## Water Pots and Witnessing

## John 4:28

Read text: v6-30; then v28-30 again

No one knows why the woman left her water pot. The Bible doesn't tell us, therefore we do not know for sure, but I would like to suggest several reasons why she may have left the water pot behind.

I. She Wouldn't Need It Any More

A. She Had Found the Living Water

1. Note: v13-15

2. Do you remember when you first tasted of that Living Water?

3. The Living Water is a reference to salvation that can only come through faith in Jesus Christ.

4. Jesus referred to it as a '…well of everlasting life."

5. Do you know the sweet taste of salvation?

6. The only source is Jesus Christ, the Savior.

B. The water pot is a symbol of self righteousness.

1. To attempt to find satisfaction through our own efforts.

2. All of us have within us a spiritual thirst.

3. There are many who offer satisfaction, but it is like salt-water.

4. The more you drink the greater the thirst.

5. Eventually we will die, because we are not able to satisfy that thirst by our own efforts.

6. Jesus said, "Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again."

C. The throngs of people lined up at the Great White Throne Judgment will be people who have carried their own water pot.

1. People who have tried to get to heaven on their own merit.

2. They will be the ones who have ignored the true Living Water: Jesus Christ

3. This woman realized that following the meeting with Christ the Living Water she would have no need for her earthen vessel, so she left it behind.

D. The majority of religion today is made up of people who are attempting to supply their own living water through their own source, but it just won't do.

1. Water Pot Of Baptism.

a. There are millions of people who have been duped into thinking that they will be in heaven simply because they have been baptized.

b. But they have been deceived!.

c. Baptism is important in the life of a believer, but it does not bring eternal life!

2. The Water Pot Of Speaking In Tongues.

a. Again there are multitudes of folks who have had some sort of an experience of speaking in an unknown tongue.

b. Mistakenly, they believe that such an experience is of God and will assure them of heaven, but they have been deceived, as well.

c. Speaking in an unknown language or tongue has nothing to do with a person's salvation.

d. Never did in the past, and it certainly doesn't today!

D. The Water Pot Of Good Living.

1. This covers every religious element other than true Christianity.

2. Many professing Christians are carrying water pots of this nature.

3. They have lived a good life.

4. They have turned over a new leaf.

5. They made a New Year's resolution to do better.

6. But, sin is not eradicated by good living.

7. It is not eradicated by turning over a new leaf, nor by resolution.

8. Sin can only be dealt with through the shed blood of Jesus Christ the Lord.

9. That's final…

II. She May Have Forgotten It

A. In all of the excitement of seeing Jesus and her eagerness to tell her friends she may have just forgotten it.

1. I can imagine the excitement of this woman after Jesus had told her all of her past and then had forgiven her of her sin.

2. She could have very easily just have forgotten the water pot and turned and left without it.

B. What Has Happened To The Excitement In Our Christian Life?

1. If we have trusted in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary, we are going to live forever!

2. All of our sins have been forgiven.

3. We can now live in the power of God for the rest of our life.

4. Why shouldn't we be excited?

C. What's Happened To Our Burden?

1. We know that this woman had a burden for her friends in the city.

2. She went and told them about Christ.

3. Her burden was so heavy that she could do nothing else but go to her friends.

4. Some of us used to have a great burden for our family and friends, and those whom you work with; what has happened to the burden for them?

5. When a burden consumes you, you will create ways in which to get the work of God done.

6. A burden will cause us to do things that we would not ordinarily do.

7. Example: Tearing up the roof to get a friend to Jesus. Cf. Mark 2:4

III. She May Have Thought It Would Be In Her Way

A. The Bible tells us to 'Lay aside every weight' that would keep us from running the race God has set before us.

1. Perhaps this was something that reminded her of the past.

2. For us to run the race effectively, we must lay aside the weights.

3. It means complete surrender to the Lord.

4. Whatever it is that gets in our way of a total surrender to God needs to be left behind.

B. Is there something in the way of us totally surrendering to Him?

C. Let's leave it behind! And go on with God.

This morning, do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? Come today and receive forgiveness of sin. For those who believe, have we lost the excitement of the Christian life? Are we dragging around baggage that keeps us from being effective in our life for the Lord? Come today and get it settled with the Lord.