You and I need living water.

John 4:4-45

Introduction: Our the last week our city of Watertown experienced a water crisis. At midnight on Thursday, the primary water main broke. It was deemed by city leadership as a worse case scenario. The Mayor and City Manager both said all 25,000 citizens would run out of water in a matter of hours. For those outside of the city, life went on as usual. But for those inside the city, a new mentality emerged – the need to get water. Today I point your attention to our need for living water, Jesus and the Woman at the well, his longest conversation of all the ones recorded in the Four Gospels. John 4:10 “Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

1. You must be drawn to living water. 4:4-14 John 6:44

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

A. Preparations of Providence 4:4-8 Providence is God working forth His plan, purposes, and promises to achieve His will (to borrow from John Flavel). John 4:4-8 And He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; 6 and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7 There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus *said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

• (4:4-6) Places you live. This woman lived in Samaria, but came to this well, roughly a mile from Samaria. In Genesis 48:22 and Joshua 24:32, we see this piece of ground, called ‘Shechem in the Old Testament. God used this place historically. Where Abraham first settled on his way to Canaanland (Genesis 12:6). Where Jacob gave an inheritance to his son Joseph (Genesis 48:22; Joshua 24:32). Where God’s people presented themselves to Him for commitment (Joshua 24:1). Where Solomon’s son was anointed the next king of Israel (1 Kings 12:1). As important as those historic events were, they all prepared for this meeting between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

• (4:7-8)(Problems you have). This woman was thirsty, needing water. The disciples went into the city to get food. Often the problems of life are used by God to get us uncomfortable enough to be open to hearing about the root problem of life – our sin. Psalm 63:1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

• (John 4:7). People you meet. Think of whom this woman met – Jesus! He started with a simple request, “Give me a drink.”

B. Personal work of the Holy Spirit. John 4:13-14 John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” John 7:37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 16:8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.

2. Decisive faith to receive living water. 4:9-30

A. The awakening of regeneration in the soul. Jn 4:9,12,19,25-26 Acts 16:14 A woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of God, was listening; and the Lord opened her heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul.

The woman at the well perceived Jesus first as a mere man (“How is it you being a Jew” John 4:9). Then, she perceived Him greater than great men (“You are not greater than our Father Jacob, are you…?, 4:12). Then she perceived Him a prophet, greater than all men (“Sir, I perceive you are a prophet.” 4:19). Then the final picture comes into view, John 4:25-26 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”

B. Repentance to turn the soul. John 4:28 John 4:28 So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and *said to the men. Note: She left her bottle behind, her shame, her guilt , self reliance. The cry of repentance, Luke 15:17-18 But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight.

C. Reliance of faith to convert the soul. John 4:29-30 John 4:29-30 “Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?” 30 They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. Cf 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8-9.

3. Delivery of the living water. John 4:31-45

A. Deployment of laborers. 4:31-39 John 4:35-38 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 36 Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this case the saying is true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.”

A. Declaration of the Word. 4:39-42 John 4:39-42 39 From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 Many more believed because of His word; 42 and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world.”

B. Dependency in prayer. Mt 9:38 Matthew 9:38 Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”