15 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.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 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. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 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.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
27 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?” 28 So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” 30 They went out of the town and were coming to him.
This is a similar, but different circumstance that Jesus faces from the question given to him by the Sadducees. Jesus does not have to deal with the idea of husbands dying, but the woman who has become the wife of several husbands. So we could ask the question of whose she will be in the resurrection. But a more important question is whose is she now.
This woman knows her own guilt. She knows that this man knows her guilt. She declares this man to be a prophet. He knows everything she has ever done. He even stands up and tells her plainly, without reservation, "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." Jesus does not pull his punches, but declares the Law to her. She is convicted by her sexual immorality.
We should listen to all Jesus has to say to us. He declares each us sinful. Whether we are sinful because of where we choose to worship, or because of sexual immorality, or because of a different sin. Jesus does not leave this woman in complete despair. He points her to himself who can give her the water of life to drink. He points her to the Christ, who is talking with her. She even points her to the promise God gives us to worship him in spirit and truth.
Christ has died for your sins. Christ has provided you with living water to drink. Christ has delivered you from all your sins (and he knows all of them). Jesus Christ gives us salvation even from our poor relationships. He has died to pay the price, but has also provided us with the way of everlasting life. Not to worry about who we will be married to, but that we will be joined with Jesus Christ in everlasting life.
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