Mensa Otabil - True Satisfaction
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We’re still looking at the story of the woman at the well and her conversation with Jesus. They’ve made some progress from the time Jesus asked for water, and a debate has been going on between Jesus and this woman. For the first time, the woman asked for water; she pleads for the living water.
In verse 15 of John chapter 4, the woman said to him, «Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.» So, for the first time, this woman asks Jesus for something. Remember when the conversation started? Jesus was the one who asked her, «Give me water,» and she didn’t give him water. Then Jesus offered living water, and she wouldn’t take it. So, «give me,» she wouldn’t give, and she wouldn’t get.
This has been going on because she’s trying to figure out what this offer is. Who is this man I’m talking to? Is he for real? Is what he’s offering real? So after Jesus explains the difference between the well water she’s drawing from and the living water Jesus offers, finally she gets it. There’s a difference between what Jesus is offering and what she’s doing, but she doesn’t get the full picture. She still doesn’t fully understand, but at least she gets it well enough for her to say, «Lord, give me this water.»
She wants it, but she still thinks it is literal water, and the reason she wants it is that she doesn’t want to be making this journey back and forth to the well. Just give me this water; it’s better than what I have. She does not want to come to the well every day; she still hasn’t realized that the water Jesus is giving is different from literal water.
So, like this woman, a lot of people see the offer of salvation very differently. Some people see it as an escape from the responsibilities of this life. Like this woman, they think, «I don’t want to go back and forth.» For some people, coming to Jesus means that all my problems will be solved; I won’t need to work again, I won’t need to do this or that. They believe Jesus will solve all their problems, and they will have all the money; they’ll be the richest person. They interpret salvation in very physical and material terms.
Some want an easy life, and for some people, salvation is an escape from their fears, especially spiritual fears. In our part of the world, where people are so afraid of demonic powers and ancestral spirits, they see Jesus as relief from all these fears. Some see salvation as an escape from loneliness. They live alone and want to be part of a group or community, so they want to join a church. They see all their friends doing something, and they want to be part of it.
Why are you following Jesus? For this woman, she’s getting it, but she still doesn’t get it. She thinks that water is still physical water that will make her life easier. She doesn’t know that it is not water at all what Jesus is talking about. Although it’s called living water, it is not water at all; it’s spiritual life.
So many times, we come to Jesus because of something physical that we want from him. But no matter what our needs are, even if we get it wrong, Jesus still receives us when we make the offer to come to him. However, when we come to him, he’s going to move us from our wrong pursuits into the right pursuits.
Jesus understood that she had a desire; she had pleaded for the water. She wanted satisfaction, a better life, and she wanted to see change in her life. She wanted to trust this man who is talking to her. There are times when we are sharing the gospel with people that they may resist for a considerable time. Their breakthrough moment comes when they say, «Okay, you pray with me,» or «Pray for me,» or " I want to go to church with you.» They haven’t made the ultimate decision, but that pleading is the first step to showing they’re ready to give Jesus a chance.
That’s what happened to this woman; she’s ready to give Jesus a chance. Tomorrow, we’re going to listen to what Jesus said in response to this. It is quite dramatic what Jesus said in response to this. I want to give Jesus a chance. How did Jesus take this conversation? We will find that out tomorrow.
Let us pray: Say with me, «Heavenly Father, you satisfy the thirst of all who come to you. Fill my heart with your living water. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»