Rhema Ehiemere - You've Been Looking For Me

On your way to your seat, look at the other neighbor and tell them, «Have you been looking for me?» Don’t respond; just behave like you’ve been looking for them. One of the most popular verses in the Bible is found in John 3:16: «For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.» Everybody knows that scripture; you don’t even have to be in church to know it. You don’t even have to be a believer to know that scripture; it’s one of the most popular, if not the most popular, besides «Jesus wept.»

«For God so loved the world that He gave His only.» I’m interested not in the entire verse, but in the first six words and a word in that verse. The first six words say, «For God so loved the world.» Everybody say, «world.» The next word I’m very interested in is «whosoever.» When the Bible says «whosoever,» it means whosoever, regardless of your color, your race, your creed, your religious persuasions, or your political affiliations. Whosoever, regardless of your age, your phase, your background, or your mistakes—whosoever is whosoever, regardless of your missteps. This is important because Jesus did not die for the church; Jesus died for the world, and there’s nothing you can do to make Jesus stop loving you. It is important for you to know that there’s nothing you can ever do. Somebody say, «Nothing!» Now look at the other neighbor and say, «Nothing!» Because Jesus loves you the way you are.

Do you understand that He knew everything about you and still chose to love you? Look at your neighbor and tell them, «He loves me like that.» He loves me like that. I know they’re not happy about it, but just tell them, «He loves me like that.» Yes, with all my flaws, He loves me. Yes, with all my failures, He loves me. Yes, with all my successes, He loves me. Yes, with all my accomplishments, He loves me. Yes, with all my insecurities, He loves me. Yes, with all my questions, He loves me. Jesus loves me! But God’s love is not a license to sin; it is not an excuse for your condition. It is actually the grace to overcome your limitations.

For context and background, you must understand that Jesus always taught large crowds, feeding the 5,000. Jesus was a big deal; everybody wanted to see Him. We know the story of the 5,000. Jesus did not just feed them physically; He also fed them spiritually. Why is this important? This is important because John 3:16 is a very popular verse, and you would think that since it’s such a popular verse, Jesus would wait until He has thousands and multitudes to release that powerful statement: «For God so loved the world.» But no, Jesus waits until it’s a lonely, probably wintry night, alone in the dark, one-on-one with Nicodemus. And He says, «For God so loved the world,» not to the 5,000 but to one man, not to a believer but to a Pharisee. Jesus looks at the one man and says, «For God so loved the world.»

In the middle of the night, Jesus declares His love for the world. You know, it’s easy for people to make empty promises when there’s no one around. You would think that Jesus was making an empty promise or statement because He was not even a believer; He was a Pharisee. But here, Jesus said something in the middle of the night. Now, in chapter 4, it seems like this chapter is an opportunity to put to the test or to practice what He said in chapter 3. Follow me: in chapter 3, He says, «God so loved the world,» and He says, «whosoever.» It’s easy to say that. Now, in chapter 4, we see Jesus with the whosoever—this woman at the well. It seems that chapter 4 is a test to prove what He said in chapter 3. Oh, why would Jesus say that? Because He means it. Here we see Jesus, tired, waiting by the well for a religious leader, for someone who is known. I would think if He were going to wait, He would wait for someone reputable. But here is Jesus waiting for a woman who had no reputation or a bad reputation depending on your perspective— a woman without a name, a woman who was a social outcast, and she was not even a Jew. Why would Jesus wait for her? Because God so loved the world and whosoever. This proved that Jesus was not just making an empty promise or statement. Can I pause here for a second and say that if Jesus gave you a promise in chapter 3, He’s going to bring it to pass in chapter 4? If God ever gave you a word over your life alone in the night, and some of you, God has given you a word over your family—He has given you a promise over your life, over your children, over your relationships, over things about your life. I came here to announce to you: it will come to pass! Why? Because Jesus is the Word made flesh. So, when He shows up, everything you need has shown up. God says, «I gave you a word over your children; it’s going to be made flesh. I gave you a word about your business; it’s going to be made flesh. I gave you a word about that idea; it’s going to be made flesh.»

Look for a neighbor and tell them it’s going to come to pass. Look at the other neighbor and tell them it’s going to happen whether you like it or not, so just join the bandwagon because it’s going to happen whether you like it or not. It is going to happen because Jesus is the Word made flesh. Here we see Jesus waiting at a well for a Samaritan woman. Do you know how powerful this is? Jesus had only three and a half years for His ministry, so every moment mattered—every single moment mattered. Why would He spend a few seconds or an hour waiting for this woman, yet He chose to? Do you know how many people had to wait for Jesus? Zacchaeus had to climb a tree. When is Jesus coming? He was waiting. Is this woman better than Zacchaeus? I don’t think so. The woman with the issue of blood had to press her way. Is she better than this woman? I can go on; the blind man—are they better than this woman? What is it about this woman that Jesus would wait for her? I don’t know. When we get to heaven, we’re going to figure it out, but I know that I have a God who can wait for you when you’re not waiting on Him. Can I pause and pack here for a second? I just want to thank God that when I was a disappointment, I still had an appointment with Him. When I was a disappointment, I still had an appointment with Him. When I was not waiting on Him, He was still waiting on me. For the next ten seconds, open your mouth and give Him praise because He waited for me. He waited for me every now and then.

It’s easy to quit. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. But what you don’t know is that God can also wait on you. Somebody say yes! I might be overlooked, but I want to thank God that He’s not overbooked for me. He’s not too preoccupied for me. I still have a slot; I still have a schedule. I’m still on His schedule. There’s still an appointment and reservation. I want to thank God that He waited for me. You know, I wanted to skip over that part because this is the Gospel; this is the Good News that God is big enough to be God, but He’s also small enough to wait for you. He’s man enough to wait for you, but He’s big enough to be God all by Himself at the same time. If God waited for me, if Jesus waited for me, that means He knew exactly where I was. If I wait for you, it means I know something about your life that you don’t know. If I’m waiting for you at Chick-fil-A—not on Sunday—it means I know that you are going to be there. If I wait for you in a parking lot, I know I have information about you, even though you don’t know that you’re going to be there. So, if God waited for this woman, if Jesus waited for this woman, it means Jesus knew where she had been all this while—with all the five husbands and all the failed marriages. Jesus knew where she was. Another way to say it is, can I just thank God for His grace and mercy? Because the only reason you made it this far was because God’s grace and mercy kept you. The devil wanted to take you out, but mercy said no! You had an appointment with destiny. Thank God that when I was suicidal, mercy said no! Thank God that when I was in addictions, sin, sex, destructive habits, and negative thoughts, mercy said no! He still waited for me; He still waited for me. I know you don’t believe it, but He waited for me, and He knows my name. Joe, come on! The beautiful thing about waiting is this: Jesus was already at the well waiting. This is the woman, and she was going to eventually make it to the well. So, if Jesus was waiting at the well for her, get the picture right: it means Jesus was in her future waiting for her. Thank you, sir! What this means is that if Jesus is in your future, this is how I know you are going to cross over to 2025; because Jesus is already in 2025, waiting for you. This is how I know you’re going to make it to December; because Jesus is already in December, waiting for you. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever.

So Jesus is in your future. If Jesus is in your future, then prosperity is in your future, then healing is in your future, then favor is in your future. And because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all my fears are gone. I may not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. Somebody, anybody, everybody open your mouth for the next ten seconds and give Him praise in the house. Now, He’s still waiting for me; He still waited for me. I know you don’t know my name, but He knows my name. He still waited for me. They didn’t even have the decency to let us know what her name is. We’ll talk to John when we get to heaven, but listen, I always like to say you are not important because people know your name; you are important because God knows your name. It doesn’t matter. I might not have any following on social media; I might not even be on social media. It doesn’t even matter, but as long as God knows my name, that’s the most important. He knows everything about me and still loves me. This is the gospel; this is the good news that God loves me the way I am, and He still knows my name. I don’t love you because of who you are; I love you because of who I am, for God is love. Time will fail me to highlight the differences between Jesus in John chapter 3 and Jesus in John chapter 4, because in John chapter 3 we see Jesus meeting Nicodemus, and in John chapter 4 we see Jesus meeting this woman. John begins to let us know that there is a difference here. Nicodemus’ conversation occurred in the night; this woman’s conversation occurred by noon. Nicodemus was known; this woman was unknown. Nicodemus probably had a good reputation; this woman did not. I can go on and on, but the bottom line is that Jesus was trying to show us that He’s the God of the high and the low. He’s the God of the known and the unknown. He’s the God of the somebody and the nobody. He’s the God of the rich and the poor, because whosoever believes in Him will not perish. Jesus did not die for the church; He died for the world.

The Bible examines this text critically. As we look at this, it states that Jesus had to go through Samaria to reach Jacob’s Well, which is significant because the Samaritans were not considered full Jews; they were products of interracial marriages between Jews and Assyrians who had conquered the northern part of Israel. As a result, the Jews had a problem with the Samaritans, viewing them as a mixed breed. This created deep resentment and hatred between the Samaritans and the Jews.

You may recall the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which religious individuals passed by due to cultural biases. This is a separate conversation, for God did not die for religion; He died for the Church. Some theologians argue that this is not merely theoretical; it is factual. The shorter route for Jesus to take was through Samaria, but Jews typically avoided this path to steer clear of the Samaritans. In fact, they would pull up their clothes to avoid any contact with anything related to Samaritans, illustrating the depth of their aversion.

Yet, Jesus chose to go through Samaria instead of around it. He decided to cross cultural and racial lines; He chose to be politically incorrect. Jesus confronted religion and engaged with tradition, saying, «I will go through Samaria; I will not avoid the issue.» This is crucial because if Jesus had not gone through Samaria, He would have missed the opportunity to connect with the woman there.

My question for you today is: how many sons and daughters, how many men and women, have been lost due to our prejudices and preferences? How many people have we lost because we refused to go through Samaria, opting instead to go around it? The Bible says that God so loved the world. It’s time to choose Jesus over color; it’s time to choose Jesus over preferences, over politics, gender, culture, race, beliefs, and perspectives. It’s time to choose Jesus because real love pushes you beyond your preferences.

Real love will risk being misunderstood. Authentic love—not fake love—will propel you past traditions and mistakes. Your responsibility is not to change people; your duty is to love them and let God change them. You have not even changed yourself; how can you attempt to change others? What if your purpose extends beyond your preferences? What if your calling surpasses your circle?

Perhaps the reason you haven’t made a difference is that you don’t value the differences in others. You have not reached the world because you are still living in your own bubble.

You must put your differences aside if you want to make a difference. God told me something: He says, sometimes the way I break the cycles in your life is when I enlarge your circle. The reason you are still struggling with that cycle is that your circle is too small. Sometimes your purpose is in Samaria. People were like, «Pastor, yeah, you have to change your perspective.» Some of you are trying to be global, but you’re still local. You’re saying, «I’m going global,» but you’re not going global. Put on a different lens. Love beyond your preferences. Love beyond what you feel like. Love beyond your past and your culture. Love, love, love. Your job is to love; your job is not to change. Let God do the changing, and you do the loving because you need somebody to love you just the way you are. In our text, this woman takes a lonely walk at high noon. Unlike other women who would go just before the sun sets in the morning when the sun rises, they would do this because this is where they gossip, and they get caught up in what is happening. You know how women behave when men are not there; that’s when it happens. But this woman thought, «No, I don’t want any of that, ” and she went alone, expecting no one to be there. But Jesus was waiting. Cory, He was waiting to let us know He’s not just the God of the big days, but He’s the God of the bad days. He was waiting because He would be there when it’s happening and when it’s not happening. He’ll be there when it’s working, and when it’s not working out. She did not know that what was just a stroll was going to change the trajectory of her life. Why is this important? Because the greatest appointments don’t come with announcements. God does not have to give you a heads-up to lift your head up. He doesn’t have to notify you to beautify you; He doesn’t have to notify you to magnify you. He doesn’t have to put you on notice to place you where people can notice you. Your rising can still be surprising, and it’s going to happen suddenly. I came to let somebody know it’s going to happen, and the funny thing is that you might not even know.

So, I want to speak to everyone who came in here. You might not have an expectation, but God is going to look beyond your expectation and give you a manifestation. You came here out of formality to see what we’re doing, but God says, „I’m going to give you the miracle you did not even know you needed in your life.“ If you believe it, shout yes! I feel the power of the Holy Ghost. Notice this woman needed water; that’s why she came to the well. God meets us where there is a need, so if she did not need water, she would not have been at the well. She was only coming because she was thirsty. Deacon Keith, what if God was using your situation to get your attention? Sometimes God will use what you think you need to lead you to a place where you receive what you actually need. Your thirst is a compass for your calling; your thirst is a compass. Some of you are thirsty, and God says your thirst, your cravings, because—because listen, listen—your thirst creates your traps, and your cravings create the circles and the cycles in your life. Your passion creates the pattern in your life. So, God says, „If you want to break the cycle, quench the thirst.“ Jesus did not talk about breaking any cycle; He talked about the thirst, not the sin. Jesus broke the ice and asked this woman, „Give me water to drink.“ This is interesting beyond the whole dynamic of the Jews and the Samaritans. This is interesting because the Jews had a custom where it was improper to speak to any woman in public unless you were related, and even then, you had to be very careful with that. So, how is it possible that Jesus was having a conversation with this woman, and He was not related to her? Or is He? Because Jesus told me to tell you in Hebrews 4 that I am a high priest who is touched by the feelings of your infirmity. So, what you feel, I feel. What you go through, I go through, because I’m a very present help in times of trouble. Oh, and wait a minute, I thought you were created in My image, so how are we not connected? And how are we not related? So, here you are thinking you’re not related, but God is saying you’re still related to Me despite what you have been through. I want to thank God that He can still remember our relationship when I don’t remember our relationship. „Give me to drink.“ I want to thank God that He broke the ice because the woman would have said nothing, taken the water, and gone. I want to thank God that He’s always the first to act; while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. „Give me to drink! Give me to drink!“ Hold on! Who was asking the question? Jesus! Jesus, you’re in need! How is the Well of Life asking for water? How is the One who created water asking the one for whom He created the water? How is the Creator asking the created for the creation? Give me water!

Jesus was using this to woo the woman and let her know that she has something to offer. Because if I tell you, „give me, ” it means I believe you have something. So, this was not just a question; this was validation. You have to look at this woman; she was depleted. She had been through five marriages, and the sixth man living in her house, waiting for the water—that’s a different conversation—was not her husband. But Jesus was the seventh man, because seven is the number of perfection. I prophesy over your life that you are coming into a season where God is going to perfect everything that concerns you. God is going to perfect your mind; God is going to perfect your job; God is going to perfect your health; God is going to perfect your children; God is going to perfect everything that has your name on it. Look at your neighbor and tell them, „Perfection, perfection, perfection, perfection! God is about to perfect it!“ Somebody give God ten seconds of praise in this place; He’s about to perfect everything that concerns me. „Give me water to drink! Give me water! Give me water!“ Jesus, are you saying that I still have something to offer? If He says, „give me water, ” what this means is that there’s still something left. You don’t ask an empty bottle for water. So if Jesus says, „give me, ” it means He sees something in you that you don’t know you have. I came to prophesy to you that you can love again, you can build again, you can laugh again, you can believe again, you can start again. It doesn’t matter what they took; it doesn’t matter what you lost; it doesn’t matter what it cost; you can do it again. Jesus says you still have something to offer; you still have value. Somebody shout yes! Look at your neighbor and tell them, „I’m not empty! I’m not empty! I’m not empty!“ What did they say? That’s not the right neighbor! Look for the other one and tell them, „I’m not empty! I’m too loaded to fail! I’m too loaded to go down! I’m too loaded to be—oh my goodness gracious! I’m too loaded not to be favored! I’m too loaded not to be blessed in this season!“ Give me water, because the only reason Jesus will ask you for something is because He has put it in you. After the back-and-forth of their conversation, Jesus looked at her and said, verse 12, Jesus said, „If only you knew, could it be that you’re standing in front of what you need, and you just don’t know it’s what you need? You’ve been through other men that when you were standing before the man, you didn’t know that this is who you want and this is who you need.“ Jesus said, „If you knew the gift—hold on, hold on—gift! If you’re a gift, why are you asking me for anything?“ The message version says, „If you need the generosity.“ Jesus says you can drink this water and you’ll be thirsty, but I got something better. She says, „What?“ He said, „I got something better!“ She says in verse 15, „Sir, can you give me this water? I don’t want to come back here because I’m thirsty.“ The only reason she came was because she was thirsty.

Listen to me. I want to speak to everyone in this room who is thirsty because their physical thirst is merely a reflection of their spiritual and emotional dehydration and depletion. Today, there are people who are thirsty and don’t even realize it. I posted something on social media last night; I said, „Don’t confuse healing with knowing how to manage your triggers, ” because some people think they have been delivered when they really haven’t. You’re supposed to be on a healing journey, but instead, you’ve built coping mechanisms. You have triggers, but you don’t have the bullet, and you wonder what happens and why people shoot you. Because you have the trigger but don’t have the bullet—okay, that’s a different conversation. People keep going back to the same well, asking for drinking water when they need living water. I want to talk to everyone looking for love in all the wrong places. Sometimes it’s not really about love; sometimes, you’re looking for validation, purpose, acceptance, hope, and help in the wrong places. Can you get me the bottle? You’re looking for things in all the wrong places. Nobody had an issue with me lifting this water up because it’s clean. Give me the other one; open it for me, sir. But this is dirty water. Thank you, sir. This is dirty water, and I’m sure most of you would have a problem with me drinking it, but this is what it looks like. Wow, nobody even came to hold me. You want me to die? Wow, this is so good. Are we recording? Hope we are. Okay, I’m just joking. What takes your breath in one season can take your life in another. If you doubt me, ask Samson. The reason you’re throwing up is because of what you’ve digested inside. There’s nothing wrong with being thirsty; where do you go to quench the thirst? Don’t forget this picture, because this is what it looks like when you have a genuine need but go to the wrong place to satisfy it. Jesus says, „I’m the only one that can complete you, ” but most of us are looking for completion when the only thing people can give you is a compliment. They can compliment you, but they cannot complete you. So, people are looking for completion, but what they’re getting is complementation because only Jesus can satisfy.