The Wednesday Word
High Noon!
by D.G. Miles McKee
I
love the story of the ‘Woman at the Well’! We find it in John 4:3-42
and it shows us, among other things, how Jesus loves to save lost
sinners.
Here’s the story. In His mission of seeking and finding, the Good Shepherd leaves Judea to go to Galilee (v 3). He then diverts to Sychar, a city of Samaria (v 4). Jacob's well was there and Jesus, upon arrival, being weary, sat down (v 6). What a remarkable sight. Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, the incarnate Word, the Creator and upholder of the universe; sits there, as a tired man, hungry, and thirsty. What astonishing things we see in the gospel!
His disciples had gone into the city to buy food (v 8), and He is left alone. He wanted to have a conversation with a poor helpless woman and in His sovereignty had chosen the exact time for this meeting … High Noon!
She comes to the well at the appointed time (v7). Notice that Jesus was there before she arrived. That’s because He is always there first. God is the beginner of every work in the soul.
Jesus began by asking her for a drink. She basically refuses (v9). She’s a racist. But if prejudice hindered her from giving water, love prompted Jesus to speak to her.
Notice how the Lord Jesus revealed to her the fact that God was a giving God (v10). He was the giver of “living water.” But she doesn’t understand; she is still a stranger to the language of grace and remains occupied with her “water-pot” and the water from Jacob's well (v11-12). "Jesus answered and said unto her, “Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
Wonderful words!
By the way, “Thirst Again," can be written over all the supposed pleasures of this world. Never has anyone been satisfied with them, not even Solomon (see Ecclesiastes 1:2,14; 2:1,11,15 etc.). But God gives something that quenches the spiritual thirst of the soul forever. He gives us Himself! (See John 7:37-38). He is the living water.
But this poor woman cannot rise higher than herself. Jesus has just played her the music of grace, but she has not danced. She is still occupied with Jacob's well, and her physical thirst. "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come here to draw water" (v15).
To arouse the needed conviction of sin Jesus asked her to call her husband (v16). The woman replied, "I have no husband." Jesus responded, “You have well said, that you have no husband: for you have had five; and the one you have now is not your husband” (v17-18). It’s all out in the open now, the whole of her filthy life. She’s been exposed! But instead of crying for mercy, she begins talking about religion and worship (v19-20). However, in return, the Lord, the Master Evangelist, speaks about salvation and true worship (v22- 23). The truth is, an unsaved person cannot genuinely worship. This woman needed to be delivered from the wrath to come. Then, being delivered, she would be able to thank God and worship Him because of His salvation.
Notice what follows. The woman says, " I know that Messiah is coming, …He will tell us all things"(v25). Jesus said unto her, “I that speak unto you am He.” He points her to Himself. God's gift was standing right in front of her, and she silently received Him. Evidently, she saw clearly the whole of her life was one of lust. The Saviour of sinners had shown her what she was really like. The Messiah, the Christ of God, had come, and she believed on Him. She was now saved! Divine Grace had reached her.
Can she be silent? Indeed, no; she was compelled because of mercy to speak about the One who had saved her. Her lips confessed what her heart now possessed. Her message was simple, ”Come see Jesus.” And, mark the effect. “Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him (Jesus) for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did” (v39).
The grace of God can do anything! He can and does save the worst of people.
And that’s the Gospel Truth!
Here’s the story. In His mission of seeking and finding, the Good Shepherd leaves Judea to go to Galilee (v 3). He then diverts to Sychar, a city of Samaria (v 4). Jacob's well was there and Jesus, upon arrival, being weary, sat down (v 6). What a remarkable sight. Jesus, God manifest in the flesh, the incarnate Word, the Creator and upholder of the universe; sits there, as a tired man, hungry, and thirsty. What astonishing things we see in the gospel!
His disciples had gone into the city to buy food (v 8), and He is left alone. He wanted to have a conversation with a poor helpless woman and in His sovereignty had chosen the exact time for this meeting … High Noon!
She comes to the well at the appointed time (v7). Notice that Jesus was there before she arrived. That’s because He is always there first. God is the beginner of every work in the soul.
Jesus began by asking her for a drink. She basically refuses (v9). She’s a racist. But if prejudice hindered her from giving water, love prompted Jesus to speak to her.
Notice how the Lord Jesus revealed to her the fact that God was a giving God (v10). He was the giver of “living water.” But she doesn’t understand; she is still a stranger to the language of grace and remains occupied with her “water-pot” and the water from Jacob's well (v11-12). "Jesus answered and said unto her, “Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."
Wonderful words!
By the way, “Thirst Again," can be written over all the supposed pleasures of this world. Never has anyone been satisfied with them, not even Solomon (see Ecclesiastes 1:2,14; 2:1,11,15 etc.). But God gives something that quenches the spiritual thirst of the soul forever. He gives us Himself! (See John 7:37-38). He is the living water.
But this poor woman cannot rise higher than herself. Jesus has just played her the music of grace, but she has not danced. She is still occupied with Jacob's well, and her physical thirst. "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come here to draw water" (v15).
To arouse the needed conviction of sin Jesus asked her to call her husband (v16). The woman replied, "I have no husband." Jesus responded, “You have well said, that you have no husband: for you have had five; and the one you have now is not your husband” (v17-18). It’s all out in the open now, the whole of her filthy life. She’s been exposed! But instead of crying for mercy, she begins talking about religion and worship (v19-20). However, in return, the Lord, the Master Evangelist, speaks about salvation and true worship (v22- 23). The truth is, an unsaved person cannot genuinely worship. This woman needed to be delivered from the wrath to come. Then, being delivered, she would be able to thank God and worship Him because of His salvation.
Notice what follows. The woman says, " I know that Messiah is coming, …He will tell us all things"(v25). Jesus said unto her, “I that speak unto you am He.” He points her to Himself. God's gift was standing right in front of her, and she silently received Him. Evidently, she saw clearly the whole of her life was one of lust. The Saviour of sinners had shown her what she was really like. The Messiah, the Christ of God, had come, and she believed on Him. She was now saved! Divine Grace had reached her.
Can she be silent? Indeed, no; she was compelled because of mercy to speak about the One who had saved her. Her lips confessed what her heart now possessed. Her message was simple, ”Come see Jesus.” And, mark the effect. “Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him (Jesus) for the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me all that ever I did” (v39).
The grace of God can do anything! He can and does save the worst of people.
And that’s the Gospel Truth!
NOTE: To hear more Gospel messages (audio & written) and for Contact Information for preacher Miles McKee then please go to http://www.milesmckee.com/
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