Passion Burn out John 4

 Passion Burnt Out- Thirst Quenched- John 4:5-42

During this time of approach to Easter ( officially begin that next week ...the 3 Sundays the older Calendar used before the Lenten season), we are on a journey with Jesus to the Cross. You would think that the temptations that we normally deal with would not be a problem. We have gotten in the car, and are on a road trip! But they seem worse.

 Would it be we could find our way in this world of sin to the Cross where we find relief. But the way is treacherous and the slippery. The world beckons us to take our fill of its delights, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life . (I John 2:16) These things are only temporary. In fact John says in his letter that “the darkness is passing away” 2:8 The world is in a state of decay . The flowers are here but they shall not last. Today we go to the woman at the well and look at her encounter with Jesus. (we have looked at this before in seeing a method of evangelism in the pattern of Jesus) Today I want to focus on the woman herself and how obviously our Lord talks with her and sees the possibilities of a new life.

“Passion burnt out”- this is how my great-grandfather described her in his book, The Great Physician.  I think that is accurate. She was now a water carrier . I am not denigrating those who work with their hands or serve in some capacity as this. But she obviously had fallen from her previous life in some way that led her to where she was now. Jesus knows her history . She was living with a man who was not her husband now (Jn 4:18), after the previous five. Notice how she tries to avoid it. “ I have no husband.” Jesus uncovers it . “ You are right in saying, ‘ I have no husband; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband.” 

For whatever reason she had a tumultuous past. Passion burnt out. But Jesus does not avoid her. He talks with her and engages her at her issue and point of need. It was not proper for a rabbi to so discuss with a woman and a Samaritan woman as well.

This brings me to a thought about this woman . Did her passion that is exhausted lead her to openness to talking about her life? Jesus was a wise evangelist . He saw right through to her need and that she was ready for a life change. 

We too cannot rush the process of God in the sowing of seed of the Word of God. Not everyone will respond like this woman to the Word. Then she gets into a religious argument about where worship should be. I remember when we had Rev. David Young come,   and talked to us about his church planting work in Crestview for the PCA. He said that many people wish to do arguing instead of being open to listen . 

They like to argue to get off the point . His response was we do not need to alwats engage them on this, but point them to the Savior. Jesus tells her he is the Messiah. “ I who speak to you am he.” 4:26 I think G Campbell Morgan hits the nail on the head with his thoughts on this, “

…we find that she entertained a religious hope, ‘ We know that Messiah comes’. I do

not say that as we meet this woman we are meeting a religious woman, but that she

was a woman with a religious background….She presents a picture of the condition of

thousands of people today. They have a religious background, perchance some

problem dismissed, and it may be some hope accepted, but having no practical bearing

on life.” ( The Great Physician)

So passion was burnt out. Life was rather hum drum and carrying water was what she was now doing. It was her lot in life. I know we are all susceptible to the world and its lures of fame, and wealth. It leads to passion burnt out because it cannot satisfy. There is a little prayer I have seen and used about those who struggle with addiction that talks about this:

“ O blessed Lord, you ministered to all who came to you: Look with compassion

upon all who through addiction have lost their health and freedom. Restore to

them the assurance of your unfailing mercy; remove from them the fears that

beset them; strengthen them in the work of their recovery; and to those who

care for them, give patient understanding and persevering love. Amen.”

Book of Common Prayer, 1979

Secondly, we see thirst quenched. “ Living water” is what Jesus offers. “ Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.” 4:13 Jesus said earlier that new life is possible . “unless one is born of water and the Spirit , he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” 3:5 The woman told the village, “ He told me all that I ever did.” 4:39 I found it interesting that Jesus did not do any miracle there, but He saw through people and looked at their lives. He stayed with the town for two days. “ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them..” 4:40 “ And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, ‘ It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.’ ”.

How to have a good journey to Easter? Start with believing in Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Crown Him in your life and say no to the world’s draw and strings of attachment. Then say, “ Lord because you are my Savior and I have you I want to serve you in a special way this 40 days to Easter comihg Feb 14(Lent).” But without Jesus it will not matter what you or I do. He is the only one who can change us into who we can be and who we really are. He can take our past and make it unknown to us as it is buried. 

He can put all things right and take us by the Hand to the Father. No one else can do that. No thing on this earth can do that. No Church can do that without Him .  Jesus first. And then because we love Him we will follow Him into His sufferings and His passion. That is the true passion of our lives. Our passion burns out. His gives us life eternal!