Series: Always Relevant: God Is…
Galatians 6:2-3 MSG
John 4:4-30 (Samaritan Woman)
John 4:7-10 (Jesus and the woman)
John 4:23-24 MSG
Sup with the Oppressed?
The oppressed are a really big deal to God.
A BIG deal.
That means when we go about our everyday lives, God really wants us to take notice when we see oppression. We need to take time to care.
Galatians 6:2-3,
“Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.”
Sup is a word my oldest granddaughter taught me.
She’d say, “Sup?”
I’d nod several times and smile and say, “sup.”
Jesus had a “sup” moment with the Samaritan woman at the well.
The details of their meeting are found in John 4. Jesus’ interaction with the Woman at the Well was remarkable. Once I knew the details of Jews and Samaritans at the time of Jesus I realized just how remarkable their meeting was…
The Series, The Chosen has a segment where Jesus met the woman at the well as it’s described in John 4. I’ve always loved the story and when I watch that scene in The Chosen, I weep. Every time.
In Season 1, Episode 8 Jesus sent His disciples on into town to get food. He knew the Samaritan Woman was coming to the well at noon. He wanted to be alone with her when she came. He knew she would come.
When she showed up she did not want to talk to Jesus. She just wanted to be alone.
Jesus knew the reason. Jesus knew all the reasons.
Scripture doesn’t tell us the history of the woman at the well. The only thing we can assume is that there was a story.
In other words there was a reason the woman went to the well at noon. It was because no other women would choose to go to the well at noon. The other women went to the well first thing in the morning when the sun wasn’t bearing down on them. That’s partly because they had to carry heavy jars from their homes to the well. They had to fill them with water, and they had to carry the very heavy jars filled with water back to their home.
We don’t know the reason for sure but according to John 4:4-30 the Samaritan woman had been married four times and the man she was living with was not her husband.
What we do know is that the women lived in a man’s world by his rules. We do know that a woman was expected to give her husband male heirs. Interestingly enough we know now that the sex of a child is solely determined by the man. In times past if a woman had five daughters and no son she was often blamed for not giving her husband a son.
We do not know if producing a child and especially a male heir was a problem for the Samaritan woman. We do know that she did not say she had children.
We also know that Jesus would have known the reason the Samaritan woman had been with many husbands and the man she was living with was not her husband.
We do know Jesus had compassion for her.
We do know even if she wasn’t oppressed, she was definitely distressed by her plight.
When Jesus intentionally sent all of his disciples into town that day Jesus wanted to be alone with her.
Jesus knew there was something very special about that woman who came to the well in the heat of the day every day.
Jesus knew he loved her even before he laid eyes on her.
Jesus knew speaking with her would be a problem. We learn from John 4:7-8 that Jesus asked the Samaritan woman for a drink of water.
We know from John 4:9 it was not customary for a Jewish man to speak to a Samaritan woman. That means this woman had probably never had contact with any Jewish man, let alone a Rabbi (and especially not a famous Rabbi who had his own followers).
We know from John 4:23-24 that Jesus told her what God wants, “It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship.”
Jesus knew this woman possessed the capability and had the kind of heart to choose to say yes to all that God had for her.
Jesus knew she would tirelessly tell others of His love for them.
Jesus knew she would give him her whole heart and she would follow him.
Jesus KNEW her and loved her completely.
Spiritual Practice: Give One Thing
Give God/Jesus one thing you are struggling to let go of. If it’s really hard, tell God you need help giving it up. God will help you. After all, God already knows SUP with you.
In God, Deborah
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