Find True Freedom by Facing What You Hide | Book Of John | Week 4
What if the thing you're most ashamed of is exactly where Jesus wants to meet you?
This message flips everything you thought about Jesus on its head. He’s not floating above your mess—He’s sitting right in it. In John 4, we see Jesus intentionally walk into a place everyone else avoided, to meet a woman everyone else rejected. She wasn’t clean, perfect, or put together. She was tired, ashamed, hiding. And Jesus met her there. Maybe you think you're too far gone. Too broken. This story proves you're exactly who He's looking for.
What starts as a casual conversation by a well turns into a soul-deep rescue. Jesus doesn't avoid her past—He names it, not to shame her, but to free her. Her shame becomes her story. Her story becomes a testimony. And her testimony leads an entire town to believe. Jesus does the same for us. He doesn’t need the version of you you’re trying to fake—He wants the real you. The tired you. The hurting you. The hiding you. He knows everything you’ve ever done, and He still wants you.
Hey everyone, welcome to Flatirons Church Online. My name's Jonathan, I'm your online host today, and I'm so glad that you've decided to join us today. If you're new, a great way to connect with Flatirons is to follow us on social, and also to subscribe to our YouTube channel. But the best way to connect with Flatirons is to text the word NEXT to 80857. You'll get a couple of encouraging text messages throughout the week, but what's really cool about it is that you can actually text us back. You can ask a question, request prayer, and we have real people on the other end waiting to connect with you. Well, today we're in a series called The Book of John. We've heard some really great feedback, and people are wanting to go deeper into their Bible, and so we're going through the entire Book of John together as a church. There's a digital version of our series book available at flatironschurch.com. Well, we've got a great service today, so let's get started. ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪
♪♪ My name is Joe, and we're gonna kick off with some worship this morning. So come on, let's stand together. We're gonna praise the Lord for what He's done in our life. Amen. Lift our voices. Let's go. ♪ Oh-oh-oh oh oh oh-oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh-oh-oh oh oh oh-oh oh-oh ♪ ♪ Awaken my soul arise and sing ♪ ♪ For all that my Savior's done for me ♪ ♪ Oh give Him your praise worship His name, all that I am ♪ ♪ Sing hallelujah ♪ ♪ Forever I'm free forever I'm changed ♪ ♪ Forever my life defined by His grace ♪ ♪ With every step every breath all that I am sing hallelujah ♪ ♪ Oh my heart oh my soul ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Through the shadow through the storm ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ ♪ We praise the Lord ♪ ♪ We praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Faith is my shield the Word is my soul ♪ ♪ The greater the fight the louder I'll roar ♪ ♪ Oh the Spirit that raised Him from the grave living in me sing hallelujah ♪ ♪ Oh my heart oh my soul ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Through the shadow through the storm ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪
♪ We praise the Lord ♪ All right lift your voices come on. ♪ I won't stop singing if all He's done for me ♪ ♪ I won't stop singing if all He's done for me ♪ ♪ He heard my cry He set me on a rock ♪ ♪ Saved me from the hand of the enemy ♪ ♪ And I won't stop singing about my Savior ♪ ♪ I won't stop singing before He's done for me ♪ ♪ I won't stop singing before He's done for me ♪ ♪ Heard my cry, set me on the rock ♪ ♪ And saved me from the hand of the enemy ♪ ♪ I won't stop singing about my Savior ♪ ♪ All my hope, all my sorrow ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Through the shadows, through the storm ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ ♪ We praise the Lord ♪ ♪ We praise the Lord ♪ ♪ We lift Him up, we lift Him up ♪ ♪ Let everything within me praise the Lord ♪ Come on, we give You praise. Thank You, Lord. ♪ Oh, we praise You, oh, we praise You ♪ ♪ Oh, we praise You, oh, we praise You ♪ ♪ The reign of darkness now has ended ♪ ♪ In the kingdom of light, in the kingdom of light ♪ ♪ Forever under Your dominion ♪ ♪ You're the King of my life, You're the King of my life ♪
♪ You reign above it all, You reign above it all ♪ ♪ Over the universe and over every heart ♪ ♪ There is no higher name, Jesus, You reign above it all ♪ ♪ On the cross, the work was finished ♪ ♪ God, You poured out Your life just to give us new life ♪ ♪ Now from the rest of the forgiven ♪ ♪ Here in the ethanol rise, Jesus, You're alive, oh ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, You reign above it all ♪ ♪ Over the universe and over every heart ♪ ♪ There is no higher name, Jesus, You reign above it all ♪ ♪ From the dawn of heaven and the earth, You rocked and soared ♪ ♪ Sing hallelujah to the everlasting One ♪ ♪ There is no higher name, Jesus, You reign above it all ♪ ♪ Yes, You reign above it all ♪ ♪ You reign above it all ♪ ♪ You sent the darkness running out of an empty grave ♪ ♪ Now seated alone in glory, enthroned on the highest praise ♪ ♪ You sent the darkness running out of an empty grave ♪ ♪ Now seated alone in glory, enthroned on the highest praise ♪ ♪ You sent the darkness running out of an empty grave ♪ ♪ Now seated alone in glory, enthroned on the highest praise ♪ ♪ You sent the darkness running out of an empty grave ♪ ♪ Now seated alone in glory, enthroned on the highest praise ♪ ♪ And thrown down the highest praise ♪ ♪ You sent the darkness running out of an empty grave ♪ ♪ Now seated alone in glory ♪ ♪ And thrown down the highest praise ♪ ♪ You sent the darkness running out of an empty grave ♪ ♪ Seated alone in glory ♪ ♪ And thrown down the highest praise ♪
♪ You reign above it all, you reign above it all ♪ ♪ Over the universe and over every heart ♪ ♪ There is no higher name, Jesus you reign above it all ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, you reign above it all ♪ ♪ And all of heaven and the earth erupted in song ♪ ♪ Sing hallelujah to the everlasting one ♪ ♪ There is no higher name, Jesus you reign above it all ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, you reign above it all ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, you reign above it all ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, yes you reign above it all ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, thank you, sing that again ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, you reign above it all ♪ ♪ Over the universe and over every heart ♪ ♪ There is no higher name, Jesus you reign above it all ♪ ♪ So let all of heaven and the earth erupt in song ♪ ♪ We sing hallelujah to the everlasting one ♪ ♪ There is no higher name, Jesus you reign above it all ♪ ♪ You reign above it all, yes you reign above it all ♪ ♪ Oh, you reign above it all, our sovereign king ♪ ♪ You are great, oh God, mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ You give life, you are love ♪ ♪ You bring light to the darkness ♪ ♪ You give hope, you restore every heart that is broken ♪ ♪ Great are you, oh God, mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ You are great, oh God, mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ You are great, oh God, mm-mm-mm ♪ ♪ Oh, now we know the power in you, yes, you are great anniversary Lord ♪ ♪ It's you only, great are you Lord, sing again ♪ ♪ You give life, you are love, you bring light into the darkness ♪ ♪ You give hope, you restore every heart that's broken, yes, you are great anniversary Lord ♪
♪ You give hope, you restore every heart that's broken, yes, you are great anniversary Lord ♪ ♪ Your breath, it's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, pour out our praise ♪ ♪ It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, pour out our praise, pour out our praise ♪ ♪ To you, oh, it's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, pour out our praise ♪ ♪ It's your breath in our lungs, so we pour out our praise, pour out our praise, pour out our praise ♪ ♪ Oh we pour out our praise to you only ♪ ♪ Oh to you only, to you only ♪ ♪ You are worthy of our praise ♪ ♪ You are worthy of our praise ♪ Come on, we lift our hands, we lift our voices. ♪ All the earth will shout your praise ♪ ♪ Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing ♪ ♪ Great are you Lord, oh all the earth ♪ ♪ All the earth will shout your praise ♪ ♪ Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing ♪ ♪ Great are you Lord, oh shout it out ♪ ♪ All the earth will shout your praise ♪ ♪ Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing ♪ ♪ Great are you Lord, oh all the earth ♪ ♪ It's Your breath in our lungs ♪ ♪ So we pour out our praise, pour out our praise ♪ ♪ It's Your breath in our lungs ♪ ♪ So we pour out our praise to You Lord ♪ ♪ It's Your breath in our lungs ♪ ♪ So we pour out our praise, pour out our praise ♪ ♪ It's Your breath in our lungs ♪ ♪ So we pour out our praise to You Lord ♪ ♪ We sing praise, are You Lord ♪ ♪ We sing praise, are You Lord ♪ ♪ Oh lift Him up, come on we lift Him up ♪
♪ Give You praise Father, give You praise Father ♪ ♪ Oh You alone, You alone are worthy ♪ ♪ Oh of all our praise, all our hearts, all our life ♪ ♪ All our life, thank You Father, there is none like You ♪ ♪ Oh You are great, great are You Lord, oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh You are great, great are You Lord, oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Great are You Lord, come on can you tell Him this morning? We sing to Him, come on. ♪ Oh great are You Lord, for what You've done, what You do, yeah ♪ ♪ For what You've done, what You do, yeah ♪ ♪ Great are You Lord, strong and mighty are You ♪ ♪ Great are You Lord, good, good Father ♪ ♪ Good, good Father, great are You Lord ♪ God, we call out to You this morning, the one who brings light into darkness, the one that can heal all brokenness, the one that brings death to life. God, we thank You for the million little miracles that we seem to take advantage of every day, just the breath in our lungs, Your creation that's on display in splendor, that God, You sit on a throne mighty and strong, and also You are here in this room with us right now. That Your presence is with us right now, that You see what we've brought into this place right now, that Father, You can take that, You can redeem that, You can make it right. Reconcile that that's your heartbeat. That's what you want to do. That's what you've already done on the cross So God help us to lay that at your feet today help us to surrender to you For there is none like you
And we give you the praise and the honor and the glory that you deserve father in Jesus mighty name. We said amen Amen, come on. Can we give God some praise this morning? Ah So good to worship with you so good to see so much orange out there today. Hey before you take a seat Why don't you turn to someone on your left your right? Tell them hello. Tell them good morning, and you can have a seat All right church well hey if you got a Bible I hope that you do today John 4 is where we're gonna be John chapter 4 But hey as you're turning there, um if you're new to church or new to Flatirons. Let me just say welcome I want to invite you to something that we have every single week in our lobby just after church when you walk out You'll see an area out there that says new here, and we got a team out there Some great staff some great volunteers that would love to help you get connected answer any questions that you have about our church It's a great place to just get more connected with what's happening here now Maybe you're like I don't want to talk to anybody today. That's fine. I get it Here's another great opportunity if you would just simply text next to 808 5 7 This is a really great way to get connected to our church, and what's happening here on top of that We're gonna send you some text some encouragement throughout the week. We'll send you some scriptures We'll send you just even some reminders like from the sermon this week It's something really really great to opt into and so I want to encourage anybody Who's just looking to get more connected at church to take us up on one of those two things today? But whatever reason has you at church today? We are so glad that you're here with us Big game today right you know big game come on. Let's go Bo Nix. We love you. We love you Bo Nix Jared sit and we believe in you it's gonna be a great day I'm excited for it, but before we get there before we get to the game We're gonna jump into John chapter 4 today together, so here's what we're doing as a church right now We are going all the way through the book of John now Maybe that sounds intimidating to you Maybe that sounds like if I miss one week. I'm gonna fall behind. Here's why we're doing this It's very very simple in John chapter 21 John actually tells us why he writes this book in the first place so check this out. Here's what he says He says but these are written so all the words that we see in John right the words that we're gonna read
These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah He's the Son of God in that by believing in him you may have life in his name. That's it That's why we're doing this now. I work with our students here at Flatirons And so a lot of times I'll have students ask me hey Aaron. I'm new to the Bible I want to start reading my Bible more Where should I start and I always tell them start in the book of John and so they'll read the book of John They'll come back to me. They'll say okay Aaron. I read John. What's next and here's what here's my response read John again And then read it again, and then read it again, and then read it again until You are not just reading about Jesus, but you are learning to trust Jesus right like that's it That's the goal. We want you to see who is Jesus really so that you can move past this this Transactional Jesus if you do this, then I'll do that type of relationship with Jesus We don't want you to have that type of relationship with Jesus We want you to have a relationship that says hey Jesus everything is actually on the table for you now The only way you're gonna do that is if you understand who is Jesus really because let's just be honest There's a lot of unhelpful images out there today. I'll give you an example Maybe you've seen this photo before right like look at you. He looks like obi-wan Kenobi. You know it's like he's got perfect hair Beautiful eyes. He's clean. He's neat. He's glowing he looks ethereal, but if I'm honest He doesn't look very helpful. You know now. I'm not trying to be sacrilegious But here's what I want you to see if this is the image of Jesus that you have in your mind right like he's he's clean He's neat. He's he's off in the clouds floating He's distant if that's your image of Jesus, then we will settle we will settle for what Jim has talked about I'm gonna settle for just this Transactional relationship with Jesus this relationship that says hey Jesus as long as you keep me neat and clean And pretty then I'm in I'll stick with that now. Here's the problem This is how most of us view Jesus We view him in this way. He's he's distant. He's clean. He's neat. He's perfect now understand This is why John writes this book in the first place. He's looking ahead for us He's like understand the the image of the Messiah That John had that completely got blown away by who Jesus actually is and so John is almost looking ahead for us and saying hey They're probably going to project their screwed-up images of what they think Jesus should be like just like I did
And so I'm gonna try to help him not do that and I'm gonna show him who is Jesus really he's not distant He's not floating off in the clouds. He's not far away, but he's actually on the ground He's in the middle of the mess. He's got dust on his feet. He has sweat on his face. He's tired. He's hungry He's not afraid of your story. He's not shocked by your past. He's not threatened by your doubts, right? This is the Jesus that John came to know. This is the Jesus we're gonna see today in John chapter 4 Okay, so hopefully you're turned there by now John 4 verse 1 We got a lot of ground to cover. We're gonna go kind of verse by verse through this thing So here's what it says verse 1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making in baptizing more disciples than John Although Jesus himself did not baptize but only his disciples now. Here's just a quick side point for you Jesus actually did not baptize anyone Here's why he had the foreknowledge to know if I baptize people people are gonna start playing the comparison game They're gonna be like hey, I got baptized by Jesus. My baptism means more than your baptism He's like I'm not playing into this game. Now. Here's what this tells us today It actually doesn't matter who baptizes you it only matters in whose name you are baptized, right? The name of Jesus verse 3 so he he being Jesus. I'm gonna try to map this out for you He left Judea. So down here think Colorado Springs, right? He left Judea and he departed again for Galilee Okay, think Fort Collins up here and he had to pass through Samaria. All right, so in the middle think the Denver area Okay. Now here's what's funny about this text It says that Jesus had to go through Samaria No, we did it Like Jesus didn't have to go through Samaria. He could have very easily Looped right around Samaria. In fact, this is what most Jews at this time would have done. Here's why they hated each other Jews and Samaritans they hated each other In fact, they hated each other so much that they would be willing to travel three extra days to just loop around and avoid contact All together now, I don't have time to get fully into what led to this hatred I'm gonna I'm gonna oversimplify this for you because I want you to see it But really what this stemmed from is is Jews essentially thought Samaritans were half Jews Now some of this was ethnic some of this was cultural a lot of it stemmed from marriage But really what was happening is Samaritans were taking scissors to the scriptures
So they were cutting out things that they're like, we don't want that in we'll keep this in hey, we like this We don't like that. So this was offensive to the Jewish people And so you create this tension right and multiply this tension over hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years You can see there's a great hatred between the Jewish people in the Samaritan people now Here's why this is important to understand. It says Jesus had to go through Samaria No, he didn't He could have done what most Jews would have done gone right around but it's in there for a reason It says that Jesus had to go through Samaria for a reason. Here's why Jesus had a divine appointment with an image bearer of God Like his culture would have said hey just go right around His ethnicity would have said just go right around his own religion would have said just go right around But his father told him you have to go through Samaria. And so Jesus had to go through Samaria Now here's just a question for you. What is it that you have to do? Look what is it that God is calling you to do every time you come to church every time you open your Bible? What is he calling you to do? I need to forgive somebody. I need to get I need to break this this habit or this sin I need to I need to be more but whatever it is, right? What is God calling you to do? Here's what you need to understand whenever God calls you to something there will always be an exit ramp That says just go around but Jesus Had to go through Samaria. Here's why verse 5 So he he being Jesus came to the town of Samaria called Sychar near a field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph For Jacob's well was there now before I read this next part. I want you to notice how John is about to describe Jesus He's not gonna describe him as neat and clean and pretty but he's gonna describe him as tired As thirsty probably dirty from his travel and on top of that Jesus is about to go to a place where everyone has said would have said don't go there He's gonna have a conversation with the woman that everyone would have said. Hey, don't talk to her. Here's what it says so Jesus wearied as he was From his journey was sitting beside the well For it was about the six hour now. I remember when I was a kid I
would I always invite my little league baseball coach to come to church with me. I was a bold kid, you know? And so I would invite him to come to church and he'd say the same thing to me every single time. He'd say, Aaron, if I go to in that church, as soon as I walk in there, the walls of the church will come tumbling down. He's probably joking, but here's basically what he was saying to me. Hey Aaron, I can't go to church. Jesus doesn't want anything to do with me. I'm too messed up. Now, maybe you felt this, right? Like maybe you relate to that. Maybe even for you, like you're here today and you've like, you've driven by this building a number of times and you're like, I can't go in there. If I walk in there, the walls will come crashing down as soon as I walk in there. Or maybe even like you're walking in today and you're almost like scanning the room. You're like, yeah, I'm for sure the worst sinner in this room, right? Like, which I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but someone in the room is technically the worst sinner in the room, you know? It's like, I got my ideas. It's probably a Patriots fan, you know what I'm saying?
But I'm kidding, I'm kidding. But understand what's happening here, right? Understand, Jesus is about to say, hey, despite whoever is the worst sinner in the room, despite who, maybe it's just, despite whoever's walking in today and feels the most beat up by life, here's what Jesus will do. He will walk into this room and he would be willing to sit right next to you. Your story does not scare him. Your past does not scare him. Your scars, he is not afraid of, okay? Now, I want you to hold on to that. We're gonna see this over and over and over again in this story. Verse seven, here's what it says. Jesus is now about to have this interaction with this woman. It says, and a woman from Samaria came to draw water. And Jesus said to her, give me a drink. For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the Samaritan woman said to him, how is it that you, a Jew, would ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? For Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. Now, here's what's happening here. Let me paint this picture for you because everything about this interaction is scandalous. So one, we see a woman coming to the well in the middle of the day.
Now, this is weird because most people would have came to the well to get water in the cool of the day. So they would have gone early in the morning or late at night. She's going in the middle of the day when it's most hot outside. Now, here's what this tells us. She's hiding. But she doesn't wanna come to the well when all the other people or all the other women in the town would have came to the well. Why? She wants to avoid the murmurs, the stares, the gossip. So this woman, she's hiding. She's coming to this well at a time when no one else would have came to the well. So this is a scandalous interaction. But two, on top of that, we already talked about this. Jews and Samaritans, they hated each other. They wanted nothing to do with each other. Then on top of that, men and women in this time, they wouldn't really have an interaction or conversation like this. So everything about this story, about this interaction is scandalous. Now, here's what you gotta ask yourself. Like, picture this for a moment. Jesus, he's tired, he's thirsty, he's dirty from his travel.
He sits down at the well with this woman. Now, ask yourself, so what? Why does it matter? What's the point? Why does John include this in his gospel? What does this actually tell us about Jesus? Here's what I think it tells us about Jesus. That Jesus will walk straight into the places that everyone else avoids. Jesus will sit down with the very people that everyone else has written off. Jesus will meet you right in the middle of your story. He'll meet you right in the middle of your shame. He will meet you right in the middle of your secrets. Now, I don't know if you know this or not, but that is actually the reason we're doing what we're doing right now. Like, this is why Flatirons Church exists. Like, you feel too messy, too broken. You feel like God can't do anything with you. Hey, welcome to the well. Like, this is where Jesus meets with people, okay? Verse 10, story goes on. Jesus answered her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you this living water. And the woman said to him, sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep.
Where do you plan on getting this living water? For you greater than our father Jacob. He gave us the well, and he drank from it himself, as did his sons in his livestock. So, Jacob, he built the well that they're at, okay? So, Jacob, he worked hard to dig a deep well that would be a source of cool and fresh water for people. Now, here's Jesus, here's essentially what Jesus is trying to do. He's wanting to get this woman to understand, hey, you can drink this water, that's great, but you need to understand, Jacob's water will only provide you temporary satisfaction, but I have living water that when it is in you, it lasts forever, verse 13. So, Jesus said to her, everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I give him, they will never be thirsty again, for the water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. So, again, here's what Jesus is saying. Hey, you keep coming back to this well for temporary satisfaction, but I'm gonna offer you something different. I'm going to offer you a satisfaction that lasts forever. Now, I just wanna make a time out here because this is Galatians 5.1, right? Like we got it on the banners over here now. It is for freedom that Christ has set you free.
Now, what's the enemy gonna try to do to keep you from stepping into freedom that Jesus has for you? He's going to try to get you to buy the temporary well, the lies of the temporary wells of this world. Here's what scripture calls this. In fact, John in one of his later letters calls it this. It's the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride of life, right? So these become the things that we now pursue. This becomes what life is about. And so here's what we think following Jesus is. We think following Jesus is just the premium life insurance plan, right? And in the plan, it includes I'm gonna get rich, I'm gonna get safe, I'm gonna get comfortable, I'm gonna get secure, I'm gonna get mine. Really, I just need my get out of hell free card and then we'll call it good, right? Like the boldest prayer that we pray is thank goodness it's Friday. Like this is like the lies of the world. This is pursuing the desires of the flesh, the desires of the mind and the pride of life. Now, remember, here's how John starts his book. John chapter one, he says that Jesus is fully God. So in the beginning is the word. In the beginning was the word. But also Jesus is fully man. So in the beginning was the word,
the word became flesh and the flesh dwelt among us. Now we get to John chapter four. Here's what John is doing. John is trying to help you see that your soul can only be satisfied by an everlasting God. Like understand the engine of your soul, it was created to run on the fuel of a relationship with Jesus Christ. And so Jesus is looking at this woman and saying, that is actually what I'm offering you. So don't go back to the temporary wells of the world. Don't go back to the temporary things that you think are going to satisfy you, that you think if you can just pursue that, you're gonna get what you think that you need. It will not satisfy. Why? Because you were created for eternity. If eternity is written in your heart, that is something only an eternal God can fill. And so Jesus is having this conversation with the woman. The woman's hearing all this and says, you know what, Jesus, that sounds nice. I want that. I want that. But watch what happens, verse 15. So the woman said to her, sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water. Now notice, this is still transactional for her.
She's saying, Jesus, that sounds really great actually. I would love to not have to come out to this well in the middle of the day so that I can avoid having to hide from all the other women in town. This would be really great. I could keep hiding and I'll just get the water. I'll be satisfied. This is what Jim has talked about. This is, hey, Jesus, I'll follow you if my nets are full. Jesus, I'll follow you. I'll trust you if you turn my water into wine. Yeah, Jesus, I'll surrender my life to you if you would just quench my thirst so that I could keep hiding and I don't have to keep coming out to this well. But watch what Jesus does, verse 16. So Jesus said to her, go call your husband and come here. The woman answered him. She's gonna try to juke Jesus here. You can't juke Jesus. Says, I have no husband. Jesus said to her, you're right. You're right in saying I have no husband for you have had five husbands and the one that you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true. Now, here's what Jesus is doing. He's sitting with this woman, talking to her about living water
and she says, Jesus, I want that. I'll take that. But Jesus isn't like interested in just like adding another one to his like saved list. You know, he's like, he's not interested in like, all right, let's get her baptized and we'll talk about the other stuff later. Like, he's not interested in that. He's gonna make sure that she knows. Hey, I'm actually not just talking about a drink. I'm going after the thing behind the thing. So you want living water? You want freedom? Okay, let's take off the mask. Fake you's doing just fine. So I wanna talk about the stuff you don't wanna talk about. I wanna talk about the stuff that has you going out to the well in the middle of the day. I wanna talk about the stuff that has you hiding. So go get that thing. Go get the real you. Go get the thing in your life that you're most embarrassed about. Go get the thing that brings you the most shame. Go get the thing that you think, I gotta keep this close in order to maintain control. All right, you want freedom? You want living water?
Go get that thing and bring it to me. And let me give this in 2026 language. Jesus is looking at this woman and saying, go get the porn addiction and bring it here. Go get your Tinder app and bring it here. Get here, go get your self-harm, your self-hatred and bring it here. Go get the abortion decision and bring it here. Go get your drug addiction and bring it here. Go get the affair you're hiding and bring it here. Go get the anger and bring it here. Go get that thing that the enemy wants to keep you broken over. Jesus says, go grab it and bring it here. This is where Jesus goes. Like notice, he doesn't say, all right, let's say a little prayer, maybe we'll get you baptized because the music made you emotional and then you're just gonna go home and try to do better, try harder, be a better person. That's not where he goes. He says, you want freedom? You want living water? Okay, get your brokenness. Get the thing that brings you the most shame. We're gonna drag it into the light. Why? Because the thing you are most embarrassed about is actually the very thing that Jesus died for. So church, let me just ask a simple question.
What are you most embarrassed about? Like what is the thing that you think, if anyone knew, especially Christians, they would turn on you, they would judge you, they would condemn you. What is it that you are trying to hide? Understand, Jesus is saying, I already know. And guess what? I'm not ashamed of you. Why? Because shame was put to death on the cross. So go get the thing and bring it here. Now, I've read this story like a number of different times and I've always been curious or wondered why like the woman doesn't kind of storm off, give Jesus like the middle finger and is like, hey, don't talk to me like this. Like when you, it's like he gets, she gets right in her business. But here's why. Like she doesn't run away from Jesus because I really think Jesus was the first person to look her in the eye and say, how are you really? Not what can you do for me, not how dare you, not what's wrong with you, but are you actually okay? See, I think she doesn't run from Jesus because here's what most of her life has looked like. People are just wanting to get something from her, which I understand. This is what religion will tell you, right?
Hey, you gotta do more, you gotta try harder, you gotta be better, then God maybe will like you. But Jesus is saying the opposite here. Hey, I actually don't need anything from you. I just want you. Like I just want your heart. I just want your surrender. And then from that, we will move from there. So deep down, I think she knew, this man isn't trying to condemn me. So she doesn't run, but here's what happens. As soon as Jesus puts his finger on the wound, as soon as she's faced with reality that, uh-oh, everything might actually have to be on the table for me to get this living water, for me to have true freedom, here's what she does. She does what I think a lot of us do. She just deflects. Verse 19, so the woman said to him, sir, I perceive you are a prophet. Now, here's what she's about to do. She is going to deflect from what Jesus actually wants to talk about, right? Jesus just got in her business. Jesus just read her mail. She's gonna avoid all that together by bringing up a theological argument, okay? So verse 20, so our fathers, they worshiped on this mountain but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.
Now, if you remember Todd Pierce, riding high ministries, we got the horse on stage, kind of hard to forget. Todd talked about when he was here that after one of the events, a woman came down to him and he could tell like she was emotional. God was like stirring something up, doing something in her life. And so he's preparing, okay, I'm gonna have a conversation with this woman about what God is doing in her heart, in her soul. And she gets to Todd and says, hey, Todd, how do you feel about the LGBTQ community? And Todd just kind of pauses and says, do you mean how do I feel about you? I love you. And then he just asked her a question. How do you feel about Christians? And he could tell that she kind of got it, you know, she kind of turned away. But Todd said, like, I'm doing this because it's easy for us to just lump all these people together, right? Like we like to do this when God is actually saying, hey, I wanna talk about you and we'll distract by bringing up something else. This is what the woman is doing. We do this too, right? Like Jesus will say, hey, I wanna talk about the addiction in your life.
And we're like, Jesus, what happened to the dinosaurs? You know, it's like, let's talk about that. Or Jesus is like, hey, like, I wanna talk about the shame that is like crushing you, that is slowly killing you. And we're like, hey, Jesus, what about the guy who lives on a remote island and like he dies and never hears about you, what happens to that guy? Or maybe it's like, hey, I wanna talk about your family. Like, let's talk about your marriage. And we're like, Jesus, but like, how could something so bad happen to somebody so good? And listen, they're all fair questions. I'm not making fun of the questions. They're good questions. There's answer to these questions. But. Understand what this woman is like understand what's happening here Jesus is trying to get her to see what's really going on within here, and she's like yeah, Jesus Let's talk about the mountains. He's like no actually I would like to talk about you because here's what you're doing You're going from one man to the next man to the next man And you think that is going to satisfy you in it will not satisfy you so if it's okay with you I'd like to keep talking about you What are you going to do? With what I'm offering you So the story goes on verse 21 So Jesus said to her they're gonna. They're gonna keep having like a little bit of a theological argument here Woman believe me the hour is coming when neither on this mountain or in Jerusalem will you worship the Father? The worship you worship who you do not know we worship what we know for salvation is from the Jews so Jesus is basically saying Hey, I'm right Verse 23, but the hour is coming and now here when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth
For the father is seeking such people to worship him if you got a Bible or like your book or something I want you to underline that last sentence for the father is seeking such people to worship him what kind of people broken people Desperate people hurting people people who are simply just willing to say I offer everything to him Not this transactional worship that says hey my week was good So maybe I'll raise my hand this week, but a worship that says God I need you God. I trust you gotta worship you in the highs and the lows understand This is what God is after and so Jesus is looking at this woman and saying hey I know you want to have a little theological debate and argument right now But understand God is not looking for mountains to worship him. He's looking for you Like that is who he's after verse 24 So God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth verse 25 So the woman said to him I know that the Messiah is coming he who is called Christ And when he comes he will tell us all things I love this Jesus said to her I who speak to you Am he now if you're new to the Bible Christ isn't like Jesus his last name. It's actually his it gets his title It's who he is Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world Jesus is the true sacrifice Jesus is the serpent crusher we read about in Genesis 3 Jesus is the suffering servant yet the woman looks at Jesus And says hey, thanks for the conversation You gave me some good stuff to think about But I'm gonna wait for the Messiah. I Wait for him. He'll tell me everything that I've ever done to which Jesus looks back and says hey lady. That's me Like I am the Messiah. I am Yahweh now. Here's why this is a really big deal one Jesus here clearly identifies himself as God Why does John write this book in the first place remember? He wants you to see who is Jesus really well Jesus here very clearly tells us who he is But here's also why this is a big deal Jesus decides to clearly share his the true True divine identity the first person he does this with is an immoral nobody
That most of the world would have just thrown out and classified as a sinner, so here's what this should tell you today Hey, Jesus the great. I am is not floating off in the clouds. He's not distant. He's not far from your pain He's actually the great. I am is actually on the ground. He's here to pursue you So again bring your shame Bring your mess Bring your brokenness verse 27 So just then his disciples they came back, and they marveled that he was talking with the woman But no one said what do you seek or why are you talking with her? So the woman he left she left her water jar and went away into the town and said to the people come see a man Who told me all that I ever did could this be the Christ now? I want you to notice what Jesus does here Jesus takes the thing she is most ashamed of and he removes the shame He removes the condemnation like remember this woman is at this well in this time in the middle of the day for a reason She's hiding she's avoiding everybody in the city now. What is she doing? She's running back into that very same city and yelling yelling hey come see this man He told me everything I ever did the people in the city like we already know what you've done You should be ashamed of it. She's like actually no. I'm not ashamed of it. That's not how this works Listen Jesus doesn't promise promise this woman like the the the life insurance plan of your hey, I'm gonna get you rich We're gonna get you happy. We're gonna make sure you never experience pain. No. Here's what Jesus does he says everything you're searching for Everything your soul desires only I can truly satisfy that but I'm not gonna satisfy it how you think that I'm gonna satisfy All right, it's not gonna happen by me filling your nets or turning your water into wine or quenching your thirst so you don't have to come to this well and you can keep hiding. No, the only way it's going to happen is actually through the wound, through the brokenness, through the struggle, through the addiction, through the weakness, why? Because if we truly want to experience his love and his grace and his power and his mercy and his goodness, we have to bring that thing to him,
the thing that the tape in your head says, I gotta keep hiding this or bad stuff will happen. You go grab that thing, you bring it to him and you allow what Jesus did on the cross to truly set you free. We get to the place where we believe what Jesus did on the cross, it actually counted for me. It's what Jesus wants for you. Now, here's how the story ends. Verse 39, jump down a couple of verses. So the woman, she's changed by Jesus. Jesus changes her life and now she can't stop talking about it, which I love. Verse 39, many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony. He told me all that I ever did. So God takes this woman's life, right? Woman's life is a mess. She uses that mess or he uses that mess to share the message of God's redeeming love. Here's just a question for you. Hey, who needs to hear your story? Like could God use your story to help someone see his redeeming love? Verse 40, so when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them. And he stayed there two days. Verse 41, and many more believed because of his word. And they said to this woman, it is no longer because of what you have said that we believe
for we have heard for ourselves. And we know that this is indeed the savior of the world. Now, I think you probably see this by now, but this isn't just a story about some woman 2000 years ago who can't get her life together. Every single one of us has a tendency to put our hope in the desires of the flesh, the desires of the mind, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life. We think the temporary drinks of this world are going to bring you everlasting satisfaction. So what do we do? We keep showing up to the same well over and over and over again, thinking this is what I need. This is what will satisfy me. If I just get this job, if I just have that income, if we just get this house, then I'll be okay. If I could just look like them, if people would view me as this, then I'd actually be worth something. If I start to show up to church more, then maybe God will fix me. If I could just be successful, if I could just be admired, needed, respected, then maybe I will actually matter. If actually I wasn't single, if my husband or my wife would just do this or do that, if I could have a child or have a family. But Jesus, understand, he sits at your well today.
He's not floating in the sky. He's not looking all neat and pretty, but he's sitting tired, dusty, scars on his hands, saying, bring me the real you. Like, I want you been married five times. Like, I want you hiding the pills that you said you'd quit. I want you who hasn't liked yourself in years. I want you with the debt that you hide. I want you with the addiction you can't beat. I want you who thinks if people, man, if people really knew, they'd just leave. Listen, I got some good news for you. Jesus knows everything you've ever done, yet he still chooses you. Like, wrap your mind around that for a second. Like, the very thing that you feel the most shame about is actually the very reason that Jesus died. You gotta understand, the cross, it already outs every single one of us. Like, you are not a mistaker who needs a second chance. You are a sinner who needs a savior. And so every sin, every shame, every regret, understand that Jesus paid it all. It is finished means it is finished. You don't earn it. You don't deserve it. You simply receive it. And so go get the thing, bring it to the foot of the cross and allow Jesus to do what only he can do
on the thing that you feel the most shame. It's only by the blood of Jesus. Now, let me just say this because maybe for some of you, you're walking in today and it's not sin necessarily that you're carrying, but it's pain. Like, you didn't cause it, it showed up. It rocked your world. You don't know even really where to go from here. Understand, Jesus says, go grab that and bring it to me. Like, the cross doesn't just cover sin. It also promises you that your pain, it does not actually have the final word. So go get it and bring it to the cross. This is radical and this is scandalous just like the story that we read. Now, here's just a question we gotta think about as we close. Why would Jesus do any of this? Why does he care about you or me? Especially after the long list of things that you've probably listed in your head that you think disqualifies you. Why does he care? Like where does this come from? Here's here's what it comes down to believe it or not I hope that you believe it it all comes simply out of this. He loves you And he wants to live life with you understand life will change when you don't just know But you believe and you trust the old nursery rhyme that Jesus loves you this I know For the Bible tells me so and listen I hope that you can see from the Word of God from the Bible from John 4 today that Jesus loves you so deeply
And from that truth, I just want to close by giving the invitation the same invitation that Jesus gives this woman So go get your husband. I don't know what that is for you. I don't know what the thing is It's probably the thing the enemy has used to lie to you over and over and over again It's probably the whisper that makes you think you're defined by your wounds. Here's what I want you to understand Go get it because for anyone for anyone who would have believed that what Jesus did on the cross that counted for me Here's what scripture tells us you are no longer defined by your wounds, but you're defined by his So go get the thing and bring it to Jesus Hey all campuses, I'm gonna just invite us to stand and we're gonna pray together Let's pray Jesus we love you and Man I'm thankful that you aren't a God who's distant Who's far off who's floating in the clouds that we feel like we don't have access to but because of you Jesus You are in the middle of our mess. You're in the middle of our brokenness and You invite us Not to pursue the temporary things of this world or the lives of this world The things that we think will satisfy but you offer us something that will truly satisfy God I like I just want to lean into the truth today We were created for eternity. Eternity is written in our hearts And that is something only an everlasting God can fill it. So God, would you just meet us in that place today? God for some of us in the room, there's there's there's some sin that we're carrying. There's some shame that we're carrying God you're not surprised by it. I pray that we would be willing to simply bring that to the feet of the cross and Allow your blood to do what only it can do to wash us clean wash us white as snow It's not a transactional thing. It's not hey, this sounds good It would be nice to maybe get rid of maybe feeling like this This will make me feel better for a little bit But it is a true relationship a true surrender a true trust that when we lean into that you make us new you make us clean So God for anyone today who would say I Believe in Jesus and what Jesus did on the cross it counted for me God would you help us lean into the truth our wounds do not define us
But we are defined by your wounds and what you did on the cross and it's from that that we pray in your name Amen Oh The things you've done before in greater measure You will do again There's no Things impossible We believe there's no broken Body you can't raise no soul that you can't see Things are possible Oh You rose in victory and now you see Forever on the floor So I should I will trust ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ There's no prison wall you can't break through ♪ ♪ No mountains you can't move on ♪ ♪ Things are possible, you are able ♪ ♪ There's no broken body you can't raise now ♪ ♪ No soul that you can't save, oh ♪ ♪ Things are possible, the darkest night ♪ ♪ You can light it up, you can light it up ♪ ♪ Oh, God of revival, let all arise ♪ ♪ Set this world on fire, you are anyone ♪ ♪ Oh, God of revival, oh, God of revival, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ Come on, who's ready for a fresh outpouring of God's spirit and presence in our nation, in our city, come on, we sing. ♪ Come awaken, people, come awaken the city ♪
♪ Oh, God of revival, pour it out, pour it out ♪ ♪ Let every stronghold crumble, I hear the chains hit the ground ♪ ♪ Oh, God of revival, pour it out, pour it out ♪ ♪ Come awaken, you people, come awaken the city ♪ ♪ Come awaken the city, oh, God of revival, pour it out, pour it out ♪ ♪ Let every stronghold crumble, I hear the chains hit the ground ♪ ♪ Oh, God of revival, pour it out, pour it out ♪ ♪ The darkest night, you can light it up, you can light it up ♪ ♪ You can light it up, oh, God of revival, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Let your hope arise, the city's overcome ♪ ♪ You can reign on, oh, God of revival, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ God of revival, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ God of revival, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ God of revival, come awaken, come awaken, you people, come awaken the city ♪ ♪ Come awaken, you people, come awaken the city ♪ ♪ God of revival, pour it out, pour it out ♪ ♪ Every stronghold crumble, I hear the chains hit the ground ♪ ♪ Oh, God of revival, pour it out, pour it out ♪ ♪ God of revival, pour it out, pour it out, oh, oh, oh, oh,aid, more, more, more ♪ ♪ God of revival, pour it out, pour it out, pour it out, pour it out ♪ Amen, all we have to do now. Oh, I'm so thankful our God is alive and our God is on the move, amen? Hey, thanks so much for being here with us this weekend. If you would like some prayer today,
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