The Woman at the Well (Part 1) If you’re new to Lifpoint | Worthington, take 30 seconds to fill out our Welcome Card! Have a question about today's message? Ask it here. John 4:1–9 (ESV) 1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” 8 (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) The Sanitized Story We often treat this story as a polite manual for evangelism. Doing so tames an encounter that is actually rugged and full of scandal. We naturally cast ourselves as the hero, but we are far more like the woman. Jesus in Samaria The Old Testament Storyline The hostility between Jews and Samaritans was a 700-year-old violent blood feud. Jewish people universally agreed it was better to completely avoid Samaria. A Divine Necessity Jesus didn't just end up at the well by accident; the original Greek implies a divine compulsion. Have a question or pushback on this? Ask it here. Jesus does not avoid our broken places; He is drawn directly into the mess. The Wedding Trope In the Old Testament, a man traveling to a foreign well is a literary trope signaling an upcoming wedding. God's primary picture for His relationship with us is not a boss and employee, but a Husband and wife. Have a question or pushback on this? Ask it here. God doesn't just want our compliance; He desires true intimacy. Like the prophet Hosea, God is the faithful Groom relentlessly pursuing an unfaithful bride. We Are the Woman at the Well The woman at the well is an outsider carrying the heavy baggage of hidden shame. Jesus doesn’t demand we clean ourselves up before He comes near. Ephesians 5:25–26 (ESV) 25 …Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word… Jesus crossed the cosmic border of heaven and earth to rescue us. Telling others about Jesus isn’t a guilt-driven checklist, but the natural overflow of a satisfied soul. Simply put, mission starts with awe. As always, if you'd like to talk more with me about anything we discussed, you can sign up for meeting time. If you have any questions from the message today, send them here and I'll follow up!