“Come See a Man” (Part 1 of 4)

Most of us live quiet lives go about our days minding our own business but suppose an unexpected conversation changed all of that for you. What if your ordinary routine suddenly became the talk of the town today on Truth for Life. Alastair Begg examines how Jesus encounter with an outcast woman ended up transforming an entire village. Rather, as we prepare to turn to the Bible. Each of us coming in need of your voice and hearing from your word.

We pray that you will so meet with ice.

In this time as we study the Bible that we might know that when I simply listening to a man talking about something that he found out about that divine dialogue takes place between your spirit and and our hearts.

Using your word, the Bible, to show us who we are and what we are like into shows who Jesus is and how wonderfully he lives. Those whom he is come to save and we ask this in his name. Amen there is great clarity in what John sets out, he's written his gospel he tells is is that at the end. He's written these things down in order that men and women might come to believe, and that by believing they might find life in Jesus name.

So the writing of the gospel is not simply to provide us with information, but in order to bring about a transformation.

The transformation that is brought about in the life of an individual when they come to understand who Jesus is and why it is he's calm and what it is he has accomplished. I want to point out to you three further expressions of clarity that are essential in looking at chapter 4 together. The first is in verse 15 of chapter 3 we read everyone who believes in him may have eternal life noticed the comprehensive nature of that statement. This is not some peculiar esoteric interest, but it transcends racial and gender boundaries, and indeed it reaches out around the whole world and then in verse 17 we are told that God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The purpose of Jesus coming was not condemnation rate, but it was salvific. He came in order to save men and women, and then at the end of chapter 3 in verse 36 we discover with equal clarity that to refuse Jesus is to reject life and to sample for darkness and death is a very staggering and a very solemn statement. Is it not.

Whoever believes in the son has eternal life, reminding us that eternal life is not something that begins after you die, but eternal life is something that begins when we come to trust in Jesus as a present tense experience that goes on into eternity. Whoever believes in the son has eternal life.

Whoever rejects the son will not see life from God's wrath remains on him and I point out these these three things by way of clarification because we're now going to look at the encounter Jesus had with a woman who is Ed in every sense.

At the other end of the spectrum from the religious Jew in chapter 3, it's good actually to keep these two chapters in view when you're thinking about the way in which Jesus deals with individuals. The man whom you will have to consider for your homework. In chapter 3, you will discover to be learned, powerful, respected and theologically trained businessman who arrives under cover of darkness to meet Jesus. He is a man Jew and the ruler you going to chapter 4, and now it is a woman.

The woman arrives not under cover of darkness. But in the brightness of the noonday sun. We read that in verse six of chapter 4 this woman. By contrast, is unschooled. She's without influence, and she has despised she is a female Samaritan and actually a moral outcast. You really couldn't take two people that were farther apart. Could you both in terms of gender in terms of background in terms of social status in terms of religious interest and so on. No actually, they are at the opposite ends of the spectrum, but they are united in this one fact they both need Jesus. They both need Jesus. Chapter 3 if you like in the story of the religious man makes clear that no one can ever be so good that they do not require a Savior.

Some people think that God is going to grade on the curve and they looked around the rest of the people in the class and they're prepared to take their shot on the basis of that there staggered to discover he is not going to grade on the curve, but he has set a very final standard in the person of his son and then it becomes apparent that I could never be good enough. That's what chapter 3 makes clear. Chapter 4 conversely makes clear that you can never be so bad as to be beyond the saving bounds of Jesus, which is really terrific. Good news is there are some mechanisms for changing your life that demand a certain standard of certain intellect, certain capacity and if you fit that framework, then the possibility of assigning up and going on is there. However, if you don't meet those standards, then it's just nowhere for you it's all whereas the comprehensive story of the gospel.

Verse 15 again of chapter 3 is that everyone who believes will have eternal life.

Whether you are a religious person unorthodox and devote or whether you are an irreligious person having made a hash of things and beginning to imagine that if there is salvation anywhere.

It is a salvation that is presumably good for everybody else except you.

And chapter 3 in chapter 4 tackle I'm glad because in this congregation this morning. There the whole spectrum is present, we have developed and religious people who are here in devout and religious all of your life, your religious background is such that you really regard yourself as fairly okay in the work of the Bible is to show you that you're not okay. Just as Nicodemus discovered he wasn't okay and that you need a Savior, namely Jesus.

There other people who are here and they would like anyone to know. The fact is that before God and in terms of their own conscience and relationship to their family and so on. They really have made a dreadful mess of their lives that is concealed by how good they look in the way they're able to conduct themselves, but deep down and inside the other sneaking suspicion that they are beyond the pale and the good news is you're not. Note what we'll do is we'll take this in reverse started verse 39 of chapter 4, and deal with a little paragraph that concludes the account. I've called this paragraph simply the talk of the town. If you have in an ideal notice that the editors have given a heading to this paragraph, namely many Samaritans believe it kind of reads like a headline in the local newspaper does not and I sort of what it's supposed to convey your walking down the street going into the railway station and the person was there selling the evening newspapers as they do in London, at least, that it may say on the hoarding on the on the piece that they have there to try and encourage you to us by the evening standard test.

Many Samaritans believe you're supposed to say what I like to read that on the underground and so you grab a copy and find out how is it that these many Samaritans have come to believe in what is that they've come to believe whoever they come to believe what is it mean many Samaritans believe well if we'd arrived inside her, which is the tone in question as we discover in verse four, if we'd arrived in psych of the day after Jesus had left and you notice in verse 43 that he left after two days spent with these people, we would've found that the whole community was abuzz with the visit of Jesus probably would've been difficult to go anywhere at all either in the marketplace by some vegetables or are sitting down to drink some coffee, turkeys, coffee or some coffee and and people not say so what is it, what did you think about the visit and if we just come from an outline region. We would've said, what visit they would've had to explain what the visit of Jesus of Nazareth and we would've said, Jesus of Nazareth was here.

What was Jesus doing here amongst the Samaritans is in Jesus, a Jew. Yes, it is not surprising really surprised us all. Why was he here wisely. We asked him to stay for two days and did he yes is the how did he get here in the first place well in the first instance he was talking with a lady lady from our community and she was out getting water and that's that's what happened. The whole place would've been abuzz with and when you trace it back down the line it comes to a lady comes to a Samaritan woman comes to a woman who in the routine of our life was just going about her business, heading for the well as she normally did an revival essentially takes place inside her, and when we investigate why the city is abuzz with the news of Jesus. We don't discover that there is been a significant evangelist is come to town, but we discover that this woman having met Jesus individually had felt compelled to tell others about the Jesus she had met and as a result of that, the peoples interested in peak and as a result of their interest being peaked then going out to find Jesus. And when it finally located in the asked him if he would stay, and he stayed with them for two days. I'm in the very heart of it all.

When the lady was back into town. In verse 29 and I just point this out to you when she goes back into the time. She says to the people come see a man come see a man there doubtless were some cynics in the crowd especially if she was shouting it out. We would've said here we go again because after all, when it came to seeing men.

This lady had a pretty good track record. She had five husband.

She had a live-in lover and pretty well when it came to relationships. She was notorious but this was obviously different. Come see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ.

Could this be the Messiah.

A strange thing to say what is happened to this lady out of the well.

Who in the world was she talking to back into the town making a fuss and bother common see a man who told me everything I did. Could this be the Christ. Could this be the Messiah. I bet you never did anybody come into your office and say that pity you could try it if you have met Jesus or you may have said, you know, come, come get a hamburger or come and and and enjoy the picnic, but really underlying at what you're saying is coming me Jesus I like you to come and meet the man who was who is who means everything to me was going back to the beginning to verse four and my heading here was not talk of the town, but talk of the well you see what a genius.

I am of these headings can do this is remarkable talk talk the talk at the well, there was a well and there was some talk when we call it the talk at the well.

I spent a long time on this and I hope you are impressed reason I want you to notice this in verse four just the setting is because once again, this bears all the testimony to the historic accuracy of gospel writing to the geographical details as well. There is nothing about this little section that has the notion of fabrication to it has all the indications of an eyewitness account he is identifying the well. He's identifying the location of the well. He's identifying it within the historic framework of Judaism in terms of it being Jacob's well and as they sit down. They look across to the northwest to Mount Guerra Azeem which you can still find on a map and where you will find located the contemporary city of Nablus. This is a real-time incident in a real place involving real people. We have to always remember that when we are reading our Bibles were reading here, the record of that which took place and to this well arrives. Jesus. Jesus had moved on from Judea there was a great surge of enthusiasm for him, and as was often his case, he decided just to move on and he's going off to Galilee and on his way to Galilee. Had to go through Samaria is a sense they are of geographical order. There's a sense there if you like almost of divine compulsion and in making his way through the region. He came to a town in Samara called psycho near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph Jacob's well was there. In Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well and it was about the sixth hour the sixth hour by Jewish reckoning is the noon day ordering that the the hours of the day from 6 AM in the morning, being sunrise. Notice that Jesus was tired resume lead dusty heart and thirsty, the creator of the universe was thirsty.

The guard who'd been there when creation came to birth one. Who was responsible for the establishing of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen sat by the well was thirsty reminder again this man Jesus is none other than the man who is God, the claim of Scripture is clear this is not a man who assumes a posture of divinity. This is divinity incarnate. This is called in the flash such a staggering claim who would invent such a claim.

It is in many of the difficulties the intellectual difficulties of Christianity that some of the choicest nuggets or phone. Don't be put off by these things. Think and trust and believe and as he sits there, a Samaritan woman arrives.

Verse seven when a Samaritan woman came to draw water and the emphasis on Samaritan.

Of course, is crucial because the Jews and the Samaritans didn't deal with one another and becomes apparent in the initial dialogue he sister will you give me a drink. His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. Verse eight I think is the explanation as to why he break social taboo.

Why would a man speak to a woman. In this way. Verse eight tells us because the disciples were not there to help them as they normally would've done, but we might wonder why it is that a woman would be there in the middle of the day. What a strange time to go underwater, especially those parts being heavy in the sun being at its zenith and the inference, of course, appears to be that her team did past, and indeed her present life had not endeared her to the female community of Sica. He was now being invited to the to the ladies gatherings. They certainly were not stopping at her house to call up and say were going to the well are you coming know they did that when the evening shadows began to fall. That was sensible she had to choose to go in the middle of the day alone, so a lonely lady makes a lonely journey in the routine of her life and she meets a man great story. The story Samaritan woman meets Jewish man Jewish man says, could I please have a drink very natural beginning as noted wonderfully straightforward and also just an expression of Jesus need. This is not an opening gambit. This is not Jesus setting out a course in personal evangelism. Now let me see what should I say here what Lemme think of a good beginning know he's thirsty. In fact, I've been reading the story again this morning and I can't find anywhere what he says that Jesus actually got a drink of water level in the whole process because it just goes question and answer always remains me thirsty, even thinking about he appeals to her sympathy.

He seeks a favor from her and in doing so communication is established, the striking impact of the opening statement by Jesus is made clear in verse nine the Samaritan woman said to him you are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you asked me for a drink and then parenthetically an explanation for Jews do not associate with Samaritans. But the very fact that Jesus addresses her in this way cuts across all those normal taboos and boundaries, and causes her to ask this question. Jesus does not answer her question. You'll notice that, but instead he supplies a second question that he says if you knew the gift of God and who it is that asked you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water humanely raises the conversation to a different level. She assumes herself to be in the position of providing what he needs.

She's about to discover that she is actually the one in need of what the stranger is able to provide everything when you come to an event like this that you might be doing what Jesus needs that he sort of need you to come here. He needs to know there are few people left in Cleveland that actually care about God or care about the Bible or care about Jesus and that's sufficient motivation for you to come you perhaps all the passion he said what a shame the people treated Jesus like that. I don't want to treat Jesus like that. I'm going to be nice to him if he has got any events that are going on, I'll go to help them and then you come here and you discover that what you thought you came to provide for him is nothing really to do with the subject at all. It's all about what he has come to provide for you know your reaction may be very similar to the reaction of the lady he says if you'd asked me if you'd asked this individual. He would have given you living water and she said verse 11, you got nothing to draw with in the well is deep.

Where do you get the living water. You greater than our father Jacob. He gave us the well he drank from it and once again Jesus sidesteps requested he doesn't answer the question again why because it's not the issue is a red herring amine is not irrelevant. The questions are set are are are of interest but he doesn't get into the Jewish Samaritan debate, nor does he get into the question of the historicity of Jacob and whether he is a greater person than Jacob. There will be time for that kind of conversation.

But for now he wants to address the issue. When I go to discuss with which well is the best well whether Jacob's well has living want to rent the house. Jesus answers verse 13 probably pointing to the well everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst for just a moment the woman's whole focus to this point is about water. The reason she's at the well is because the well has water the reason she has a part is because you go to fill the part of the jar with water as you going to get back to use the water. She understands this and Jesus is everybody who drinks this water will thirst again but the anyone who drinks the water that I give will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. Your listing to Truth for Life bed with a message titled, a man part of our series called a light in the darkness.

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We got a wonderful devotional would love to send to you to book titled facing a task unfinished and it's designed to help us cultivate a desire to see other people come to know Jesus.

The outcast woman at the well was compelled to share with others.

The details of her encounter with Christ. She shared with her whole town, yet so often we find ourselves intimidated talking to just a single person, even the idea of sharing our faith stops us in our tracks. Roger Carswell recognizes that evangelism can be challenging, intimidating.

He has carefully assembled 52 readings devotional for each week of the year to help you focus your heart on reaching the lost. Facing a task unfinished lays out a selection of Bible passages, reflections and him lyrics that are designed to encourage us to develop a heart for those who need Christ will benefit from reading facing a task unfinished during your quiet time or by working through the book with your Bible study group, we invite you to request a copy when you give a gift of any amount or when you join the team of truth partners simply tap on the book image you see on the Truth for Life mobile app or visit us online@truthforlife.org/truth partners or you can call us at 888-588-7884 again that 888-588-7884 Bob Lapine tomorrow. Alister explores how the woman at the well, eventually came to understand her deepest need, continues his message come see a man Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life with Learning is for Living