The Woman at the Well

, The Woman at the well
John Chapter 4


The book of John is said to have saved the most people. Its narratives are engaging stories of individuals with different problems, some men, some weoman. Chapter four begins with a detail that has always baffled and intrigued me, It states, “ when Jesus heard that the leaders in Judea knew that he was gaining and baptizing more followers than john,,,, he returned to Galilee”. Wait a minute,um.. what? Why does God have to run from men? He’s God, he created them. Well….lets think on this a little?


In man made stories, we sometimes fall in love with the heroes, in our own ways, for instance, In the movie “Braveheart “ when the main character screamed “freedom!”, people identified with his heroic cry, it was very moving, and very romantic... but, these are not true histories, just movies.
Jesus, however, is a real life, this life is, in a way, a heroic love story that is made for you to fall in love with him, it is his intent and reason for coming. his death and crucifixion were for your benefit. This love if it enters the heart never dies and always satisfies. My premise appears to many as sentiment, it is most likely why they ignore this history and Gospel, but it is in fact a love that we were meant to find and appreciate. They might want to reconsider?

The passage here today is a story, but it really happened, and is a life changing message,, yes, it is historically accurate,this detour he took, and then met a samaritan woman, this happened.

This is a tiny look into his shifting and intriguing human day to day reality, it is also a part of his suffering, and healing of sin afflicted people, it has power to change lives,.yes, all true, but forgive me,..... what does that have to do with jesus avoiding his enemies?,

Well, its intriguing, and always fascinating, that Though God, he gave up his omnipotence to be human like us,it is glorious in its abject humility,and naturally endearing, I mean,no human in his right mind would venture to give up so much for sinners like us. Many will not even consider it real, To others it is not relevant, but the seemingly small detail of his maneuvering makes it real to me. There is a saying “ The devil is in the details” so too the evidence of the living God being a man for a time having to avoiding trouble, as we do every day.

This excited me, I thought..this thing really,happened,God was a man once,

Why, how so,? We see by this sort of skee- daddling, that, he, Jesus in his limited state had to be tactical and carefull , he was truly in the form of a man, and as such he was wary of other people in the way of his objectives..this is a very real problem in human relations, think of yourself in your office with co workers, or neighbors or roomates?

Hes was also using a human thought process of his created beings to proceed to his next objective, which he met, umm... this is the year is 2020, incidentally,that date signifies his departure, it purports incorrectly the number of years after his death, but he simply left when his story was completed,….when his life and work as a man were done. Good bye faith full ones I will see you latel…...

He became a man in real time and space for us to read about and see,(movies incidentally are never as good as books, the movie maker, in consort with the director, jams our minds hearts and souls into there man made vision of what they see as significant and moving) Jesus followers saw him eye to eye, and slowly by his words and actions in a real envirenment, and concluded he was indeed the Messiah.They held the template of scripture to him and noticed it fit. John wrote this account not as an abstract fiction or a myth. He did so so that you can know him too, Jesus was not a blip in history,

To many today though, he remains one, because it happened, in the past. Time is an earthly dynamic, it does not exist in the world of spirit. Many believe in vain that his coming back is phantasy, its at times exceedingly hard not too fall in with them, I readily admit its quite difficult to believe, but not impossible, and I do believe his promise to return and glorify himself and his faithfull ones. My premise is that he Was not then or now, a liar ,the amount of time that has passed convinces scoffers otherwise, true we are subject as humans to time and space, but God is not, if you belieive what you read Today about him that it is true, he will come to you,he will help you today... but, have a care

As people who read and write, you know that the power of written words comes and goes , we see a little of this in that stories pocess a uniquely, shall I say,( supernatural power),but only if you imagine they are real. We know Mr. Grishom, the best selling fiction writer is saying , “play along folks, be unreal for a while” he is good with little “details” I beieve his former profession was a lawyer?. He knows how to make things appear real...and is skilled at descriptioi and details

With Gospels stories though, unlike ,with novels you use your faith not imagination, you must also read and learn and then obey,
Heaven is not a fairy tale,.but it is more interesting and beautifull, it is definatively there, Jesus doesnt lie. he told people how to get there...but to many “ sorry not relevant” or just annoying, These viewpoints are unfortunate, but do not negate its existence. These are opinions and feelings.



In regards to this, have faith in Jesus,, without this ability to believe you will not see his kingdom,Jesus once told another woman (not the one at the wel)l “whoever believes in me will never die”,He then asked her,” do you blelieveve this? “
He asked her once again because as God, he sensed she was not all in, doubts and fears entered in that made her a victim under the power of death.

This was the sister of Lazarus, She like the woman at the well whom, we will meet after this long know it all thing...Ive been warned about this and I,, you. We. oh shucks,, and I..oh well, its chronic …. It just evolved, Listen, she had something blocking her vision of Jesus as An omnipotent God, namely the seeming finality of her brothers death.... lazarus lay deceased four days. Different lady

To achieve His spiritual relationship in this passage’s case,, with a samaritan woman,You will see Jesus become adamant,or seemingy angry. Why? we cant have anything that distracts us from what Jesus wants for us.

The woman at the well, had an idea or dream, of an earthbound or carnal man making her happy forever and ever, but it was the wrong man.. Secretly or blatantly, we all sin, and put someone we can see and touch in Jesus place,this is natural and quite frankly much easier to do, but we will see this way of seeking happiness is seen syamboically as “water” that doesnt satisfy,,, completly. .

In regards to this new life and out look, there is no in between,no doubts no person or thing can get in the way of faith in his presence and inner reality of Jesus, sadly, to many he is not real because they believe he cannot effect what is really real to them. To most, reality to many is a husband, a wife, a family, in short, “a life”.

In and of themselves these are good things, but they cannot be the empiric desire in the heart or they become distracting to the point of faithlessness,

In regards to to this, later on we will see that Jesus told the woman that “whoever drinks the water I give hime it will well up to eternal life,” .in regards to the woman’s life and dreams that he is about to meet at the well, there is one main reason why she or we or you dont come to the point of belief and drink his water, simply put, there is a lot of misunderstood relationships with people that get in the way,,, it blocks the one true relationship with Jesus, this passage was made to help us to see this,,, its poetically framed in the passage as water that cant satisfy.

.I know i know I know,your thinking “he goes on and on”….hmmm? yes , yes I iam wearying but...dont leave now.. the movie is beginning, excuse me, um, What? Yes i suppose you can wear your three-dee movie glasses….I guess…yes.I also know its to long, by the way one last thing ….I guess I really dont know its too long? Onnnne morrre.. thing.


Biblically or ideally, men and women who are married should worship Jesus together. God is not unfair, he wants us to be happy, this is important,its really the order of where things are placed, Jesus must be the most important focus for each one, or life will not be fully happy as God intended. What? Okay, done.
We need a story.. now!

In his journey away from Judea, someone was waiting for him... the Love thirsty woman tired of the earthly water of reationships was waiting and wondering if she would ever be happy. The creator did not leave her in despair, because he loved her, how could he not, he created her... so, he started walking to her, He walked all day.

Along the way back to his earthly hometown. in Galilee. to escape the levitical legalists, chasing him like an out- law for telling only the truth... he had to go through Samaria, In Sychar, the woman at the wells home town, he stopped he had walked all day, so he sat down by a well .because in a fleshly body, (we went over that) he was thirsty and tired, just like us,






What happened next is a little perplexing in the drama dynamics, but interesting, just the same, suddenly, a woman showed up, at the well,....alone…. Hmmm?... hey, uh.. isnt that a little like in the romance novels?

The way that this chapter is handled by many authors is to turn it into some kind of romantic thing, and it is like that, um, sort of, in a way, but not really its incredibly deeper,time will tell

Jesus does in fact rescue her in a way like the knight who cuts through an endless forest of over grown misconceptions of who will make her happy, and he does in the end become her Personal Messiah,and frees her from fear and loneliness.

However; if I can, may I have a word about for People who project false things on weoman? they seem to always be creating an identity for them. Yes, they stand back godlike, a little from them, look them up and down, and then unbidden by God or the person, rub there chin and say “hmmm? Let meee seee now” See to yourselves!….., each of us is known only by God , Im railin a little, but without Jesus many people die without even knowing who they are, they are fashioned by the world, by others, this creates enormous insecurity, being known by God extinguishes this…..Illusion, or cage.





Because he was in the desert and it was hot, Jesus was thirsty…. Jesus asked her, the lone woman for a dirink of water, Yes, God was really thirsty, but he was also really anxious to talk to the woman as he sensed something was deeply wrong,

Initiailly, she was rather, well, what seemed to be rude ,but not really, she was following the world’s traditions,of whats proper, however; she was not in a good mood either, as she was having man troubles,,,again, so...yes.. rude. She said rather impatiently,” How can u ask me for a drink when you are a Jew and Im a Samaritan?” rude? yes?no?...Its to be expected,

But jesus countered with a perplexing but new rebuttal , “If u knew who it was who asked you for a drink you would have asked him for a drink and he would have given you the living water”.

Living water,Hmmmm? What ? This basically means is a a new reason for living and uniqueness that only God can grant,,,,,namely his love,, humans seek to make things in there own movie, or in her case a new dream of love...on there own, it seems okay because there is noone around to suggest a path to take, better just make my own, Right?
,
What? Are we all really that creative? well sure, we all do it, or did it,,,its.. Like, uh..well,,”Back off, Im my own Steve Speilberg, it will be fine,,one princess leah comin up” You tell them “hey look out thats a dead end,” they wont listen, they got a plan,,soo “ mind your own business’, God, Pastor, mom and dad,.. Get lost, this is my movie,”

Im trying to lay on some levity to lighten the message, its true,yeah, , but , in truth, many have done just what I said, replete with the humorous packaging, but, again,in truth, its really not funny at all.

who you marry,date, calls for Jesus direction, , if not? in truth. it causes heartache to family.s and the person under its power, Jesus knows this so ...he offered a solution ,....thank God

When relation ships go down in flames with dilaogues or attitudes like this..sooner or later the home made movie fails….what then? Well in this woman’s case, it seems,it is apparently the ol falling off the horse thing, just find another.. ..get back on that horse.

In a more serious tone,uh, Have you ever wondered why , in some cases, people we thought we loved suddenly stop being lovable? Even the beatles lamented this “ please tell me why oh why you didnt treat me right? Love,,, has a nasty habit,,,, of disappearing , over...nightttt.” .

Seriously though,one day, we go to get a drink of water from them and they are empty…. why? what did we or they do, Nothing really,we have placed too much Faith in them, and burned them out . This type of worship belongs to Jesus alone. Its a case of mistaken identity…. from both parties, theres no good guy or bad gal, its a wakeup call folks.

Gently Jesus implies this when he said to the angry lady,” whoever drinks this water will get thirsty again” but in regards to him and his water “whoever drinks this water i give him or her it will becaome a well of water inside them welling up to eternal life”.

He was speaking of invisible things of the spirit, things wonderful, People living without any idea who they really are or need, choose whats handy and seems. in the ways of the world to be.. OK, but its a lie, it fades, and gets old because its flesh, theres no depth or spirit.theres no living water.

Slowly as they talked, the woman, as a spiritual being with a soul, made in Gods image,, she realized somewhere deep inside that there was something different about this Guy, He seemed very wise, and knew of other things beyond what we can see and feel, so….. she finally decided to ask him for his water, but on an physical plane, she said, ”okay sir,.. give me this water so I will not have to come here to draw water” She was not speaking of her man problem, or her love problem, but it is sort of implied.

So, after she implied or asked for it …..... he decided to get her ready to receive his gift of Himself, (this is the adament thing) so he had to clear out all the old false water first,

He was showing his great skill as God and a physicain when Jesus asked her, “okay.. go call your husband” , she said,”uh.. I have no husband” Jesus was seemingly “cruel to be kind,”

Sometimes, Ive seen humans attempt this procedure and there victims bleed to death.., Upon hearing what she said jesus replied,” You are right when yo u say you have had no husband, for in fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you are now with is not your husband, “

Yikes! But, wait... she wasnt mad for some reason,huh? why not? A thought, people, all people, are made in Gods image , so they know when someone loves them, and is trying to help them, she only said, ” sir, I see you are a prophet”. Well ...close….she knew he was a man with supernatural powers of discerning, but as yet she was not aware that he was the living water, and God.

Without Jesus she would have sought and never found,she would have looked only to be disappointed , again and again, with whomever she found next,

Jesus, God ,created us ands feels deeply responsible, so he came to give her that which she sought in himself, she found him after many wrong turns on the expressway of romance that never ends well, ,

but now jesus had come to heal her,

In order to do this, he had to expose all the wrong turns,

We must as the old hymn sayeth,” turn, turn, turn turn round right, til we come to the place of perfect delight” seemingly to find this place, she tried and tried an turned the wrong way six times, um,,hey, have you ever done this on an express way? Its an MVA premonition of hell!...... but God or Jesus seemed to have a heart and got her going home. He did so by adressing and making a place to turn around and solve the nightmare of
her very personal problem,

Sometimes we may think it is too large or personal for Jesus to heal us ,inadvertantly we say”mind your own business Jesus”, but he is in fact all knowing, he is the only one who can do so, many women have thought this idea to abstract, but Jesus hears and helps whoever calls upon him. To this I swear,
come to him expecting to be healed and it will happen. Do you believe this?


Apparently though She had a little further to go, she was still trying to go back to the old water,after this, she brought up some of the incidental differences of Samaritans and Jews,..Ths is to my mind was a way of doubting or saying, “yeah sounds Good , but,,,?,”

She may have thought to use this to disappear back into her old life, im really not sure,read the passage and,...anyway it seemed like a smokescreen to go back to the old water.
Im not fully able to understand its import but…… doubt arise alwys trying to deny the uniqueness of the personal Jesus, they do so with questions , doubts with mundane queries, but,,

Shakespeare in regard to procrastinating said, “ tomorrow ‘’and tomorrow and..”. in many people there is a distant hope or dream of healing and real change, but the world and its endless false promises and details muddy the waters and they miss there express way exit, namely Jesus and and end up never realizing or finding there destiny in him.
(You have seen em driving the expressway forever listening to Foreigners, “Strangers On the Boulevard” only the music n singin is good, the story is sad.)
but dont let that happen to you, the book of hebrews states “if you hear his voice today listen and obey”, not tomorrow, not wedsday, today, today, today, remember this message in regards to the order of who must be worshiped above all people and things,the relationship problem is extremely allusive it comes back again and again. Believe yes? And slam the door closed on believe not!

She was still holdin to it ,and seeking to escape when she said, “Yes, yes, when the Messiah comes he will expalin everything”. Meaning “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow”, but Jesus emapahtically said to her in regards to her escape clause ” I who speak to you am he”

Jesus took the time to heal her, after he told her this, as usual people with this passage progected on her many reactions, they bend the facts badly,speak truth, only one great thing is evident, that being she became totally fearless!


With Jesus she was no longer, who the world told her she was, she was whos she was in Gods image, evidence of this is in her actions.look

She left her water bucket, an ran back to the town, where she was purporteadly, an outcast for her actions, and boldly told all the men and weoman who had whisperd about her ” Hey you guys, I found a man who told me everything I ever did, could this be the messiah?” she may have looked and seemed different, so they all ran with her out to the well, they realized he was as she said “The Messiah” and he stayed with the samaritans for two days.

Now I ask you, “do you believe this?” If so, remember it when you seek a husband, or when ,or if, something is decidedly off in your marriage or relationship, it could be that the order of who you worship is off,, It May be Jesus has not been worshipped fully as he deserves, as your saviour and living God, Bless you all, in Jesus name, and infinite power. Come to all who read and listen, be merciful to them and this sinner, in Jesus holy name i ask, my God and MasterJesus. amen