Is there something you are desperate for right now that you don’t have?  In other words, what’s missing? What’s missing in your life that you long for?

Sometimes, it just feels like something is missing. You’re not complete.

And what we do with that feeling of incompleteness says a lot about what we treasure and what matters to us

[John 4:1-8]

1 Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John 2(though Jesus himself didn’t baptize them- his disciples did). 3 So he left Judea and returned to Galilee.  4 He had to go through Samaria on the way. 5 Eventually he came to the Samaritan village of Sychar, near the field that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there; and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well about noontime. 7 Soon a Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Please give me a drink.”8 He was alone at the time because his disciples had gone into the village to buy some food. 

Jesus purposely looks for those who are hiding.

Jesus offers eternal life not temporary satisfaction.

[John 4:9-14] 

9 The woman was surprised, for Jews refuse to have anything to do with Samaritans. She said to Jesus, “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. Why are you asking me for a drink?” 10 Jesus replied, “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”

11 “But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,” she said, “and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? 12 And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?”

13 Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. 14 But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” 

Jesus offers a spring, not a well. Which means we don’t have to keep climbing up the hill to the well for more. A spring is ever flowing. It’s always satisfying. Jesus is always satisfying.

Happiness doesn’t come from outside of you. It comes from within you.

As long as you look to temporary things to find fulfillment you will miss out on God’s best for you. 

Jesus’ gift is bigger than our past, present and future sin.

[John 4:15-19]

15 “Please, sir,” the woman said, “give me this water! Then I’ll never be thirsty again, and I won’t have to come here to get water.” 16 “Go and get your husband,” Jesus told her. 17 “I don’t have a husband,” the woman replied. Jesus said, “You’re right! You don’t have a husband – 18 for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now. You certainly spoke the truth!” 19 “Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. 

When something’s missing, whatever we run to before God is our idol.

[John 4:26]

“Then Jesus told her, I am the Messiah” 

Jesus can take your greatest source of pain and shame and turn it into your greatest victory.

[John 4:28-30, 39-42]

28 The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, 29 “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?” 30 So the people came streaming from the village to see him.

39 Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, “He told me everything I ever did!” 40 When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, 41 long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. 42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world.” 

She left the water jar. She had to leave behind the thing that was holding her back from following God. 

In order to receive grace, we have to leave the idols behind. 

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