John 4:5-30, 39-42

What do you do with a man who is tired and worn out?; who has nothing more to give? You can’t hardly shoot him. But if you’re Liz Taylor or Britney Spears, you can divorce him. The woman of Samaria had encountered five such men. She’d been through them all. She was now on her sixth. That fellow wasn’t too bright, was he? Her track record with men wasn’t good at all. Why did he think she’d stay with him? She didn’t even bother to marry this time. Too much trouble. Love ‘em and leave ‘em. That was her motto.

That is, it was until she met number seven. He was tired and exhausted like all the others. But this one was different. As tired and worn out as He was, He still had more to give. He wasn’t a “taker,” this one, He was a “giver.” Even when He asked her for a drink, it was only so He could give her what she needed to drink.

God’s number in Scripture is the number seven. And that’s who it is that becomes this woman’s number seven. The first six men did nothing for her. But when Jesus meets her at the well, her life is changed.

It’s not why she came out. She came out to draw water. It was high noon. The place would be deserted. But there was a man there—tired, sweaty, exhausted. He asked her for a drink. That was shocking. He was a Jew and she was a Samaritan. The Jews and Samaritans damned each other. They hated each other. Why would He speak to her?

But why wouldn’t He? That’s why He came to us—to receive sinners. That’s why He spoke to Zaccheus in the tree. That’s why He spoke to the ten lepers; to the woman caught in adultery. Yes, Jesus was thirsty. He is fully human. He’d had a weary journey. But He asked her for a drink so that she might receive life.

That’s why He spoke to Lazarus. You remember Lazarus. He had died. He’d been in the tomb four days. Jesus spoke to him. “Lazarus, come out.” And His words gave life. Lazarus came out.

That’s why Jesus was speaking to this woman. In talking about living water He was giving her that water. In speaking of eternal life He was giving her that life.

She was confused, though. What kind of water can cause you to never thirst again? She was confused about a lot of things. She didn’t understand God’s gift of marriage. She had tried and failed, over and over. She was confused about worship. She didn’t understand what it meant to worship God.

We’re confused too. Our lives show it. We don’t understand marriage and family. As husbands, we fail to be Christ to our wife. As wives, we fail to submit to our husband as to the Lord. As parents, we fail to raise our children in the fear of the Lord. As children, we fail to honor our parents.

We’re confused about worship. We see our presence here in God’s House as fulfilling our obligation to Him, rather than as coming to receive living water. As the woman at the well was confused about where to worship, so are we. We think we can worship at our job, and doing chores around the house, because we see worship as what we do for God, and not as what He gives to us in the living waters of His Word and Sacraments.

We’re all confused. The woman was confused. But Jesus was not confused. He knew all the answers. He is the answer. And as tired and weary as He was, He gave to this woman what she needed, and to many more from her town. For two days He stayed with the people of Sychar. They were drinking like they had never drunk before. They were drinking living water. They were drinking Christ. He is the water that gives life.

When the Israelites were thirsty in the desert God told Moses to strike a rock, and from that rock came water to drink. Christ is the Rock. From His mouth and from His side flows the living waters. Those are the waters that you were washed in at the font. Baptism is Christ. It is the water that gives life. The words of Christ proclaimed here flow to you like water. These words are, for you, forgiveness and salvation.

Like the Israelites in the desert Christ is here in His word to satisfy your thirst. He forgives your sins. He strengthens you for the journey. He leads you to the Promised Land. The Israelites would have died in the desert without water. And so with us. Christ’s words of grace are living waters that sustain us in the risen life.

What can a man give who is tired and worn out? When it comes to God—everything. Abraham was tired and worn out. He was nearly 100 years old. His body was “as good as dead,” the Bible says. And yet, God brought forth a son through this tired old man. And not just any son, Isaac—he who would be an ancestor of Christ.

And when Christ came He was always weary. People followed Him everywhere. He was hounded by the multitudes. He rarely took time to eat. He had no place to lay His weary head. Jesus was always tired, and exhausted, and worn out, and yet He always gave. At the well He gave living water. He taught and preached wherever He went; no matter how tired He was.

What can a weary man give? In the case of Jesus—living water; forgiveness, eternal life. The more weary He became, the more He gave. And then when He was dying, hanging from a cross; beaten, bleeding, tortured, in agony—He kept giving. His life for us. His blood for our pardon. His pain and agony for our redemption.

Having risen from the dead, He is no longer tired, and weary, and exhausted. But perhaps you are. Perhaps your days are so hectic that they all seem to blur together. Perhaps for you the well has gone dry. You have nothing left. No more love to give your spouse. No more sympathy to give others.

What is God to do with someone so weary and worn out? He gives you what you need. He gives you living water. He gives you Himself. He forgives you. He welcomes you to His Table to be refreshed with His body and blood.

Maybe you, like the woman at the well have been through a lot in life. Maybe you’re searching for answers like she was. Maybe you’re hurting inside; at the end of your rope. There is hope for you. As Jesus was waiting at the well for her, so He is here for you. He is not here to condemn you; He is here to receive you. He is here to speak to you of pardon and peace, of joy and rest; of eternal rest—that which His words are even now giving to you.

You have come here to God’s well. And His waters run deep. His well is never dry. Jesus, the Living Water, is here. He is here for you. Amen.