2022-08-21 The well of life 生命之井(John 约4:7-14)

This Sunday is week two for our “Renew together” appeal. 这个主日是浸信会“共同更新”活动的第二周。We’re going to read the appointed bible passage, 让我们一起来读下一段指定经文。 John 约4:7-14 , 7 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 有一个撒玛利亚的妇人来打水，耶稣对她说：“请你给我水喝。”8 (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) 8那时门徒进城买食物去了。9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.) 9撒玛利亚的妇人对他说：“你既是犹太人，怎么向我一个撒玛利亚妇人要水喝呢？”原来犹太人和撒玛利亚人没有来往。10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 10耶稣回答说：“你若知道　神的恩赐，和对你说‘给我水喝’的是谁，你必早求他，他也必早给了你活水。”11 “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 11妇人说：“先生，没有打水的器具，井又深，你从哪里得活水呢？12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock?” 12我们的祖宗雅各将这井留给我们，他自己和儿子并牲畜也都喝这井里的水，难道你比他还大吗？”13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 13耶稣回答说：“凡喝这水的，还要再渴；14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 14人若喝我所赐的水，就永远不渴。我所赐的水要在他里头成为泉源，直涌到永生。”

1, Background. 故事背景

This is one of the most well-known stories in the Gospels throughout the centuries. 这是许多世纪以来福音书中最著名的故事之一。A Samaritan woman encountered Jesus at the well of Jacob. 一个撒玛利亚女人在雅各井遇到了耶稣。The bible is God’s story. 圣经是上帝的故事，It’s written through stories. 圣经是由许多故事写成的。There are many people in the bible, 圣经里有很多人，they have their stories, 他们有自己的故事，but they’re part of the bigger story. 但他们是神的大故事的一部分。God uses stories to help us understand who He is, 上帝用故事来帮我们认识祂是谁，and what His will for us is. 以及祂对我们的旨意是什么。You have your story with Jesus, 你有你与耶稣的故事，and through your story you’ve gotta find out God’s purpose for your life. 通过你的故事，你需要找出上帝对你人生的目的。In John chapter four, 在约翰福音第四章中，Jesus deliberately went to a well to meet a Samaritan woman. 耶稣特意来到一口井旁，去见一个撒玛利亚妇人，This is a well-known encounter. 这是众所周知的遇见神。I’m gonna give you a little bit of background to help you understand. 我要给你一点背景资料来帮助你理解。In V.7-9, 在第7-9节中，why was the Samaritan woman so surprised when Jesus talked to her? 这妇人为什么如此惊讶耶稣能和她讲话？Because there was a history of hostility between Samaritans and Jews. 原来撒玛利亚人和犹太人之间历史上有仇。In 722 BC the Assyrians invaded Samaria, 公元前722年，亚述人入侵撒玛利亚，and the Jews who had remained in Samaria married the Gentiles, 留在撒玛利亚的犹太人开始与外邦人通婚，and worshipped their gods. 并敬拜外邦的神。Since then, 从那时起，the people of Judah had hated the Samaritans 犹大人就憎恨撒玛利亚人，because of their marital and religious concessions. 因他们在通婚和宗教方面的让步。For the Samaritans were half-Jew, half-Gentile. 撒玛利亚人是一半犹太人，一半外邦人，They were considered half-breeds who defiled the true religion. 他们的混血被认为是玷污了纯正的宗教信仰。So violence, grudges, and abuse were common between the two ethnicities. 因此这两个民族之间常常发生暴力、仇恨和辱骂的事。Jewish people despised the Samaritans, 犹太人鄙视撒玛利亚人，especially the females in a society where they were the lowest of the low.  妇女就更是社会里群体里低等人中的低等人。

2, A well is essential for life. 井对生命必不可少

But Jesus never sees people the way we see them. 但耶稣从不这样看人。We judge people by outward appearances, 我们凭外表判断人，what do they have? 他们有什么？What do they do? 他们做了什么？And we also are afraid to be judged by the same measure. 我们也怕别人也这样的论断我们。 But Jesus says, 但耶稣说， “You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 你们是以外貌（原文作“凭肉身”）判断人，我却不判断人。John 约8:15” When Jesus sees people, 当耶稣看到每个人，no matter who they are, 无论是谁，He has compassion on them. 他都充满怜悯。Jesus had compassion on this Samaritan woman, 耶稣怜悯这个撒玛利亚妇人，the lowest of the low. 她是低等人中的低等人。He deliberately went to the well of Jacob to meet her needs. 他却特意到雅各井边去满足她的需要。The woman was thirsty for love, 这个女人渴望爱，she had had five husbands, 她有过五个丈夫，but her thirst still remained. 但她还是很渴。She had been abandoned and broken. 她被抛弃，受了伤。The woman was carrying shame, 妇人带着羞耻感，and came to the well at noon, 中午时分来到井边，when everyone else was at home because of the heat. 因为那时中午天气炎热，人都在家里。In her despair, Jesus came to encounter her. 当她在无望之中，耶稣却来遇见她。V10,  Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God… you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” 10耶稣回答说：“你若知道　神的恩赐……你必早求他，他也必早给了你活水。” This is the first time in the book of John, 在约翰福音里，这是第一次的记录，Jesus revealed to the lowest of the low that he was the Messiah (v.26), and the living water. 耶稣向社会最底层的人启示他是弥赛亚，是生命的活水。

Why did Jesus meet her at the well? 耶稣为什么要在井边遇见她？Our God is a God of purpose. 我们的上帝是一位有目的上帝，He does everything for a purpose. 他做任何事情都有旨意。If He does a miracle in your life, 如果祂在你的生命中行了神迹，there must be a purpose you need to discover. 你一定需要去发现祂的旨意。If He touched your heart at a service, 如果祂在一次聚会中触动了你的心，there must be a purpose you need to find out and live out. 你一定需要去找出并活出背后的目的。“Why is my heart beating so fast? . "为什么我的心跳得这么快？What are You saying to me?” 你在对我说什么？" Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well had a purpose. 耶稣在井边遇见撒玛利亚妇人也是有目的的。In the Middle East, a well represents the source of life, 在中东，井代表生命之源，without water people die. 没有水人们就无法生存。So first a well was essential for life 因此，水是生命的必须, it was essential for salvation.水是救恩的必备。In this world, 在世上，people are deceived by all kinds of lies, 人们被各种谎言所迷惑，they think money can quench their thirst, 人认为钱可以解渴，but when they get it, 但当他们得到钱时，they’re still thirsty. 仍然很渴。People run to alcohol thinking it’ll make them feel good, 人去酗酒，觉得这会让他们感觉好一点，it does for a while, 是会一时舒畅，but it brings more damage to their relationships and their health. 却给健康和人际关系带来了更多的伤害。Some look into ungodly relationships 有些人尝试去不敬虔的男女关系，thinking it’ll quench their thirst for love, 以为这样可以熄灭他们对爱的渴望，it does give them a buzz, 这确实让他们感到一时兴奋，but it leaves them more brokenness, anger, and emotional pain. 但却留给他们更多的伤心、愤怒和情绪伤害。

A well gives us a picture of the source of life. 而一口井是生命源泉的写照。 V.13-14, Jesus said, 耶稣说， “whoever drinks this water will get thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst, the water I give will become in him a well, welling up to eternal life. 13耶稣回答说：“凡喝这水的，还要再渴；14人若喝我所赐的水，就永远不渴。我所赐的水要在他里头成为泉源，直涌到永生。” Jesus is saying, 耶稣在说，only the life of God can quench your thirst. 只有上帝的生命才能解你的渴。Only when you encounter Jesus personally, 只有当你亲自遇到耶稣，will your life be changed, 你的生命才会被改变，and you’ll never remain the same. 你就会不再一样。Having encountered Jesus, 遇到耶稣后，the Samaritan woman immediately went with passion 这个撒玛利亚妇人立即满怀激情，and boldness to testify that Jesus was the Messiah. 大胆见证耶稣是弥赛亚。The well of living water quenched her thirst for love. 这口活水井解了她对爱的饥渴。

3, A well is a symbol of covenantal intimacy. 井喻表盟约下的亲密关系 

The woman then said, 接着，妇人就说：“Give me this water, "请把这水给我，I want this water.” 我想要这水"。Jesus makes it clear that natural things can’t quench the thirst of the soul. 耶稣明白地说，物质的东西不能解灵魂的渴。God has designed us for connection with Himself. 上帝创造我们是为了与祂自己连结，Religious activities can’t quench our thirst. 宗教活动不能解我们的渴，We’re designed for a personal relationship with the Maker. 我们的受造是为了与造物主建立个人关系。

In Gen 24, there’s a story 创24章有一个故事，where Abraham asked his servant to find a wife for his son Isaac. 亚伯拉罕让仆人为儿子以撒找一个妻子。v.13 says, 第13节说，when he was standing by the well of water, 当他站在水井边时，he met Rebeca, the bride of Isaac. 遇到了以撒的新娘利百加。You may think this is a random encounter. 或许你认为这是偶然，But I believe that nothing happening to us is random. 但我相信，发生在我们身上的事情没有一件是偶然的，because we were created by His will. 因为我们是因祂的旨意而被造的。Everything that happens to us is for us to discover what He is trying to say to us发生在我们身上的每一件事，都是为了让我们知道他想要对我们说什么 The servant meeting the bride of Isaac at the well paints a picture of something much bigger in God’s purpose. 这仆人在井边找到以撒的新娘预表着神更大的旨意。Jesus is the well of life. 耶稣是生命之井，By the well His Bride can draw water and be satisfied.在这口井边，祂的新娘可以取水，并得到满足。

A well is also a picture of the Holy Spirit. 井也是圣灵的写照。When the Spirit of God enters you, 当神的灵进入你里面，you have access to the life-giving Spirit. 你就可以得着赐生命的灵，You then have the well of life. 你就有了生命之井。A well is a symbol of covenantal intimacy. 井是盟约下亲密关系的象征。You can draw on Him for water, for love, for strength. 你可以向他要水，要爱，要力量。Imagine, 试想一下，if you go into a marriage expecting that person to meet all your needs, 如果你进入婚姻，期望另一半满足你所有的需要，you draw on that person for love, 你向另一半索取爱，for provision, 索取供应，and for whatever you’re thirsty for, 索取你所渴求的任何东西，then what will happen? 那么会发生什么？Your marriage will have problems, even fall apart. 你的婚姻会出问题，甚至破裂。Because that person is just like you, 因为你的另一半和你一样，broken and thirsty, 破碎又干渴，they can’t quench your thirst. 他们不能解你的渴。We’re not called to live that way. 神不说呼召我们去那样的生活。You have the well of life. 你拥有生命之井，You carry the flow of water to bless others.你带着活水可以去祝福别人。In John 约7:38, whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 信我的人，就如经上所说，‘从他腹中要流出活水的江河来’。

 In other words, 换句话，Jesus is saying, 耶稣在说 ‘if you’re connecting to Me, 你若与我连结，empty of your own desires, 倒空你自己的私欲, I’ll fill you with the anointing of His Spirit, 我必用圣灵的膏油充满你，I’ll fill your well with love,  joy, the power of forgiveness, or whatever, it will pour out.  我会用爱、喜乐、饶恕等去充满你的井，它会流淌出来, the anointing will overflow, 这膏油会满溢，and will pour out from within you to touch others. 它就必从你里面流淌出来。

Now, how to believe in Him? 当如何去信祂？ First of all, 首先，we’ve gotta trust that He is alive, 我们要信祂活着，trust in His plan, 信祂的计划，trust in His truth (the bible), 信祂的真理 (这圣经)，and trust that God listens to our cries. 信神听我们的呼求。In Gen 24, 创世纪24章，Abraham asked his servant to go back to his hometown 亚伯拉罕吩咐仆人回自己的本家去，to get a bride for his son Isaac. 为他儿子以撒娶妻。Abraham prayed, 亚伯拉罕祷告了，the servant was directed to a well , 仆人就被引到一口井旁，where he himself prayed, 他自己也在那里祷告: “Lord, if someone comes and not only gives me a drink, “主啊，若有人来不但给我喝水，but also gives my camels a drink, 也给我的骆驼喝水，then I’ll know that is the one you have chosen for Isaac.” 我就知道她是你为以撒所选的妻。” After the prayer, 刚祷告完，Rebekah showed up and did exactly what he had prayed for. 利百加出现了，并照他祷告里说的行了。The servant of Abraham didn’t doubt and say, 亚伯拉罕的仆人没有疑惑，说: “oh, it just happened randomly.” “哦，这不过是个偶然。” No, he trusted that God was in control, 不是的，他相信神掌管一切，and that He had listened to his prayer. 相信神听了他的祷告。When God showed the evidence to him, 当神将这凭据显明给他，he bowed his head, and worshipped the Lord, 他就低头向耶和华下拜，and risked his life by moving forward. 冒着危险向前推进。See，that’s his faith. He put God first in every step he took, 他每走一步都把神放在第一位，and when he saw the evidence of answered prayer, 当他看到祷告得到回应的凭据时，he declared that it was God. 他宣告那是神的作为。By yielding to God’s guidance, 因为顺服神的指引，the servant was able to finish his task. 仆人才能完成任务。This is a good example that we can follow. 这是一个我们可以效法的榜样，because we’re also called to bring the lost back to the Bridegroom, 我们也被呼召将失丧的人带回到新郎面前，

Secondly, 其次，Jesus said, 耶稣说，out of from within you, 从你腹中，will flow rivers of living water, 要流出活水的江河，will flow rivers of blessing to bless others. 要流出祝福的江河来祝福他人。See, 看，the blessing of life is not just for ourselves, 不单是为自己得着生命的祝福，but always for others to be touched. 更是为他们能得着这祝福。In Gen 26, 在创世纪26章，we see another story, 我们读到另一个故事，that the Philistines envied Isaac, 就是非利士人嫉妒以撒，they filled the wells with earth. 他们用土把井填了。They knew that without water Isaac’s livestock would die. 他们知道，没有水以撒的牲畜就会死。The enemy wants us to be spiritual dry or dead. 仇敌想我们成为属灵枯干或死的。He doesn’t mind if you have a lot of head knowledge of the bible, 他不介意你对圣经有很多头脑知识，but he’ll be afraid when you connect to the living water. 但当你和活水连结 牠就害怕。The Philistines represent the enemies. 非利士人预表仇敌。Satan wants to fill your well with dirt, 撒但想用污秽填满你的井，he wants to fill your well with media, with fear, with grief, with lust, with disappointment, with all worldly stuff and all sorts of sins. 牠想用媒体、用惧怕、用忧愁、用情欲、用失望，用一切世俗的东西和各样的罪填满你的井。

The well within the Samaritan woman was filled with intensely painful feelings of rejection, shame, loneliness 撒玛利亚妇人内心的井里充满了极大的拒绝感、羞耻感、孤独感的痛苦，and she felt unworthy of acceptance and belonging. 觉得自己不配被接纳，没有归属感。Her outward religious actions couldn’t satisfy her inner thirst for love. 她外在的宗教行为无法满足她内心对爱的渴望。That’s why she secretly came out around noon to draw water, 所以她在中午时分偷偷出来打水，because she didn’t want to encounter anyone else by the well. 因为她不想在井边遇到别人。But she would never have known that someone was there waiting for her, 但她决不不知道竟然有人在那里等着她，that person was God himself. 那个人就是神自己。 God loves the broken hearted. 神爱伤心的人。Jesus wants to encounter every broken heart at the well. 耶稣愿意在井边遇见每一个伤心的人。He longs to quench your thirst. 祂渴望为你解渴。 He desires to heal us, 祂渴望医治我们，no matter how broken we are. 无论我们有多伤心。 Isa 赛53:3-4, he was despised and rejected by men….He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. 他被藐视，被人厌弃……他诚然担当我们的忧患。 Jesus himself was hung on the cross to be ashamed, 耶稣自己被挂在十字架上受羞辱，where people yelled at him and abused him, 人对他大喊、辱骂他，they stripped him of his clothes, 人剥去他的衣服，and shamed him as a criminal. 羞辱他如同对待一个罪犯。The cross was the death a criminal deserved. 钉十字架是罪犯当受的死刑。

He took our shame on Himself. 祂将我们的羞辱归在自己身上。He carried our shame willingly, 祂甘愿背负我们的羞辱 so that we could be forgiven, healed and glorified. 为让我们得着饶恕、医治和荣耀。His love for you is so intensive. 祂对你的爱是如此之深，His love for you is as strong as death. 祂对你的爱如死之坚强。 He’s inviting you, 祂正向你发出邀请：“Come!” “来吧!” Keep coming and drink. 一直来喝吧， You will be filled and satisfied.  你必被充满，得着饱足。

Thirdly, 第三，we’ve gotta develop a servant heart. 我们当培养一颗作仆人的心。 The well is also a picture of where the father finds a suitable bride for his son. 这井也是父亲为他儿子找到新娘的地方。At the well the servant asked the young girl Rebekah for water, 仆人在井旁向童女利百加要水喝，and Rebekah quickly lowered her jar and gave him a drink, and she said, 利百加急忙拿下瓶来给他喝，说：  “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have had enough to drink.” “我再为你的骆驼打水，叫骆驼也喝足。” Gen创24:19

The servant had ten camels, 仆人有十匹骆驼，and they were all thirsty. 它们都很渴了。You can imagine how much water she had to draw for the camels? 你可以想象她要为骆驼打了多少水才够他们喝? She had a servant heart. 她有一颗作仆人的心。The servant of Abraham had prayed for the bride of Isaac to have a servant heart. 亚伯拉罕的仆人为以撒的新妇祷告求一个作仆人的心。That’s why God listened to his prayer. 这就是为什么神听了他的祷告 Because God wants the Bride of his Son to have a servant heart. 因为神要祂儿子的新妇有颗仆人的心

We’re called to have servant hearts like Christ神呼召我们要像基督有仆人的心. Serving people without expecting anything in return. 去服侍却不从人身上得任何回报Because God has promised His faithful servants the greatest reward,因为神已经应许了祂忠心的仆人 that is the fullness of Jesus and all He has.赐他们耶稣的丰盛和祂所拥有的一切We’re not just to have Jesus meet our own needs, 我们不是单求耶稣满足自己的需要，or heal our own brokenness. 或医治自己的伤心。The Holy Spirit comes in, 圣灵进来，He wants an intimate relationship with You. 祂要与你建立亲密的关系。He wants to counsel you,  祂想要劝导你，and guide you every step you take, 引导你的每个脚步， just as He guided the servant of Abraham to the well, 正如祂引导亚伯拉罕的仆人到井边，so that he could encounter and receive what God had prepared for him. 使他遇见并领受神为他所预备的。God has prepared a table of bounty for you. 神为你预备了丰盛的恩惠。He wants us to be conscious of Him within us. 祂要我们意识到祂就在我们里面。He wants we to learn how to draw on Him for strength, draw on Him for encouragement, for love and affirmation. 祂要我们学习如何依靠祂得着力量、鼓励、爱和肯定。

The enemy wants to fill our wells with dirty things. 仇敌想用污秽填满我们的井。But God says, 但神说：turn at my rebuke, surely, I’ll pour my Spirit on you, 你们当因我的责备回转，我要将我的灵浇灌你们，Prov箴1:23  Repent, 悔改，Jesus will fill us with His Spirit. 耶稣必用祂的灵充满我们。Because we’re designed to live from a well within. 因为我们受造就是为了从内里的井得水而活。

We’re called to be carriers of the well of life, 我们被呼召去承载生命的井、the well of healing and deliverance, 治愈、拯救的井，the well of blessing to bless more broken hearted. 祝福的井去祝福更多伤心的人。You’re called to be filled with His Spirit, 神呼召你都被祂的灵充满，to overflow with the life of Christ, 满溢出基督的生命，to carry the living water, 带下活水，and to carry the anointing of the Spirit of God to minister to others, 带下圣灵的膏油去服事他人，and to meet other’s needs. 使他们的需要得满足。Because you’re the chosen Bride of Jesus Christ. 因为你是耶稣基督选中的新妇。Are you hearing the call of the Bridegroom this afternoon? 今天，你听到新郎的呼唤吗?

Concluding Prayer：结束祷告：

Everyone who is thirsty, come and drink. 凡口渴的，都当来喝这水。Jesus is calling,耶稣呼召， everyone who is thirsty, 凡是口渴的，let him come and drink. 都当来喝。 Jesus says, 耶稣说， whoever believes in Me, 信我的，as the Scripture has said,如经上所记， rivers of living water will flow from within them. 从他们的腹中就要涌出活水来。 Jesus is inviting you into a vibrant relationship through what he has done on that cross, 藉着十字架所成就的，耶稣邀请我们和祂建立了活泼的关系，and through His Spirit within you. 是藉着圣灵的内住。

God wants to touch you today, 父神今天愿意触摸你，God wants to fill your well today. 父神此刻愿意充满你的井。He wants to fill you with love, 祂要用祂的爱来充满你，fill you with peace, 用平安充满你，fill you with  a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. 用新鲜的恩膏充满你。 How many people today feel you’re thirsty, 今天有多少人觉得你渴了，you need a fill? 你需要被这恩典充满？How many people today  think your well has been filled with dirty stuff, 此刻又有多少人觉得里面满了垃圾， and has stopped flowing?且是死水一潭？ You’re dry, you’re thirsty. 又干又渴。

Please come, 请你来， come, 来，make your way to the front, 上前来，come, 来，you can kneel down here, 屈膝在他面前，you can come to the front, at this place, 你来到前面，就在此地…….