Look Who Moved Out (Part 3)

Back in the 1990s of an interview dog was conducted with an American actress about her numerous marriages in his what you said. She said why should I be embarrassed about all of my marriages. All of my friends are running around having dozens of affairs and never get married at least I marry my affairs well the thing is that she's not alone in her desperate search for true love. Sometimes in the wrong places. There are hurting people all around us who are constantly searching for true love in the life they firmly believe and they really are convinced that it is the next man or the next woman that going to give them that elusive fulfillment that elusive satisfaction and that if you listen to the media very carefully you'll would think that this is a new phenomenon that really has only happened as a result of our fast-moving technological society not true that desperation for fulfillment is as old as the Garden of Eden. But 2000 years ago Jesus had an encounter with a woman who was not unlike this American actress.

The truth is these men and women who are in desperate search they are living next door to us.

They are in the office down the hall from you. They are in our social clubs. They are in the college dorm. These folks while on the outside might look like they're having a great time on the outside, the mayor looks like they've got it all together, but deep down they have in the longing for fulfillment. The deep down they live their lives in quiet desperation. Deep down they ache for the peace of mind that only Jesus can give them deep down they are in emotional and spiritual pain deep down they are empty in the way Jesus reached out to this woman should be a model for all of us, and reaching out as we move out and love for others.

We have begun a series of messages on moving out moving out of our comfort zone and be in tune to the hurt and the needs of those all around us and present them with the only answer to all of their needs, namely Jesus. This modern story in every sense of the word is truly a modest obvious I was 2000 years ago has its own unique surroundings and it's all unique mill you yes but it is a modern story in every way. It is a modern story that is filled with racism and with prejudice with the place of women in society. With the declining of morality with human loneliness and with deep longing for genuine love and acceptance. But first, let me tell you about Jesus and I want to come and talk about the Samaritan woman. I couldn't possibly have covered the whole story today so I am splitting it into Samaria is where the West Bank is today. Nothing's changed in order to go from South to North. You have to go through the West Bank. If you want to go from Judea where Jerusalem is all the way to Galilee where Jesus administered and where he came from and the North. You have to go through Samaria. It's about 2 1/2 days walking, 70, 72 miles tops is a journey, but most Jews did not do that did not go straight line.

They weren't east into Jericho where it's really hard and desert and then followed the Jordan Valley North and then go back west again to Galilee north of Samaria. That way it takes five days. The Jews of the time would do anything to avoid going through Samaria they would avoid anything that has to do with the Samaritans prejudice was so deep that that would rather endure the heat of the desert and the long, uncomfortable road then overcome the prejudices.

But Jesus would not do that. He just would not do that as long as there are people who are desperate for salvation. As long as our people who are empty and desperate need for his mercy as long as there are people who are spiritually suffering and need his forgiveness he went. He gets into Samaria tired as he was.

He sits at the ledge of that famous historic well that was dug by Jacob and their he sits and while he was sitting low and behold, a woman comes not any woman, a Samaritan woman not the prevailing cultural imperative of the day would have dictated that Jesus should've moved on that Jesus should have left the scene tired. I'm not tired.

He should've gone.

He should've left the scene for our lab. I could never be seen talking to a woman, let alone a Samaritan woman. Fast forward 2000 years my last visit to Israel. I invited a group of very prominent Orthodox Jewish rabbis to come and have breakfast with me in the hotel and they refuse to shake my Elizabeth had. I had to assure her that it was nothing personal. And it wasn't the case has been Orthodox.

Robert does not check awards on the same thing. An Orthodox woman would not shake a man's hand Jew or Gentile. Just the way this but that's not all Jews must never be seen talking to a summative that is a sure way to ruin your reputation, but that is not all.

Jesus was at the top of righteousness while she was at the bottom of degradation.

This woman had so many things going against her that I promise you none of you who are listening to me right here can even understand. None of us can comprehend the situation of this woman, her birth rendered her an object of hatred. Her agenda rendered her to be inferior her in modern life would have brought about the wrath of the Pharisee, but Jesus stated the well. He stated the well your honest historians will tell you that the real liberator of women is Jesus the Christ.

Judaism oppressed women and that is why every Jewish man got up first thing in the morning and he prayed the following prayer. I thank the Lord that I am a Jew, not a Gentile that I am free another slave that I am a man not a woman. Secularism depresses women for it forces them into man's mold. But Jesus the Christ sets women free to be who God created them to be easy.

Jesus should've left the well.

He should've left a should've gone, but thank God he didn't thank God he didn't.

And the reason the Samaritans were so hated by the Jews because there were half Jews have Gentiles. Not only that they were considered to be heretics by most Jews. In fact, the religion was a hodgepodge a little bit of Judaism mixed up with a whole lot of idolatry. They believed this, but they didn't believe that not only that but they built a rival temple to rival the temple in Jerusalem. Solomon's Temple on the magazine is so the Jews regarded the Samaritans as opposed looters of the religion and they hated them more than they hated the Gentiles. Are you getting a little bit of the picture. No wonder the Samaritan woman was absolutely shocked that Jesus spoke to her to say nothing of the fact of the disciples came back and showed up. They were shocked to and that is why Jesus repeatedly said I came not for the righteous, but for sinners, to those who think themselves A-OK with nothing but a little bit of education little bit of civilization will make them all right and be acceptable to God.

These are the righteous people that Jesus did not come, for he came for folks like me and folks like you who recognize that they are sinners and they desperate without Jesus and they need his salvation as we can for the camphor sinners.

Those who confess our sin as the Bible said no one is righteous, and so the ones who think the righteous are just fooling themselves. But Jesus knew all about this woman before he even met her in his divine knowledge he understood her desperation, he understood that crusty veneer that she was able to plaster all over her face he knew about this mask that she wore in public and today was surrounded by people like that was surrounded with people like her. They have what I called movie mentality, TV, lifestyle and disco disposition movie mentality as it will make all the money they can without hard work or accountability TV lifestyle means they live any kind of way until they lose out and then they want forgiveness without repentance and the disco disposition means that they participate in thoughtless actions and you see them all around us. If you say a man in charge. You're a fanatic but if you scream your head off at a concert or a ballgame for your family and of God is saying anything to his children.

Please tough days these difficult days. These historic days. He is saying to you and to me, don't go away from the well. Don't leave the well stay by the well minister at the well reach out to do. Well, whatever you will might be what he placed you.

Jesus knew that the real first of this woman in her life.

He knew the real first is to overcome these degradations in the disillusionment and the dissatisfaction in her life whatever glamour she had in the past faded away and whatever excitement of the senses. She may have had. Now they burn themselves out and there is nothing left but drudgery and degradation in drawing of water.

In fact, this woman had really moved past dissatisfaction she has gone all the way to being a cynic look at the words. These are the words of a cynical person who has become completely cynical with life. She and use some religious clichés and she was rattling them along.

She rattled these religious formulas she had these can formula and formulated defensive arguments and she was putting them up, one after the other and Jesus with get it out of her system never condemned. Therefore, just let her get out of her system but none of these cans religious formulas filled the void in her life. She Jesus knew her mother's desperate need and that is why he stayed where thank God Jesus met her at the level of a water pipe. He did not try to be philosophical or theologically profound old metaphysical.

Try to prove how much he knew if he did computer brought the water is slick with the ability said, give me a drink and thus profound or something. You must never, never, never, never forget some of the English translations of try to explain in the translation but really this is something very very important here because the word water, the Jesus was using in the word Walter that she was using the two different words she used the word Walter that refers to stagnant water. But Jesus use the water referring to bubbling water. She was talking about dead water. But Jesus was talking about living water.

She was talking about systems water. But Jesus was talking about a spring water that bubbles out of the ground and if Jesus is saying anything to her. He saying to her lady lady, spiritually speaking, you have purse shoeing stagnant water of dead religion. You have been practicing dead rituals, and that is why you have that inner pain you're involved in meaningless religious practices and that is why you don't have peace your laptop in tradition and that is why you are not fulfilled all but today you have met the fountain of life you are talking to the giver of real life you're talking to the spring of joy you're talking to.

The only source of satisfaction your meeting God's gift to humanity.

The reason people are living dissatisfied lives is because they think that all they need to have satisfaction in life just a little bit more from life if they can squeeze a little more out of life. They will be satisfied, but the real reason for their dissatisfaction is because they don't know the gift of God. They may know about the gift of God have heard about the gift of God. Then I went to churches and heard about the gift of God, but they don't know the gift of God and Jesus said to this woman, if you knew the gift of God and who it is who's asking you, you would've asked him for a drink and she gave this nonsense. We don't have a bucket. The waters deepen his none and then receive talking about stagnant water you talk about that what I thought about living water.

Water that satisfies your full life's like the man who was imprisoned and he said only if I have my freedom.

I would desire, no more dosimetry then is it all if I have enough of life's necessities. I would desire nothing else. He got that and that is it all if I held them high office in the land. I would desire, no more God that then is it alright if I would only become a magistrate. I would desire, no more, he got that and then he sighed all if our prints.

I would want to know more. He become that.

Then he said all but if I am a keen, our desire no more he become okay and then is it now if I am an Emperor, our desire no more he become an Emperor. But if I become an Emperor of the world.

Our desire no more become that and it was said of Alexander the great, he cried when no more world to conquer. He who drinks of the water, but the worldviews first is never enough is never enough. But if you drink the water that he gives you your first number, nothing will ever satisfy the human heart, except Jesus. Jesus stated the well because he knew that the water of the world could never satisfy.

Jesus stated the well because he knew that this woman of her to woman of hatred, a woman of hopelessness can only find satisfaction in him. Jesus stated the well because he knew that only his Walter of life can give her real love that she's searching for Jesus stated the well because he knew that only on him, didn't you find Rio to love after five failed marriages. This woman is burnt out probably thought marriage is a problem, so she shacked up with the guy that she was living with right now. Something else that you must not miss here. Please don't miss whenever you go out of your comfort zone and you try to reach out with the love of Christ to others. Sometimes you receive response and thank God for that. But many times you will receive criticism, you will you will be criticized by some you will be accused by some you will be made fun of by some, you'll be resented by some but Jesus stated the well and you are not supposed to do what stated the well this woman knew what it means to first physically what it means to first emotionally what it means to first spiritually.

This woman knew what it means to literally and personally. First, again and again and again.

This woman knew what it means.

The first, both for real water for physical water and for spiritual water. She really was tired of the drudgery she should give me that was coming back half a mile each way from the city that will often seek our mother was another will inside the town, but this woman because of who she is. She couldn't go there with her average people she had to go out to the well outside half a mile going out half a mile coming in just to get a jug of water know those of us in the West never understand that when you turn the faucet on the water. But Jesus was talking to her about a different kind of water. Jesus was talking to her about the spiritual water. Jesus was talking to her about her inner satisfaction.

Jesus was talking to her about the inner quenching of that in the desperate thirst and he said to her, the water I give you all my goodness, the water I give you is Megan to make you thirsty again. It's going to become a spring of living water on the inside of you that is going to well up in you into contentment and joy and peace, and into eternal life. 11 listen to medical Jesus talking about the Holy Spirit here, but life is more than just a life that goes on chronologically. That's how we all think that's artworld plan for that's what we all believe that life is more than that it is alive that has the quality of eternity. That is the real life. As I told him going to continue in the next message talking about this woman's witness, but I want to leave you with some thoughts that I pray Holy Spirit of God imprint in our minds and our hearts because I haven't come to the part yet when she this woman went from hello estate to be one of the greatest evangelists in the Bible. He converts from the gutter. Most of the uttermost. That's Jesus as our Lord.

We think that we got really look nice for Jesus will be nice for Jesus in order to accept this. Forget it.

So let me ask you this. Are you tempted to stay away from the well where the needy are I attempted to sever somebody else needs to do that. I don't need to do that I can witness to this and I can't do this. I attempted to get away from the well where the desperate people are. Are you tempted are you tired of staying at the well let me give you an encouraging word from the Lord stay at the well stay at the well father every one of us have a well and there is a well in which you called us, and we may be trying to get away from that well or keeping our mouth shut when the seeing the desperate need of people at the well where we are closing our eyes walking our ears, or even rationalizing it ourselves. Lord Jesus in your name and your power. I pray help everyone of us to stay at the well father in the name of Jesus and in the power of that name.

Give us all that we would be encouraged in our ministry at the way in Jesus name. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that's LTW.Ward