Days With Jesus
Day 8 The Reject Becomes Righteous
John 4:1-26

Jesus passed through the land of REJECTS
In the first century, Samaria was formerly the northern kingdom of Israel after it was split into two countries following Solomon’s death in 930 BC (1 Kings 12). In judgment on the north, God sent Assyrians to invade it in 722 BC (2 Kings 17:1-6). They exiled most of the Jews to Assyria and sent Assyrians into the land. When they intermarried with the remaining Jews, their ‘half-breed’ children, known as Samaritans, were rejected by the ‘pure’ southern kingdom Jews. You didn’t have a choice about your genetics or your history, but you do about your prejudice and your future! Not being able to worship at the Temple in the south, they made a place of worship up north at Mt. Gerizim, near the well at Sychar. For Jews wanting to go north to Galilee, they had to navigate Samaria by 3 routes—east or west and one going through the middle. This was only done under severe circumstances and is where Jesus takes his disciples. God often uses human difficulty to teach divine object lessons! From the ethnic hatred, Jews thought of Samaritans equal to dogs and did not eat or drink with them. Also, men did not openly associate with non-relative women in public. What was least likely was a Jewish rabbi talking to a woman of bad sexual reputation in public. Jewish+rabbi+Samaritan+woman+loose morals+sharing water+public=bad news! Jesus brings good news to bad situations!

Jesus is physically thirsty, the woman is SPIRITUALLY thirsty
Being fully human, Jesus was tired and thirsty and stops at Jacob’s well. This well was continuously fed by an underground spring, called ‘living water.’ Coming out in the heat of the day when most women would go in the morning for safety and companionship, the woman sees Jesus alone at the well. We find Jesus waiting for us in our brokenness. The woman was theologically confused, guilt ridden, sin burdened, and a social outcast being divorced 5 times and living with a man. In a touching moment, Jesus lovingly confronts her sexual sin and brings to light her need for a savior, the Messiah. God hates our sin but loves us enough not to leave us there! Like humans need physical water from a living spring to live, we need spiritual water from a living Savior to thrive. With Jesus available to quench the thirst of our souls, there is no reason to continue living in a spiritual desert. Let us drink from the Well and never thirst again!