Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.
John 3 is about Nicodemus, John 4 about a nameless woman Jesus met at a community well.
Interesting contrasts between the two stories.
– A man in one, a woman in the other.
– He is named, she isn’t.
– The man came to Jesus. Jesus approached the woman.
– Nicodemus’ meeting was at midnight, the woman’s in the noontime heat.
– One was a respectable, well-educated leader, the other an ostracized social outcast.
– One choked on Jesus’ born-again message, the other drank deeply of his living water.
Let’s look at the woman.
When Jesus met her at Jacob’s well, he said, “Please give me a drink.” She replied, “You’re weird. Jewish men don’t ask Samaritan women for water!” (vv 7-9).
Jesus said, “You should ask me about God’s living water” (v 10).
She said, “Where’s your bucket? You can’t draw water without a bucket.” (v 11).
He said, “Put water in your bucket, and you’ll thirst again. Dip your bucket in my living water, and you’ll never thirst again (v 13-14).
She said, “Sold! Give me your living water” (v 15).
Jesus said, “Excellent. Why don’t you get your husband and come back?” (v 16).
The woman replied, “No can do. I don’t have a husband” (v 17).
Jesus said, “Exactly. You’ve had five, and your current partner isn’t your husband” (v 17-18).
The woman said, “Ouch, that hurts. You must be a prophet. Tell me where to worship–on our Samaritan mountain or at the Jerusalem temple?” (v 19-20).
He said, “Neither. Heart always trumps place. True worshipers worship God in spirit and truth” (vv 21-23).
Confused, the woman exclaimed, “That sounds complicated. But when Messiah comes, he’ll untangle everything for us” (v 25).
Jesus said, “Indeed he will. Because that’s me” (v 26).
Let’s pray.
O Jesus, like the woman we are bound by time and place and circumstance. We drink city water from the tap. We buy white bread at Superstore. Our lives are socially awkward.
We try hard to understand your teaching–“be born again” and “drink living water”.
Speak to us as you spoke to the nameless woman. Invite us to your spring of living water. Teach us to worship in spirit and truth. Be the answer to our tangled relationships. Lead us to confess that you are Messiah, our savior.
Amen.
I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.
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