drink

that will quench

our inner thirst

for good.

Not a physical

drink that he offers,

but new

spiritual life.

A life

that will

truly

satisfy.

A life

made possible

only

by God's

spirit

within us.

So it is a

spiritually

quenching

drink.

And second,

it's eternally

satisfying.

Look at the rest

of verse 14.

Jesus says,

Indeed,

the water I give

will become

in them

a spring

of water.

Like a bubbling

fountain

welling up

to eternal life.

He's saying,

here's living

water that

will give you

eternal life

with God

in his eternal

kingdom to come.

A kingdom

where there will be

no more sadness

and no more

brokenness.

But more than that,

he's saying to us,

it's not just

an eternal life

to come.

But guess what?

New life

you can experience

now,

today.

Do you see

what it said

in verse 14?

The water I give

will become

in them

a spring

of living water.

This is something

to experience

now.

Bubbling up

inside of you.

A life

that doesn't

meet

your felt

need,

but will

meet your

deepest

need.

It will

satisfy you

internally,

not just

momentary

happiness,

but eternal

lasting

joy.

You see,

Jesus

is offering

himself.

Did you see

what it says

in verse 10?

Jesus said

to her,

if you

knew the

gift of

God,

what's the

gift of

God?

Well,

he would

have given

living

water.

You see,

God had

made a

promise

centuries

before

through the

prophet Isaiah

that he

was going

to bring

a gift

for the

world,

for all

people.

Well,

let's find out

about that

gift.

If you go

back to

Isaiah

Isaiah 55 · chapter mention

chapter 55

in your

Bible,

Isaiah

55,

this is the

prophet Isaiah

speaking centuries

before.

And here's

what he

says.

Verse 1,

Come all

you who

are thirsty.

Come to

the waters

and you

who have

no money.

Come

buy and

eat.

Really?

Yes.

Come

buy wine

and milk

without money

and without

cost.

Why spend

money on

what is

not bread

and your

labour on

what does

not satisfy.

Listen,

listen to

me and

eat what

is good

and you

will delight

in the

richest

affair.

Give

ear and

come to

me.

Listen

that you

may

live.

What an

amazing

invitation.

Let's go

back to

John

John 4 · chapter mention

chapter 4.

You see

Jesus

arrives on

the scene

and he

fulfills

God's

offer

of life.

He's

saying it's

a free

gift.

It's for

all people.

Jesus is

saying come

to me.

Drink

of me.

Have

me in

your life

and you

will never

ever

thirst

again.

Now let's

be clear

this is

not the

offer of

a

trouble

free

life.

No it's

saying that

in the

chaos and

brokenness

of life

in the

midst of

our

inner

turmoil

of

struggles

and

suffering

Jesus

is

offering

living

water

that

will

calm

your

soul

and

give

you

peace.

Jesus

alone

will

meet

your

deepest

need

and

longing.

He

will

quench

you

spiritually

and

satisfy

you

eternally.

So

Jesus

offers

living

water.

Well

that's

good.

But

here's

a

better

thing.

Jesus

welcomes

thirsty

people.

He

welcomes

thirsty

people.

The

woman at

the

well

that we

meet

is

more

thirsty

in

more

ways

than

one.

Look

at

verse

15.

The

woman

said

to

him

to

Jesus

after

he's

been

offering

this

lasting

living

water.

I

think

sarcastically

sir

give

this

water

so

that

I

won't

get

thirsty

and

have

to

keep

coming

here

to

draw

water.

Don't

be

silly

this

isn't

possible

because

the

woman's

clearly

not

understanding

so

Jesus

changes

the

focus

verse

16.

He

tells

her

go

call

your

husband

back to

me.

I

have

no

husband

she

replied.

Now

why is

Jesus

all of a

sudden

interested

in her

personal

life?

Well

it's

because

Jesus

wants

to

reveal

her

heart.

He's

revealing

a thirst

that she

has

deep

down

inside

of

her.

You

see

this

woman

at

the

well

who's

come

for

water

is

spiritually

broken.

Look

at the

rest

of

verse

17.

Jesus

said to

her

you

are

right

when

you

say

you

have

no

husband.

In

fact

you

have

had

five

husbands

and

the

man

you

now

have

is

not

your

husband.

What

you

have

just

said

is

quite

true.

To

say

this

woman

had

a

spicy

life

is

an

understatement.

Five

husbands

and

a

new

partner

on

the

go.

Whatever

happened

God's

design

for

marriage

an

exclusive

lifelong

commitment.

You

see

this

woman

is

going

out

on

a

limb.

She

is

going

against

God's

design.

She

is

living

for

her

own

desires.

I

want

and

I

get.

And

if

it

takes

a

new

husband

who

offers

better

sex

well

then

that's

what

I'm

going

to

have.

Jesus

asks

these

questions

to

open

wider

heart

to

expose

her

self

centred

living.

But

that's

not

all.

She

is

also

socially

crushed.

You

see

I

don't

know

if

you

noticed

as

we

read

this

there's

actually

another

way

to

look

at

these

questions

Jesus

is

asking.

that

this

woman

is

the

one

who

has

been

sinned

against.

That

countless

men

have

kept

coming

to

her

and

telling

her

all

the

things

she

wants

to

hear.

Promising

her

the

earth.

But

in

reality

when

they

have

her

well

she's

just

used

and

abused

and

when

they're

finished

kick

her

out.

And

in

desperation

she's

gone

from

one

man

to

another

seeking

security

believing

the

lie

that

well

the

next

one

will

be

better.

But

with

every

promise

comes

more

heartbreak

and

more

loneliness.

It

seems

that

she

will

give

herself

to

anyone

body

and

all

in

the

hope

that

maybe

somebody

will

love

me.

Is

Jesus

now

a

potential

new

partner?

Is

that

how

she's

thinking?

You

see

this

woman

is

thirsty

not

just

for

water

she's

thirsty

for

happiness

for

contentment

for

peace

and

she

will

selfishly

take

whoever

she

wants

and

she'll

sacrificially

give

of

herself

to

get

what

she

wants

but

it

hasn't

quenched

her thirst

her

numerous

marriages

and her

partners

tell the

story

it's

left her

spiritually

broken

and

socially

crushed

the

fact that

she arrives

there at

12 noon

at the

hottest

point of

the day

when nobody

else would

dare

to go out

into that

kind of

heat

there she

is

alone

coming

to the

well

hoping

nobody

else

will be

there

her

search

has

only

led

to

shame

so

shameful

we

actually

don't

even

know

what

her

name

is

you

see

this

search

for

satisfaction

is

actually

a

turning

away

from

God

it's

what

the

Bible

calls

sin

look

with

me

you

can

read

it

on

screen

this

is

what

the

prophet

Jeremiah

says

when

God's

people

turn

away

he

says

my

people

have

committed

two

sins

they

have

forsaken

me

the

spring

of

living

water

and

have

dug

their

own

wells

broken

wells

that

cannot

hold

water

you

see

this

isn't

just

talking

about

people

of

the

past

or

the

woman

at

the

well

it's

talking

about

me

and

it's

talking

about

you

in

our

longing

and

looking

for

happiness

in

our

pursuit

of

pleasure

and

success

or

love

and

security

in

our

thirst

to

be

satisfied

we

we

forsaken

God

we

pushed

him

out

and

we

gone

digging

our

own

wells

looking

for

joy

but

it's

also

temporary

whatever

we

kind

of

grasp

it

kind

of

just

disappears

in a

puff

of

vapor

well

we

keep

selfishly

taking

what

we

want

from

people

and

things

cramming

them

into

our

life

sacrificially

giving

of

ourselves

to

others

so we

can

get

what

we

want

well

in

reality

we've

ignored

Jesus

we've

said

no

to

his

living

water

and

we've

drunk

the

stagnant

things

of

this

world

that

leave

us

utterly

parched

how

would

Jesus

respond

to

that

well

good

news

because

Jesus

welcomes

us

he welcomes

me and

he welcomes

you

you see

despite

our mess

and our

brokenness

because of

our sin

he comes

he comes

to the

woman

he makes

his way

to the

woman

to say

you are

welcome

come to

me and

I will

give you

living

water

would you

dare

to come

to Jesus

because it

will be

painful

and

hopeful

what do

you mean

by painful

well you

see when

we come

to Jesus

he reveals

our true

self

he shines

a light

into the

darkness

of our

heart

he exposes

our secret

desire

isn't that

what the

woman said

look at

verse 29

verse 29

she says

to her

community

after she

met

Jesus

come

see a

man

who told

me

everything

I've

ever

done

could

this

be the

Messiah

God's

King

would

we

dare

come

before

Jesus

who

would

show

us

our

life

but

it's

also

hopeful

because

Jesus

shows us

our

heart

not

to

crush

you

not

to

break

you

but

to

forgive

you

to

welcome

all

who

are

broken

and

crushed

so

that

they

may

receive

his

salvation

now

and

for

eternity

so

how

are

you

and

I

going

to

experience

this

thirst

quenching

living

water

how

can

we

drink

and

be

fully

and

finally

satisfied

well

third

well

they've

all

come

up

together

never

mind

Jesus

seeks

true

worshippers

you

see

the

conversation

has

become

rather

embarrassing

and a

bit

too

close

and

personal

so

the

woman

changes

the

conversation

verse

19

sir

the

woman

said

I

can

see

that

you're

a

prophet

well

that

was

true

he

knew

all

about

her

life

verse

20

our

ancestors

worshipped

on this

mountain

but you

Jews

claim that

the place

where we

meet

is in

Jerusalem

let's

talk

religion

nothing

like a

little

bit

of

controversy

let's

get

off

me

and

talk

about

something

else

well

Jesus

isn't

going to

be put

off

is he

he

uses

this

change

of

subject

to

show

us

how

we

should

respond

to

the

offer

of

living

water

you

see

the

only

right

response

is

to

worship

Jesus

look

at

verse

21

look

what

Jesus

said

he

says

to

the

woman

believe

me

a

time

is

coming

when

you

will

worship

the

father

neither

on

this

mountain

nor

in

Jerusalem

in

other

words

he

said

to

her

look

it's

not

about

a

place

you

go

to

but

a

person

you

come

to

not

a

place

you

go

to

it's

not

a

site

or

a

pilgrimage

or

a

special

building

but

it's

about

a

person

Jesus

is

saying

you

must

come

to

me

and

worship

me

you

see

the

call

to

worship

Jesus

if

we

are

going

to

worship

him

means

turning

from

ourselves

and

turning

to

him

verse

23

look

at

verse

23

with

me

a

time

is

coming

and

has

now

come

when

the

true

worshipers

will

worship

the

father

in

the

spirit

and

in

the

truth

they

are

the

kind

of

worshipers

the

father

seeks

you

see

if

we're

going

to

worship

it

requires

two

things

truth

and

spirit

to

believe

the

truth

as

we

have

on

the

screen

there

will

we

trust

what

Jesus

says

about

himself

that

he

offers

living

water

will

we

act

on

his

words

will

we

believe

that

he

alone

satisfies

will

we

stop

digging

our

own

wells

and

will

we

drink

from

him

will

we

turn

from

our

self

centred

life

and

make

Jesus

the

centre

of

your

life

will

you

believe

the

truth

and

will

we

receive

the

spirit

you

see

when

we

trust

Jesus

the

spirit

of

God

comes

into

our

life

and

he

gives

us

a

whole

brand

new

way

of

living

new

desires

and

new

loves

rather

than

searching

for joy

and

happiness

in

other

things

we

now

come

to

Jesus

who

forgives

us

of

all

our

sin

past

present

and

future

restores

us

and

makes

us

new

will

you

believe

and

will

you

receive

you

see

it is

a

call

to

say