Banwell Methodist

27th April 2008 AM

Overcoming barriers to belief

Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

JOHN 4

The Gospel of John is characterised by signs of Christ’s power and person,

and by PERSONAL CONVERSATIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS.

We have previously studied His discussion with Martha, and in the previous
chapter to this we have the famous conversation with Nicodemus. Jesus
engages individuals in conversation to reveal His true person and mission.

The conversation at the well of Sychar in Samaria is beautifully described.

It also reveals Christ’s perfect timing. Only when the disciples have gone
to get food does the woman come – and just before their return – she
leaves her water pot and goes to Sychar. This is a reminder that God’s
timing is perfect.

It is generally assumed that the woman came to the well alone and at
midday because of her difficult family life and the attitude of her
neighbours. Whilst this is not specifically stated in the narrative it is often
given as a reason. A better reason is that it is part of God’s timing.

As she approaches the well she realises there is someone there and soon
she realises it is a man – and a Jew. When Jesus asks for water – He is
stepping across a great cultural and historic divide. That is a central
theme to this story: overcoming barriers to belief.

So let’s look at the kind of PRECONCEPTIONS the woman had – and the
STRATEGY JESUS USES to overcome these barriers.

The pivotal verses are:

10
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.
25
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he
will explain everything to us.”
26
Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”
John 4: 10 & 25-26
 PAGE 2

A. BARRIERS TO BELIEF – Her preconceptions

1. Ideas about social custom

2. A sense of self-importance
3. An idea of religion
4. A sense of longing for something better

She approaches Jesus across a great divide:

• An historical divide
• A long standing feud
• An established convention

1. Ideas about social custom

“Jews do not associate with Samaritans…”

There are many things which divide peoples. In Jesus’ time one of the
greatest of these was the cultural abyss between Jew and Samaritan. In
many places we meet it in the gospels.

Today there are also great divides between peoples. Jesus crosses the
divide by speaking to her, and by asking for water. Jesus does that still –
challenging our ideas of what makes us the people we are.

Jesus approaches us across an even more fundamental divide that which

separates sinful law-breaking humanity and a holy God.

If you view this story as an unbeliever then the story is full of hope – for
Christ wants us to KNOW HIM – and reaches across divide and invites us to
a dialogue.

If you view it as a believer then you are challenged about the way that you
engage with the Saviour. A divide has to be bridged. Also – when we try
to engage outsiders in conversation about Christ, we too begin with those
things which make us different.

When Jesus offers her LIVING WATER

10
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.”
 PAGE 3

The woman responds in a way in which she tries to reassert her own
dignity and self-importance:

2. A sense of self-importance

“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is
11

deep. Where can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our
father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also
his sons and his flocks and herds?”

Jesus has told her that there is something she does not know. At one level
it seems to reinforce the divide of which they have spoken.
Understandably she wants to even things up – surely her own heritage and
value system is worth something?

The Samaritans did not have much – but Jacob’s well was in their territory
(in much the same way as Bethlehem in our day is in Palestinian territory).

Jesus is offering her something new – but what she already has is
significant – and possibly sufficient.

She seems content with what she has. . .

JESUS ALWAYS CHALLENGES – self sufficiency

Pride
Self esteem

Then Jesus reinforces her need with words about LIVING WATER – and she
realises there is a longing in her for what He is offering.

In order to make that possible Jesus challenges her PERSONAL

CIRCUMSTANCES

This she deftly side-steps with:

3. An idea of religion
19
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshipped on this
mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
 PAGE 4

It made her uncomfortable – as was our Lord’s intention. So she returns the
customary divide as a refuge from dealing with personal truth.
Religion can be an excuse for dealing with serious shortcomings. She has
an answer for His personal challenge about her marriage.

Part of what she is saying is: “It is a matter of opinion…”

Jesus’ next words again reinforce what the Samaritans – and indeed all
others needed – the truth about REAL WORSHIP and the REAL LORD
21
Jesus declared, “Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will
worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You
Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know,
for salvation is from the Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come
when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for
they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his
worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

But Christ’s words have struck home and she digs deeper into her
innermost longings and hopes:-

4. A longing for something better

25
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming.
When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26
Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”

No matter what the great divides of life and custom and “religion” there is
a way that people no matter what their personal sinful lives may be, are
enabled to reach out and take what Christ offers.

For the fundamental truth is that the conversation with Jesus leads to a
facing up to HIS CLAIMS :

I am the One!

Christ still speaks – still engages us in conversation – still examines our

personal lives and offers not just an abstract idea of water that quenches
thirst for ever – but HIMSELF.

So let’s conclude by focussing on Christ’s way of dealing with her:-

 PAGE 5

B. BARRIERS TO BELIEF – Jesus’ strategy

1. V10 If you knew…

2. V14 the water I give…
3. V16 go call your husband
4. V26 I am He

1. If you knew who it is who speaks….

10
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.”

The pivotal point here is : “WHO IT IS. . .”

And that still is the key to a meaningful conversation with the living Son of
God!

Because the moment we recognise who Jesus is the world of possibilities

opens up before us

“you would have asked Him and he would have given you living
water…”

Jesus bridges the divides of life – and beckons to me to take that which He
alone offers – that which truly satisfies.

2. Never thirst…
13
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
14
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the
water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal
life.”
15
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.”

She may not fully understand it – but what she does understand is that
Jesus is offering her that which is entirely appropriate to her present needs
– and entirely appropriate to her eternal needs.

He is RAISING HER EXPECTATIONS.

 PAGE 6

No one satisfies as Jesus does:

• An absolutely satisfying Saviour

• An eternally satisfactory salvation
• An offer to be accepted

3. A heightened sense of sin

16
He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”
17
“I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18
The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not
your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

There is another fundamental realisation that the woman of Samaria must

confront.

Jesus knows about the intimate circumstances of her life.

Jesus challenges her not just at the level of perceived need – but at the
level of a life that needs changing – forgiving – transforming!

“Go. . . and come back.”

4. The One who speaks…

25
The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming.
When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
26
Then Jesus declared, “I who speak to you am he.”

And so the “bottom line” is reached – and the conversation is circular:

If you knew who it is that speaks…. V10

I who speak to you am He.! V26

By way of challenged divides, by way of a religious view, by way of

heightened sense of need and an awareness of sin…
 PAGE 7

Jesus has spoken to you before. ALL YOU EVER NEEDED IS IN

JESUS!