The living water 

The Pharisee in the passage from Sunday used his piety, privilege and possessions to elevate himself in self-righteousness over everyone else, and the tax collector in particular.  Pharisees were letter-of-the-law people, driven to nth degree in their righteousness of duty — but not in the care of the sheep (people) of Israel.  It is the Pharisees Jesus is addressing when He calls men to take His yoke upon themselves, for it is light, rather than burdensome like the yoke of the Pharisees.  

Jesus says in Matthew 5:20, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Jesus is not telling us to ignore obedience; He is reminding them of what God truly desires.  Psalm 51:16-17, “For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; You will not be pleased with a burnt offering.  The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”  Jesus wasn’t concerned with those He touched, spent time with, or even ate a meal with.  He was concerned about their spiritual need (as well as their physical need).  Instead of comparing His holiness and righteousness to theirs, He instead graced them so they would leave their life of sin and follow Him.  

The encounter in John 4 with the woman at the well comes to mind.  In my sanctified imagination, the disciples, who didn’t want to be in Samaria in the first place, walk into town to get something for the group to eat.  I imagine the conversation on the way into town: What business do we have in this place?  Let’s get in and get out as fast as we can.  We are all going to be unclean for a week after we get out of here.  Meanwhile, walking on the same road in the opposite direction is a Samaritan woman going to get water in the middle of the day.  This is not the time of day that anyone of good reputation would fetch water.  I imagine one of them might ponder the question of, “I wonder what her story is that she cannot go when the other ladies go to the well.  She must have really sinned.”  

If you read the story in John 4, you find Jesus waiting at the well as the woman arrives.  She knows her standing before other people, especially Jews.  She knows her situation, the shame of her life, her nationality and all that comes with being a Samaritan and a woman.  Her self-worth is circling the drain, yet not to Jesus.  He sees the value in her.  Fast forward to the return of the disciples who see the woman they passed before now talking with Jesus.  I wonder just where Peter found the self-control to not open mouth and insert foot as was his normal reaction.  Instead, they watch as this woman who traveled to the well for water leaves her jar at the well and runs to town to tell a town (that probably had ostracized her) about the Messiah who has brought living water to her life.  

The disciples could have offered help to her, as not all of them were needed to bring back food for the group.  Someone or a couple could have carried the jar and talked with her about Jesus on the way to the well.  But stereotypes (comparisons) kept them in their “lane,” and the gospel remained silent.  I am very glad Jesus saw her, saw me, for not who I was, but who I could be in Him.  And if I am in Christ, then I need to see others with His eyes, not my own.  Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Pressing on…

Ron Tipton, Senior Pastor