Pastor Tim Patoka Our Greatest Needs: Water for the Thirsty
March 12, 2023
Quench Your Thirst John 4:5-26 1) For Eternal Life 2) For the Truth 3) For the Christ It’s a hot day, and you’ve been outside for some time. You finished your bottle of water some time ago and you know it’s time for another when you get home soon. When you arrive, what will you first reach for? Is it a cool glass of filtered water? Is it a fun, electrolyte-filled flavored sports drink? Is it something that tastes good even though it doesn’t hydrate you? No matter what you reach first for, you know how satisfying it’ll be to take that sip and quench your thirst. Could you imagine having that same satisfying, thirst-quenching effect for your soul? You can’t find it at the store or even with the best carbon water filter. It’s only found in Jesus who alone can give it. As we consider our verses from John’s Gospel, we hear how Jesus offers this living water that alone can quench our soul’s thirst for eternal life, for the truth, and for the Christ. 1) For Eternal Life After traveling all day, Jesus and his disciples come to the town of Sychar and need to refuel. While the disciples get food from town, Jesus is resting by Jacob’s well. A Samaritan woman comes to draw some water since she doesn’t have running water at home. Jesus, tired from his journey, asks the woman for a drink of water. And with that polite request, Jesus began to direct this woman’s thoughts to her soul’s thirst for eternal life. Jesus does this with a play on word with “living water.” This term could refer to two different kinds of water: physically to spring-fed water as found in Jacob’s well or spiritually to water that is life-giving or full of life. When Jesus offers her his living water, she’s confused. She’s thinking of spring-fed water and wondering where Jesus has this hidden away. Jesus is talking about life-giving water, the water that gives life. Yet she still doesn’t get it. But she does still want Jesus’ living water, thinking it’ll save her from ever needing to draw water from Jacob’s well ever again! Why didn’t the Samaritan woman recognize Jesus’ living water? Didn’t she realize her soul’s thirst for eternal life? No, she didn’t because she was distracted by her life’s daily needs. Have you ever found yourself distracted from what you 1