John 4:3-19

He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.  But He needed to go through Samaria.  So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.  Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.  A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”  For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.  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.  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.”  The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water?  Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”  Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 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 woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”  Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”  The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”  Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”  The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

On a trip from Jerusalem to Galilee, it was necessary to travel through Samaria.  Sychar was the place where Abraham first stopped when he came to the land of Canaan.  It was near the site where Jacob and his men had dug a well and was also near the site where Joseph was buried.  The name signifies “drunkenness” and was probably associated with idol worship since the Samaritans had erected a temple on nearby Mount Gerizim since they could not go to the temple in Jerusalem. 

• The scene – Jesus was traveling with His disciples from Jerusalem to Galilee, a three day trip.  This was probably the second day.  It was about noon and they were hot, tired, hungry, and weary.  Jesus sat down on the edge of the well to rest.

• The place – the well.  This was a meeting place for young men and women.  It was the young women’s job to draw water from the community well.  A young man looking for a young lady could easily meet one at the well. 

• The time of day – Jesus met this woman at the well about noon.  The usual time to get water was early in the morning, or early evening.  She came at noon so she would not have to associate with other women who were probably rude to her because of her life style.  Yet Jesus did not mind talking to her.  Jesus is the friend of sinners. 

• The confrontation – Jesus got right to the subject – “Give Me to drink.”  He knew immediately that she would question His asking her for a drink.  He got her attention.  Jews and Samaritans did not associate with one another.  He knew she would wonder how a Jew would be willing to drink from the same cup as a Samaritan.

Jesus said “if you only knew”

• Who I was
• What I could do for you
• What a difference I could make in your life
• That I could give you water that will satisfy eternally

As we receive the new life in Christ it brings

• Satisfaction
• Peace
• Joy
• Love
• Comfort
• Changes us
• Never thirst again

Jesus offered not just a cup for the needy, not just a trickle, but a fountain of water.  God offers you the entire fountain of His eternal life.  Why settle for just a glass full?  Moses provided water from a rock in the desert for close to 3 million people plus animals.  This well that Jesus spoke of far exceeds that capability.  Jesus is that rock, that source of living water that will never run dry. 

This water is freely given.  It is ours for the asking. 

The well is deep.  This is no surface runoff; this is living water.  We have nothing with which to draw the water.  Jesus is the only one who can provide that water.  Out of the depths of His love He freely bestows on all who would receive.  It is entirely beyond the reach of man except through Christ, the giver of life.  It is His perfect delight to lead us to the living fountain. 

John 7:38 – He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.

Isaiah 12:3 – Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Isaiah 55:1-2 – Ho! Everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat.  Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.  Why do you spend money for what is not bread, and your wages for what does not satisfy?  Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and let your soul delight itself in abundance.

John 6:35 – And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

JESUS – unlimited warranty – satisfaction guaranteed!!!!!!