I ONCE WAS LOST: OPEN TO CHANGE
John 4:1-42
Pastor Calvary deJong
June 29, 2025
Introduction: Mercy That Opens the Heart
Have you ever been caught in the act—only to be met with mercy instead of punishment? In Les Misérables, Jean Valjean is a hardened criminal who, upon his release from prison, steals silver from a bishop who had welcomed him in. When caught and brought back by the police, the bishop does something shocking—he gives him more silver and insists it was a gift. He then tells Valjean to live an honest, good life. That act of mercy becomes the turning point in Valjean’s story. Sometimes, the thing that opens a person to transformation is not judgment—it’s grace. Not being exposed, but being seen and still loved.
Today, we’re continuing our series I Once Was Lost, based on the five spiritual thresholds people often cross on their way to Jesus. We’ve talked about trust. We’ve talked about curiosity. But today, we reach what Everts and Schaupp call the most difficult threshold of all: becoming open to change.
A Conversation That Changes Everything
1) Change Begins with Being Seen – and Still Loved (John 4:1–9)
Jesus is travelling through Samaria. He’s tired, thirsty, and sits down at Jacob’s well. That’s when a Samaritan woman shows up. She comes at noon, in the heat of the day, when no one else would, which tells us something. She’s avoiding people. She’s used to being talked about rather than being talked to. But Jesus speaks to her: “Will you give me a drink?” In one sentence, He breaks every social barrier: man speaking to woman, Jew speaking to Samaritan, clean speaking to unclean. She’s surprised. “You are a Jew, and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” But that’s how transformation begins. With someone unexpected seeing you—and choosing to stay in the conversation. Grace that doesn’t flinch.
2) Jesus Doesn’t Flinch From the Real Story (John 4:10–18)
Jesus replies: “If you knew who was asking you, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” She doesn’t quite get it, so he takes it deeper. He describes a kind of water that quenches the soul. Then He says, “Go, call your husband.” She answers, “I have no husband.” Jesus gently responds, “You’re right. You’ve had five, and the man you’re with now isn’t your husband.” He names her story. Not to shame her—but to show her He already knows, and He hasn’t turned away.
Many Western readers have assumed this woman was immoral because she had been married so many times and was living with another man. But the New Testament scholar Craig Keener suggests something more nuanced: perhaps she had been rejected or widowed, again and again. Divorce wasn’t a power women held. Maybe her story was more about grief than guilt. Either way, Jesus isn’t condemning her. He’s saying: I see you. And I have something better for you than just surviving another day.
3) Transformation Starts When We Let Jesus Rewrite the Story (John 4:19–26)
She tries to change the subject. “Sir, I can see you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim Jerusalem is the place to worship.” It’s a theological red hearing—but Jesus meets her there too. “A time is coming—and has now come—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.” Then she says something remarkable. “I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” And Jesus replies: “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”
This is the first time in John’s Gospel that Jesus openly reveals His identity as the Messiah. And He reveals it to a Samaritan woman with a complicated past. Why? Because openness to change is not about your track record. It’s about your readiness to be real with God.
4) Change Isn’t Just Personal – It’s Missional (John 4:27–42)
The disciples return, puzzled to see Jesus talking with her. But she doesn’t wait for their approval. She leaves her water jar—her original reason for coming—and runs back to her village. “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” She’s not a theologian. She hasn’t been to Bible college or seminary. But she’s met Jesus. And that’s enough. The townspeople come, and many believe. Her story becomes a spark that lights a fire of transformation in her whole community. It started with one honest conversation. And it turned into a movement.
Application: Do Our Lives Make Room for Change?
In today’s world, change is often seen as weakness. Admitting we don’t have it all together feels risky. But in the kingdom of God, openness to change is the gateway to growth. Let me ask you a few questions: have you opened yourself up to Jesus—not just to explore Him, but to let Him change you? Where is the Spirit inviting you to stop avoiding and start surrendering? Who around you might be waiting for someone to say, “Come and see”? Where am I resisting the kind of change Jesus is inviting me to embrace? And, how can our church become a place where people feel safe to be honest—and open to change?
Personal Story: The Slide
I think of taking our four-year-old son Simon to the swimming pool. He was nervous about the big slide. It looked fun—but scary. “You can do it,” I told him. But that wasn’t enough. But he wasn’t ready to go down the big slide until I plopped him on my lap and said, “Let’s do it together.” That’s what Jesus does with us. He doesn’t just point to the change we need. He says, “Let’s walk through it together.”
Gospel Invitation: Come, Be Known—and Changed
Jesus already knows your story. Every chapter. And He doesn’t shy away from the messy parts. He isn’t shocked or turned off. He offers you living water. Not shame, but a new beginning. If you’re ready to move from curiosity to transformation, say yes to Him. He’s already waiting for you at the well.
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
You see our whole story and still, you offer us grace.
You give living water to those who are thirsty, and invite us to be changed.
As we go, make us like the woman at the well—honest, open, and ready to share.
Let our lives invite others to come and see the One who knows us and loves us still.
Go with us now, by Your Spirit,
and make us wells of living water
in a dry and weary world.
Amen.