Seek and Save III The Samaritan Woman

Seeking and Saving the Lost III

Luke 19:10 and Various in John's Gospel

The Samaritan Woman

One of the most basic statements about the purpose for Christ's coming to earth as a man, summed up in the words of Luke 19:10: Luke 19:10 “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Last week we looked at Jesus ministry to Nicodemus. Nicodemus was a ruler among the Jews and the teacher of Israel. Yet, he came to Jesus by night to talk.

Most of our time will again be spent in the Gospel of John.

We also looked at the divine abilities Jesus had. Though he was man, he never gave up his divinity. He was always God. His humility was not in giving up his divine abilities as some who hold to the Kenosis theory believe. Christ's humility is found in his humbling himself to become like us--a man who was tempted in all ways like us, yet without sin.

As God he knew all about everyone. We looked at John 2:23-25. Let me read it again to remind you of the ability of Jesus.  

John 2:23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.  24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,  25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

Being God as well as man, Jesus knew what men, all humans that is, were like. He knew not just about them. He knew what was in them—what made them do what they did. He knew more about each and every person he encountered than those individuals knew. Such is divine omniscience in the God-man, Jesus.

As a contrast to Nicodemus, the Jewish boy who did well for himself and his family, there is another that Jesus knew all about without ever having met her previously. This is another example of what those words in John 2 mean. Let's consider the woman at the well who is known to us as the Samaritan Woman.

The Samaritans were a despised race of half-breed people. God had commanded his people not to intermarry with the Gentiles. Many did while they were in exile. And, many continued in the intervening years. They lived on the northern fringe of Israel’s territory. It is said that many Jews avoided them at all cost perhaps traveling on the other side of the Jordan River than go into Samaritan Country. Yet, to tell you the end of the story before we look at this example. Some of the first believers, after the death of Jesus, were in Samaria. The Samaritans were of mixt blood. The offspring of generations of intermarrying with non-Jews.

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, he gave marching orders to his disciples. In Acts 1:8 we read about where they were supposed to go and preach. It reads: Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 

It functions as a table of contents for the book of Acts. This is the order in which the Apostles went out with the good news: they were in Jerusalem, they spread out to Judea, and then to Samaria. But, the gospel had already been proclaimed to some in that area of Palestine. It was taught by Jesus himself  as he took his disciples out of the way to meet one woman in order to seek and to save. We don't know her name. What is important is the love of Jesus for this one person and through her to many who were despised by "REAL" Israelites. The Samaritans were pretenders having mixed some things from Judaism with other beliefs taken from the worship of foreign Gods.

To Samaria they went, but Jesus set the important example in his own ministry.  The gospel is not just something for the Jews. It is for the world meaning all of the non-Jewish people as well. The gospel was to go first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but not exclusively. The Gospel is the good news everyone needs to hear and believe in order to be saved. We don't know who is going to believe, even though God does. So, we bring the gospel to as many as possible, especially through preaching. It is the ordinary means whereby men, women, boys and girls believe.

We have had many people make professions of faith in the twenty years Heritage has been in existence. It may be as many as eighty. Some petered out quickly, others over time, others moved away, others left due to needless controversy, some departed due to their own sin, and other reasons of a more legitimate nature: moving due to work, traveling distance or marriage being three of them. We don't know who in advance will believe. Sometimes there is an inkling that the Lord is drawing someone to himself. But, not always. Jesus knows and makes sure he or someone else brings the gospel to them or that they go to where they come to the gospel. That is how many of our forefathers first became Christians. They came to a land where freedom allowed for the good news of salvation in Christ to flourish as an important part of society for a while, but a necessary component for people gathered together to be a true church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

From a Ruler in Israel we looked at last week, we move on to one among the lowest of the low on the social strata--a Samaritan Woman. Jesus loved them both and he loved many in between. The good news that Jesus saves is for all kinds of people. This narrative starts to prove it.

Turn to John 4.

Meet the Samaritan Woman:

John 4:3 He {JESUS} left Judea and departed again to Galilee.  4 But He needed to go through Samaria. 

There were only a few ways to get to Galilee. You either went across the Jordan River and north. You might go to the coast and head North skirting the urban areas of Samaria. Or, if you didn't mind contact with the Samaritans, you could go right through their heartland. Jesus chose the latter.

He had an appointment to keep for the good of souls in Samaria.

5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 

At one time this land had belonged to the Jewish Patriarchs or Fathers of the Nation. It had some history and sentimental value for the Jews. It would make them remember the works of God in calling, preserving and using the Fathers to build a family, a collection of tribes and finally a nation.

6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 

This is only natural. It was roughly Noon, time for a drink in the parched climate of the Middle East, as it is sometimes called. I tend to call it SW Asia. It is the same place with the same topography and dry climate.

Since people had to get their food and drink on a daily basis--making the prayer, give us this day our daily bread, very meaningful for the ancients. This well was the means of getting fresh water for the town of Sychar. While there…

7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 

This was not accepted in their social norms. Men did not address women in situations like this especially when they were alone together. Jesus broke down social barriers in order to seek and to save those he intended to give that new life. They were alone because the disciples had gone into the city (vs.8).

9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 

She was surprised at the breaking of social conventions. There are still places where men and women who do not know each other, that is they have never been introduced, don't speak to people they don't know. She speaks bluntly and to the point. Why do you, a Jew ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink? She says what she is thinking, Jews don't have anything to do with us. Somehow, she knew Jesus was a Jew. Perhaps due to his dress and accent. We don't know for sure.

Knowing what was in this woman, Jesus answered her real need….

10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 

What is Jesus's view of himself? He is the gift of God speaking to her. She had no idea who Jesus really was. Just like Nicodemus. Jesus is more pointed as he starts to tell her the best news, the gospel. He is the Word of God incarnate sitting before her. She knew not the tremendous blessing that was uniquely hers on that day. Oh, how glorious and frightful it would be to have a conversation with Jesus in the flesh. I add frightful because he would know all about me, and you.

The woman asks some questions that are off target. They were issues that came to mind once Jesus changes the topic to religious ideas. She expresses questions about worship and other related items.  Jesus brings her back to the real discussion that he wants to have.

13 Jesus answered and said to her,  “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 

Jesus is talking about the well water. Perhaps he had a container in his hands that the woman drew while talking. Jesus goes on to talk about another kind of water and a different kind of need. He adds….

14  “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” 

The water of life is offered by Jesus. It is the only water that can satisfy the soul and deliver the one who drinks to eternal life in heaven. What a great offer!

The Woman Responds. She did not understand fully. She is still thinking in the wrong catergory. She may not have heard of the concept of eternal life. Perhaps she thought it was a long life upon the earth:

15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” 

She was thinking in terms of physical and material benefits. She was wrong. Jesus tightens the proverbial noose. He shows that he knew all about her:

16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”  17 The woman answered and said,  “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’  18  “for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.” 

The word for husband in the original can mean a man. Using its broadest term, Jesus tells her about the five men she is presently having relations with. None of them was her husband formally. They were all illegitimate relations.

19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 

A prophet does not always tell the future. Sometimes he is used to reveal things in the present. Jesus knew what was in her. He knew her sins. He pointed them out gently but firmly. He had never met her before, but he knew all about her. She could only conclude based on what she knew. He spoke about her according to the truth. She did not understand how Jesus could do what he did. She perceived there was something special about him, just like Nicodemus. She knew the messiah, God's Anointed was coming, and at that moment he sat before her. All she knew is that he was acting like prophets she may have heard about.

Go down to vs. 25 The woman said to Him,  “I know that Messiah is coming”  (who is called Christ).  “When He comes, He will tell us all things.” 

She was starting to put it all together. It is wonderful to work with people who are being drawn to believe. She knew a messiah was coming. She thought the messiah would know all things and tell them to the people.

She is so close….

In a few words, Jesus replies:

26 Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am He.”

Jesus is the messiah. He is the only messiah. He is the One God has anointed and appointed to seek and to save the lost.

John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,

The men are probably the five already mentioned. They are what is called antecedent nouns. The context allows for a definite group of individuals already introduced. She went to the City, found her men and told them….

29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”  30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him. 

An "Aha" moment for a woman who encountered the Lord by divine appointment. When she went out to the well that midday, she had no idea what was going to happen. To her, it likely appeared to be a coincidence. But not to the Lord of all who knows men's and women's hearts. And, the one who knew all things, even in his flesh. He knew because he was making this come to pass to Glorify God and for the good of this woman who was chosen from before time. This was the time to give her the new life accompanied by faith.

The effect of all of this:

John 4:39 (NKJV) And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 

The grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ didn't just search her out, but sought her and used her as a tool to spread the good news even further--to her people, including the five men with whom she had sinful relations.

40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.  41 And many more believed because of His own word. 

The ordinary means of hearing the preaching of the Gospel in one way or another. Listen to the interesting conclusion the drew:

42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said [that is what the woman said], for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”

Jesus sought and saved not just one woman in Samaria, but many. That was his purpose to seek and to save the lost--the downcast and despised. Many found the truth, many found faith through the gift of God, the messiah, the anointed one, the Lord Jesus Christ and his work in his life and then through his death. What grace they received. What grace we are given--just like them. It is not just for the Jews, it is also for all different sorts of people in the world. If any will break free from the hold of the world, Jesus must set the captives, free.

When you hear about this grace of Jesus, what do you think? It is possible he came to seek and to save you? We have many who have professed faith in Jesus from many different places in the world: Irish, Swedish, Lebanese, English, Puerto Rican, Russian, French of possibly two varieties (European and Canadian), and others that did not cross my mind when I was putting this together. Jesus does not care about just the Jews, though he does care for them, even in his life, he sought after and saved other notable individuals among the Gentiles. And then sent one of his prized converts that he sought and saved, as an apostle to the Gentiles. He seeks after people from the world of tongues, nations and people. In heaven there will be the redeemed from all places. We will all praise Him together. Jesus came to save all who come to believe. And, in our time he is still seeking after them by calling them in different ways so they hear the good news of salvation and come to believe in him as the Spirit gives that new birth. He came to seek and to save people including the likes of us.

If you have not bowed your knees to the King of King and Lord of Lords, let me extend to you what Jesus commanded of all men everywhere. It is to repent and believe the gospel. The gospel is the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. He will forgive you of all your sins—just like the Samaritan women who had many. Nobody has so many that they cannot be forgiven. Such is the grace of God.

Is he calling YOU? Is he seeking YOU? Has he brought things into your life that make you think about your own frailty and sin, including your presence here this day? IF so, he will continue to work in you until you come. All the while, he will be behind the scenes orchestrating all things for your spiritual good. Don’t put him off any more. Think about the real purpose for his coming. Jesus is God’s gift to the world as we read back in John 3:16. God loved the world, that is this sinful system allied against him and his people, that he sent his only begotten Son that the world might be saved. God sent him on a rescue mission to seek and to save those who had no idea of where they ought to be. They ought to be on the straight and narrow way of faith that will safely bring them to heaven on their final day. It is all of grace, not of your own works. Believe in him. He is the only hope.