“Give Me This Water,” John 4:7-26

Introduction:  The afternoon gathering of women at the Guatemala village well

The ability (and willingness) to strike up conversation with strangers.

I.        Give Me a Drink

A.     (v7) “Jesus said to her, ‘Give me a drink.’”

1.      (v9) “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?”

2.      Jesus crossed a few barriers: men don’t talk to women, Jews don’t use Samaritan cups.

3.      If Jesus ignores barriers in loving people, so must we.

B.     (v12) “Are you greater than our father Jacob?”

1.      Key question for John’s purposes.  Who is Jesus?

2.      Isaiah 44; 3, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land…I will pour my spirit upon your…”

3.      (v10) “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink…’”

C.     Jesus offers a better deal

1.      (v13) “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.”

2.      (v14) “Whoever drinks the water that I will give will never be thirsty again.”

3.      “The water that I give will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

II.       Give Me a Drink

A.     (v15) “The woman said to him, ‘Sir, give me this water…’”

1.      “…so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

2.      She may be challenging Jesus to prove himself.

B.     Do we receive the gift of God (the grace of God) only as a matter of convenience?

1.      (v16) Jesus—“Go, call your husband, and come here.”

2.      For the gift to be effective, we must present to Jesus our brokenness.  It is not safe.

3.      (v18) “You have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband.”

C.     (v19) “The woman said to him, ‘Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.’”

1.      She hides her “issue” behind the safety of theology: That’s how you see it.

2.      (v25) “I know that Messiah is coming.  When he comes…”  Retreat to safety again.

Conclusion:   (v26) “Jesus said to her, ‘I Am, the one speaking to you.’”  I am statements.