This week's Bible Study - February 24, 2008
The Model
 Background Scripture:
John 4:4-26
Quote of the Week:
“People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy after”
Oliver Goldsmith
Everyone has heard of models. Models can mean many different things, depending on their context of use. We all know of models that model clothing styles. You'll see them in department store catalogs and in other advertisements on television and in the newspaper.
There are other models that serve as representations of something bigger. These are generally miniature in size, but they can serve to show the construction or appearance of something, such as a building or a bridge. As a child, you may have put together different models that were miniature representations of cars, planes, boats or other larger things. They may look realistic, but they aren't the real thing.
There are other ways that a model is used. You may think of a model student or a model citizen. There are exemplary types of folks who teachers and government leaders wish others would be more like. A model can also be thought of as a standard - an example for comparison.
In this week's lesson, we are looking at the way in which Jesus modeled reaching out to others, in the way he did ordinary things. In this lesson, we'll see how Jesus crossed boundaries in order to share with another person. What boundaries have we set up? Are they artificial or are they real? Are we willing to share our faith with others?
The Jews and the Samaritans hated each other. It is said that when a Jew had to travel Judea in the south to Galilee in the north that they would go way out of their way to avoid Samaria. If you live in the Midwest US, you probably have heard of East St Louis, Illinois (just across the river from St Louis, Missouri) and Kansas City, Kansas (on the other side of the state). Imagine going from Illinois to Kansas without going through Missouri. It doesn't make a lot of sense - and though Chicago Cubs fans in Illinois may not care for the St Louis Cardinals, I don't think it would keep them from crossing the state.
Even with that background, Jesus was traveling through Samaria. He didn't follow the norms of the folks of his day. They had a hatred that kept many of them from any contact with 'the enemy'. I don't think we can understand this type of hatred, but there are certainly people or areas we may avoid. Why is that and who are they? Are we scared or do we just feel uncomfortable? As a Jewish man, the middle of Samaria would be uncomfortable for Jesus, yet there he was.
Jesus came across Jacob's well. This was an area known by Jewish believers from Old Testament stories. God had spoken to Jacob in this area, so God's presence had been in this place. Having been on several mission trips to different parts of the world, it has been amazing to find other believers. It is interesting that the kinship that I feel with another believer of any race, culture or land is stronger than somebody who simply grew up in the same hometown. On a trip to Belarus, our team went to a school in which it was said that few, if any other Americans had been. In this area, it felt strange, because of that fact, but there were Belarussian believers that made things much better.
Jesus was tired as he traveled, so he sat down. It is good to see that Jesus experienced much of what we experience. We have a Savior that knows how we can get worn out, as well as many other things. We often get tired. Many live their lives on the edge - going form one thing to the other, with little time to slow down and rest. Many parents are awake very early in the morning and stay very busy until very late at night. While anyone can do this for a while, that kind of schedule will wear out any of us over time.
While Jesus was sitting at the well, a Samaritan woman came and Jesus asked her for a drink. Now, Jesus had gone much further than just crossing through Samaria. He, being a Jewish man, was talking to a Samaritan woman. He didn't stick with perceived political correctness in sharing with others. He saw this woman as a person in need of salvation. She, however, knew that this was very much nonstandard.
Jesus indicated to the woman that he was no mere Jewish man. Although she had come to the well for water, he had something that could change her life. He had living water. Given, all the power of microscopes and what we know about smaller than visible life, maybe there was some 'life' the water, but that isn't what Jesus was referring to. He was referring to water that could change a life. Though Jesus was the source of living water, we need to realize that we carry with us something that can change a life as well. We may be able to meet some needs, by providing water, but we can also provide access to much more. As believers, we have a hope that lives inside of us - because of this same living water. That hope is available to others - are we willing to share that hope?
The words that Jesus said didn't make much sense to the Samaritan woman. First, he was a Jewish man and he really shouldn't have been talking to her anyway. And, he was just that - a Jewish man - she only saw what her eyes could see. Here was a man who couldn't give her water - he was at the well, but he had nothing to draw with and the well was very deep. If he himself needed a drink of water, how could he be talking to her about living water?
She knew that the area was special, maybe even sacred. This was, after all, Jacob's well. You can read in Genesis 29 that this was the same well that Jacob came to, when he found Rachel and fell in love with her. Sir, this was the well of our father Jacob, who drank from it himself, as did his sons and flocks and herds. Are you greater than Jacob? Did this Jewish man not know of Jacob?
Jesus did know about Jacob, but he said that he was talking about much more than this well and the water contained therein. You can drink as much as you want from that well, but you will be thirsty again. We all know this lesson from thirst - you can quench it for a while, but you will get thirsty again. We also have learned this lesson, perhaps painfully, in many other areas of life. We think that only if we can get this thing or that thing, we will find happiness. We may risk and even lose much to get that thing, only to find out in the end, that it is not that thing that will bring satisfaction and happiness.
Jesus was offering much more to this woman. The living water that he had was sufficient for all time. Once you tasted of that living water, your thirst would be truly quenched. His water brought up a spring inside of us that leads to eternal life, rather than short term refreshment. This is how it is when we truly accept Christ as our Lord and Savior. Many people spend many years searching in all different types of areas for truth. They read the latest 'spiritual' books and they listen to all of the New Age speakers. They may turn to mysticism or horoscopes or many other types of avenues - looking for truth. What is amazing is that often these people will spend much effort seeking this 'truth'. Often, in their pursuit of truth, they totally disregard the Bible and Jesus Christ. Once they find Christ, they are quenched and they have no reason to keep looking. There are others who have tasted this living water, but then start searching again - because of various reasons. However, Jesus offers living water that fully quenches, when we give ourselves totally to him.
In many places, we read that Jesus spoke and taught with authority. I imagine he was very convincing in what he said. Some people just seem to have this way of speaking that reaches others. The Samaritan woman was convinced. She wanted his living water. Why would she ever want to keep going back to the well day after day? Why would she want to have this tiresome non-quenched feeling for any more days of her life? She didn't want to keep coming back.
Jesus spoke to her, telling her enough so that she knew he knew her, more than just a little bit. She had not shared her personal situation with Jesus, yet he knew. Jesus didn't send in a group of people to find out information from others - he just knew her. Jesus knows you, as well. She tried to bluff her way out, but he knew more than what people he knew her knew. He knew of the numerous relationships and husbands that she had had. Sometimes, we think we can hide things from others. In fact, we may very well be able to pull the wool over the eyes of friends and associates. We may have something in our life that nobody else knows about. Nobody, that is, except Christ. We can hide things from others, perhaps, but we can't hide things from Christ. And, it's really only Christ and what he knows that really matters. Who are we fooling?
When she saw that Jesus knew so much about her, she figured that there was something special about him. He was, indeed, a great man. Perhaps he was a prophet - a man of God. She then proceeded to talk 'religion' with him. She wanted to know what the right thing was - is it to worship on the mountain or must true worship only be done in the temple in Jerusalem? Jesus told her that, in reality, it didn't matter so much - people worship as they know. It was really a side issue. If you were to have an audience with Jesus, what things might you ask - is it supposed to be this way or that way?
Truthfully, even today - it's not the religious traditions that you follow or where you worship or when you worship. I remember when I went to Taiwan for the first time, we went to a Taiwanese church. However, it seemed very much like a church I might see in the southeastern part of the United States. They had a very specific order of service. The songs they sang, the responsive readings that they read, what followed what and the length of the message was always the same. Otherwise, it wasn't church. I think some missionaries that meant the right thing got the wrong point across.
We have debates in churches today about traditional or contemporary music in services. We may also get caught up in the order of service - do you take an offering at the start or the end - when are the songs - etc. It's not the type of music or the order of service. It is how you worship. We are called to worship in spirit and truth. This is the type of worshiper that the Father seeks. What type are you? Are you tied to a set pattern each week - thinking it always has to be a certain way or are you worshipping with your life?
Jesus told the Samaritan woman that God was neither a mountain (where the Samaritans worshipped) nor a temple (where the Jews worshipped). Sometimes, we equate God to a building - as a child, you may have heard that you were not to run in "God's house". I know some children were wondering which room he lived in. God is not represented by a building, a block of wood, a statue, an animal or anything else that you can touch or place in a single place. God is spirit and worshipper must worship in spirit and truth.
As I mentioned before, you will find believers in all different types of countries around the world. They may speak different languages and worship in different ways. Yet, they are worshipping God in spirit and truth. God is not partial to English or Russian or German or French or Portuguese or Mandarin. That feeling of kinship you find with other believers is based on that spirit that is common in you and them.
The woman indicated that she had heard of the Messiah and that she was expecting what she had heard. The Jewish people were looking for the Messiah, as well. They are still looking for the Messiah. That 'version' of the Messiah was not the true Messiah. When her 'Messiah' came, he would explain everything and they would understand.
Jesus told the woman that her wait was over. He, the Messiah, was here. The one she spoke of was standing in her presence. The passage more or less ends there. We don't hear more about her response. Sometimes when we read passages in the Bible, they will raise questions in our mind that we'd like to know. For example, did she believe? What happened after this meeting with Christ? What story did she have to tell? She had a personal encounter with the Messiah, Jesus Christ himself. Something truly remarkable had occurred in her life.
Closing
Just as God touched this lady's life in a remarkable way, he still works in similar ways today. Except that it is not Jesus Christ at the well. It might be you or I at the water cooler (in all my years of working, I've never seen people congregate around the water cooler). It might be another believer who shares his or her faith with neighbors. It might be someone else who speaks with a parent of a child that plays on a sports team with our child. It may be a believer who shares openly with the person they sit next to on an airplane. In all of these cases, God may be using you and I to share the hope we have with those who have no hope.
We have to overcome many obstacles to really get to the point of sharing with others. Just as Jesus was in Samaria, talking to a Samaritan woman - sometimes we may have to step out of our comfort zone to reach others around us. For some people, sharing their faith seems to be second nature. They can walk up to someone they have never met and just share. For others, it may require many months of preparation - praying for the words to say. We build up so many obstacles in our minds. What if they ask something that I can't answer? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I lose a friend by sharing my faith? Truthfully, in being around believers for many, many years - I've never seen these things happen. I'm sure it might have happened to someone, but I believe we set ourselves up for failure and because of that, we become fearful to the point of being unable to share.
I would imagine that each person that reads this lesson knows of at least two or three people that have not found Christ. What name is coming to your mind now? What obstacles have you placed in your own mind that hinders you from sharing? We need to remember that the outcome is not our issue, but the ability to be used to share.
God speaks to each person in their own way. As believers, we are called to share our faith and the hope we have with others we know. But, as we share, God will move in their lives. I think of the story of Jonah. You probably know about the way that Jonah tried running from God. You probably remember the storm on the sea and the whale (or very big fish). You probably remember that he finally went to the city of Nineveh and spoke. He gave perhaps the most pathetic example of how to share God's word - "40 days and Nineveh will be overturned". That was it. That would move you, wouldn't it? Probably not. However, at these words, the city of Nineveh turned to God and repented from their sins. At that point in time, God was very much at work in their midst and there was a great outpouring of his spirit on the people. However, it certainly is not always like that. Sometimes, you may give the most eloquent defense of your faith to another person and they may not even care.
Again, it's not your issue to pull a response. Guilting a person to saying that they believe something so that you'll leave them alone isn't what we're asked to do. We just need to be willing to share when the opportunity comes along. In some cases, we may feel compelled to create the opportunity, but even if we just were ready when those opportunities came up, I believe God would do mighty things through us.
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