The Seventh Man.

A mini-sermon by Craig Emerson Strain

The Gospel according to a romance novel.

She already had had 5 husbands, and the one she has now is not hers. When she went to the well to draw water, there was this stranger. He wasn't from around here. Men don't go to the well to draw water, that was our custom. So what was he doing here? What were his intentions? Could he be the seventh man?

John 4:6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
John 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

Pretty brassy, she thought. Asking me to serve him. Look at him, he's a Jew.

John 4:9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Ha!, she thought! Answer that one and let's see who's in charge here.

John 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Why does he seem so truthful? But wait, doesn't he know who he's talking to.

John 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

My family dug this well. My family is well known around here. I'm not just some nobody, she thought in her heart. She continued

John 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

Why is he so truthful? Doesn't anything shake him, she thought?

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Why does this man seem to have a heart deeper than this well? All her life, she had played with small talk, empty hearts, selfish people, but this man is different. She was afraid to seem too forward, but afraid to miss the chance of a lifetime, so she continued.

John 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

There, I said it, she thought. What will he think. Is he for real?

John 4:16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

Her heart sank. Her past! Her past! Her failures! Once again! Why always this? But maybe this was different. This man had always seemed truthful. Maybe she could this once be truthful. How could this conversation continue if she lied now?

John 4:17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

He understands! He knows the embarrassment of her heart! Others mocked, others scorned, but he seems to understand.

John 4:18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

This is too much. My sins and weakness is before his very eyes. Maybe I can flatter him and change the subject. Men love to be flattered, she thought the more.

John 4:19 The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Her thoughts raced, she almost thought out loud. I went to Church when I was a little girl. He should know that I prayed back then. I know what the Laws and the Prophets said. What does he know about this? Is he real?

John 4:20 Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

This is a man of God! I want that pureness of my heart that I once had, she thought.

John 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

John 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

This is God! He is the Messiah! Her heart leaped for joy! This is who she was searching for, but could never find. The perfect Love, the perfect understanding, the perfect forgiveness. I will tell others, they will see the change in me. I have seen the Christ and his name is Jesus!

John 4:28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,
John 4:29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?
John 4:30 Then they went out of the city, and came unto him.

Not the End, but the Beginning

The Bible is a love story. It tells of of God's Love for us.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

He tells us in His Word, the Bible, how we are to love.

Mat 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Mat 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

He tells us how to love our families.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Eph 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Eph 5:24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

Eph 6:1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.

He tells us how to treat those that we work for.

Eph 6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
Eph 6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
Eph 6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
Eph 6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

He tells us how to treat those who work for us.

Eph 6:9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

The Bible also tells us what person we are to be in our hearts.

Eph 6:24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

The Beginning

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