Let’s Outline her Condition
1. Woman
2. Samaritan
3. Married/Divorced 5 times
4. Currently living with and sleeping with a man who was not her husband
Now, just to be clear here. By Condition, I mean: her case, her position, her ranking, her shape (how she’s made); being a woman and a Samaritan, in that day and era was already counted against her. BUT, also by Condition, I mean her reputation, her predicament, her case, her situation, how things are going for her, her riff, her plot, her…SIN.
Let’s take a look through Grace’s lenses. 
Let’s read John 4:9-26
The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) 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 living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “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. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “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. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he. Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” They went out of the town and were coming to him.” (John 4:9-30 ESV)
Isn’t that awesome! If I could write a Thesis Statement, it would read something like this:
“Jesus knew her life and pulled out (exposed) her sin and in grace (with the purpose of forgiving her) showed her a new way.”
What happens when we experience Grace in our Condition? In our Sin?
Well lets continue…..
Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 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.”(John 4:39-42 ESV)
Because of this grace and forgiveness shown to her in the mist of her sin. Which is easier? To exude a grace and forgiveness when the person who has offended or hurt you has already acknowledge their wrongdoings and hurt ways or to exude that same grace forgiveness in love, even if the person is blind to their own issues? It is easier to demonstrate love and grace and forgiveness when the person has recognized his/her offenses. I’m gonna tell you something: Easy doesn’t always mean its right or good. Neither does hard mean wrong or bad. We are called to DO hard things and it is hard to BE a true believer in this Anti Jesus World. But, I tell you, especially for those of us who were not only caught up in, but also, sought after by our God and Savior, in the midst of our wretchedness; don’t we know grace! It is hard for some(western) believers to leave their comfortable pews and step in to the slums and messiness of other’s lives. They are blinded by their own self-serving, perception driven beliefs instead of eyes wide open to the grace poured upon them. We are were lost and found in our own wretchedness! Whatever form it took.
Because Jesus purposely went to Samaria, this one Samaritan woman was able to go out and share with the town about her encounter with Jesus. You have to know– that everyone in town knew who this woman was, especially the men! Just based on the life she had lived and the man she was with, I am sure they knew who she was and were aware of her reputation. Let’s not miss the how much a Big Deal it was for her to run back and tell the people what had taken place. She was unashamed. Verse 39, “Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.”
When we experience grace, thus forgiveness in a midst our perilous conditions; we learn that we don’t have to carry around the shame (and guilt) of nor the stench of death we once expelled.
So, she goes and shares her testimony. And the other Samaritans were intrigued enough to go find Jesus for themselves. At this point, I myself am also intrigued. What was it about her that made them stop and listen to her, in ALL of Condition as they knew her? I mean really. Was there a change in her voice? Was it her facial expression? Was it her body language? She didn’t have to beg them, no, they actually stopped what they were doing and listened to her and then, THEN! They went to go see what she was talking about. I’ll tell you something, here again: the Holy Spirit is always at Work. He is the Regenerator of our wicked hearts.
The purpose of us sharing of our testimony is to show a picture of who we use to be, and who are now, since our encounter with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In so doing, prayerfully leading others to Christ.via the work of the Holy Spirit. Our testimonies are not for our own glory nor is it to make SIN glorious and famous (I’m thinking of the TEEN MOMS’ reality show right now).
Revelation 12:11 says, “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.” Our testimony of Jesus Christ, will, in the end, help conquer our advisory! But until then, our testimonies will conquer that old devil in each person’s lives the Lord sends us. This is why we GO as He, Jesus has commanded us. “to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” Acts 28:18 ESV
So these Samaritans went and sat with Jesus for two days. Listening to Him and His teachings. AHHHHH! Have you a friend who has challenged you? Or encourage you so much so that they left you sitting with Jesus? Maybe this friend led you to believe on Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you have not such a friend, pray and ask the Lord to send you one!
Okay, we’re almost done. Hehe!
Verse 41 says “And many more believed because of his word.” Our condition covered by grace and is the advocates for the gospel we preach! It is one our proofs. It is our ‘chapter and verse’ so to speak or our smoking gun in the process of leading people to the feet of Jesus.
And the most AWESOME part! (Okay, really, how many times have I said AWESOME) ALL of those Samaritans went back with their OWN Testimony! Praise God!
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.” (John 4:42) (bold, italics, underscore, and CAPS added)
UHH we don’t need your testimony we got one of our own! And do you think they kept it to themselves. I dare not think it! I am sure than with it, just as she had to them.
“Jesus knew her life and pulled out (exposed) her sin and in grace (with the purpose of forgiving her) showed her a new way.” Our Condition covered by His Grace is where it’s at!
……………………………………That salvation and that freedom and ALL of Jesus!
This is the example what we want to be for our children!
Updated from Fall 2009
eyesstampedwitheternity 