The Divine Encounter

[0:00] Let us again turn to the portion of scripture we have read, John chapter 4. Especially verses 13 and 14.

[0:13] Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.

[0:28] The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

[0:42] I have entitled my sermon like this, The Divine Encounter. The Divine Encounter. We are told that Jesus met a woman of Samaria at the well.

[1:01] In the Old Testament, wealth is a romantic meeting place between a man and a woman. Remember, Jacob met Rachel at the well.

[1:14] Abraham's servant who went to find a wife for Isaac met Rebecca at the well. Moses met his wife Jepora at the well.

[1:28] However, we don't have here Romeo and Juliet like story. But what we have here is a divine love story between God and a poor sinner.

[1:41] Remember, Abraham's wife Sarah expelled Hagar and his son Ishmael from her house in the desert.

[1:53] In Genesis 16, 7, we are told God found Hagar and her son Ishmael near a spring in the desert.

[2:06] God provided water for Hagar and her son Ishmael near a spring in the desert. And this is the same God who had come in the form of Jesus to provide living water to this needy woman.

[2:24] Jesus is well aware about this symbolism. As he encounters this sinful woman, he intends to win her heart, not romantically, but as her savior.

[2:41] There is a deep-seated hostility between Jews and the Samaritans. The Samaritans, in past time, they took pagan wives.

[2:51] As a result, they were intermingled with Gentiles and the Jew would call them half-Jews. And you might know that the Samaritans, they erected a rival temple on Mount Gerizim.

[3:07] They did not thought the Jerusalem temple was legitimate. So they built their own temple on Mount Gerizim. And this temple was destroyed by the ruler of Jerusalem before Christ came.

[3:24] And in response, because the ruler of Jerusalem destroyed their temple, in response, what they did was, the Samaritans entered, a group of Samaritans entered into Jerusalem temple and scattered bones of dead humans across the area on the eve of the Passover in order to defile the complex of temple and make it impossible for Jews to observe Passover feast.

[3:55] This is why, John says, there is ongoing hostility between Jews and the Samaritans. Jews had no dealing whatsoever with the Samaritans.

[4:07] We are told it was about six hours that the woman came to face water. Six hours is a midday, probably twelve o'clock.

[4:19] And in the Middle East, in Israel, it would be very hot. The scorching heat and long journey made Jesus absolutely tired and thirsty.

[4:31] In the Middle Eastern culture, in Jesus' time, women would come to face water in a group and return home, return in their home in a group.

[4:47] And they would come early in the morning and just before sunset. But notice, strangely, this woman appears at the well in the afternoon.

[4:59] Very unusual. And notice, she comes alone. So there is a strange thing going on in this narrative. It seems that she had no good relationship with other women in the society.

[5:15] She is probably socially outcast. She is an outcast from society. Her relationship had broken at least five times.

[5:29] And possibly her current relationship was messy. She might be disgraceful to her society because she was openly practicing fornication.

[5:42] Her life was poisoned by bitter experiences of the past. She had no joy, no contentment. And she might be seeking for deep satisfaction in her heart, in her soul.

[5:57] And we know that our Lord has come. Jesus Christ has come to save who are lost. In verse 4, we are told that Jesus deliberately took the shortest route from Judea to Galilee in order to meet this one sinful soul.

[6:16] It is a three-day journey from Judea to Galilee. And the route of Samaria is the shortest one. However, pious Jews, the Pharisees, they would avoid going via Samaria.

[6:31] They would go around Samaria and they would take the long route. Because they thought just to go to Samaria will defile them ceremonially because of the ongoing hostility.

[6:46] Notice in verse 4, it says, Now Jesus had to go through Samaria. Samaria. This language had to go through Samaria reflects the compulsion of divine appointment.

[7:02] Compulsion of divine appointment. Jesus' meeting with this poor soul is divinely programmed beforehand.

[7:13] God is concerned even this one outcast sinner. Notice, not the woman goes to Jesus, but Jesus goes to her in order to make love with her.

[7:26] In Jesus' time, normally when a man sees a woman coming to draw water in the well, a man must withdraw to a distance of 20 feet, indicating that it was both safe and culturally appropriate for her to approach the well.

[7:46] Only then she would unroll the basket and she will bucket and then she will draw water. Here is lots of strange things going on. Strangely, we see Jesus did not move an inch from where he was sitting.

[8:02] And men, especially religious men, would not talk to their wives even if they passed by on the street. And Pharisee would not speak to their wives if they passed by on the street.

[8:18] But Jesus not only spoke to this woman, but she asked a drink from her. So what's happening is this. In order to reach this one discontent soul, Jesus broke prevalent religious barriers and social taboos.

[8:38] What a concern Jesus has for this poor needy soul. Jesus has come to save not the righteous, but sinners like this woman who needs her, who needs him.

[8:52] The gospels frequently record that Jesus cleansed many lepers and healed them. The touch, Jesus' touch, did not make Jesus unclean.

[9:05] Rather, he made the lepers clean. And this is exactly the case in chapter 4. Jesus traveling via Samaria would not defile him.

[9:16] And speaking to the woman would not defile him. But he is going to save this weary soul. The power is going to be released from Jesus.

[9:29] Not that Jesus is going to be defiled as Pharisees and Jews thought. That's why they avoided going via Samaria. Jesus asks for a drink.

[9:43] But we know because she had prejudice against the Jews, so she refused to give a drink. Jesus then amazes her by saying this in verse 10.

[9:56] If you knew the gift of God and who is it that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.

[10:08] Jesus is here speaking spiritually. While the woman understood the living water to be fresh running water from a new spring.

[10:21] That is in contrast to stagnant or motionless water. That's why the woman replied in verse 11 like this. Sir, you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.

[10:35] Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob who gave us the well and drank from it himself as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?

[10:50] She thought Jesus was claiming to supply this living water instantaneously and miraculously.

[11:01] Even Jacob had to find a source of water and had to dig a well. If Jesus could provide the running water right then, then according to this woman, he must be greater than Jacob.

[11:17] Otherwise, Jesus is just a fraud. And I believe that this woman thought Jesus was a fraud. But Jesus did not stop there.

[11:29] He knows the heart of man. Rebellious heart. But Jesus did not stop. He kept on revealing the revelation to her.

[11:42] Jesus then identified her spiritual condition. And Jesus said this. Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again.

[11:56] But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

[12:09] It is obvious that Jesus is a bearer and a dispenser of this living water. Because he can give it to the woman.

[12:23] But what is this living water? What is Jesus referring to? In order to prove this, we have to see John chapter 7.

[12:34] The living water is the Holy Spirit. Let me read John chapter 7 verse 37 to 39. This is the day of feast.

[12:44] The day of tabernacle. Jesus cried like this to the pilgrims. Because that time all the Jewish male would go to Jerusalem to make a pilgrimage.

[12:55] That's a pilgrimage feast. The feast of tabernacle. And on that day Jesus stood and cried like this. On the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink.

[13:14] He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. And here comes John's comment.

[13:25] He says, But this he spoke concerning the spirit whom those believing in him would receive. Let me give you an example to show what Jesus is exactly saying here to the woman.

[13:49] So I am from Nepal and many years ago when I was wee, there was no rain for months during the paddy planting season, rice planting season.

[14:03] Our big crop in Nepal is rice. You know that without water you cannot plant rice. Because of the scorching heat, the land soon dried up and became hard like rock.

[14:21] As a result, you know that when there is no rain and there is sun shining all the time, the soil becomes very dry.

[14:36] And that time it became very dry and it became to crack. And therefore many cracklings, little gulfs line. The ground looked absolutely ugly and dreadful.

[14:52] You might have seen in the telly, especially in Africa when there is drought, the land becomes horrible. It looks dreadful and ugly. And Nepal is rich in water resources.

[15:04] If you dig around 50 to 70 feet, you will easily find water. And in that drought, I remember one man dug a well and supplied water in his entire land.

[15:19] And what happens? When the land began to drink water, the soil becomes soft and the long crackling holes very soon would fill up with water.

[15:33] The water supply prepared the ground to plant paddy. There is neither life nor vitality in the land without water supply.

[15:47] So water is important. Without water, there is no planting. What Jesus is saying is, By nature, the woman's soul is like the unwater, very dry, parched, ugly land.

[16:04] Her soul is like that land in the drought without vegetation. There is no life from God coursing through her soul. The fruit of the spirit is absent in her soul.

[16:18] Her dry soul lacks love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Her soul is unproductive and barren because there is no water supply.

[16:36] That's why she has no satisfaction at all in her life. And in Judaism, those barren land, they believe that barren land is under the curse of God.

[16:50] Do you know what God does in a soul like this? In a land, in a soul of a sinner, what he does is this, he opens up a fountain of living water in a rock-like soul of a sinner.

[17:12] And what happens then? The soul drinks the water and quenches its thirst like the land. The hardened soul will be completely softened by the divine intervention.

[17:27] And to Boros Isaiah's language, Isaiah said, God will water your soul and satisfy your desire in scarce places. When he opens the fountain of living water, the thirsty ground then becomes a pool.

[17:44] Desert becomes a rosy garden. Your soul will be like water garden, like a spring of water, whose water do not fail.

[17:54] Isaiah 58 verse 11. So the living water is the Holy Spirit. So what we have here is, this is a picture of how the Holy Spirit functioned in a soul of a sinner.

[18:13] When the Holy Spirit takes residence in your soul, he comes there to meet your spiritual need, just as water meets your physical need.

[18:24] Without the water, your organs will become dry, and you will die quickly. When the Spirit of God dwells in your body, he transforms your parts, ugly ground-like soul, into a beautiful, luxuriant garden, where many wonderful flowers blossom.

[18:48] There is a sign of life. When the Spirit comes, there is life, there is vitality, there is renewal, there is restoration. And this is to say, the Spirit reverses your spiritual condition of barrenness and turns into a beautiful garden.

[19:11] Everyone, in light of this, we can understand what Jesus is saying. Jesus identified this woman's spiritual condition. And in light of this, we can make sense what Jesus is saying.

[19:24] Everyone who drinks this water, will be thirsty again. But whoever drinks the water I give him, will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him, will become in him, a spring of water, welling up to eternal life.

[19:42] Two things to be noted in this verse. The first thing is, the water is within the recipient. The one who drinks water, that means, this means, this means, Jesus opens up a spring of life flowing water, within the recipient.

[20:04] The water is in, a person who drinks. And the second thing, as Jesus said, indeed the water I give him, will become, notice, in him, a spring of water, welling up to eternal life.

[20:21] Secondly, there is a contract, between the well water, and the living water. Notice Jesus said, whoever drinks, the water, whoever drinks, this water, pointing to Jacob's well, pointing to the water, in Jacob's well, which is in contrast, to Jesus said, whoever drinks the water, I give.

[20:45] So there is a contract, between Jacob's well's water, and the water Jesus gives. And the contract is obvious, because the well, is dug to retrieve, a supply of water, containing rain water.

[21:01] You might have seen the well, it's built by the bricks, and the wall, and then underground, and, a supply of water, containing either rain water, or fed by underground water.

[21:15] while the spring water, is source, that is perpetually flowing, supplying the refreshing water, at all time.

[21:27] That Nepali farmer, as I said the story, had to use some tools, to draw water, from the well. By contract, Jesus opens up, a fountain, a spring, notice not a well, but a spring, in a sinner's soul, which irrigates, her desert-like soul, that turns it, into a delightful garden.

[21:56] This is why, the life-flowing water, never dries up, nor ceases to flow, rather, it will, perpetually bubble up, to an unending life, eternal life.

[22:09] And that is to say, that the living water, produces life, that will spring, forward, into eternity. And this is a picture, of the divine revelation, and the Holy Spirit, perpetually nourishing, nurturing, and strengthening, the faith of the believers, satisfying, our spiritual thirst, continually, for eternal life.

[22:36] life. In other words, the living water, will continue, to spring up, until you, and I, are in glory. Until you, and I, are in heaven.

[22:49] That is what, meant by, springing, onto eternal life. So, we require, therefore, we require, no other source of water, no other source of water, can satisfy, satisfy your thirst.

[23:04] You have the source, of water, within your heart. Let us not, stop the flow, of living water, in your lives. Let the living water, nourish you, in every aspect, of your personality.

[23:19] Let it, irrigate you, in every aspect, of your emotion, by producing, the fruit, of the spirit. Let it bring, vitality, productivity, in every aspect, of your life.

[23:34] Let your heart, perpetually drink, and perpetually, quince, the spiritual thirst. Have you, drunk, this living water?

[23:46] Have you, drunk, this living water, and replaced, thirst, with satisfaction? Jesus, is offering, it to you. The perfect, example, of this kind, of person, is found, in Psalm 1.

[24:03] We know, in Psalm 1, the blessed man, is like a tree, planted, by the river, of water. Its root, is always, in the water, so it is, so it perpetually, receives water, as a result, it leaves, shall, never wither, and it always, produce fruit.

[24:23] fruit. But beloved, we see, in the world, people are trying, to satisfy, fulfill, their soul, with various, worldly means.

[24:38] They try, their best, to satisfy, their thirst, by various, worldly materials, such as, money, sex, alcohol, drugs, entertainment, pleasure, new car, new wife, new husband.

[24:55] But do, these satisfy, their spiritual thirst? Not at all, by no means. What it does is, it widens, it broadens, it heightens, and it deepens, their thirst.

[25:11] There is, this is the reason, why, people want, more alcohol, more drugs, when they take more, they take, more their thirst, is widened, broadened, heightened, and deepened.

[25:27] They simply, do not satisfy, because, they are not, true drink, of their soul. Materials, means, cannot satisfy, the spiritual thirst.

[25:41] In order, to get, spiritual satisfaction, you, have to drink, the life-giving, water, water, of the spirit, who can only, meet, your spiritual thirst.

[25:54] And Jesus, can only, give, that water, to you, until you, drink, from Jesus, there is no, living water, and there is, no spiritual, satisfaction, and your heart, remains barren, land, and that, like, weird, that, that land, that barren land.

[26:18] I suppose, you know, a German tennis player, Boris Baker. He won the Wimbledon twice, and became a six-time, Grand Slam, singles champion, and Olympic gold medalist, in doubles, and the youngest ever winner, of man's single title, at Wimbledon, at the age of 17.

[26:44] Tennis magazine, put Baker, in 18th place, on its list, of 40 greatest tennis player, from 1965, to 2005. As soon as he was crowned, with Wimbledon title, a journalist, asked him this question, Mr. Baker, what's your next, next biggest challenge?

[27:09] Baker was serious, he looked at, the journalist, and said, my next biggest challenge, is to keep myself, from committing suicide.

[27:21] My next biggest challenge, is to keep myself, from committing suicide. Friends, Baker, Baker, had great name, and fame.

[27:34] His outlook, was fine, and fit, but he was, empty, in his heart. Why would he, ever think, of killing himself, if the material things, could satisfy him?

[27:49] He had, every luxury, to enjoy, but he was, undiscontent, unsatisfied, in his soul.

[28:00] And that's why, he wanted to commit suicide. And that was the biggest challenge, to keep himself, from committing suicide. Until, and unless, a soul like Baker, drinks from Jesus, his thirst, is never quenched.

[28:16] Until Jesus, opens a spring, of living water, in your soul, you remain, dissatisfied, eternally. remember, eternally, Jesus gives water, that will bubble up, to eternity.

[28:32] But those, who are dissatisfied, those who do not drink, they remain, dissatisfied, eternally. And Jesus, is only, the true source, of the living water, who can give you, the true, spiritual drink.

[28:49] As he says, in John 6, verse 35, Jesus said, I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me, shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me, shall never thirst.

[29:04] Jesus is saying, if you eat me, the bread of life, and if you drink from me, you will never go hunger, and you will never go thirsty.

[29:15] Because, he is a true food, and he is a true drink. This is, otherwise saying, believing in Jesus, is to eat, the bread of life, and to drink, the living water.

[29:28] As he said, whoever believes in me, whoever, there is no specific people, whoever, regardless of caste, religion, whoever, comes to him, will have him.

[29:44] Augustine, the great church father, once famously said, You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds rest in you.

[29:58] Our heart is restless until it rests in you. Have your heart rest in God.

[30:10] Has your heart, your soul, finds rest in God. Until it rests in Jesus, your heart is restless.

[30:23] Dear beloved, if you haven't drunk the living water from the fountain, I would encourage you to drink it right now. It is absolutely free.

[30:36] No price to be paid. Revelation 22, 17 says, Revelation 22, 17 is the divine invitation to the sinners that says like this, Come, and let the one who is thirsty, come.

[30:52] Let the one who desires take the water of life without price. Jesus is offering. Jesus, Jesus, who can give you living water, invites you this morning.

[31:07] If you are willing, then come and take the water freely. you are not asked to pay the price, nor asked to do good works prior to coming to him.

[31:20] You are simply invited to come and drink whoever you are, wherever you are from, or whatever you think of yourself.

[31:30] He has invited you to come. And I would like to read Spurgeon comment on this verse. Spurgeon said like this, there is a dialogue.

[31:44] This morning, you might question yourself like this, Had not I better pray? It does not say so. It says, Take the water of life.

[31:55] However, you said, But had not I better go home and get better? No. Take the water of life and take the water of life now.

[32:06] You are standing by the fountain outside there and the water is flowing and you are willing to drink. You are picked out of a crowd who are standing round about and you are specially invited by the person who built the fountain.

[32:23] Jesus said, Here is a special invitation for you. You are willing, come and drink. But you said, Sir, I must go home and wash my pitcher.

[32:34] No, says Jesus, Come and drink. But sir, I want to go home and take a, write a petition to you. I do not want it. Jesus says, Drink now, drink now.

[32:48] What would you do if you were dying of thirst? You would just put your lips down and drink. Soul, do that now. Believe that Jesus Christ is able to save thee now.

[33:00] Trust thy soul in his hand now. No preparation, that is, law work, is wanted. Whoever will, let him come. Let him come at once and take the water of life freely.

[33:14] To take that water is simply to trust Christ, to respond on him, to take him, to be yours all in all.

[33:25] Oh, that you would do it now. You are willing. God has made you willing. Are you willing to drink from Jesus?

[33:38] Are you willing to invite Holy Spirit in your life who will transform your body into his temple? Are you willing to come and replace your thirst with satisfaction?

[33:54] Are you willing? Just briefly, to turn back to the narrative, the woman said in verse 15 like this, Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.

[34:13] And remember, we know the story, Jesus exposes her sin. and eventually she discovered that Jesus is the prophet expected to come into the world as prophesied by Moses in Deuteronomy 18 that one day God will raise a prophet like me and the Samaritans were waiting for that prophet to come and Jesus revealed this to the woman, I am he.

[34:46] immediately what happened? She left her water jar and ran away at once to tell about this prophet. The whole village came out to meet Jesus because of the woman's testimony.

[35:02] Jesus stayed two more days and many believed in him saying, this man is the savior of the world. what is happening here?

[35:13] It is really interesting thing happening here. So we have seen that Jesus opened a spring of living water in the woman's soul and what Jesus does is he challenges her to allow its water to flow to those around her.

[35:35] To understand this, we have to read Ezekiel 47 1. This is a vision Ezekiel saw a vision of the temple of in time temple and I will read this to you.

[35:49] Ezekiel 47 verse 1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple door of the temple and behold water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple towards the east for the temple face is.

[36:06] The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple south of the altar. And in verse 9 it says that wherever this water courses from the temple it brought life and restoration.

[36:23] As a result it produced abundant number of trees, fruits and there were many fish. The source of water is in the temple that Ezekiel saw and Jesus is claiming that temple to be himself.

[36:46] Jesus is claiming that he is the embodiment of the temple because from him the life-giving water of the spirit flows out and this water requires a channel to flow to others surrounding them.

[37:05] And this channel according to the gospel of John is the church. You and me through which the water flows to touch others with the life-bringing influence.

[37:18] And this was exactly what was happening when the woman runs to her village and brings people to Jesus. The woman was acting like the channel of the water allowing the water within her to flow out to others.

[37:37] Because of her it brought life and restoration in the Samaritan community. So Jesus is the temple from where water flows and we the church are the channel.

[37:54] The church is the channel of that water so that the salvation of the earth salvation of the Lord is to reach to the ends of the earth.

[38:05] So just as the woman allowed the living water to flow to her surrounding you and I should be prepared to flow the water within us to people around us.

[38:18] And this is the message that Jesus is giving here. Every time you evangelize or share Christ to others actually you are acting like a channel of the life flowing water.

[38:33] The living water within you is flowing out from you to give life to others. And I am sure there are many thirsty souls in Barbas.

[38:47] There are many unquinsed undiscontented souls in Barbas. Their souls are parched land which needs living water.

[39:00] They are thirsty. Don't mean that they are seeking Christ but they are thirsty because they don't have true satisfaction and they are empty in their souls and are completely dissatisfied because of various reasons.

[39:17] It is the mission of the church you and mine yours and mine our mission to reach to them with the life touching influence.

[39:29] Are we ready to do that? Are we ready to flow the life giving water to touch with life touching influence like this woman does?

[39:40] Let us pray. Father we thank you for this revelation that you have given in your scripture that we marvel the words that Jesus spoke and we marvel for the concern Jesus had to this one poor sinner and we marvel the revelation that you have entrusted to us.

[40:15] Lord help us to be like that woman who flowed who releases the water in her that brought life and vitality in the Samaritan community.

[40:31] Lord help us to act like her. And I pray Lord that you would please reveal your glory to people here that they may too drink and have their thirst replaced with satisfaction.

[40:48] Lord help us that you would reveal your glory to them. We thank you Lord for the fellowship we enjoy here. You would be with us Lord and continue to show your grace and mercy.

[41:03] We ask all this in Jesus name and for his sake. Amen. Let us now sing conclude our service by singing to Psalm 63 Psalm 63 verse 1 to 5 Lord be my God I will ever seek my soul not thirst for thee my flesh longs in a dry parched land wherein no waters be that I thy powers may behold and brightness of thy face as I have seen thee here to forth within thy holy place.

[41:57] let us sing. Let us sing. Let us sing. Let us sing. Let us sing. Lord be my God I early see my soul doth thirst for thee my flesh longs in a dry portion and when no waters be that I thy power may behold and brightness of thy face as I have saved thee near therefore within thy holy place since better is thy love than life my lips thee precious give

[43:11] I in thy name will lift my heart and bless thee my eye head in us with sorrow and with fire my soul shall fail it be then shall my mouth with joyful lips sing grace to thee the grace of jesus christ the love of the father and the fellowship of the holy spirit be with you all now and forever more amen for to your works do harm oh to the so high can see noon