The Samaritan Woman
Series: A SUMMER OF PSALMS
Speaker: James Barnett
Date: 26th January 2019
Passage: John 4:1-45
00:00:00 --> 00:00:08 Good morning, everyone. It's nice to see you this morning. Kids, there are coloring packs.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:14 Come down and get those. Parents, come bring your kids down. There's pencils and packs to come and get.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:20 I have had the wonderful privilege this week of being at summer camp.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:25 Put your hand up. Give me a shout out if you've ever been to summer camp.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:31 I see a couple of wonderful people here. Thank you for shouting at me.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:41 This week, the youth of our church have been looking at the start of John, the first couple of chapters of John.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:48 We've seen that John shows us that Jesus is the Word of God, that He is God Himself.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:54 How John the Baptist came to prepare people for Jesus.
00:00:54 --> 00:01:00 And last night, we looked at the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3.16.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:05 And we were all challenged to commit our lives to Jesus.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:11 And for the first time, there were three young people who did commit their lives to Jesus.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 And that's it. Come on, let's cheer that.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:25 It's wonderful news that that verse gives us that there is eternal life and that by believing, we will not perish.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 And so it was a great joy that some of our young people committed for the first time.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 Another young guy, just so excited.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:37 He became a Christian last year and he was just so thankful for what God had done.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 He was just like, I just want to recommit.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 I just want to pray again. I'm just so thankful.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:45 And so it's a really wonderful week that our youth have had.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:54 And they will be all kinds of tired and excited and hyped up and probably a little bit sunburnt when they get back this afternoon for church.
00:01:55 --> 00:02:00 So I have the privilege of bringing you the final talk for summer camp.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:08 We're going to just dip in to one part of John this morning as we look at what God's word brings to us today.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:13 And even though you haven't had the lead up to it, God will still speak to us today.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 So let me pray that God will indeed do that.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:22 Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you so much for the week that the youth have had away.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:29 God, thank you so much for those three young people who have committed their lives to you.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:33 And for the other guy who has recommitted his life.
00:02:33 --> 00:02:42 God, we thank you that it is only through you and through your spirit that we can have life because of what Jesus has done.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 Be with us this morning as we look at this part of the Bible.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:53 Give us open ears and open hearts to listen well, to be shaped to be more like you, Lord.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:53 Amen.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:58 Have you ever been really embarrassed?
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 Really ashamed?
00:03:02 --> 00:03:06 Imagine you're at work and your boss is the worst.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:08 Might not be that hard to imagine.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 I'm not sure why Nick's laughing.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 His boss isn't here.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:17 And your colleagues, you and your colleagues were always whinging about how bad your boss is.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:25 And you've just come back from another meeting with your boss and you've been reminded about how incompetent this boss really is.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:33 And so you just send your mate, your colleague a quick email on the latest update of the saga of the incompetent boss.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 And then you get a call from your boss to come back into the office.
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 And you wonder what it's about.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:45 But then as you're walking back in, you realize you didn't send that email to your colleague.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 You sent it to your boss.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:49 I don't know why Rach is nodding.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 I hope that's never happened to her.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:55 And as you walk in, the blood just starts to creep up your face.
00:03:55 --> 00:03:56 Oh, no.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 What is my boss going to do?
00:03:59 --> 00:04:05 Am I going to be publicly shamed, embarrassed in front of everyone?
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 Am I going to be fired?
00:04:06 --> 00:04:11 Have you ever been in that kind of position before?
00:04:12 --> 00:04:19 Shamed, embarrassed, and you feel like your life has been placed into somebody else's hands?
00:04:20 --> 00:04:29 Can you imagine what it would be like to stand not just before someone who knew one embarrassing or shameful act,
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 but the God who knows them all?
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 Every shameful and hidden thing we've done.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 Today, we're going to meet a woman who had been deeply ashamed.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:48 We're going to see what happens when this deeply ashamed woman meets Jesus himself.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 And we're going to see what happens.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 Is Jesus going to shame her further?
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 What happens in this situation?
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 We're going to be looking from John chapter 4, verse 1.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 Please have your Bibles open in front of me, or the verses will be on the screen.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:03 From verse 1.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:12 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 Although, in fact, it was not Jesus who'd baptized, but his disciples.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 Now he had to go through Samaria.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:30 So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given his son, Joseph.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:38 Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from his journey, sat down by the well.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:40 It was about noon.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:44 So Jesus had been on a long journey, and he's in a place called Samaria.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:50 Samaria is part of what formerly was Israel, God's nation.
00:05:51 --> 00:05:57 But it split, after Solomon's time, into the northern and southern kingdoms.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:02 The northern kingdom was formerly known as Israel, but that becomes Samaria.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 And they are taken into captivity by Assyria.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:13 And over time, people from other nations, other religions come in, and it becomes a melting pot of people.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 A melting pot of people and a melting pot of religions.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 And they were like the black sheep of the family.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:25 They disagreed with the Jews on how they should be worshipping God.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:31 And so there was always conflict between the Samaritans and the Jewish people.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:40 And this is why the story of the good Samaritan is so amazing, because we don't expect Samaritans to be good, because they were just the enemies.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 And so Jesus is in enemy territory.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 He's in Samaria.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 Tired from a long journey.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:52 He sits down, noon, the sixth hour, the middle of the day.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 And he's thirsty.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 And he's tired.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 And so he's sitting at the well.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 The second half of verse 6.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:05 Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 It was about noon.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her,
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 Will you give me a drink?
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 And so we're introduced to this woman.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 She'd come to draw water.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 We don't know her name.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 She's just referred to as a Samaritan woman.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:30 But now imagine for a moment what it was like at this time.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 You don't have running water in your house.
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 Toilets, they weren't full of water.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:40 You had no showers, just like some of the campers have been pretending this week.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:47 But instead, maybe you had to walk a kilometer to get water every day.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:53 If you lived in a hot place like Judah, and you had to go and get water, when would you go?
00:07:55 --> 00:07:55 Anyone?
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 When would you go and get water if you lived in a hot place?
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 In the morning.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:03 In the morning, in the evening, when it was cool.
00:08:04 --> 00:08:08 Most women would have gone first thing in the morning when it was cool, first thing in the evening.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:16 But this Samaritan woman comes out in the middle of the day, the worst possible time to get water.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:22 Maybe she's coming out in the middle of the day to avoid seeing the other women of the town.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:26 To avoid scorn and shame and embarrassment.
00:08:27 --> 00:08:31 Just this one line about this woman makes us think, well, what is she hiding?
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 Why is she so embarrassed?
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 Is there something that is causing her to feel shame?
00:08:37 --> 00:08:47 Because shame has plagued us as humans since Adam and Eve first bit the fruit and hid from God.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:53 We live in a dangerous world and we have the same instinct to hide our failures.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 We run away so that we are not damaged.
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 So that our families are not damaged and our reputations are not damaged.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:06 Shame is a combination of failure and pride.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:15 We fail due to our weakness and we fail to live up to the expectations that we have and of other people's expectations.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:22 And so we can go to almost any length to cover up our shame before other people.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:28 Pride-fueled shame can have great control over our lives.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:35 I'm sure we've all felt this desire to just put our head under a rock and hide somewhere.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:40 Maybe we're hiding our failures and our shame right now from the people we love.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 Not wanting to let them down and not wanting to lose face.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:50 And so it seems that this woman is hiding something deeply shameful.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:55 So shameful that she would rather make her life much more difficult.
00:09:55 --> 00:10:01 Going out in the worst possible time to get water and face the consequences.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 And so what does Jesus do to this woman who appears to want to hide?
00:10:07 --> 00:10:11 What does Jesus who knows all about this Samaritan woman do?
00:10:12 --> 00:10:12 Verse 7.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 Jesus said to her, will you give me a drink?
00:10:17 --> 00:10:21 He asks to, he talks to her.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 He asks for a drink.
00:10:24 --> 00:10:33 To us it doesn't seem like that big, you know, you're going to any coffee shop and I as a male could ask a female,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 can I please have a drink?
00:10:35 --> 00:10:39 And they will gladly give me a drink as long as they also get my money.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 But this is a totally different situation.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 The woman is shocked.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 Verse 9.
00:10:44 --> 00:10:50 The Samaritan woman said to him, you are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 How can you ask me for a drink?
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.
00:10:56 --> 00:11:01 The woman is shocked because there are so many counters going on here.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 Not kitchen counters, but as in the word against.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 So it's counter-cultural.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 It's counter-religion.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 It's counter-gender.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:14 It is counter-everything going on.
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 Samaritans did not talk to Jews.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 They were the enemies.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 They worshipped God in the wrong way.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 They were of a different religion.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 They did not talk.
00:11:25 --> 00:11:31 Men and women, if they weren't of the same family, if they didn't know each other, they did not talk.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 It was counter-cultural.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 It was counter-religious.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 It was counter-gender in every situation.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 But Jesus doesn't shame her.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:48 Knowing her life, he extends an olive branch of peace and speaks to her.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 And she asks, you're a Jew.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 I'm a Samaritan woman.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 How can you ask me for a drink?
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 This is just crazy.
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 Jesus responds in verse 10.
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 Jesus answered her,
00:12:00 --> 00:12:09 If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 Verse 14.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:14 Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:22 Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water, welling up to eternal life.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:27 Jesus said, if only you knew who I was, I would give you life.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:34 Water welling up in you, life welling up in you like living water that would give you eternal life.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 And only I can give you that.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:41 Now this woman hears this and she's only thinking about her direct needs.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 Her need for water every day, not having to walk a cave.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 And so verse 15, the woman said,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:52 Sir, give me this water so I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 Give me that bucket of water that never runs out.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 That would be really convenient.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 I could pour it out.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 I could bathe in it.
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 I won't have to come out here every day.
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 And so Jesus gets to the point.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 He gets to the heart of the matter.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 He said, go call your husband.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 Verse 17.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 I have no husband, she replied.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 Jesus said to her, you are right when you say you have no husband.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 The fact is you have had five husbands.
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 And the man you now have is not your husband.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 What you have just said is quite true.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:34 The woman had been trying to hide, it turns out, because she had had five husbands.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 And she was now with a man who was not her husband.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 This would have been absolutely shocking.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 This would have been shameful.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:51 And even thousands of years later, to have had five marriages and five divorces.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 This would have been shocking.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 This would have certainly set tongues wagging.
00:13:56 --> 00:14:00 It would have likely caused great shame on her family.
00:14:01 --> 00:14:09 Just think about the pain and divorce, the pain and grief that one divorce causes a family.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 Let alone five.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:14 No wonder she doesn't want to see the other women.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:21 She would have been embarrassed and ashamed, even thinking about what the other women would have said to her.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 Maybe you felt this low.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 That feeling of, I've ruined everything in life.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 There's nothing I can do to fix it.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 It's just easier to hide.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 Move house.
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 Move school.
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 Change friends.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 Because I'm never going to live this down.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 People don't look at me the same anymore.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 And yet, what was Jesus' response?
00:14:46 --> 00:14:50 Jesus, the one who knew her deep shame and depravity.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 Deeper than even she would admit.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:57 Jesus crossed cultural barriers to her.
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 He offered her living water.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 He offered her everlasting life.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:08 Jesus offered her something that she tried to get, but she couldn't get anywhere.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 He offered her family.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 He offered her adoption into God's family.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:19 And this is one of my favorite things about our Savior Jesus.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 He doesn't come blind to earth.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:26 He's not surprised that we sin.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 He's not surprised by our depravity.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:33 It's not like he meets this woman and Jesus is shocked.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 He knows what people are like.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 He knows us.
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 He knows what it's like to be human.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 To be frail.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 He's not like us.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:47 He doesn't turn a critical eye to this Samaritan woman and say, you know, fix yourself up.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 Come on.
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 Get better before I can even talk to you.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 He knows and loves us.
00:15:54 --> 00:16:02 He loves us as we are so we can become like him through his death and resurrection.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:09 In our lives, there are often times to dwell on the love we have from other people.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 There's Mother's Day and Father's Day.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:17 We get cards from our kids and they've done some masterpiece work of art in them.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 I'm just speaking for my kids here.
00:16:19 --> 00:16:24 And at the bottom of these kind of cards, it'll say, with love.
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 You know, Valentine's Day rolls around.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 Alyssa and I don't do anything for Valentine's Day because it's Isaac's birthday.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 But our wedding anniversary is just a couple of days before it.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 And so, you know, we'll give each other cards.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:41 And on the bottom, it says, you know, with love or I love you so much or, you know, hugs and kisses.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 Those kinds of things.
00:16:42 --> 00:16:49 We mark special occasions and we tell people how much we love them.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:54 And we think about and we dwell on the love we have for people.
00:16:56 --> 00:17:03 When was the last time that you stopped and read the card from Jesus that is God's word that says,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 I love you.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 I want you in my family.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 I want you to have a life from this living water.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:18 Maybe, you know, together we could make a whole new line of greeting cards.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:22 Because it's important in our relationships to remember,
00:17:23 --> 00:17:27 it's important to remember that people love us and that we love other people.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:33 But it is so much more important that we remember God's love for us.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 Regardless of our shame.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 Regardless of how depraved we are.
00:17:41 --> 00:17:45 The Samaritan woman meets Jesus, speaks with him briefly,
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 and then she rushes back into town.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 She leaves her water jar behind.
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 She is in so much haste.
00:17:52 --> 00:17:55 And the disciples come back to town with food.
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 Come back from town with food.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 And it appears that Jesus sent them,
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 not just with the task of food,
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 but of harvesting people.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 Not just to buy food,
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 but to share the news of Jesus
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 and to see this town come to know and love him.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 But they haven't done that.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 But this is exactly what the Samaritan woman does.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 Verse 28.
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 Then leaving her water jar,
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 the woman went back to the town and said to the people,
00:18:24 --> 00:18:29 Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 Could this be the Messiah?
00:18:32 --> 00:18:35 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 Then down in verse 39.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:41 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 because of the woman's testimony.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 He told me everything I ever did.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 So when the Samaritans came to him,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 they urged him to stay with them.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 And he stayed two days.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 And because of his words,
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 many more became believers.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 The Samaritans believed
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 because of the witness of this woman.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 Meeting Jesus had been so radical,
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 so life-changing,
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 it caused her to do something
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 that she may not have done for years.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 To go and talk to other people of the town.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 She'd been trying to hide
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 by getting water in the middle of the day.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 She meets Jesus
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 and she rushes back to talk to these people.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 She'd been impacted by Jesus so much
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 that instead of hiding,
00:19:29 --> 00:19:32 worried about her own shame and embarrassment,
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 she charges into town
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 and starts telling everyone.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 Jesus knew everything about my sordid past.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 And she says that
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 like everyone would have known
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 about everything she'd done.
00:19:45 --> 00:19:48 But it's like a positive thing.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 Jesus knew everything
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 and he offered me life.
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 I know, I'm surprised too, everybody.
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 It's okay.
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 But is he the Messiah?
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 Is he the Christ?
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 Come and see.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 That old cliche,
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 love conquers all,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 really is true here.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 It's the theme of so many movies.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 But it's true.
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 Particularly when we see
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 the love from God.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 You know, the one who invented love.
00:20:18 --> 00:20:21 This love changed lives.
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 And this one woman who met Jesus,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 she was not put down
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 or abused
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 or shamed further.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 But this one woman
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 saw her whole town
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 get converted
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 because of her ministry.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 How are we going,
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 brothers and sisters,
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 responding to God's
00:20:40 --> 00:20:43 counter-cultural love for us?
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 That even though God knows
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 all of our
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 dirty
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 and depraved
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 and shameful secrets,
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 he still loves us.
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 He still wants us
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 in his family.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 Have you ever responded
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 like the Samaritan woman?
00:21:00 --> 00:21:03 So aware of what you have gained
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 in Christ,
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 so aware of the contrast
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 between your sin
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 and the love
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 that you would,
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 it would cause you
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 to do something
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 for Jesus like this.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 To say to people,
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 Jesus knows
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 everything
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 I have ever done
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 and yet he loves me.
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 Come,
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 come and see this Jesus.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 He is great
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 and he loves you.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 Or would this be
00:21:30 --> 00:21:32 a little bit too embarrassing?
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 You know,
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 to think maybe,
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 you know,
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 I've got good friends.
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 The people at work
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 think I'm a normal person.
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 I don't want to
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 spoil that
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 by talking about Jesus too much.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 I don't like talking about
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 Jesus.
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 I actually prefer
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 to hide away
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 what I do
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 on the weekends.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 People know
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 I go to church
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 but I don't want to be
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 forcing my beliefs
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 on them
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 throughout the week.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 Brothers and sisters,
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 if we know
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 the vast gap
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 between what we are like
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 and what Jesus
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 has done
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 to make us new,
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 how can we pretend
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 like nothing
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 has happened.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 Jesus said
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 a little later
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 in John,
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 if you're ashamed
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 of me
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 and my words,
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 the Son of Man
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 will be ashamed
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 of you.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 Now God
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 did something shameful.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 He went
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 from being
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 divine
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 and he put
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 on flesh.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 Flesh
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 that was
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 whipped,
00:22:35 --> 00:22:37 a crown of thorns
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 placed on his head.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 he was
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 hung on a tree
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 and killed.
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 Killed so that
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 our shame
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 could be killed.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 Know
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 that Jesus
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 loves you.
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 Know
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 that Jesus
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 loves you
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 despite
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 you
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 and let me
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 encourage you
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 to be just like
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 this Samaritan woman
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 to share
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 that love
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 that Jesus
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 has
00:23:04 --> 00:23:06 even
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 when it
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 might be
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 embarrassing.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 Let me pray
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 for us.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 Dear Heavenly
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 Father,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 I thank you
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 so much
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 to your word
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 to us
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 this morning.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 Thank you
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 for Jesus'
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 love
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 for all
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 of us
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 and
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 particularly
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 this Samaritan
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 woman
00:23:25 --> 00:23:28 who reminds
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 us so much
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 of ourselves.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:32 Lord,
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 you know
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 what each
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 of us
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 is like.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 We try
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 to hide
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 and pretend
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 and mask
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 our shame
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 and our
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 embarrassment
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 and the
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 failures
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 that we
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 have done
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 but Lord
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 to you
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 we are
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 an open
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 book
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 and yet
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 Lord
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 you love
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 us.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 You sent
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 your son
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54 so that
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 we could
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 have
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 eternal
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 life
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 so that
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 we would
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 not
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 perish
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 but could
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 be brought
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 into your
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 family.
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 Father,
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 thank you
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 that you
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 take away
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 our shame
00:24:05 --> 00:24:07 that you
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 take away
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 any
00:24:09 --> 00:24:09 embarrassment
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 that we
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 have
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 and you
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 nail it
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 to the
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 cross.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:15 Father,
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 help us
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 not to
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 dwell
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 on the
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 mistakes
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 that we
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 have made
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 but to
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 dwell on
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 your love
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 for us
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 to remember
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 your love
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 for us
00:24:24 --> 00:24:26 and Lord
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 make us
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 passionate
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 and fearless
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 to share
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 this love
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 that you
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 have given
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 us
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 for the
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 people
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 around
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 us.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 We ask
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 this in
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 your
00:24:36 --> 00:24:36 son's
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 name.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 Amen.