She is the woman who, having received His Word, pointed others to Christ. And by her encouragement, they too have an experience of faith.
This is a powerful text marked by separation and longing, a text with deep historical and cultural significance. Yet, it is also a text full of great promise and hope. As such, perhaps, it is not so much about how you are going to preach on it, but which parts you are going to leave out. The decision will, no doubt, be guided by your hearers, with struggles and temptations particular to your congregation.
We are told that in a town of Samaria called Sychar, our Lord stops by Jacob’s well. There he meets a woman who comes to draw water. His request for a drink undercuts the common hostility between the Jews and Samaritans. Jesus simply bypasses that human separation, and the Samaritan woman is rightly shocked by it.
A sermon could focus on this first exchange, discussing water and the gift Jesus comes to give. You could spend some time discussing what sort of separation your hearers have from the gifts of Christ. Imagine meeting Jesus at the well. Retell the story for modern hearers and direct them to consider what they bring to the well. The exploration should move from the obvious sins and patterns of separation they embrace to what they consider the absolute best they have to offer our Lord to drink. Here, the preacher would show how even our best falls short, even our good works are not worthy of the One we meet at the well.
And to the shock of the woman, as well as your hearers, Jesus turns things upside down. If you but ask Him for a drink, He will give living water. He is the giver; we are the receivers. And the water He gives will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. This is an image of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as Isaiah prophesied (44:1-5):
But now hear, O Jacob my servant,
Israel whom I have chosen!
Thus says the Lord who made you,
who formed you from the womb and will help you:
Fear not, O Jacob my servant,
Jeshurun whom I have chosen.
For I will pour water on the thirsty land,
and streams on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit upon your offspring,
and My blessing on your descendants.
They shall spring up among the grass
like willows by flowing streams.
This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’
another will call on the name of Jacob,
and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’
and name himself by the name of Israel.
He is the giver; we are the receivers.
You could carry this same theme through the next section of our text, culminating in the invitation to worship God in spirit and truth. However, this segment could be its own sermon. It is marked by marriage overtones that flow through the Gospel. Our Lord’s first sign was at a wedding when He turned water into good wine for the bridegroom (2:1-12). John the Baptist declared that he is the friend of the Bridegroom (3:29). Add to this how Abraham meets Rebekah at a well and asks her for a drink, and she becomes Isaac’s wife. Jacob meets Rachel at a well. Moses meets Zipporah at a well. So, here Jesus says to the woman, “Go, call your husband.”
The image of being married to the Lord is rich in the Old Testament as God regularly describes Himself as a husband to Israel. Her own situation describes both her reality and the land’s. She has had five husbands and now lives with a man who is not her husband. The kingdom of Israel fell because of its idolatry (2 Kings 17:7-18). The Assyrian king resettled people from five nations in the cities of Samaria (2 Kings 17:24).
With this background, the conversation about right worship makes sense. A sermon focusing on this section would explore the false worship or the unfaithfulness of our Lord’s bride. Where do your hearers put their trust? What sacred cows have they established that take the focus off of Christ? Yet, Jesus’ very presence with the woman at the well and His proclamation that He is the Messiah speak of His grace and mercy. Here, there is healing and hope. He continues to call your hearers to repentance, to wash, forgive, and feed them.
No matter how you focus your sermon, the conclusion ought to highlight the woman’s response in the text. She is the woman who, having received His Word, pointed others to Christ. And by her encouragement, they too have an experience of faith, declaring, “We believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.” In fact, we might say this is an image of what it means to worship in spirit and truth.
God bless your preaching!
Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out 1517’s resources on John 4:5–26 (27–30, 39–42).
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching John 4:5–26 (27–30, 39–42).
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
