Dennis L. Finnan Commentator
"The World, the Word & You! Broadcast"

THE WOMAN OF SYCHAR

“FEW STORIES IN LIFE TOUCH THE HEART MORE THAN THOSE FOUND IN THE BIBLE. TODAY I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU ONE SUCH STORY ABOUT AN OUTCAST, LONELY AND FORGOTTEN WOMAN; AND HER GREATEST FIND IN LIFE”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about this WOMAN OF SYCHAR…

…As one reads the gospel accounts of Jesus Christ’s walk here on earth, one marvels at what is written in the Gospel of John chapter four. Here we find God in the flesh, the Lord Jesus going out of His way to minister to a strange variety of people and outcasts in society. What did all these people have in common that interested Jesus enough to pause his journey to Jerusalem, and visit each one them personally? The answer we shall see in a moment is summed up in two words: SIN and FAITH! Of course, the first word is one we all have in common being members of the fallen race of humanity, but that second word, “faith” is one that not everyone has, nor will have, unless they come to understand what this lonely woman of Samaria found out about herself. So, let’s talk about it for our profit and learning today. But first, one more pause for this second musical moment then I’ll return to present my message on – THE WOMAN OF SYCHAR…

…The Gospel reading that holds my message today is quite long and time will not permit me to read it in full and then comment on it, so I’ll explain it first then comment on it as we go through the marvelous teachings it present to you and me today.

We’ll look in the New Testament book of John chapter four where we find that in Jesus’ walk toward Jerusalem with His disciples, the Lord does not follow the prescribed path. You see between them and Jerusalem was a no man’s land for the Jew. It was called Samaria. This was a section of Palestine marked out by the orthodox Jews as one that was to be avoided at all costs. Why? Well, it contained people who were in the eyes of the Jews, the lowlifes, the corrupt, vile, disgusting people who were half-breeds, irreligious, vulgar, profane and immoral. In Jesus’ day SIN CITY was the land of Samaria with the city of Sychar. No self-respecting Jew would even set foot in the land unless he had chosen to walk away from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But, here Jesus leads His disciples to go through Samaria rather than around it. Surely, He was somehow mistaken to do this, for what would the Jews say about it? He would most certainly be condemned. Listen to the text,

John 4:4 (NLT)  He [Jesus} had to go through Samaria on the way.

Now why did He “have to go through” Samaria? The answer was to see a number of people. One in particular was a very lonely outcast woman whom the world despised, and society could have cared less about her. There are many today living in our world, perhaps in your city, on the “other side of the tracks,” who is despised and rejected of men for their sinful living and past. Yet, most amazing of all Jesus cared for her, enough to go out of His way to find her and share God’s love for her. Well, the Bible tells the story.

John 4:5-7 (NLT) Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”

Now ensues the meeting God planned before the worlds began. You see the Bible tells us God has chosen out of this world those upon whom His love would fall, and in time God goes to meet them. Now this, not so chance meeting, is very interesting. Why was this woman drawing water in the heat of the day at noon? Almost all the women of the town of Sychar where she resided came at the end of the day when the heat was down. The answer is, she came when no one else was there to avoid the gossip, whispering and finger pointing that would come to this woman who had lived a very seriously sinful life. She was labeled a harlot, or whore, for she was living immorally with an unmarried man, and worse had married, divorced, remarried and did this a number of times. Her life was a mess, and she just couldn’t face the woman of the town any more so she came at noon when no one was there. How sad. Now note what Jesus does, it was so unorthodox!

John 4:7-9 (NLT)  Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.” 8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?”

Jesus had committed two terrible sins in the eyes of the orthodox Jews traditions which ahd become their doctrine and faith. He went through Samaria, and worse he spoke to a woman of Samaria. The Samaritans were a mixed race of half-breeds, part Jew and part Gentile. As such, self-respecting Jews looked down on them and actually hated them. Later when Jesus’ disciples came back with food from the town of Sychar, they noted this breech of respectability. We read in,

John 4:27 (NLT)  Just then his disciples arrived. They were astonished to find him talking to a woman, but none of them asked him why he was doing it or what they had been discussing.

How wonderful our God and Savior set aside traditions and customs the religious people had wrongly made their doctrine and faith, and did so that He might fulfill the loving desire of God’s heart, and that was to see this outcast, unloved, woman of fallen virtue saved from her sins and given new life in Christ eternal. You see friend that is what true Christianity is all about saving sinful outcast souls, who are abused and unloved by the world. How sad today this woman of ill repute rather than being scorned by the world, would actually be applauded! She was all that sinful humanity deemed valuable. She was her own woman, a free spirit, living as she pleased, enjoying all the gusto out of life. She was divorced and remarried many times and finally she just quit marriage all together and just lived with a man. How natural, bold, and macho. The world’s acclaim is with her according to Hollywood. But in the eyes of herself and God she knew she was a sinner, and the guilt of sin, the stain of sin scorched and seared her soul and spirit within in. In the eyes of Jesus came a sin-soaked, sin-saddened, lonely girl who would have given anything to start over again and live right. But alas, it was too late! Ah, this is the crux of the story in John’s Gospel, it is never too late to get right with God, to find new life and peace,, coupled with genuine meaning of life! The real “gusto” was not in the world, but to be found in Christ! Let’s read what happened,

John 4:9-15 (NLT)  The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus… Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.” 11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this is a very deep well. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his cattle enjoyed?” 13 Jesus replied, “People soon become thirsty again after drinking this water. 14 But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me some of that water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to haul water.”

Here Jesus begins to awaken her deadened soul and spirit, by offering her a chance to find the real meaning of life. You see friend all the world seeks after this! We try to find it in living it up by seeking wealth, fame, fortune, pleasure, and when we do not find it we often turn to drink and drugs to deaden the pain of failure and remorse. The real longing all humanity has is for us to find peace with God, and a purpose to our existence apart from our own dying life and living. Here Jesus offers it to this outcast woman. But note before anyone can receive God’s wonderful gift of love and forgiveness, and life eternal, they must be willing to face their sins and realize by them they are lost for all eternity. As such, Jesus confronts her. Listen.

John 4:16-18 (NLT)  “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband-- 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now.”

Oh what a thing to say! Jesus surely opened His mouth and inserted His foot. Not so! The Lord Jesus we know from Scripture is the very Creator God come in the flesh. We are told God came to this earth for one reason to “save people from their sins.” To do this every sinner must be confronted with them and face the fact that before God, we are an outcast, but not one that cannot be redeemed and forgiven. Even this woman who had FIVE husbands and failures in marriage, and now worst of all she just chose to live in immorality. How many today are like her? In fact statistics seem to say it is in vogue these days to live sexually active and unmarried, even have children together with no qualms about it. This just testifies how far down the ladder of sin and depravity we as a nation and world have come to accept this. Yet, I know that even if we live like this woman did, within her soul, the pain and raw suffering of guilt cannot be scrubbed away. So Jesus confronts her and of course how could he know this if a stranger? The answer is He is the omnipotent, omniscient God who knows and sees all things. Jesus looked into her sin laden soul and found it hungry and thirty for the water of life. So He offers it to her the only way a sinner can find it. Listen to the unfold text,

John 4:19-24 (NLT)  “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet… 22 You Samaritans know so little about the one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through the Jews. 23 But the time is coming and is already here when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for anyone who will worship him that way. 24 For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

It appears this woman had some religious upbringing as barren as it appeared. She knew that Jesus’ knowledge of her was supernatural, and more she also knew the promise to the Jews that God would send a Messiah, a Savior for their sins. But all these things had receded deep into her memory of childhood days. Now Jesus drew it out and it was as fresh as the morning dew. So the woman of Sychar responds,

John 4:25 (NLT)  The woman said, “I know the Messiah will come—the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

At this point Jesus the infinite God-Man reveals to her who He is and what He can and will do for her. He says amazingly,

John 4:26 (NLT)  Then Jesus told her, “I am the Messiah!”

If ever you doubted that Jesus knew and claimed to be God, the Savior of the world, His very words testify to this. I believe it was at that very instant the shroud of darkness sin had placed over her soul and life was lifted and in the fog of light dawning on her soul and spirit, she saw Jesus clearly for who He was. He was her Creator God and Savior, her Messiah she longed for and had forgotten about. All her sinful life flashed before her eyes and most wonderful of all her Savior came to her personally and was willing to forgive all her sins. As a result “new life” was born that day. This sinful, unloved, used and abused outcast of society was born again, and granted full and forever forgiveness of her sins! Oh happy day! How can I say that in the limited text? Listen,

John 4:28-29 (NLT)  The woman left her water jar beside the well and went back to the village and told everyone, 29 “Come and meet a man who told me everything I ever did! Can this be the Messiah?”

Notice, she put down her water pot unfilled and ran back to town. Why? The answer is she was filled within with the “living water” of God available for all sinners and their lives. Most of all, she wanted everyone she knew to have it too. Oh how wonderful exhilarating and satisfying it was. Her soul was awash with the glow of God, and the purity and cleansing this water provided washed her soul, spirit and body as “white as snow.” Although she exclaimed to the townspeople “can this be the Messiah?,” was not a question, but a call for others to discover it for themselves.  What resulted from this amazing transformation of an immoral woman? Again listen to the wonderful text,

John 4:39-42 (NLT)  Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay at their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many of them to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe because we have heard him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Savior of the world.”

What an ending to this story. All this happened because Jesus went out of His way to minister to a forgotten people, a sin rejected woman, living in the sin city of Sychar. Now all this is in the Bible for a number of reasons, none of which should be lost to you and me. In capsule form here are the lessons to take heed of today.

1. We all are sinners and in the same “boat” when it comes to God’s light shining on us. This woman of Sychar happened to have deeper sins than most, but God showed He was interested in saving and redeemed the worst of society. That certainly includes you and me.
2. When all life seems to crowd in and around us and we sense our deepest failures, amidst the hopeless of the ruination of our lives – don’t despair, God sees and knows all and is willing to meet any of us personally to bring His love and salvation to you and me.
3. In order for anyone to be saved, one must first realize they are lost in and by their sins. It matters not if it’s just one lie or a life of lies! When a human being dies, it matter not if they are dead for a few minutes of a 100 years! They are dead the moment life leaves our bodies. So when sin entered the human race, and our hearts personally from birth, we are as the Bible says, “dead in trespasses and sins.” Friend, have you come to realize this? Have you confessed this to God? No one will ever be saved or forgiven until in their heart and soul they agree with God on this issue and aprt from God forgiving and saving us we shall all die in our sins.
4. The moment we realize our sins, and confess them to God, and want to be saved from them, God gives us the plan of salvation. It is that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah. He is our God, your God and mine, and His coming to earth was for one purpose to save us from our sins. He did this by dying on the cross where God punished Christ the man, for the sins of the world, and in return is just to forgive us of our sins by substitutionary payment. This payment cannot be applied to our sin account regardless of its depth, until…we call upon God the Son to save us, and we reach out and accept Him as our Messiah, Savor and Lord. Listen to the testimony of this woman of Sychar,   John 4:42 (NLT)  Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe because we have heard him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Savior of the world.”  What an insight salvation gave her. Jesus was not only her personal Savior, but she acknowledged He was the Savior of all people in the world! Lastly, we discover from this story in the Gospel of John,
5. The new life Christian salvation brings to all sinners. It grants new life in Christ that can never remain alone again. The new heart beating inside her cried out to see others saved, and she herself became the evangelist to the city of Sychar and the result was many more were saved!

What a story! Yet, God placed it in the word for you and me today. How about you? Are you like the woman of Sychar? Are you lonely, an outcast with the sins of the world weighing heavily upon you? Have you made a mess of your life by it, and feel it’s hopeless to change? If so, you are a candidate for God’s Good News, that Jesus Christ died for your and wants to cleanse you of all your sin and failures and grant you a new beginning and life forever with Him. The question is will you take the living water god has for your soul? If so, call out now wherever you are and ask Christ to save you. He will! And may I also say if you are one who has everything, and life has been good to you, you might say I don’t need this salvation thing, that’s for those down and outers! Well let me give you one important verse in the Bible,

Rom 2:4 (NLT)  Don’t you realize how kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Or don’t you care? Can’t you see how kind he has been in giving you time to turn from your sin?

All that you have which is above others, your health, mind and abilities, your breaks in life – all this is the kindness of God to sinners for one express purpose. That it might lead you to seek Him and give thanks that God is even willing to save the righteous as well. You see my friend our own righteousness, religious or not can never save you. This woman of Sychar was not saved by good works, she had none. She was saved by the righteous life and being of God Himself. That alone can save us.

So I ask you. Have you come to Christ as a sinner? “Rich man, poor man beggar man, thief” – all must come, and all must confess, and all must receive Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. For without Him all humanity will be cast on the scrapheap of eternity called Hell. I’m so glad the story ended on a bright now. Many Samaritans in Sychar were saved. Yet, how sad many Jews and religious leaders died in their sins. Well, friend the choice is yours, take it today and enter into God’s love and blessing. The words of this fallen sinful woman redeemed and made pure, expressed by those who embraced her love and faith for Christ, says it all.

John 4:42 (NLT)  Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe because we have heard him ourselves, not just because of what you told us. He is indeed the Savior of the world.”

·         Radio talk #4002

·         Broadcast date: October 06, 2002

·         Speaker: Dennis L. Finnan, Commentator

·         Program: The World, the Word & You! Radio Broadcast

·         Address: P.O. Box 40133 Grand Junction, CO 81504

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures. A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request. These weekly radio commentaries are not exhaustive studies of any particular subject due to the time limit of broadcasting. Actual broadcasts can be heard in selected areas around the nation, as funding provides. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for over 23 years, and serves as General Director.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are actual radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of recent messages is available upon request also.