May I have a word with those of you who think you’re far too sinful to be saved, too far gone to be of any use to God? My words today are for those whose life, whose thoughts, are dominated by one thing: shame.
The Samaritan woman Jesus met at Jacob’s well was immoral enough. She was an idol worshiper like every other Samaritan. That’s why the Jews hated this group of people so. They were defilers of the one true religion. In addition to all this, this particular woman was – how do I put this politely? – a promiscuous woman. She’d been married and divorced, married and divorced, married and divorced, married and divorced, married and divorced. Five husbands! And now she was in a scandalous relationship. She was shacking up with a guy. Shameful.
We don’t, of course, know all this at the beginning of John’s telling of her story. Jesus does, but we don’t. We only know that Jesus met her at noon at Jacob’s well and asked her politely for a drink of water. She’s a bit taken aback by this.
“You are a Jew,” she says, “and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (John 4:9, NIV)
John throws a little commentary in at this point. He lets us know that Jews do not normally associate with Samaritans. He wants us to know how crazy, how unusual, how shocking this whole encounter is. The woman is shocked by Jesus’ request. Any Samaritan would be. Any Jew reading this account would be too.
So the woman questions Jesus and he responds. What he says is so important. It tells every sinner how to receive salvation.
“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.’” (John 4:10, NIV)
What is necessary for a sinner to be saved? She must know the gift of God. What is that gift? It is eternal life. Every sinner must also know who Jesus is. Who is he? He is God’s one and only Son sent, in love, by God to the world to save sinners. Finally, every wicked woman must ask for the gift. Jesus says to ask him and he will give living water. What’s living water? It’s the Holy Spirit who gives new life, eternal life to all who ask in faith for it.
Jesus’ message to this woman is the same as his message to Nicodemus, the super-religious guy: “You must be born again.”
“You must be born of water and of the Spirit.”
Jesus is inviting this sinful woman to believe on him and ask for salvation.
A short time later, she does just that. She asks for the living water Jesus offers.
“Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” (John 4:15, NIV)
Her words aren’t eloquent, but they are enough. Jesus immediately speaks of her sin. This is where we learn that she’s had five husbands and she’s sleeping around with a sixth. She confesses freely her sin. Nicodemus never did that. He was afraid of being exposed. She confesses and is set free.
You can see that in her response once her conversation with Jesus ends. She runs to town and joyfully tells everyone about this guy who knew everything about her and, it’s implied, still loved her. Her testimony is so convincing that the whole town comes out to see Jesus. Some of them believe on Jesus because of this woman’s testimony. More believe because of Jesus’ words.
“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, NIV)
Here is the truth from the Bible that I want you who think yourself a disappointment to God to hear: God loves you and wants to save you from your sin. Love for sinners like you and me is why God sent his Son. He sent Jesus to save and not condemn.
God knows everything you’ve ever done and still he loves you and wants to save you from your sin. He’ll take you right were you are. You don’t have to straighten your life out first. Ask him in faith for eternal life and he will give it. And you’ll find that eternal life, living water, whatever name you give it, was just what you were looking for. Your new relationship with Jesus will quench the thirst that led you to sin. You’re looking for love in all the wrong places. What you so desperately want is found in Jesus. Not in disbelief or false religion. Not in sex outside of marriage. Not in drunkenness or drug addiction. Not in gossip or envy. Not in hatred or fits of rage.
God knows everything you’ve ever done and he still loves you and wants to save you from your sin. That, plain and simple, is the good news. Sinners do not have to spend eternity in Hell. God, in love with every man and every woman caught in sin’s trap, has made a way for them to have eternal life.
“…the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NIV)
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