BREAKING DOWN WALLS
John 4:7-15, 23-26, 28-30
THE WALL
V:7. “There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto
her, Give me to drink.”
A. The well had a Jewish history, but those who thought themselves true Jews did not come to this well.
1. The Samaritans were considered mixed with other races.
a. Jews did not associate with Samaritans.
b. Jews would go around Samaria, but not through it.
2. Jesus does not get mixed up with other folk’s problems.
3. By speaking to the Samaritan woman, Jesus was breaking all the traditional Jewish rules.
a. A Jewish male would not speak to a woman in public.
b. A Jew would not drink from a Samaritan cup, because he
would be considered unclean.
4. The Samaritans and the Jews were family.
a. They both claim Jacob as their father.
b. They were too hung up on past differences to be family.
B. Getting water from a well was a common occupation for a woman
during this time.
a. At the well, would be a place to meet women.
b. Jesus used a common need to establish a conversation with the woman.
c. A good way to start a conversation with someone is to talk about
their interest.
C. The Lord is no respecter of people. Salvation is for everyone.
1. She was a Samaritan.
2. She was in an adulterous relationship.
3. She came from the wrong side of the tracks.
D. Jesus seeks her out to invite her into the kingdom of God.
1. There is none to sinful to receive God’s grace.
2. God’s love is unconditional.
3. God’s love has nothing to do with you, but everything to do with
God.
BREAKING DOWN BY IGNORING DIFERENCES
V:8. “
For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.”
A. There are some conversations that don’t need to be shared with
everybody.
1. The disciples would have a problem with Jesus, the Rabbi, talking to
a woman.
2. Jesus ignored all tradition that hinders the Gospel.
3. Jesus sent the disciples off on an errand.
V:9 "
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans."
A. The problems between the Jews and the Samaritans went back more than
400 years.
1. People who can’t forgive, will carry grudges that they were never involved in.
a. Because their forefathers had a problem, they embraced the same attitude.
2. You should never let someone else's opinion effect how you treat someone.
B. The Samaritan woman knew it was strange for a Jewish Rabbi to be speaking
to her in public.
1. She questioned Jesus motives.
2. She did not have a problem with the Jews. The Jews had a problem with her.
3. She was not hung up on the Jewish tradition.
FINDING COMMON INTEREST
V.10. “
Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”
A. Jesus used a physical need to get the woman to think about her spiritual need.
1. Jesus uses the necessary ingredient for physical life to explain the necessary
ingredient for eternal life,
B. Jesus understands our state of darkness, so He uses the Word to bring us to a
Knowledge of Himself.
1. “If thou knewest the gift of God”
a. Jesus recognizes that she does not understand Salvation.
b. Jesus recognizes that she does not know that salvation is a gift from God.
c. Jesus enlightened her with His Word.
d. The Word has the power to give us an understanding.
c. The only way we will know the Gift of God is to be taught.
2. “And who it is that saith to thee and who it is that saith to thee.”
a. Jesus speaks of Himself as the giver of salvation.
b. We need to know who Jesus is and what He can do for us.
3. “ Give me to drink “
a. We drink water to satisfy our physical need.
B. Jesus gives us water to satisfy our eternal needs.
4. “Thou wouldest have asked of him”
a. When you know Jesus, you know to ask for what you need.
5. “ And he would have given thee living water.”
a. When you know Jesus, you know He will give you what you need.
b. Jesus greatest desire is that we have eternal life.
V.11 “
The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?”
A. The Word of God cannot be understood with the human mind along.
1. We understand things by what we have seen and have experienced.
a. The world view is limited by the human mind.
b. Only Jesus can give us the power to understand His Word.
2. To draw water you need tools.
a. The Samaritan woman knew you needed a Jar or bucket attached to a rope.
b. She knew it would take human effort to get the water out of the well.
c. This woman had experience getting water out of the well.
d. This woman had no experience with Jesus.
e. She knew water as water.
f. She was in the presence of the master teacher.
g. She was in the presence of the living water.
12"
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?"
A. Evangelism takes time.
1. It's takes time to introduce a none believer to the Lord.
2. We must be patient and let the Holy Spirit lead the conversation.
B. The Samaritan woman saw Jesus as another man.
1. It's important that we see Jesus as God and lift him up above all others.
2. Jacob left a well that provided water for present thirst.
a. Jesus is the living water that provides for our eternal thirst.
b. We have the responsibility to be patient with those we introduce to
the Lord Jesus.
c. Our love for the Lord should force us to be persistence in introducing
this great gift to others.
JESUS, THE BETTER SOURCE
13 "
Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again."
A. Jesus offered the woman better water.
1. The water she came to get had no lasting value.
a. The water she came to get , she would have to come and get over and over
again.
b. The water Jesus offered had continuous and lasting value.
B. Jesus offered water that blesses continuously.
14 "
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
A. Jesus continues to push this idea of her need for water.
1. It is a chore to keep coming to this well for water.
2. Any thing that could eliminate her having to come to the well would be
welcomed.
B. Jesus offers her water that would eliminate her thirst.
1. Jesus offers her water that brings eternal life.
2. The water that Jesus offers is different from the water in Jacob's well.
15 "
The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw."
A. The Samaritan woman is now convinced that Jesus offers a better way of living.
1. She looks at what she has and concludes what Jesus offers is better.
2. With Jesus she will have to come to well, but she will come with joy.
3. She still have to come to the well but she will come with contentment.
4. She will still have to come, but she will come in peace.
B. The life Jesus offers does not eliminate chores, but it offers a present help.
1. The life that Jesus offers does not eliminate problems, but gives peace in
dealing with them.
C. The "thirst" that Jesus speaks of could be compared to a troubled spirit.
1. Without Jesus as our source, we worry about tomorrow.
2. Without Jesus as our source, we handle problems alone.
3. Jesus promises the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit.
4. Jesus presents us with His truths, the way to successful living.
5. Jesus offers an eternal hope which is eternity with Him.
TRUE WORSHIPERS
23"
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him."
A. Those who come to know the Lord come to be in His presence
1. They come to learn His ways.
2. They come to give praise and thanksgiving.
3. They come to be in the presence of other believers.
B. Those who worship the Lord surrender to His will.
1. Those who worship the Lord are committed to following His commands.
2. Those who worship the Lord take comfort in the Lord's control of their lives.
C. We must be in the right frame of mind to worship the Lord in Spirit and Truth.
24 "
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth."
A. God is free of fleshly concerns or appetites.
1. God is completely Holy with no shadow of sin.
2. When we come to worship the Lord, we must put aside our earthly concerns
and give Him our complete focus.
B. The truth is in His Word and His Word only.
1. The Word of the Lord must be the basis of our worship.
2. The Word guides our worship and elevates it to the Spiritual realm.
25 "
The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things."
A. This Samaritan woman was from the wrong side of town.
1. She was involved in an adulterous lifestyle.
2. This Samaritan woman knew the scriptures.
3. This Samaritan woman knew the promise of Christ.
4. This Samaritan woman knew the purpose of His coming.
a. She knew He was the master teacher.
5. This Samaritan woman had a recall of the Word she knew.
6. This Samaritan woman was not yet convicted by the Word she knew.
B. We must be careful not to judge others or their actions.
1. God may already be working in their lives to bring them to himself.
2. God may have made you aware of them to confirm the Word they
have heard.
3. Our worship of the Lord includes sharing the Good News with those we
come in contact with.
CHRIST, THE LIVING WATER
26 "
Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he."
A. Jesus reveals himself to be the one she knew about in the scriptures.
1. There is a time in our lives when the Word becomes real in our lives.
2. We never know what will trigger a deeper understanding of the Word.
3. Sometimes circumstances and events have a divine purpose to bring
our focus to Christ.
B. We must not neglect the opportunities God gives us to present the Gospel of
Jesus Christ to others.
28"
The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men."
A . This Samaritan woman had the Word she knew confirmed to her and was
convicted and ready to serve.
1. She dropped what she was doing and worshipped the Lord with her witness.
2. Her interest in herself became second to her love for the Lord.
3. She became bold in her testimony because she took the message to the men.
B. You never know who God is going to use to be His messenger.
1. You can get a message from the Lord from anyone God decides to use.
29 “
Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”
A. God knows all about you.
1. Nothing escapes His attention.
2. The proof that God knows you is when He convicts you of your sins.
B. The proof that Jesus is in you life is when you get joy from talking about His
goodness.
30 "
Then they went out of the city, and came unto him."
A. Your witness about what the Lord has done for you is very important.
1. Your witness affects other people.
2. Your witness can cause others to seek the Lord.
B. You are very important in God's plan to bring others to Christ.
1. What a great testimony it is to cause others to seek Christ.
THE ART OF EVANGLISM
We can learn a lot about witnessing to others using this example that Jesus gives.
1. He met the woman in her environment.
a. He went out of His way to seek her.
b. He made a special effort to find her.
c. He ignored all of man's hang ups to speak the Word of the Lord
to her.
2. He open His conversation with her talking about her interest.
a. Her interest was water.
3. He asked her to share with Him her interest.
a. He asked her to share water with him.
b. He accepted her as equal with him.
4. He related the doctrine of God to her interest.
a. He related water from Jacob’s well to the living water from His well.
b. He led her into a conversation about eternal life.
5. He taught her the benefits of a life with Christ.
6. He revealed Himself as Christ to Her.
7. He let the Word convict her of her sins.
8. He let the Word convict her of Her need for Christ.
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