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Thursday, August 11, 2016

Jesus loves messy people! Pt. 2

(Part 2 of 2)

“Then the woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ “for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”-John 4:15-18

As Jesus continues in conversation with the woman at the well, He slowly begins to uncover some additional experiences that have likely left this woman jaded and apprehensive. The depth of her struggles is revealed when Jesus asks her to go and get her husband. The woman readily admits that she has no husband, but withholds some pertinent information. 

This woman had been married five times and the man she is currently living with is not her husband. Obviously, this woman had some real relationship issues. We have no idea if she was the cause (infidelity) or if she was abused, neglected, abandoned, or widowed. However, we can gauge from the text that her current situation was not healthy or God honoring. 

Nothing can leave a person jaded faster than bad relationships. Relationships can be  tainted by drug abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, alcoholism, neglect, or a controlling spirit. These relationships can be toxic and can have a negative impact on how we receive God! 

Jesus certainly didn’t shy away from her lifestyle issues. In fact, He brought it to light, not to embarrass her but rather that the knowledge of her sinfulness would lead her to trust Jesus. Jesus isn’t afraid of our sinful condition, it is actually what draws Him to us. He sees our need of a Savior! He doesn’t ignore our sin. He always addresses it. We can come to Him as we are, but He refuses to leave us in that condition. 

However, once Jesus begins to reveal this pattern of bad behavior in her life, she quickly begins to change the subject:

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”-John 4:19-20

Another reason for this woman’s blatant apprehensions was that she was confused by the obvious differences between Jews and Samaritans when it came to worshiping God. Jews said worship in Jerusalem. Samaritans said worship on Mt. Gerizim. There is nothing that will cause a person to become confused faster than being brow beat by religious people. Religion is the idea that we can earn favor with God through our own prescribed efforts. So the push is not towards having a relationship with God, but on doing right things so that God will accept us. Jesus answer?

“Jesus said to her, “Woman believe Me, the hour is common g when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father.”-John 4:21

Racism, relationships, and religion! All three of these can create a culture of messy people, but that is exactly who Jesus came to save! How? First we come to Him (hot mess and all) and then slowly, as we trust in Him, He begins to make adjustments in our lives; corrections that will make our lives better. It doesn’t happen all  at once, but eventually He’ll turn your mess into a message and your changed life will become a message of hope to others. 


Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church

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