THE WELL...THE RIVER...and YOU

Hello thirsty people. WELL? Just before Elvis would sing Blue Suede Shoes on the album...Elvis Live at the International Hotel...he would tease the audience by singing...Well, well, well. weeeeeeeeell...Well, well, well....
Well it's one for the money...two for the show...three to get ready now go cat go...

Todays, Rambling deals with a WELL....that transcends the momentary rendition of an old song. Jesus was always taking the opportunity of whatever was available to draw people into a conversation and then turn it back to the Father's will. Jesus was passing through Samaria...and entered into a city called Sycar. He was in a parcel of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. At that place there was a well...known as JACOB'S WELL. Jesus was tired from his journey...and sat down by the well. NOTE: Jesus was not Super-Saint...or a Bionic Savior....he was God incarnated into flesh...and he became tired. He would be hungry...he would be physically thirsty...like you and me.

A WOMAN....of Samaria...came to the WELL...to draw WATER. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a DRINK." His travelling companions had gone into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman...was a little surprised that He was asking her for a drink. Why? Well...(1) Because she was a woman
(2) Because she was a Samaritan (3) Because He was a Jew.

NOTE: Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. According to the notes in the Ryrie Study Bible..."The Samaritans were descendants of colonists whom the Assyrian kings planted in Palestine after the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 721 B.C. They were DESPISED by the Jews because of their mixed Gentile blood and their different worship, which centered at Mt. Gerizim." (For full details read John 4:1-34) It has been said that the Jews would cross over the river and travel around Samaria and cross back over when they were past Samaria. Jesus transcended "organized religion"...and walked into the heart of where religious people would not go...and then dialouge with an unclean Samaritan...who also happend to be a woman. He killed two religious birds with one stone.

Jesus seizes the moment before Carpe' Diem became a popular concept...and uses the well as the focal point of connecting with the woman. He states..."If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you...GIVE ME A DRINK...you wold have asked Him...and He would have given you LIVING WATER." (John 4:10) Jesus was connecting in the SPIRITUAL...she was still thinking in the NATURAL. She concludes: (1) He had nothing to draw the water with (2) the well is deep (beyond human capabilities) (3) Compares him to Jacob...who supplied water for the people, Jacob himself, his sons and his cattle. (John 4:11,12)

Jesus then lays out another conversational hook to draw her in a little more. "Jesus answered and said to her...everyone who DRINKS of this WATER shall THIRST again; BUT...whoever DRINKS of the WATER that I shall give him...SHALL NEVER THRIST; but the WATER that I shall give him shall BECOME in him a WELL of WATER springing up into eternal life." (John 4:13-14)

The woman...is still thinking on the natural level. She reasons with her mind...(1) Give me this water
(2) I will not be physically thirsty (3) I will not have to come all the way her to draw water. Her mind is still fixed on her rut of a life...truding everyday to JACOB'S WELL...to draw water. Maybe she had in mind some sort of aqueduct system that will take the well water and pipe it into her house.

Jesus now take it to the next level to shake her out of her natural thinking by telling her to, "God, call your husband, and come here." Jesus is moving in the gifts of the living water with a word of knowledge and a word of wisdom. She indicates, "I have no husband." Jesus counters with, "You have well said, I have no husband...for you have had five husbands; and the one whom you now have is not your husband...this you have said truly." (John 4:16-18) What's a woman to do when she was caught in her past..."Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet." She know that there may be something more to this encounter than just a thirsty traveller.

This Samaritan woman now does what most people do when they are face to face with truth...she tried to get "religious" on Him. She tries to enter into a conversation about worship...as she is living in sin. "Our fathers (old time religion)...worshiped in this mountain...and you people (the Jews) say that in Jerusalem is the place where men out to worship." (John 4:19-20)

Jesus re-establishes where true worshipers will worship. It would not be in Samaria...or Jerusalem. It would be...and NOW IS...(1) in spirit (2) in truth. God is seeking such people to BE worshipers.
(John 4:22,23). Some peopel say that to worship in spirit is to worship with a proper attitude. I believe it speaks of a SPECIFIC PLACE...where worship takes place....deep in the human spirit....as God's Holy Spirit dwells within.

The woman...knows that a MESSIAH...A CHRIST...AN ANOINTED ONE...will be coming...who would declare all things to them. Jesus then makes a statement...that would constantly have the "religious" community up in arms. He said, "I WHO SPEAK TO YOU AM HE."

At this point...she did something that is the breaking of the past in her life...she LEFT HER WATERPOT. The WATERPOT represents the housing of the OLD WATER. She begins to seek confirmation from others about the MESSIAH. The cause and effect were others were COMING TO HIM. (John 4:28-30)

Right in the middle of the revival...the boys come back and tried to get Jesus to eat. He sates that He had food to eat that they did not know about. The disciples...as usual...were scratching their heads...and wondering to one another..."No one brought Him anything to eat...did he?" (John 4:32-33)

Jesus...defines his food/meat..."My food/meat is to DO THE WILL of Him who sent me and to ACCOMPLISH HIS WORKS." (John 4:24)

The cause and effect that began with one Samaritan woman...now spread...and many believed.
(John 4:39-41)

The believers now declared that it was, "No longer becasue of what you said that we believed...for we have HEARD FOR OURSELVES...and KNOW that this One is indeed the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD."
(John 4:40-42)

The question is...ARE YOU THIRSTY...or are you satisfied with truding to a man made well...to draw some water that quenches for the moment.? Are you ready to trade in your natural WATERPOT...for a spiritual WELL. If you are satisfied with your old ways...then drink on...if you are not satisfied...then listen to what the Samaritan woman as said...and then hear for yourself... and KNOW Jesus as the SAVIOR...not only of the world...but for you specifically. Contact me if you want to know more.

NEXT TIME: THE WELL EXPLOSION

Love and Quenched Kisses
Rodney "Well, Well, Well, Well, Well, Weeeeell" Boyd