[0:00] That's on page 1066 in the Red Church Bible. It's John chapter 4, and Yvonne's going to read it for us, and then Johnny's going to come up.
[0:13] Thanks so much. Morning, everyone.
[0:23] So it's John chapter 4, and it's page 1066. So, now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized but his disciples.
[0:44] So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee. Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph.
[0:57] Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, Will you give me a drink?
[1:12] His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to him, You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?
[1:23] For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.
[1:38] Sir, the woman said, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?
[1:54] Jesus answered, Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
[2:10] The woman said to him, Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water. He told her, Go call your husband and come back.
[2:22] I have no husband, she replied. Jesus said to her, You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.
[2:34] What you just said is quite true. Sir, the woman said, I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.
[2:49] Woman, Jesus replied, Believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father, neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know.
[3:01] We worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming, and has now come, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth.
[3:13] For they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. The woman said, I know that the Messiah called Christ is coming.
[3:25] When he comes, he will explain everything to us. Then Jesus declared, I, the one speaking to you, I am he. Thanks so much, Avin, and thank you, Sam, for leading, and let me add to his welcome, and say it's good to see you all here this morning.
[3:57] Please keep your Bibles open there in John chapter 4. We've been looking through the Gospel of John, an account of the life, death, resurrection of Jesus, and the people who he met.
[4:12] Today we're going to meet the woman at the well. Let's pray and ask for God's help as we look at his word together.
[4:28] Let's do that now. Father God, we all come today with different needs, things we desire, things we want to change, things we want.
[4:51] But we ask that you would show us Jesus, and how he fills us, and satisfies us.
[5:03] May what we hear today, truly quench our thirst. Amen. So, what's your drink?
[5:18] Advertisers go a long way, don't they, to convince you that you need to drink. Each brand has their enticing tagline. Red Bull gives you wings.
[5:33] LucasAid fuels and hydrates. Heineken refreshes the parts others can't reach. Coke Coke always the real thing.
[5:48] We've all got our favourite drinks that we turn to, to quench our thirst. thirst. But there's a deeper kind of thirst that we all have, isn't there?
[6:00] A thirst for happiness, a longing for the good life. We all thirst for that better job, the next holiday, the new iPhone 16, or whatever tech thing you're wanting.
[6:16] feeling. Or perhaps your desire is simply that you long to be loved and accepted. And in an effort to quench our thirst, we turn to all sorts of things, to people, to other things, hoping and wishing that it will give me that feeling inside of being once and for all satisfied.
[6:41] satisfied. Well, in our text, John chapter 4, Jesus offers a drink. And it's a once and for all drink that promises to satisfy us deeply and eternally.
[6:58] A drink that will forever quench our thirst. Did you see it there in verse 14? Jesus said, whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.
[7:18] Isn't that incredible? How can we today experience this drink? Well, let's follow Jesus as we encounter his meeting with this woman at the well.
[7:32] first of all, Jesus offers living water. Jesus was travelling north. Look at verse 3.
[7:43] Jesus had left Judea, which was in the south, and he was travelling back towards Galilee in the north. Verse 4. Now he had to go through Samaria, at which point we should all go, oh, gasp, horror.
[8:02] going through Samaria? Well, that's like a proud corkman crossing the border into Kerry. Or someone literally going from Israel and walking through Gaza today.
[8:15] It's a no-go area. You just don't do that sort of thing. Why? Well, look at the end of verse 9. It says, for Jews, do not associate with Samaritans.
[8:32] To the Jews, Samaritans were racial half-breeds, religious heretics, unclean, people you avoid at all costs.
[8:43] But Jesus isn't bound by racial or religious bigotry. Jesus is God come in person, coming to give life in all its fullness to all people, whatever our background or our culture or wherever we are from.
[9:02] You see, Jesus is on a mission and so he intentionally crosses cultural and social barriers to offer living water.
[9:13] And so after a long walk and feeling thirsty, Jesus sits down by a well. Verse 7. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, would you give me a drink?
[9:30] Well, look at the middle of verse 9. She answers, how can you ask me for a drink? Don't you realise I'm a Samaritan, you a Jew?
[9:40] We shouldn't be here. We shouldn't even be talking. Verse 10. But Jesus answered her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, well, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.
[10:06] What is this living water? Well, two things to help us understand. First, it's spiritually quenching.
[10:19] When Jesus offers this living water, the woman is clearly confused. Verse 11. She says, well, you haven't got any cup with you and, well, this well that Jacob, our ancestor that he dug, it's been here for centuries.
[10:35] What are you going to do? Are you going to build and dig down your own well? But Jesus wasn't talking about physical water. He was talking about a drink, the drink of spiritual life that you receive.
[10:55] Look at verse 13. Jesus answered, everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.
[11:12] A couple of years ago, Kirsty and I went to Sardinia and very hot, about 30 degrees plus and we decided to do a very clever thing and go for a walk.
[11:26] And as we were walking along, well, it got hotter and hotter. There was no breeze. We had a bit of water with us and you would take a sup of water and within 30 seconds you were gasping for more water.
[11:40] The problem is, 10 minutes later, we're all wanting a drink of something. Where Jesus is offering a drink that will quench our inner thirst for good.
[11:54] Not a physical drink that he offers, but new spiritual life. A life that will truly satisfy. A life made possible only by God's spirit within us.
[12:11] So it is a spiritually quenching drink. And second, it's eternally satisfying. Look at the rest of verse 14. Jesus says, Indeed, the water I give will become in them a spring of water.
[12:28] Like a bubbling fountain welling up to eternal life. He's saying, here's living water that will give you eternal life with God in his eternal kingdom to come.
[12:44] A kingdom where there will be no more sadness and no more brokenness. But more than that, he's saying to us, it's not just an eternal life to come.
[12:56] But guess what? New life you can experience now, today. Do you see what it said in verse 14? The water I give will become in them a spring of living water.
[13:12] This is something to experience now. Bubbling up inside of you. A life that doesn't meet your felt need, but will meet your deepest need.
[13:26] It will satisfy you internally, not just momentary happiness, but eternal lasting joy.
[13:39] You see, Jesus is offering himself. Did you see what it says in verse 10? Jesus said to her, if you knew the gift of God, what's the gift of God?
[13:57] Well, he would have given living water. You see, God had made a promise centuries before through the prophet Isaiah that he was going to bring a gift for the world, for all people.
[14:13] Well, let's find out about that gift. If you go back to Isaiah chapter 55 in your Bible, Isaiah 55, this is the prophet Isaiah speaking centuries before.
[14:35] And here's what he says. Verse 1, Come all you who are thirsty.
[14:49] Come to the waters and you who have no money. Come buy and eat. Really? Yes. Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
[15:04] Why spend money on what is not bread and your labour on what does not satisfy. Listen, listen to me and eat what is good and you will delight in the richest affair.
[15:19] Give ear and come to me. Listen that you may live. What an amazing invitation.
[15:32] Let's go back to John chapter 4. You see Jesus arrives on the scene and he fulfills God's offer of life.
[15:43] He's saying it's a free gift. It's for all people. Jesus is saying come to me. Drink of me.
[15:54] Have me in your life and you will never ever thirst again. Now let's be clear this is not the offer of a trouble free life.
[16:07] No it's saying that in the chaos and brokenness of life in the midst of our inner turmoil of struggles and suffering Jesus is offering living water that will calm your soul and give you peace.
[16:23] Jesus alone will meet your deepest need and longing. He will quench you spiritually and satisfy you eternally.
[16:36] So Jesus offers living water. Well that's good. But here's a better thing. Jesus welcomes thirsty people.
[16:49] He welcomes thirsty people. The woman at the well that we meet is more thirsty in more ways than one. Look at verse 15. The woman said to him to Jesus after he's been offering this lasting living water.
[17:07] I think sarcastically sir give this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water. Don't be silly this isn't possible because the woman's clearly not understanding so Jesus changes the focus verse 16.
[17:24] He tells her go call your husband back to me. I have no husband she replied. Now why is Jesus all of a sudden interested in her personal life?
[17:40] Well it's because Jesus wants to reveal her heart. He's revealing a thirst that she has deep down inside of her. You see this woman at the well who's come for water is spiritually broken.
[17:58] Look at the rest of verse 17. Jesus said to her you are right when you say you have no husband. In fact you have had five husbands and the man you now have is not your husband.
[18:14] What you have just said is quite true. To say this woman had a spicy life is an understatement. Five husbands and a new partner on the go.
[18:29] Whatever happened God's design for marriage an exclusive lifelong commitment. You see this woman is going out on a limb.
[18:39] She is going against God's design. She is living for her own desires. I want and I get. And if it takes a new husband who offers better sex well then that's what I'm going to have.
[18:54] Jesus asks these questions to open wider heart to expose her self centred living.
[19:07] But that's not all. She is also socially crushed. You see I don't know if you noticed as we read this there's actually another way to look at these questions Jesus is asking.
[19:21] that this woman is the one who has been sinned against. That countless men have kept coming to her and telling her all the things she wants to hear.
[19:37] Promising her the earth. But in reality when they have her well she's just used and abused and when they're finished kick her out. And in desperation she's gone from one man to another seeking security believing the lie that well the next one will be better.
[19:59] But with every promise comes more heartbreak and more loneliness. It seems that she will give herself to anyone body and all in the hope that maybe somebody will love me.
[20:19] Is Jesus now a potential new partner? Is that how she's thinking? You see this woman is thirsty not just for water she's thirsty for happiness for contentment for peace and she will selfishly take whoever she wants and she'll sacrificially give of herself to get what she wants but it hasn't quenched her thirst her numerous marriages and her partners tell the story it's left her spiritually broken and socially crushed the fact that she arrives there at 12 noon at the hottest point of the day when nobody else would dare to go out into that kind of heat there she is alone coming to the well hoping nobody else will be there her search has only led to shame so shameful we actually don't even know what her name is you see this search for satisfaction is actually a turning away from
[21:35] God it's what the Bible calls sin look with me you can read it on screen this is what the prophet Jeremiah says when God's people turn away he says my people have committed two sins they have forsaken me the spring of living water and have dug their own wells broken wells that cannot hold water you see this isn't just talking about people of the past or the woman at the well it's talking about me and it's talking about you in our longing and looking for happiness in our pursuit of pleasure and success or love and security in our thirst to be satisfied we we forsaken God we pushed him out and we gone digging our own wells looking for joy but it's also temporary whatever we kind of grasp it kind of just disappears in a puff of vapor well we keep selfishly taking what we want from people and things cramming them into our life sacrificially giving of ourselves to others so we can get what we want well in reality we've ignored
[22:59] Jesus we've said no to his living water and we've drunk the stagnant things of this world that leave us utterly parched how would Jesus respond to that well good news because Jesus welcomes us he welcomes me and he welcomes you you see despite our mess and our brokenness because of our sin he comes he comes to the woman he makes his way to the woman to say you are welcome come to me and I will give you living water would you dare to come to Jesus because it will be painful and hopeful what do you mean by painful well you see when we come to Jesus he reveals our true self he shines a light into the darkness of our heart he exposes our secret desire isn't that what the woman said look at verse 29 verse 29 she says to her community after she met
[24:16] Jesus come see a man who told me everything I've ever done could this be the Messiah God's King would we dare come before Jesus who would show us our life but it's also hopeful because Jesus shows us our heart not to crush you not to break you but to forgive you to welcome all who are broken and crushed so that they may receive his salvation now and for eternity so how are you and I going to experience this thirst quenching living water how can we drink and be fully and finally satisfied well third well they've all come up together never mind
[25:17] Jesus seeks true worshippers you see the conversation has become rather embarrassing and a bit too close and personal so the woman changes the conversation verse 19 sir the woman said I can see that you're a prophet well that was true he knew all about her life verse 20 our ancestors worshipped on this mountain but you Jews claim that the place where we meet is in Jerusalem let's talk religion nothing like a little bit of controversy let's get off me and talk about something else well Jesus isn't going to be put off is he he uses this change of subject to show us how we should respond to the offer of living water you see the only right response is to worship Jesus look at verse 21 look what
[26:20] Jesus said he says to the woman believe me a time is coming when you will worship the father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem in other words he said to her look it's not about a place you go to but a person you come to not a place you go to it's not a site or a pilgrimage or a special building but it's about a person Jesus is saying you must come to me and worship me you see the call to worship Jesus if we are going to worship him means turning from ourselves and turning to him verse 23 look at verse 23 with me a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the father in the spirit and in the truth they are the kind of worshipers the father seeks you see if we're going to worship it requires two things truth and spirit to believe the truth as we have on the screen there will we trust what
[27:50] Jesus says about himself that he offers living water will we act on his words will we believe that he alone satisfies will we stop digging our own wells and will we drink from him will we turn from our self centred life and make Jesus the centre of your life will you believe the truth and will we receive the spirit you see when we trust Jesus the spirit of God comes into our life and he gives us a whole brand new way of living new desires and new loves rather than searching for joy and happiness in other things we now come to Jesus who forgives us of all our sin past present and future restores us and makes us new will you believe and will you receive you see it is a call to say
[28:55] I will worship Jesus if we're going to experience living water we must worship him alone in a sense it's coming to him and bowing down and saying I submit my life to you you are lord of my life you are ruler of my life no longer my way but your way it's coming in humble submission and saying here I am Jesus I am here to serve you serving your purposes no longer my own you see this is how we can all experience the gift of living water that once and for all drink that promises to satisfy us deeply and eternally a drink that will forever quench our thirst come to Jesus the thirst quencher bow in adoration honour him worship him and know that bubble of eternal life now and forever more let me put it like this imagine there was no water left in your taps no access to any drink around you the only water is the river lee flowing through
[30:30] Cork City so there you go you go down into the city you pick up an empty coke can the tide is out and there you put the coke can in and you bubble up with all the silt and all the grime and all the dirt and you just go thirsty quenching or what if you walked up along through the lee fields and up past the fields and up past the dam and the lake up into the hills and there you hear a gurgle of water and you pull back the ferns and the heather and there is water bubbling out and you put your hands down and you fill your hands with water and shh water water that's water water that's water water living water that will quench your deepest need why turn to that which will never satisfy follow him worship him let's pray lord jesus we we say sorry i'm sorry forgive me for the times i wander away dig my own well and look for joy and satisfaction elsewhere thank you for reminding us afresh today that in jesus we are truly satisfied help us that we may worship him alone and know true life with him forever amen we're going to sing together and put it up on the screen there as the musicians come up jesus said that if i thirst i should come to him here's a response to what we have heard let's all come to jesus and know the life that he has to give if you're able to stand let's do so and we'll sing together so um and he can't hear
[33:21] Thank you.
[33:51] Thank you.
[34:21] Thank you.
[34:51] Thank you.
[35:21] Thank you.
[35:51] Thank you.
[36:21] Thank you.
[36:52] That's on page 996 in the Red Church Bible. Matthew chapter 26.
[37:05] And we're going to read from verse 26 in a moment. This is a meal in which we celebrate what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
[37:19] As we eat the bread and as we drink the bread. We drink the juice. We drink the juice. This is a meal for those who drink the Lord's death.
[37:34] This is a meal for those who think they're a meal for those who think they don't need Jesus. This is a meal for those who realize their desperate need of forgiveness and know it's only found in Jesus.
[37:50] This is a meal for those who are the life that Jesus. For the life that Jesus alone can offer. We drink the water and the water and we drink the water and we drink the living water he offers.
[38:30] We're going to eat the water and we drink the water. We're going to read now from verse 26 of Matthew chapter 26. While we were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, Take and eat. This is my body.
[39:08] Just like this, bread is broken. So we remember that Jesus' body was broken for us.
[39:22] And as we eat, we eat in thankfulness that our sins are no longer counted against us. The bread will be passed around now. Please hold on to it until everyone has received, and we will partake together then.
[39:47] Thank you, Nick and Trish. Thank you.
[40:32] Thank you.
[41:02] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[41:16] Let's pray.
[41:46] Lord Jesus, we thank you for your body broken for us. You took the punishment that we deserved when you died on the cross.
[41:59] And we eat this bread now in remembrance of you. Amen. Let's read again from verse 27.
[42:36] Then Jesus took a cup. When he had given thanks, he gave it to them saying, drink from it, all of you.
[42:54] This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
[43:17] Jesus points us forward to that glorious day when we will feast together around his table in heaven.
[43:29] And like we read this morning, at his right hand are pleasures forevermore. We will be satisfied in him forever.
[43:42] The juice which we're about to drink symbolizes Jesus' blood, which was poured out for us on the cross.
[43:55] As we drink it, let us give joyful thanks to Jesus for the eternal life he has won for us.
[44:06] Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we thank you for your blood, which was poured out on the cross for us.
[44:18] Though you were without sin, you took our sin, dying and rising again for us. You are the only one who can satisfy us with life forever.
[44:33] We worship you today. Amen. Please drink as you receive. Thank you.
[44:49] Thank you. Thank you.
[45:27] Thank you. Lazarus. So, let's go.
[46:02] So, let's go.
[46:32] So, let's go.
[47:02] So, let's go.
[47:30] As we finish, let us say our church family blessing together for this week. This is found on your new sheet on the inside page.
[47:41] It's in blue writing at the bottom. Let's say it together.
[47:56] May our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of living water, fill you with the hope of eternal life and quench your deepest need so that you are satisfied in him alone.
[48:13] Amen. Thank you so much for being with us today. We encourage you all to stay for tea and coffee after and to continue our time of fellowship. And remember to members to come later at 7.30 for our meeting.
[48:27] Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[48:58] Thank you. Okay. Bye-bye. Thank you.
[49:35] Thank you.