Title: Thirsty
thirst
John 4:3-24
2007. 7. 7. (Sat) Tel Aviv Joppa Church
The event presented in today's text is one of the most well-known events to us. Today's text begins with Jesus meeting a woman in a village called Sychar in Samaria. This event does not show any miracles or signs, but it is an event of great significance.
Jesus went into Samaria and came to a town called Sychar, where he met a woman. According to verse 6, it was about the sixth hour. Six o'clock is Jewish time, which in our time corresponds to noon. It's a pretty hot time. As we know from experience, the land of Israel is a dry area, so it is a very hot and dry area during the day with a large daily temperature difference. Israel is still the least drier of the Middle East, but it is very hot and dry during the day.
Because of this climate, most people work in the morning and at sunset, and avoid strenuous work during the day. But looking at today's text, when did the Samaritan woman go out to draw water? It is the hot midday of the sixth hour, that is, noon. From the fact that she came out to draw water at noon on a hot sunny day in this dry area, you can guess that this woman is something unusual and has some kind of problem. Usually, the time when women come to draw water is in the cool time of the morning and evening. But this woman came alone to draw water at a time when no one came to draw water during the hottest hour. It means there is something wrong. That's why I didn't want to meet people.
Jesus knew this. He knew this woman's inner condition and knew her thirst. So you started the conversation. We may not be able to review the entire content of the conversation in time, but in verse 10 Jesus says to the woman: “If you had known 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.”
The Lord, who knew the woman's thirst, spoke to this woman about living water. This bottled water is water that can quench a woman's thirst. As in verses 13-14, this water is the water that Jesus gives, and whoever drinks this water will never become thirsty. It is like a spring of water that springs up into eternal life. The living water that Jesus spoke of refers to the life, joy, and peace that come from receiving Jesus Christ, and it refers to salvation and eternal life. When we believe in Jesus, we are given the joy of forgiveness of sins. The joy of salvation is given. True peace is given, and freedom is given. And the life that is in Jesus is also given to me so that I can taste eternal life. Jesus was saying that he could give us this kind of living water.
So the woman asks: Verse 15, “The woman said to her, “Lord, give me such water so that I will not be thirsty or come here to draw water.”
The woman hears Jesus' words, thinks that this is the one who can quench my thirst, and asks, 'Give me such water so that I will not be thirsty'. But still, this woman's needs were material things. That's why I ask, "Please don't come here to draw water again." Hearing the words of Jesus, he felt his own thirst, but he is still looking for a solution to that thirst in material things.
Maybe this is normal. This woman has so far found her thirst in material things. I found it in the real world. You must have found it in sexual pleasure. You'll find it in the money. It seemed that I would not be thirsty if there was only that. But the thirst got even worse. I've gone through six men so far, but the thirst is endless. They may have met their material needs as well. But that did not satisfy him. Rather, I was more thirsty, and I felt more empty and lonely. Rather, they were teased, abandoned, and hurt. People also pointed out that it was dirty. He was ridiculed and probably hit by a throwing stone. They did not find satisfaction in anything, but only deep wounds, loneliness, and emptiness. This woman's thirst was an essential human thirst.
People have a thirst. Everyone has a thirst. Animals are satisfied with just food. However, humans are not satisfied with food even if it has food. On the contrary, the more we have and the more we have, the greater our thirst. So, to quench that thirst, they indulge and find something. Indulge in money, indulge in sexual pleasure, indulge in power. Can money quench man's thirst? If possible, the rich wouldn't be thirsty. You will be satisfied. But look. There is no end. Indulge in more money and do anything to get it. Does sexual indulgence give you satisfaction? no. Sexual addiction does not satisfy a person. On the contrary, it makes them more indulgent and ultimately leads to ruin.
Did Jesus say this? “You have had five husbands, and the man you are living with is not really your husband” is a joint translation of verse 18.
The meaning of this word is this. 'Up until now, I have lived with several men. But did such indulgence give you satisfaction? Did you quench your thirst?’
The woman heard these words and