Forever Changed
“So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ’Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?’ They went out of the town and were coming to Him.”—John 4:28-30
In December 2009, the Telegraph ran a story about two Hungarian brothers, Zsolt and Geza Peladi. The two brothers were living in a cave, making a living only by selling junk they found in the street. But their lives were changed when it was discovered that they had a long-lost grandmother who just passed away. To their utter amazement, she left them an estate of 4 billion pounds! Needless to say, they were forever changed and life would never be the same!
Almost two thousand years ago there was another person who was forever changed. We are not given her name, but only a description of her ethnic background and location. She is known as the Samaritan woman or the woman at the well. The story goes that Jesus was passing through Samaria on His way to Galilee. He was tired from walking and sat down by a well at about noon. Noon in the Middle East is, of course, one of the hottest times of the day, so it was all the more surprising for Him to encounter a woman coming to draw water. She came with her water jar, ready to draw water for the day.
Most women came during the morning or evening hours when it was cooler, but this woman likely came at noon in order to avoid confrontation from other women. She was an immoral woman, for she had been married five times, and was now living with her boyfriend. To her surprise, Jesus requests a drink of water, which is surprising because she was a Samaritan and Jews didn’t interact with Samaritans, not to mention she was a woman (and an immoral one at that) and Jesus was an upstanding Jewish rabbi. Jewish rabbis didn’t really interact with those who were considered “unclean,” and half-breed immoral Samaritan women definitely fit the “unclean” description.
Despite being a social outcast, Jesus addressed her and got into a conversation about race, the nature and location of worship, and the identity of the coming Messiah. When the conversation started to turn personal, she attempted to deflect the conversation and turn it to more controversial matters in order to get Jesus to turn the spotlight off of her. But it didn’t work. Jesus, the divine lover of souls, wanted to transform this lowly, immoral, Samaritan woman and use her for His glory. Using water as a metaphor, He describes to her “living water” (John 4:10), that forever quenches thirst. Jesus had requested real physical water, but now offers living water which she requests to drink. But before quenching her thirst, her past had to be dealt with. He says, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” She replies, “I have no husband.” Jesus responds, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband. What you have said is true.’” She attempts to turn the tables by shifting the topic to the proper place to worship. Jesus reveals that it is not about the location, but about “spirit and truth.” She then attempts to get Him into a discussion concerning the identity of the coming Messiah. But there is no discussion when Messiah is present. He simply says to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
It was at that moment that everything in her life was exposed. There were no excuses with Jesus—He saw right through them. He answered her questions, stilled her fears, and gave her hope. Her life was transformed. And how do we know? We know because the Bible says she “left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people…” The point is not the content of what she said, but that she left her jar of her old life behind and then went and spoke to the very people she was afraid of! Only God could make a transformation that turns fear into faith! She was forever changed and she was not the only one. As the Scripture goes on to say, “Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did’” (John 4:39). And then again in verse 42, “They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what You said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’”
Have you been changed by the Savior? The Hungarian brothers were transformed because they inherited money that perishes. Their transformation will last as long as the money does. But with Jesus, we are forever changed and nothing on earth can take it away.
Has He taken your past fears and failures and turned them into courageous faith? He can forgive the greatest sinners and will transform forever all who come to Him in repentance and faith. Don’t wait any longer; repent and believe the good news of Jesus Christ! Amen.
In December 2009, the Telegraph ran a story about two Hungarian brothers, Zsolt and Geza Peladi. The two brothers were living in a cave, making a living only by selling junk they found in the street. But their lives were changed when it was discovered that they had a long-lost grandmother who just passed away. To their utter amazement, she left them an estate of 4 billion pounds! Needless to say, they were forever changed and life would never be the same!
Almost two thousand years ago there was another person who was forever changed. We are not given her name, but only a description of her ethnic background and location. She is known as the Samaritan woman or the woman at the well. The story goes that Jesus was passing through Samaria on His way to Galilee. He was tired from walking and sat down by a well at about noon. Noon in the Middle East is, of course, one of the hottest times of the day, so it was all the more surprising for Him to encounter a woman coming to draw water. She came with her water jar, ready to draw water for the day.
Most women came during the morning or evening hours when it was cooler, but this woman likely came at noon in order to avoid confrontation from other women. She was an immoral woman, for she had been married five times, and was now living with her boyfriend. To her surprise, Jesus requests a drink of water, which is surprising because she was a Samaritan and Jews didn’t interact with Samaritans, not to mention she was a woman (and an immoral one at that) and Jesus was an upstanding Jewish rabbi. Jewish rabbis didn’t really interact with those who were considered “unclean,” and half-breed immoral Samaritan women definitely fit the “unclean” description.
Despite being a social outcast, Jesus addressed her and got into a conversation about race, the nature and location of worship, and the identity of the coming Messiah. When the conversation started to turn personal, she attempted to deflect the conversation and turn it to more controversial matters in order to get Jesus to turn the spotlight off of her. But it didn’t work. Jesus, the divine lover of souls, wanted to transform this lowly, immoral, Samaritan woman and use her for His glory. Using water as a metaphor, He describes to her “living water” (John 4:10), that forever quenches thirst. Jesus had requested real physical water, but now offers living water which she requests to drink. But before quenching her thirst, her past had to be dealt with. He says, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” She replies, “I have no husband.” Jesus responds, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband. What you have said is true.’” She attempts to turn the tables by shifting the topic to the proper place to worship. Jesus reveals that it is not about the location, but about “spirit and truth.” She then attempts to get Him into a discussion concerning the identity of the coming Messiah. But there is no discussion when Messiah is present. He simply says to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
It was at that moment that everything in her life was exposed. There were no excuses with Jesus—He saw right through them. He answered her questions, stilled her fears, and gave her hope. Her life was transformed. And how do we know? We know because the Bible says she “left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people…” The point is not the content of what she said, but that she left her jar of her old life behind and then went and spoke to the very people she was afraid of! Only God could make a transformation that turns fear into faith! She was forever changed and she was not the only one. As the Scripture goes on to say, “Many Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony, ‘He told me all that I ever did’” (John 4:39). And then again in verse 42, “They said to the woman, ‘It is no longer because of what You said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’”
Have you been changed by the Savior? The Hungarian brothers were transformed because they inherited money that perishes. Their transformation will last as long as the money does. But with Jesus, we are forever changed and nothing on earth can take it away.
Has He taken your past fears and failures and turned them into courageous faith? He can forgive the greatest sinners and will transform forever all who come to Him in repentance and faith. Don’t wait any longer; repent and believe the good news of Jesus Christ! Amen.
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