Who is on the margins? (John 4)
A woman with a sketchy reputation has a conversation with Jesus. She tries to derail the conversation with social constraints and differences of religion. But he goes straight to her heart.
His disciples come back from a food run and are surprised that he's talking to 1) a woman (gender bias); 2) a Samaritan (racial prejudice), and 3) someone with a questionable past (possible moral issues).
Jesus isn't bothered by their preconception of who she is. He judges the longing of every heart - including yours and mine.
Whether you're someone who's judged harshly or disregarded by other OR if you're the one judging someone, won't you let Jesus soften your heart? Won't you take his kind invitation to come close to God through him, the Messiah (Savior) of the world?
Jesus had to go through Samaria. He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the piece of land Jacob had given his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there. Jesus was tired from the journey. So he sat down by the well. It was about noon.
A woman from Samaria came to get some water. Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.
The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew. I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” She said this because Jews don’t have anything to do with Samaritans.
Jesus answered her, “You do not know what God’s gift is. And you do not know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would have asked him. He would have given you living water.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “you don’t have anything to get water with. The well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Our father Jacob gave us the well. He drank from it himself. So did his sons and his livestock. Are you more important than he is?”
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. But anyone who drinks the water I give them will never be thirsty. In fact, the water I give them will become a spring of water in them. It will flow up into eternal life.”
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty. And I won’t have to keep coming here to get water.”
He told her, “Go. Get your husband and come back.”
“I have no husband,” she replied.
Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands. And the man you live with now is not your husband. What you have just said is very true.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our people have always worshiped on this mountain. But you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”
Jesus said, “Woman, believe me. A time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know. Salvation comes from the Jews. But a new time is coming. In fact, it is already here. True worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth. They are the kind of worshipers the Father is looking for. God is spirit. His worshipers must worship him in the Spirit and in truth.”
The woman said, “I know that Messiah is coming.” Messiah means Christ. “When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”
Then Jesus said, “The one you’re talking about is the one speaking to you. I am he.”
Just then Jesus’ disciples returned. They were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want from her?” No one asked, “Why are you talking with her?”
The woman left her water jar and went back to the town. She said to the people, “Come. See a man who told me everything I’ve ever done. Could this be the Messiah?” The people came out of the town and made their way toward Jesus.
