The Woman at the Well
John 4 -- read the whole story here
this story is about the Samaritan Woman who came to the well to find water, just as I go to the Rock in Two Mile to find water. Every week I go and find water pouring from the trough and look up and thank the One who supplies the need that I have. Perhaps this woman too was searching for water from the Rock. She knows He exists. She knows there is a Saviour but when will He come? Watch this little video and hear what she says. It is a simple act to get water, but one of trust and need, faith and for safety on each trip that is made, this woman makes the same journey to avoid the fear of ridicule in her world.
She climbs the path to the well every day, going about the business of filling her jar, until the Man who was waiting for her speaks. She does not seem to be afraid of him who is sitting there as she is accustomed to men around her unlike the women she has to deal with every day. She speaks what is on her heart and carries out on the conversation. Jesus is searching her, initiating communication and tells her who He is! He was drawn to the well too, for water and something within him that drew him to the well for her. He knows and sees her need and speaks.
The words of truth that fell from the lips of the divine Teacher stirred the heart of His listener. Never had she heard such sentiments, either from the priests of her own people or the Jews. The impressive teachings of this stranger carried her mind back to the prophecies concerning the promised Christ; for the Samaritans as well as the Jews looked for His coming. “I know that Messias cometh,” said she; “when he is come, he will tell us all things.” Jesus answered, “I that speak unto thee am he.” Blessed woman of Samaria! She had felt during the conference as if in the presence of divinity; now she gladly acknowledged her Lord. She required of Him no miracle, as did the Jews, to prove His divine character. She accepted His assertion, feeling perfect confidence in His words, and not questioning the holy influence that emanated from Him.—The Spirit of Prophecy 2:141-145 (1877). She went forth publishing the news: “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” This woman's testimony converted many to a belief in Christ. Through her report many came to hear Him for themselves and believed because of His own word.—Testimonies for the Church 3:217 (1885).
https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/27.315#329
As they were conversing, she observed Him, listening to his gentle words, understanding, being of one mind to the gospel of creation, relationship, redemption, restoration, and with honesty agreed to His claims of her and of Him. She looked at Him again with new insights and with excitement she forgot about getting her jug full of water but ran with a mission to tell the people she knew of a most amazing person. Jesus! He would heal them too, just like some of the Jews!! He had given her grace from all her inhibitions, breaking the barriers of worthlessness, giving her dignity to change.
we wrestle with God as did jacob and he had no other way than to resort to God, his worries got the best of him but God found a way for him to come back to him as He does for the Samaritan woman. Ask God to find you in your daily walk in life!!!
A little bit of history:
Jesus uses Israel's spousal metaphors to describe God's passionate, covenant love for the chosen people. Samaritans had strayed from monotheism and episodically worshipped other gods. Jesus was speaking metaphorically about Samaria's infidelity -- pointing out that Samaria's current "husband" was not a source of living water for the people.
This is because in first century Palestine, a woman could not initiate divorce except in extremely rare circumstances. Therefore the Samaritan woman's five former husbands must have either divorced her or died. This would have spelled disaster for her since women relied on the patriarchal household to survive.
Roman marriage laws stipulated only the freeborn could marry, and then only to another freeborn person. This excluded from legal marriage the millions of freed persons (former slaves) who populated the empire. Living as a concubine could have been the Samaritan woman's only option if she and her "husband" were both freed persons, or if one was freeborn and the other freed.
First, a solitary Samaritan woman approaches Jesus at a public well at the wrong time of day. Since village women normally drew water only at dawn and dusk, a woman appearing alone at noon would have been considered improper. Jesus speaks to her and a lengthy conversation ensues. The woman herself remarks on Jesus' impropriety. Jews disliked and shunned Samaritans and it was considered inappropriate for men to speak to women outside their kinship circles in public.
But Jesus is not deterred.
Second, when Jesus asks the woman to call her husband, "She went into the village marketplace where all the men are gathered. The narrative does not say 'marketplace,' but from our knowledge of that culture, we would be culturally accurate in imagining males gathered together in an open-air space, such as a marketplace. ..."
The message is clear. The Samaritan woman is as far removed from the proper matrona ideal of Greco-Roman culture as anyone could imagine.
And yet she exhibits remarkable theological acumen sparring with Jesus over where true worship is found. Unlike the respected rabbi, Nicodemus (John 3), who meets secretly with Jesus at night and departs still doubting, the Samaritan woman meets him in broad daylight and departs a true believer. John's Gospel portrays her as the privileged recipient of Jesus' self-revelation as "Messiah" and the great "I Am" hearkening back to Moses pointing to Jesus' oneness with the divine. On her word, "Many of the Samaritans of that town began to believe in him ..." (John 4:39).
For me, the most compelling piece of "good news" in this passage is that the Samaritan woman's search for true worship comes to fruition in her lengthy dialogue with Jesus.
In the encounter not only is she changed, but so is Jesus in that He rejoices one more has found His gospel.
Her joyful embrace of Jesus' teaching slakes his hunger to fulfill God's will "on earth as in heaven." "I have food to eat that you don't know about," says a re-energized Jesus, rejoicing that God's harvest is indeed vast (John 4:32-38).
The woman's search for true worship "in Spirit and in Truth" is at last fulfilled. The Samaritan woman, she now joins a group of sowers and reapers "gathering crops for eternal life" (John 4:36).
And what about us?
Where do we find true worship?
Where do we gather crops for eternal life?
If Jesus came to your well today, what would he find……
Song:
The Sands of Time: ACappella song describing the dark times in our life and the hope found in therein.
References: All of these just random from on line but still i found some interesting insights.
Clueless preaching about the Samaritan woman misses the point
What is Jesus like as a Person
What Was the Significance of the Woman at the Well?
Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
Adventist Women's Ministry Page
RECIPE:
If you are looking for a good drink to have in the evening tonite for the end of Women's Emphasis Day try this version of Hot Chocolate Vegan Style
CONCLUSION: 