THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA


JOHN 4
A. "AND MANY OF THE SAMARITANS OF THAT CITY BELIEVED ON HIM FOR THE SAYING OF THE WOMAN, WHICH TESTIFIED, HE TOLD ME ALL THAT I EVER DID" - JOHN 4:39
  1. With these words we wish to study the woman of Samaria:
    1. Who distinguished herself by her conversation with a Jew, she being a Samaritan
    2. The Jews had no dealing with the Samaritans
  2. Our Lord's conversation with that Samaritan woman:
    1. Even amazed the disciples, because they were biased too
    2. But the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost, and that included the Samaritans
B. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THINGS THAT MADE THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA OUTSTANDING
  1. Her keenness of intellect:
    1. She was quick to question the propriety of a Jew to ask a Samaritan for a drink of water - "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest a drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealing with the Samaritans" - John 4:9
    2. When the Son of God told her that if she new who was talking to her she would ask Him and He would give her living water; she perceived that he was a prophet, she reminded him of the importance of the well
    3. The offer of the Master appealed to her, and she said, "Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw"
  2. Her frank honesty:
    1. "I have no husband"
    2. When the Lord unfolded her life, she realized that He was more than a Jew; that He knew what went on in her life
    3. She was not offended when she was told about her life, said she, "Sir I perceive that thou art a prophet" - John 4:19. A prophet was called in ancient times, "seer" - I Sam. 9:9
  3. Her readiness to accept light:
    1. "I know that Messiah cometh, which is called Christ" - John 4:25
    2. She must have studied the mission of the Messiah - "When He (the Christ) cometh, He will tell us all things"
  4. These and other related facts in the story of the Samaritan make her an outstanding personality:
    1. In spite of the dark background of her loose life
    2. The Saviour saw potentials in that woman and he treated her with great kindness and special tact. We as workers in the cause of soul winning do well to study the method of the Master soul-winner
C. NOW THESE HIGH LIGHTS IN THE STORY OF THE SAMARITAN WOMAN
  1. She was a diamond in the rough:
    1. Her conversation with Jesus reveals so much that is admirable, that one is willing to overlook the sinful background of her married life
    2. I believe that the Son of God saw the qualities in her life worth saving; He was ready and willing to cast her sins behind His back, Said Hezekiah, "Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back" - Is. 38:17
  2. This is a lesson God's workers must take to heart when they labor for souls:
    1. They must seek out the qualities of the person that Christ came to save; and work from here. Paul understood this truth - I Tim. 1:15
    2. Christ came to seek and to save that which is lost; and that includes all of us
  3. Think of the miracle of the transforming grace of God as demonstrated in the life of the Samaritan:
    1. Perhaps one hour with Jesus, conversing with Him, made the world of difference in her attitude toward salvation - amazing grace, how great thou art
    2. She accepted Christ's message; and became a mighty witness for Him. He did not even say to her, "Go and sin no more" - Her vision of the presence of the Messiah changed her life completely
    3. Her transformation became the entering wedge of the gospel to the city of Samaria and a large harvest of souls followed.


Design © John Bryant 2011