Living Water

By Cal Cook

Oh My, I’m whipped! This last week was a challenge right up to the end! With funerals and pre-marital counseling, meetings, Lenten service, ICU visits, school, sick dog…I’m not even sure what…I feel like zoning out. Yet I still have a list of things I didn’t get to last week that I need to do today! More visitations, a paper to write for school and yearly reports well past due…a lot of need to do’s…priorities. Yet I want to spend some time this morning reflecting on this last week’s passage from John 4 before I move on.

I feel as if there is a depth here in this encounter between Jesus and the woman at the well that I haven’t reached yet. In the Sermon on Sunday I touched on the contrasts between this encounter in Samaria and the previous weeks encounter in Jerusalem with Nicodemus. There are contrasts in light and dark, Jesus being sought out and Jesus doing the initiating. Surely the greatest contrasts are found in the persons that Jesus has conversations with. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a Religious Leader and member of the Sanhedrin. Highly educated, a man to be looked up to and followed as an example for how to live righteously. This ‘Woman at the Well’ was a Samaritan, an impure woman from an impure people. She was ignorant and brash, surely not someone to be respected…

Yet Jesus is patient with her, compassionate and loving, taking time to explain to her what He means by Living Water. In contrast Jesus is short with Nicodemus, chastising him for not understanding the Spiritual things that are being explained. Maybe the depth that I’ve yet to explore is the response of each person’s encounter with Jesus. Jesus tells each of them exactly what they need in order to gain eternal life. Jesus tells Nicodemus to be born again, not in the flesh, not just of water, but in the Spirit. Jesus tells Nicodemus he must die to himself and be re-born, made new in Spirit. Jesus doesn’t tell this woman the same thing…is it just because He’s taking a different angle…or is there a reason for the difference?

To say that Jesus didn’t have a reason for saying what He says is pretty stupid so let’s ask more questions of this. I said on Sunday that Jesus met each of them at their greatest need…true, but there is more here. Nicodemus needed death, he needed submission, he needed to be pointed away from his own righteousness to love (John 3:16). This ‘Woman at the Well’ needed refreshing, she needed healing and compassion…to be known and loved. Her response:

Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. John 4:29

This statement is somewhat repeated in verse 39, and is a great motivating factor for her response. Now I can only imagine that small towns haven’t changed that much over the years and a woman who has had five husbands and living with a sixth man would be known by everyone. Surely everyone in the town could have said the words Jesus said to her:

The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. John 4:18

The words may have been the same but the intention is what I think is important to this woman. People even today would say those words with judgment in their hearts. Jesus says them with love…and acceptance! Jesus purposely engages this woman in conversation and offers her eternal life…and responds to the calls of others to stay and share more with others. They all respond to this woman’s words? Why wouldn’t they say, “So what we all know what you’ve done!” and dismiss her?

They are willing to respond to her witness, despite who she is! There is something compelling about her testimony…and they see it. Has the Spring of Living Water already begun to bubble over in her? The Day of Pentecost has not yet come…yet there is a power at work here. Today we have the Holy Spirit of God poured out for all who would receive Him.

We have no excuse for not having a compelling witness…if our belief is genuine. This woman’s belief was genuine and others could see it! I pray that you have a belief that is genuine, that you know full well the refreshing power of Living Water, and are willing to share it! I pray it for you and I pray it for me.