John 4:1-26,39-42 - Meeting Jesus at the Well

Many of the Samaritans from the town of Sychar believed in Jesus. They believed because of the woman's witness. She said, "He told me everything I've ever done."

John 4:39

The woman at the well is one of my favorite stories in scripture. This story in John 4 tells of Jesus meeting a woman - with a past - as he was making his way back to Galilee.

I love this story because it has two distinct parts which give us an image of how our faith should evolve as Christians.

First - Jesus meets this woman one-on-one. Each of us has a personal relationship with Jesus. Salvation is dependent upon you and I personally  knowing Jesus. I have heard many people say, "My grandma was a wonderful Christian." or "My friends go to church." Here's the deal: Heaven isn't a cool club or sorority you can get into because you know one of the cool members - rather it is dependent on one relationship - yours with Jesus. This first meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman is poignant because it is just the two of them. They can be real and honest because no one is there to pass judgement or interfere. When we first truly meet Jesus it is a one-on-one personal relationship which depends solely on us being open to Jesus's invitation:

 "Jesus answered, "All who drink this water will be thirsty again. But anyone who drinks the water I give him will never be thirsty. In fact, the water I give him will become a spring of water in him. It will flow up into eternal life."

John 4:13-14

Second - The woman shares her love for Jesus with others. The woman at the well is so excited by the fact that Jesus knows exactly who she is and still chooses to talk with her and share with her how she can accept salvation, she is compelled to tell everyone in her town - to tell anyone who will listen. When we truly experience an encounter with Jesus it is life changing and we can't help but want others to have a similar experience. Sharing our love for Jesus is an authentic and yet humbling experience for each of us. Jesus is depending on that excitement and enthusiasm to spill out of you onto those around you so that they might be open to their own personal, one-on-one experience with Jesus. Once you are a believer you have the tremendous honor of helping others realize that Jesus is sitting at the well waiting for them as well.

Even though we may not have gone down the path of the woman at the well, each of us has something in our lives which might make us believe we are not worthy to be with Jesus. But the cool thing, the amazingly cool thing, about this story is that Jesus is waiting for the woman at the well. He is already there when she arrives, just as he is waiting for us to arrive at our own "wells".

There is nothing in your life which makes you unworthy of meeting Jesus at the well. Nothing.

He is waiting for you to come to him - and he is patient.

But once you meet him, embrace the wonderful gift of being able to run back to your friends and family to share with them the impact Jesus has made on your lives - - give them the gift of coming to their own wells to meet Jesus.

He is waiting for them too.

Scripture

John 4:1-26,39-42

Quote of the Day

  
 Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.

 –Blaise Pascal

Question of the Day

Have you made time to meet Jesus at the well today?

Who Will Believe?

Who do you believe?

Who do you think is trustworthy - that you can believe every word they say?

Your parents? Your teachers? Your friends?

What about the person in school or in your neighborhood who gets in trouble - a lot? If he or she told you something, would you believe what he or she said? Probably not.

We tend to have a few people in our lives who we truly believe what they say, and the rest we challenge and weigh their answers against what is reasonable or plausible, but what would make you believe the troublemaker? What could he or she say to convince you this person was speaking the truth?

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” (John 4:39)

In our scripture passage today, Jesus sat down at a well to take a rest and a woman came to the well to fetch water. While they spoke, Jesus revealed to her that he knew all of the bad things she had done in her life and he explains to her that he can give her new life. This woman is so overwhelmed that he would speak to her - despite her sin - and promise her salvation she goes back into her village and tells everyone she can find about Jesus.

This woman, who was so mistrusted because of her poor choices is believed because of the transformation which happened in her life. The people of her town believed because of her encounter with Jesus. The entire town was renewed because one woman was brave enough to share the brokenness and reconciliation of her life with the community which had shunned her.

Who would you believe? Who would believe you?

When we share how Christ is working in our lives, we have an obligation to share authentically - to share how he has transformed us from mere sinners to disciples. You likely haven't faced the ridicule or shame that the woman at the well faced, but you still have a story which can lead people to Jesus so that they can come to know him personally.

They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42)

Because one woman was willing to humble herself and share honestly about Jesus, an entire town was changed. Imagine what could happen if you choose today to share how Jesus has changed your life...whose life could be transformed?

Scripture

John 4:1-42

Quote of the Day

"The salvation of a single soul is more important than the production or preservation of all the epics and tragedies in the world."

CS Lewis

“The first step in a person's salvation is knowledge of their sin.”

Seneca - 1st Century Roman Philosopher

Question of the Day

What moment this past week did you experience God in a tangible way?

Don't forget GUMY this Sunday night...