John 4:1-26
Today’s Passage: John 4:1-26
This passage relates to all of us. Here we see how Jesus witnessed to a cultural christian. This is the person that has gone to church, comes from a “Christian family”, knows some of the Bible, maybe even “said a prayer”, but has never come into a true relationship with Jesus where they lay their life at His feet in surrender. We all have people in our lives like this that God is calling us to reach.
We usually hear this passage taught as Jesus and the woman at the well and this is true and we see how He witnesses Himself to her, but what this often fails to show us is her worldview/theological disposition that He is addressing with her.
She is a cultural Christian (well before Christ so I guess a cultural follower of God). If we want to faithfully pursue God and His mission we must be able to (1) identify, (2) respond and (3) speak into the religion of Cultural Christianity.
HOW DO WE KNOW SHE WAS A “CULTURAL CHRISTIAN”
1) SHE KNEW THE RIGHT HISTORY (V. 12)
When Jesus told her about the living water she answered with a question about OUR Father Jacob. She knew the history. She knew who Jacob was. She considered herself a part of God’s flock because of this. She identified as part of this family... “OUR Father Jacob.” This is when people consider themself a Christian because they go to church or have grown up in a “Christian family.” Family History/Presence does not = Faith.
2) SHE WAS INTERESTED IN GOD BUT NOT READY TO SURRENDER HER LIFE TO HIM (V. 13-15)
Jesus shared with her a piece of who He was and what He could give her... eternal life. She responded as if she wanted it. She even went as far as to say “Give me this water...” (v. 15). Most pastors would right then and there lead her in the “sinner's prayer.” This was not what Jesus did. Jesus pushed her harder. Jesus raised the bar. Jesus called out her sin. Her reasoning for wanting the “Living water” was nothing more than to “get out of hell” and to quench her thirst. She didn’t want Jesus. She wanted the benefit of Jesus without Jesus. We must remember that knowing Jesus is not a benefit of salvation... Salvation is a benefit of knowing Jesus. Interest does not = surrender.
3) SHE DICTATED HER OWN STANDARD OF MORALITY (V. 16-19)
When Jesus addressed her about her husbands (past) and live in boyfriend (present) she did not fall on her knees to repent in tears she simply said, “I perceive that you are a prophet.” This is because even though she identified as a follower of God (culturally) she made her own standard of morality so that she could live in a fake world and do whatever she would like without any moral consequence. She did not seek to abide by God’s standard of morality. She knew it. She just didn’t care about it. Our morality does not = righteousness.
4) SHE “KNEW THEOLOGY” (V. 20-26)
She showed that she “knew theology” two times. She challenged Jesus on where to worship (v. 20) and expressed she knew the Messiah was coming (v. 25). This is what Cultural Christians do. Since they believe they know something of theology or the Holy Scriptures, they believe they they are “good with God”... but in reality they miss the whole point which is to surrender, worship, love, obey, and be in relationship with their Creator. They may even read their Bible but they fail to understand that intelligence does not = heart knowledge.
This Samaritan woman at the well was “in the same room” as God but did not know Him. She knew things of God but did not understand them. She was a dead branch touching the vine of the Father but failed to be connected + abiding (John 15). She was dead in her sin without even knowing it. She thought she "was good” but she wasn’t. She was a Cultural Christian. She failed to see the reality of God around her... until Jesus stepped on the scene.
HOW DID JESUS WITNESS TO HER?
1) JESUS ENGAGED HER (V.7-10)
During His engagement of her he turned a normal conversation about water into a spiritual conversation (v. 10) [For help on this watch this video]. This peaked her interest and they started a dialogue in which Jesus listened and responded but always kept the main thing the main thing... Salvation and her need for it. Jesus engaged her.
2) WHILE SHE SPOKE OF THE PHYSICAL, JESUS SPOKE OF THE HEAVENLY (V. 11-15)
Too often we address the mind before we address the heart. Jesus kept the main thing the main thing because He knew that if we addressed the mind before the heart it didn’t matter. The Gospel and Truth of Jesus is always the answer.
So Jesus responds. He sought to show her a glimpse of Himself... a glimpse of God. We cannot see ourselves in our sin without seeing God in His holiness.
3) JESUS RAISED THE BAR (V. 16-19)
This is where we have missed the mark in the American church. In the name of growing our churches and our ministries we have lowered the bar where Jesus raised it. I love that we make it simple. It needs to be simple. It is simple. But simplicity should never come at the cost of true surrender. “We have created a generation of falsely assured unsaved Christians” (Dean Inserra).
So, in love, Jesus raised the bar and called out her sin by asking her about her life. This no doubt, though painful like surgery, brought healing. She must have felt loved, cared for, and known as Jesus saw her and her pain yet loved her. Sometimes being known is painful but it is always worth it. We cannot surrender our lives and sin without bringing it out into the light (1 John 1:5-9)... not always with everyone but at least with someone... especially Jesus. This brings healing (James 5:16).
Jesus’ goal was not to judge her but to love her. And that He did. What He was saying was I see you... I know you... I love you... I want to give you this living water but you will have to surrender your life and follow me.
4) JESUS CALLED HER TO SURRENDER (V. 20-45)
Once again she questioned Him. This time it was about worship (v. 20). And once again Jesus did not answer the question of her mind, “Where do we worship?” but answered the question of her heart, “Whom do we worship?” He spoke to her heart. She starts to get it. She looks at Him and says, “I know the Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ). When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Look at what He says to her, “I who speak to you am He.” WOW!
She finally puts all the pieces together. She in this moment no doubt felt loved, cared for, and humbled. She was speaking to the Christ... He knew her and what she had done... yet He still loved her and wanted her (just like us).
We know that something changed in her heart. She left and went into the city and shared about Jesus and many believed because of her (v. 39). She went from a cultural follower of God to one who was surrendered to the Savior.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN?
Cultural Christianity is all around us. It is no doubt the biggest religion in America. We come into contact with it every day. It is in our schools, on our sports teams, in our families, in our friend groups, and even in our churches. We must learn how to see them and love them... see them and share with them... see them and reach them. But how?
I pray that God uses us and our church to transform those we come into contact with as we take everyone we meet one step closer to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ
Written By: Nick Parsons
This passage relates to all of us. Here we see how Jesus witnessed to a cultural christian. This is the person that has gone to church, comes from a “Christian family”, knows some of the Bible, maybe even “said a prayer”, but has never come into a true relationship with Jesus where they lay their life at His feet in surrender. We all have people in our lives like this that God is calling us to reach.
We usually hear this passage taught as Jesus and the woman at the well and this is true and we see how He witnesses Himself to her, but what this often fails to show us is her worldview/theological disposition that He is addressing with her.
She is a cultural Christian (well before Christ so I guess a cultural follower of God). If we want to faithfully pursue God and His mission we must be able to (1) identify, (2) respond and (3) speak into the religion of Cultural Christianity.
HOW DO WE KNOW SHE WAS A “CULTURAL CHRISTIAN”
1) SHE KNEW THE RIGHT HISTORY (V. 12)
When Jesus told her about the living water she answered with a question about OUR Father Jacob. She knew the history. She knew who Jacob was. She considered herself a part of God’s flock because of this. She identified as part of this family... “OUR Father Jacob.” This is when people consider themself a Christian because they go to church or have grown up in a “Christian family.” Family History/Presence does not = Faith.
2) SHE WAS INTERESTED IN GOD BUT NOT READY TO SURRENDER HER LIFE TO HIM (V. 13-15)
Jesus shared with her a piece of who He was and what He could give her... eternal life. She responded as if she wanted it. She even went as far as to say “Give me this water...” (v. 15). Most pastors would right then and there lead her in the “sinner's prayer.” This was not what Jesus did. Jesus pushed her harder. Jesus raised the bar. Jesus called out her sin. Her reasoning for wanting the “Living water” was nothing more than to “get out of hell” and to quench her thirst. She didn’t want Jesus. She wanted the benefit of Jesus without Jesus. We must remember that knowing Jesus is not a benefit of salvation... Salvation is a benefit of knowing Jesus. Interest does not = surrender.
3) SHE DICTATED HER OWN STANDARD OF MORALITY (V. 16-19)
When Jesus addressed her about her husbands (past) and live in boyfriend (present) she did not fall on her knees to repent in tears she simply said, “I perceive that you are a prophet.” This is because even though she identified as a follower of God (culturally) she made her own standard of morality so that she could live in a fake world and do whatever she would like without any moral consequence. She did not seek to abide by God’s standard of morality. She knew it. She just didn’t care about it. Our morality does not = righteousness.
4) SHE “KNEW THEOLOGY” (V. 20-26)
She showed that she “knew theology” two times. She challenged Jesus on where to worship (v. 20) and expressed she knew the Messiah was coming (v. 25). This is what Cultural Christians do. Since they believe they know something of theology or the Holy Scriptures, they believe they they are “good with God”... but in reality they miss the whole point which is to surrender, worship, love, obey, and be in relationship with their Creator. They may even read their Bible but they fail to understand that intelligence does not = heart knowledge.
This Samaritan woman at the well was “in the same room” as God but did not know Him. She knew things of God but did not understand them. She was a dead branch touching the vine of the Father but failed to be connected + abiding (John 15). She was dead in her sin without even knowing it. She thought she "was good” but she wasn’t. She was a Cultural Christian. She failed to see the reality of God around her... until Jesus stepped on the scene.
HOW DID JESUS WITNESS TO HER?
1) JESUS ENGAGED HER (V.7-10)
During His engagement of her he turned a normal conversation about water into a spiritual conversation (v. 10) [For help on this watch this video]. This peaked her interest and they started a dialogue in which Jesus listened and responded but always kept the main thing the main thing... Salvation and her need for it. Jesus engaged her.
2) WHILE SHE SPOKE OF THE PHYSICAL, JESUS SPOKE OF THE HEAVENLY (V. 11-15)
Too often we address the mind before we address the heart. Jesus kept the main thing the main thing because He knew that if we addressed the mind before the heart it didn’t matter. The Gospel and Truth of Jesus is always the answer.
So Jesus responds. He sought to show her a glimpse of Himself... a glimpse of God. We cannot see ourselves in our sin without seeing God in His holiness.
3) JESUS RAISED THE BAR (V. 16-19)
This is where we have missed the mark in the American church. In the name of growing our churches and our ministries we have lowered the bar where Jesus raised it. I love that we make it simple. It needs to be simple. It is simple. But simplicity should never come at the cost of true surrender. “We have created a generation of falsely assured unsaved Christians” (Dean Inserra).
So, in love, Jesus raised the bar and called out her sin by asking her about her life. This no doubt, though painful like surgery, brought healing. She must have felt loved, cared for, and known as Jesus saw her and her pain yet loved her. Sometimes being known is painful but it is always worth it. We cannot surrender our lives and sin without bringing it out into the light (1 John 1:5-9)... not always with everyone but at least with someone... especially Jesus. This brings healing (James 5:16).
Jesus’ goal was not to judge her but to love her. And that He did. What He was saying was I see you... I know you... I love you... I want to give you this living water but you will have to surrender your life and follow me.
4) JESUS CALLED HER TO SURRENDER (V. 20-45)
Once again she questioned Him. This time it was about worship (v. 20). And once again Jesus did not answer the question of her mind, “Where do we worship?” but answered the question of her heart, “Whom do we worship?” He spoke to her heart. She starts to get it. She looks at Him and says, “I know the Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ). When He comes, He will tell us all things.” Look at what He says to her, “I who speak to you am He.” WOW!
She finally puts all the pieces together. She in this moment no doubt felt loved, cared for, and humbled. She was speaking to the Christ... He knew her and what she had done... yet He still loved her and wanted her (just like us).
We know that something changed in her heart. She left and went into the city and shared about Jesus and many believed because of her (v. 39). She went from a cultural follower of God to one who was surrendered to the Savior.
WHAT CAN WE LEARN?
Cultural Christianity is all around us. It is no doubt the biggest religion in America. We come into contact with it every day. It is in our schools, on our sports teams, in our families, in our friend groups, and even in our churches. We must learn how to see them and love them... see them and share with them... see them and reach them. But how?
1. Engage Cultural Christians in Meaningful Conversation...Don’t assume they know Jesus.
2. Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing... It is all about the Gospel.
3. Speak to the Heart... not the Head.
4. Help People See God’s Holiness... so they can see their sinfulness.
5. Raise the Bar... Quality over quantity.
6. Call People to True Surrender... not to simply pray a prayer (though more than likely prayer will be involved – Romans 10:9-10).
7. Pray for their Heart... that Jesus would transform it.
I pray that God uses us and our church to transform those we come into contact with as we take everyone we meet one step closer to becoming a true disciple of Jesus Christ
Written By: Nick Parsons
2 Comments
This is great, Nick!
I'd never seen this story as an example of Cultural Christianity before. But it's a great one. I'm certainly challenged to turn everyday conversations into meaningful spiritual conversations.
Great commentary, Nick, very challenging.